Looking for a new place to settle?
We may as well admit it—we’re not exactly objective about our towns! There are 17 beautiful parks with ball fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, jogging paths, great sledding, and each town has a community pool. Both towns border the South Mountain Reservation—a 2020 acre preserve with hiking and biking trails. Residents refer to the downtowns of South Orange and Maplewood each quaintly as ‘The Village.’ In addition to ‘The Villages,’ there are amazing shopping, dining, and business sites throughout the towns, including Seton Village, Springfield Avenue, Cedar Ridge, Boyden Avenue, and Irvington Avenue. All of this in towns that strive, through the work of the Community Coalition on Race, to be racially integrated and truly inclusive.
Of course, we believe they’re among the best-kept secret, choice communities in the metro area, and we’re always eager to share our hometowns with expectant newcomers. Visit ChooseSOMA.com for a deeper look and then plan a day to visit our wonderful stores, restaurants, arts centers, and take a walk through our neighborhoods to see the range and beauty of our homes! South Orange and Maplewood have so much to offer….
- Coffee houses, diners, a wide variety of international cuisines, pubs, bakeries, and fine gourmet dining
- Town recreation departments offer after-school, vacation, academic and sports programs for pre-school and school-age children
- Beautiful parks and the South Mountain Reservation
- Community pools, public and private tennis courts, basketball, bocce and paddle tennis courts, and a private golf course
- Art galleries
- Performance spaces and movie theaters
- Seton Hall University
- Three libraries in the two towns—plus a borrowing agreement with universities and other libraries
- Two Farmer’s Markets offer the best in NJ Fresh produce and flowers
- Town shops answer your needs: antiques, book stores, sophisticated gifts, pet stores, clothing, art supplies, toys, hair salons, flowers, eye glasses, pharmacies, hobbies, and more
- Additional fine shopping at the Short Hills Mall – just minutes away
- Block groups and neighborhood associations preserve “over the back fence” neighborliness and community.
- Four university-affiliated medical facilities within fifteen minutes.
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