Ridgewood, New Jersey is a bustling, low-lying suburban village in Bergen County, about 45 minutes outside of Manhattan. New Jersey Transit buses run regularly from Port Authority (make sure to take the express bus to Van Neste Square, not the Park & Ride) or take the New Jersey Transit train from Penn Station and transfer at Secaucus Junction. Both the train and bus stations are located centrally in Ridgewood and let you off right in the midst of small town charm.
Things to do in Ridgewood
While schpatziring, you will find everything from an Organic Tofu House to a Lucky Brand Jeans to a Papyrus and a Savvy Chic consignment shop operating out of an old Post Office. The local bookstore, Bookends, attracts some well-known authors (as well as fizzy folks like Ozzy Osbourne and Elizabeth Edwards) for signings.
The town usually sponsors – in normal days – free outdoor musical performances throughout the summer. Check the calendar for future events, visit PJ’s theridgewoodblog.net for the local scoop, and ridgewoodwildscape.org for natural wonders in town, such as a 70-year-old Wisteria or wildflower gardens.
Eats
For some delicious Cantonese food, go to dim sum Dynasty or win a place on the wall by eating two famous pizza-sized pancakes at Country Pancake House. (The line is out the door on weekends and there are no reservations, so get there early.)
For picnic accouterments, stop by the Best of Everything Gourmet Deli—try their home-made mozzarella and rice pudding—then head to nearby Van Neste Square to munch in the shade of a Sycamore.
After lunch, explore the many delightful sculptures and monuments the park has to offer like Sandi Clark’s “Double Decker” or the memorial to American Revolutionary war hero Abraham Godwin.
Get Outdoors
If you’re seeking a bit of outdoor adventure, bring your bike and pedal the six-mile bike path that extends from the Ridgewood Duck Pond into Saddle River. In addition to soccer, lacrosse, and baseball fields, there is historic Graydon Park Pool where for a $10 day pass the kids can go for a splash while you relax with your toes in the sand. Before returning home, swing by Ridgewood resident fave Van Dyke’s Ice Cream or grab a cupcake at Carousel Cakes.
Just remember, you’re enjoying a small-town getaway, stroll don’t scuttle.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram