The Garden State is full of wonderful parks to visit, and Van Saun County Park in Bergen County is no exception. Located in Paramus, this family-friendly park in New Jersey is the perfect day trip destination. The park sits on over 130 acres, with ball fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, pony rides, a zoo, and more! It’s even home to the nationally accredited Bergen County Zoo, where you’ll find animals ranging from mountain lions and alligators to domesticated horses and goats. Welcome to Van Saun County Park in New Jersey.

Van Saun County Park has peaceful walking paths, with benches lined along the route so you can stop and rest, if need be.
Dave Overcash/Flickr
The Van Saun & Zoo Loop is about 2.1 miles long and is perfect for walking, biking, or running. It’s stroller and wheelchair friendly and welcomes leashed dogs as well.
Edgar Pena/Google Local
Kids will love the well-maintained and colorful playground, with picnic tables nearby, so you can stop for a lunch break.
Jennifer Decker/Google
And the Bergen County Zoo is a gem, with a variety of animals to see and a strong focus on conservation efforts. In fact, the Bergen County Zoo was a founding member of a Brazilian ocelot conservation program.
alexisrael/Wikimedia

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Enter the zoo, and you’ll be captivated by charming capybaras, playful monkeys, and more. You'll also find domesticated animals like the Belgian draft horse and Belted Galloway cow.
Bergen County Zoo/Facebook
The zoo’s brightly colored Millennium Carousel beckons, with all kinds of animals to ride - along with the traditional horses, of course.
CaravelEF/TripAdvisor
Kids can also climb aboard the Van Saun Railroad miniature train ride, or try a real live pony ride!
TMBLover/Wikimedia
The zoo isn’t the only animal-friendly area of the park. There’s also a Van Saun dog park where your canine family members can run and play with other dogs in a safely enclosed area. This really is the perfect day trip for the entire family.
Amaru Bustamante/Google Local

Enjoy this walkthrough of the zoo:

To get updates and hours for Van Saun County Park in New Jersey, visit the Bergen County parks website. Have you been to this wonderful park? Let us know all about your experiences in the comments.

Looking for more parks to visit in the Garden State? Check out our list of the best state parks in New Jersey.

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More to Explore

Family-Friendly Attractions in New Jersey

William Suphan | May 25, 2023

What are the most amazing day trips in New Jersey?

The most amazing day trips in New Jersey include:

  • Cape May. This is a wonderful family day trip with Sunset Beach and tons of amazing restaurants and shops.
  • Wildwood. This is a beachfront amusement park with rollercoasters, arcade games, waterparks, and more.
  • The Tuckerton Seaport. This is a museum where you can take part in hands-on exhibits to learn all about maritime history.
  • Wharton State Forest. This is a gorgeous natural area with hiking trails, kayaking, ghost town ruins, and a historic village.

Learn more about the most amazing day trips in New Jersey. 

What are the most unique attractions in New Jersey?

The most unique attractions in New Jersey include:

  • Elsie The Cow Memorial. Borden Dairy had a mascot called Elsie the Cow which was represented for a while by a real cow named Lobelia, who rests here.
  • Hadrosaurus Monument. This stature remembers the finding of the first complete dinosaur skeleton in the world.
  • Wild West City. Located in Netcong, this Wild West-themed park has over 20 live-action shows and rides on trains, stagecoaches, and ponies.
  • United States War Dogs Memorial. This memorial commemorates the dogs that served in the Vietnam War and other wars.

Discover more about the most unique attractions in New Jersey. 

What are the weirdest attractions in New Jersey?

The weirdest attractions in New Jersey include:

  • Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum. This is the ultimate museum for the strange and unusual with all kinds of weird exhibits.
  • Insectropolis. This is a museum dedicated to insects and has exhibits like the Caterpillar Cafe, The Mud Tube, and Bug University.
  • Lucy. Located in Margate, Lucy is a six-story elephant constructed of wood and has served as a restaurant, an office, a cottage, and a tavern.
  • Martian Landing Site. This is a memorial to the radio broadcast that caused a mass panic in 1938, The War of the Worlds.

Find out more about the weirdest attractions in New Jersey. 

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Featured Addresses
Van Saun County Park, 216 Forest Ave, Paramus, NJ 07652, USA