Discover Livingston: Art, history and forest trails

Livingston offers a range of reasons to explore the area: historic museums and resources, artist studios, and trails through forests and parks. When planning your trip, you can consider whether you are more interested in local history and art, prefer longer routes, or would rather explore short trails in individual parks.

Local history and art

Old Force Homestead is now a museum and the home of the Livingston Historical Society. The Barn Museum offers another glimpse into the past with its tools and artifacts. Those interested in Livingston’s history can also follow the Livingston Historic Trail: This 4.2-mile self-guided tour can be completed on foot or by car. It leads to Livingston’s historic resources, connecting visits to different sites in a loop that you can plan independently.

A longer hiking option is the Livingston Historic Hike. Designed by Boy Scout Troop 16, this ten-mile loop includes and extends the Historic Trail. It starts at the home of the Livingston Historical Society at Force Homestead. The two options differ in length and format: the Historic Trail is designed as a walking or driving tour, while the Historic Hike is a longer loop on foot.

Force Homestead Museum is located at 366 S. Livingston Avenue. It is open to the public on the second Sunday of each month; volunteer museum guides from the Livingston Historical Society offer free tours. If you are planning a museum visit, you can take this monthly date into account. The artist studios at Riker Hill Art Park hold open weekends twice a year: an open house and art sale take place on the first weekend in June and November.

Riker Hill Art Park was formerly a United States missile-tracking facility in Livingston, New Jersey. Its buildings have been converted into 38 artist studios. Its former use and current role as a studio complex make it a distinctive stop for travelers interested in the transformation of a historic site and in art. The open weekends mentioned above offer a specific opportunity to visit.

Forest trails and outdoor activities

The park trails also offer different experiences. East Hills Park has a 1.5-mile trail through the forest. Prospect Park is a wooded, 29-acre park with accessible interpretive hiking and biking trails. At Memorial Park, a ¼-mile interpretive trail starts at Littell’s Pond and follows Slough Brook. The three options differ in their length and description: a forest trail at East Hills, hiking and biking trails at Prospect Park, and a short interpretive trail along the brook at Memorial Park.

If you have several interests, this selection can help you decide what makes Livingston the right destination for you: culture and history, a longer self-guided tour, or a trail through a park landscape. If you are considering Livingston as a vacation destination, choose your focus based on the activities you would like to enjoy during your trip; a vacation rental is a suitable option to search for when staying in the area.

Another activity is Livingston Skate Park. The facility is intended for skateboarding, inline skating and BMX riding, and is used at your own risk. Alongside the museums and trails, it offers an option for travelers interested in wheeled sports.

Discover more places

You can also explore these destination pages: Fairfield, East Orange, Irvington, Maplewood, Millburn, Roseland, Bloomfield and City of Orange.

For the broader travel overview: Essex.