Your Local Town Guide to Livingston, NJ
Your Local Town Guide to Livingston, NJ
Local Town Guide to Livingston, NJ
Are you considering moving to Livingston, NJ? Livingston Township is in Essex County and is considered one of the best places to live in New Jersey. Livingston is ranked “#3 Best Place to Live in Essex County”. Livingston Township offers residents a sparse suburban feel and major of the residents own their own homes. The public schools in Livingston Township are highly rated. Here are some of the town highlights of Livingston, NJ.
The history of Livingston, NJ
Livingston is named after William Livingston, an American politician who served as the Governor of New Jersey during the American Revolutionary War and was a signer of the United States Constitution.
Livingston was part of the Horseneck Tract which today includes Livingston and eight other northern municipalities. In 1964 Saint Barnabas Medical Center and Newark Academy moved from Newark to Livingston and are still there today!
EDUCATION
Livingston has a highly rated School system and is one reason families move there. Livingston Public School district provides pre-K through Twelfth Grade. There are six elementary schools- Pre-K/K-5, one middle school serving only sixth grade, and another middle school for seventh and eighth grade. Finally, the high school for ninth through twelfth grade.
Asides from public school, Newark Academy is a private school serving sixth through eighth and ninth through twelfth grades.
Livingston also has Aquinas Academy a private coeducational Roman Catholic school. Aquinas Academy has Pre-K through eighth grade. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese runs Aquinas Academy.
Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy is a private coeducational Jewish day school for Pre-K through eighth grade. Students then can go to Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School which is a yeshiva four-year high school. If K-12 grade students would like to learn about Jewish heritage and Hebrew language then they can go to Tzedek School.
Livingston, NJ. Livingston Town Center is located at the corner of North Livingston Avenue and Mt Pleasant (Route 10)
LOCAL DINING AND SHOPPING
Livingston has so many places to shop and dine right in town. From Downtown shops to the Livingston Mall, Livingston has many options to shop. Livingston’s downtown shops and town center give a small-town feel. With unique boutique shops. These shops have been in business for years and are a big part of the charm of the town.
If you are more into a large mall you are in luck. Livingston has a mall right in town! The Livingston Mall has a wide variety of over 100 stores! They have everything from a dollar store to Shoprite!
ARTS & CULTURE
Livingston supports the arts and has several performing arts centers.
Livingston Symphony Orchestra was formed in 1960 and formed of community-based performers. The orchestra is directed by Dr. David Schultz and holds limited season performances.
If you are interested in the theater you can visit the Livingston Community Players or Children’s Theater of Livingston. They are both local theaters and have multiple performances a year. At the Children’s Theater of Livingston, children grades 2-8 train in acting roles and staging staff. Livingston Community Players received the Perry Award for their production of The Sound of Music, Oliver, and Annie.
New Jersey Ballet is a national /internationally recognized ballet company located in Livingston. The company has done tours in Europe, Asia, and all over North America.
If you are interested in art, then make sure to take a trip to the Livingston Town Center. They have an art gallery that supports local artists. The Livingston Art Association has been around since 1959 and is part of the Art Council of Livingston. The Livingston Art Association has large-scale exhibitions, demonstrations, and workshops.
You can also visit the Riker Hill Art Park that has over 40 working artists working in a variety of mediums. They also host art classes for adults and children.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Riker Hill in Livingston, NJ
For nature lovers, stroll through Riker Hill Complex. A 204.68-acre complex located off Beaufort Avenue along the Livingston Roseland border in Essex County. The Complex is run by the Department of Parks & Recreation and Cultural Affairs. The complex is comprised of the Riker Hill Art Park, Walter Kiddie Dinosaur Park - which is a National Natural Landmark, and Becker Park.
Livingston even has a park for your furry friends! Livingston Dog Park has been open since 2003, the park has two fenced-in areas for your dog to run off-leash. There are also two separate play areas - one for small dogs 25 pounds or lighter. The other large dog park is for dogs of all sizes. The areas both have benches, a water fountain, and shade for your dog to hang to get out of the sun. You can also take your dog on the 1 1/2 wooded nature trail in East Hills Park.
TRANSPORTATION
Work in New York City? OurBus company operates a commuter route serves Livingston and West Orange. You can also take the Community Coach #77 which goes to Port Authority.
If you’d rather drive Livingston is 21.9 miles away from New York City. Surrounding roads includes Eisenhower Parkway, interstate 208, Route 10, Interstate 80, Garden State Parkway, and the New Jersey Turnpike.