Amazing Van Saun Park is one of the jewels in the Bergen County Parks system. Located in Paramus it has so much to offer you. Van Saun is 146 acres of fun!
Last weekend I had a few hours free so I took my dog, Mickey, there. Because no one was at the dog park we took a long walk. The dog park there is excellent. It has large and small dog sections and it’s always been very clean whenever I’ve been there. Because there is no water available you need to bring some with you.
Walking through the park, you see so many people on a weekend. Weekdays are busy too by the children’s playground and other areas. The playground is terrific. There are always tons of children and it looks like the UN has arrived. You will see all of Bergen County’s diversity here which is great. There is also a new ADA compliant section that has a water sprinkler area.
Parking is never a problem. Even on Labor Day Weekend (I took Mickey on Labor Day mid afternoon) I was able to find a spot. Because the park is so well designed the facilities everywhere are great.
Families fill the picnic tables barbecuing all over. Great food smell
s are everywhere. The park has hot ash containers for you once you’re done. It seems they’ve thought of everything. I also saw volley ball, soccer, catch, softball, bike riding and just relaxing in a hammock.
Mickey and I walked over to the carousel – that’s right, there is a real live carousel – and along the way saw the park’s Safari Train. This train has been running since the early 1960’s. I know parents who rode the train themselves as children and take their kids today. Both the carousel and zoo tickets are $1.50 which isn’t bad.
Walking
through the park is fun. There are beautiful paths where you feel like you’re in the middle of a nature preserve with streams and lush foliage. It is so easy to come here and just relax. In fact there is one section where General George Washington visited with his army. This is Washington Spring. Volunteers maintain this area as they do elsewhere in the park.
Even more family fun awaits you. Pony rides from Ironside Farm are just north of the tennis courts. That’s about a 5 minute walk north from the carousel. Do you remember taking a pony ride? I do. It was so much fun. I took Mickey over there and he could care less. He had never seen a horse before so I was wondering what kind of reaction he would have. Zero is the answer! 
The Bergen County Zoo is in Van Saun Park too. It’s free for Bergen County residents and a nominal charge for others. This is really a terrific learning experience for your children and they have many different special activities throughout the year. Please click on the URL here for all the information and check back often.
If you’re wondering what to do this weekend, come to this park. Amazing Van Saun Park is all of that and more. Whether you’re by yourself or with others, you will be so glad you did. I have been coming here nearly all my life and it’s never disappointed me. I have to admit that it stirs up happy memories every time I do. So come and make some of your own!
