Location | Commute

Mountainside is 18.63 miles west of New York, and 22 miles following the US-22 route. New York and Mountainside are 29 minutes far apart, if you drive non-stop.

Residents can catch New Jersey Transit trains in Summit or Westfield. The trip to New York’s Penn Station takes about 50 minutes from Westfield (4 miles from Mountainside city center); from Summit (2 miles from Mountainside city center). New Jersey Transit buses 114(x) and 117 provide service to Port Authority, with rides taking between 46 and 70 minutes.

Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately 11 miles east of Mountainside.

Mountainside Schools

Mountainside provides public education opportunities from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Beechwood School serves approximately students from pre-kindergarten through second grade and Deerfield Elementary School serves students in third through eighth grade. High school students attend Governor Livingston High School in Berkeley Heights which enrolls students from the two towns.

Governor Livingston has a championship marching band and its own student-run television station plus offers 26 Advanced Placement courses. Mountainside students also have the option of attending one of the Union County vocational / technical schools, specializing in the performing arts, information technology and health sciences.

Activities | Recreation | Arts | Dining | Shopping

Watchung Reservation is the largest nature reserve in Union County, New Jersey, United States. It is bounded by the city of Summit, the borough of Mountainside, and the townships of Berkeley Heights, Scotch Plains, and Springfield. The reservation consists mainly of the upper valley of Blue Brook, between the ridges of First Watchung Mountain and Second Watchung Mountain. A dam near the headwaters of the creek creates Lake Surprise.

The 2,065-acre Watchung Reservation is a fundamental part of Mountainside: Residents take advantage of its wooded hiking trails, riding stables, picnic grounds and the Trailside Nature and Science Center, planetarium, a 4,500-square-foot interactive museum. It also provides a convenient cut through to take high-schoolers to school in neighboring Berkeley Heights.

The 147-acre Echo Lake Park, in the southeast corner of Mountainside, offers more recreation, including fishing and paddleboat rentals on the lake, a dog park, fitness trail and yoga classes. In the summer, Echo Lake Park Natural Ampitheater features a Music Festival under the stars every Wednesday evening from June through August.

The Recreation Department provides a variety of programs and activities for borough residents of all ages and access to basketball/volleyball courts adjacent to the pool, Echo Brook softball/soccer fields, and the Echo Brook tennis courts. All of these are located in the vicinity of Borough Hall. The Community Room at Borough Hall is open for meetings and events. The 2nd floor also includes the Senior Fitness Room, and the Game Room. The Game Room contains air hockey, dome hockey, foosball, ping pong, pool, and a variety of board games.

Activities | Recreation | Arts | Dining | Shopping Continued

The popular community pool, where a family membership for residents is $334 and an individual membership is $171, has an Olympic-sized pool, slides, wading pools and a cafe.

In the Deerfield School area is toddler playground equipment, several softball and soccer fields (lighted), batting cages, and the tennis courts (lighted). Behind Beechwood School is a softball field.

The Mountainside Public Library is located on Constitution Plaza in Mountainside, New Jersey. The library features a large selection of books, periodicals, movies, music, audiobooks and reference resources. There are also public computer workstations, free wireless Internet access, a community meeting room, a children's center and regularly scheduled entertainment and educational events.

The bustling downtown of Westfield, with scores of restaurants and shops, is less than two miles away from Mountainside. Westfield is a vibrant shopping and dining destination, home to Trader Joe's, Lord & Taylor, Urban Outfitters, Carlo's Bakery, GAP, Williams-Sonoma and over 450 fine stores, restaurants and services.

In Mountainside’s backyard, Westfield offers unique shops, boutiques, services and a variety of upscale & casual eating establishments. Offerings like the Digiplex Rialto movie theater, RoosterSpin Korean karaoke restaurant, Yestercade retro arcade, and Thyme Cooking School make it an easy local destination.

A quick jaunt to the 2.7 mile stretch of Rte. 22 in Mountainside gives access to innumerous business, retail and dining options – including national retail chains, hotels and an AMC-10 movie theater.