Straddling both sides of the busy Pompton Avenue shopping district, Cedar Grove (pop. 12,000), nonetheless manages to be one of the more bucolic towns in Essex County, with tidy streets of small homes that make you think of an afterschool snack of chocolate chip cookies and milk. The town also has a high-end inventory of newer luxury homes tucked away at Park Ridge Estates and other private locations on the rocky outcroppings of First and Second Watchung Mountains. Many streets criss-cross busy Pompton Avenue, where there are shopping opportunities and local restaurants.

Recently, a gorgeous, new county park with a farm themed playground area and three fitness stations opened in the township. Cedar Grove also has a well-regarded school system with under 1700 students, superior athletic programs, and breathtaking new playing fields. The 195 NJ Transit bus line provides transportation to Manhattan’s Port Authority Bus Terminal. The Southeast part of Cedar Grove meets Upper Montclair, so there’s access to several Midtown Direct train stations, but no parking will be available there except with daily permit at the NJ Transit Parking Garage on Clove Road at Montclair State University.