Hiking and Pizza in Northern NJ: The Perfect Saturday Day Trip

It's easy to escape New York City for a quick road trip if you know where you're going. Some of the best trips can be some of the easiest, within just a couple hours of the city, making it easy to drive out and back in the same day. My favorite trips usually include a walk or hike, passing local points of interest and stopping for a delicious meal to cap it off. What better way to escape the city than heading out into nature and finishing your day with a home cooked meal. The following plans are for a quick trip to Passaic and Morris counties in NJ and if you are based in New York City you WILL NEED A CAR for this trip! 

Suggested steps for this mini road trip:

1. Go for a hike at Norvin Green State Forest in Wanaque, NJ
2. Stop for a full Italian dinner at Frank's Pizza in Lincoln Park, NJ
3. Take a walk down the eccentric Main Street in Boonton, home to various Sopranos lore and Scoop House's homemade ice cream

First off, you will want to get to the trailhead for Norvin Green State Forest in Wanaque, NJ. Throw "The Weis Center Wanaque" or "Highlands Natural Pool Wanaque" into the Waze app, (mentioned in my last post!) which will lead you directly to the parking lot at the base of the trail. Then head up the trail to Wyanokie High Point for some of the coolest views in the area. You can find trail directions for Wyanokie High Point and the rest of Norvin Green here. 

Next, since you are probably starving now, you'll want to head to Frank's Pizza in Lincoln Park, NJ. Throw it into Waze and make your way there, where you'll find massive slices of all sorts of pizza as well as some of the most generous portions in the area for their dinner options. For Fordham students, think Pugsley's with portions easily three times as large. You can't go wrong with anything from their menu, just make sure you have room in your fridge for some leftovers. You can find information on Frank's Pizza, including their telephone number, here.

Finally, before you head home, continue down route 287 south to Boonton for some ice cream, (if you still have room) to see where they shot multiple scenes from The Sopranos or just to people watch. Boonton is home to a lot of interesting and eccentric folk, so most New Yorkers won't feel too out of place. If you have any remaining space in your stomach, try Scoop House Boonton for a couple scoops of ice cream or cool down with a shake. If you have seen The Sopranos, which you should have, then go ahead and explore Dartford, their fictional name for Boonton. The Boonton based filming locations are available here, and there are quite a few in the immediate area. 

Now you should have all the elements of a quick, easy yet exciting escape from the fast pace of city life. Stick around as we venture further and further from New York City and stay tuned for more day trips in the New York, New Jersey area! See you on the road!