Discover Bloomfield: Parks, Gardens and History

Bloomfield features historic estates, landscaped grounds and parks with distinct highlights. Oakeside Mansion & Gardens is a historic 19th-century estate; Brookdale Park offers walking and running paths, a rose garden and a section of the Lenape Trail. Watsessing Park is an Olmsted-designed landscape in Bloomfield and East Orange, and the Second River flows through the park. When choosing a vacation rental, consider which themes will shape your trip: outdoor activities, gardens or local history.

Historic Estates and Landscaped Grounds

Oakeside Mansion & Gardens is a historic 19th-century estate surrounded by 4 acres of landscaped grounds and gardens. The gardens add a tangible landscape element to its historic significance. Tours of Oakeside Mansion can be arranged by appointment. If a tour is important to you, take this requirement into account when planning and arrange your appointment in advance.

Watsessing Park offers a different perspective: the Olmsted-designed landscape lies in Bloomfield and East Orange, and the Second River flows through the park. A historic estate with gardens and a designed parkland landscape with a river therefore offer different ways to experience history and landscape. If both interest you, consider these highlights separately when planning rather than treating them as similar park visits.

Paths, a Rose Garden and Seasonal Sports

Brookdale Park offers walking and running paths and includes a section of the 36-mile Lenape Trail. Its rose garden features 1,500 rose bushes from nearly 100 varieties. The same park therefore offers distinct highlights: paths and a connection to a longer trail on the one hand, and the rose garden on the other. This can help you decide whether outdoor activities or a garden visit matter most during your stay.

At Brookdale Park’s outdoor archery range, The Bloomfield Archers holds its weekly “Sunday Shoots” from April through October. They are open to all archers. As the program is seasonal, check the dates for the relevant season before your visit.

Green Spaces with Distinctive Character

Historic Town Green is a rectangular, tree-lined, five-acre park running parallel to Park Place. Its simple layout sets it apart from the paths and rose garden at Brookdale Park. If you enjoy considering parks for their design, it offers a different experience from a walking route or garden visit.

The Morris Canal Greenway at Morris Canal Park is located at Pierson Lane and Oak Tree Lane, off Broughton Avenue. The Bloomfield Morris Canal Greenway area features pollinator-friendly flower beds. These add further natural features to the parks: a tree-lined rectangular park and a greenway area with flower beds each offer their own highlights.

Local History and Choosing Your Vacation Rental

The Museum of the Historical Society of Bloomfield complements the park and landscape themes with a collection on local history. It includes maps, newspapers, photographs, postcards, letters, deeds, documents and books. The museum is currently temporarily closed for restoration. If you would like to include the collection in your travel plans, take note of its current closure status.

When planning with children, you can consider together whether paths and outdoor activities, gardens or historic themes are most appealing. These interests can give you a clear direction when searching for a vacation rental in Bloomfield. First decide which places you want to visit, then compare the location of a specific rental with your choices. This way, your decision is guided by the experiences that matter to your trip.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: West Orange, Newark, Livingston, Millburn, City of Orange, Roseland, Cedar Grove, Maplewood.

For the broader travel overview: Essex.