Summit, NJ is simply one of my favorite communities. A little unknown fact is that Summit is a city, not just a town. It has its own police force, fire department and over 21,000 residents. Home to a fabulous hospital, Overlook Medical Center, and a thriving arts center, Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, it still manages to maintain a small town feel. Plus, there is a great downtown! There’s more.

Here are 5 things that make Summit, NJ so liveable and likeable:

1. Great Coffee

Summit has a great selection of coffee shops. Of course, there is Starbucks, a quintessential favorite for both young and old, although the one in town has pretty limited seating. A new coffee shop just opened which is beautiful and has great coffee, Boxwood Coffee, and then a favorite of businessmen and mothers alike, Batavia Cafe is right on Springfield Avenue. Great coffee shops bring the community out, which is why I think they are so important. Of course you can make your own coffee at home, but coffee shops are places to meet friends and have a quick bite to eat. Part of Summit’s charm is that it has an abundance of them.

2. Great Shops

Just down Summit Avenue is The Mall at Short Hills. So, for a retail store to thrive in downtown Summit, it has to have something special to offer. Summit is lucky enough to have stores that make you feel as if every item on display was thoughtfully considered and curated. If you are in need of jewelry for either yourself or that special someone, you can always find something at Schroth & Lorenson Jewelers. For the teen or tween in your life, A to Zoom is an absolute delight. There is always something new on the shelves at A to Zoom and their sundries include lots of throw pillows and trendy pajamas! I also love the unique foodie havens like Brownie Points Bakery with their bright, fun and eye-catching window displays.

3. The Summit Area Y

Summit is a great place to raise a family. With a large YMCA right on Maple Street, kids can learn to swim at the pool or go to their popular summer camp. It has a small rock climbing wall and plenty of exercise classes. The YMCA even has a competitive swim team and swim lessons for all levels. I like the fact that the Summit Free Public Library is right across the parking lot from the Summit Y. Families can swing by the library after a weekend swim lesson and pick up some pleasure reading!

4. Briant Park

A lovely park right in Summit is Briant Park, which sits on the corner of Springfield Avenue and Briant Parkway. It has a paved mile running loop in it and a beautiful lake. During warm weather, you will always see ducks or geese around the lake and groups of walkers enjoying the outdoors. There is a bridge on one end of the lake, and in the mornings you will often see a fisherman standing on the bridge with his line in the water.

5. School choices

Summit has a highly-rated public school system; in fact, one of the best in the State. But, there are numerous private school choices in Summit as well. There is Kent Place School, an all girls college preparatory school and Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, a private Catholic school. Summit is also home to Oratory Prep, a Catholic school for boys in grades 7 to 12. Unique in the breadth of educational choices it offers, the Summit school options make the community a wonderful place to raise children.

So, with spring weather around the corner, take the time to enjoy all that Summit has to offer. Whether it is a stroll through Briant Park, family swim at the Summit Y, or a cup of coffee in a cafe, it’s a great place to spend the day. If you are thinking of making Summit your permanent home, contact Victoria Carter or call 973.220.3050. I would love to show you around!

Photo Credit: By Jared Kofsky (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons