Pair the playground with a picnic for a family outing at "Gazebo Park" in Ridgefield NJ.

McGowan Park has a cool playground for younger kids located on Bergen Turnpike. It is best suited toward the age of 10 and under. There are 6 slides at the park, with all different heights, so kids have their pick at whichever they want. The racing ones are a crowd favorite! There are also a lot of climbing structures, including a cool spiral feature and monkey bars. There is a smaller section for toddlers and little kids, but since they’re in the same area you can be comfortable with your kids splitting into the two areas. Although this playground isn’t a full-day event, there are other activities within the park, and you can definitely plan to stay for a couple of hours if you are interested in the other parts.

McGowan Park is also called Gazebo Park, as it is known for its beautiful waterside gazebo. It overlooks the meeting of the Hackensack and Overpeck Creek. The most gorgeous time to enjoy the gazebo scenery is at sunset, so it would be perfect to spend a couple of hours at the playground, then end your day viewing the pretty colors above the water. There are benches all around and lots of green space, so complete it with a picnic to make the most out of your time outside and re-energize after a busy day. The park is open from sunrise to sunset, so you can squeeze this outing in at any time if you are in the area. There are pretty gardens and flowers, as well as walking paths that are great for strollers. It would be the perfect place for kids to practice biking or scootering!