Montclair, NJ Home,Garden and Art WalkingTour

Montclair, NJ Home,Garden and Art WalkingTour/Mediterranea Dinner Sat Apr 10 10:00AM 2010 RSVP on Meetup. Montclair, NJ is a highly attractive and walkable town. There are beautiful storefronts and old homes to look at. We will be walking throughout the town, about 6.5 miles and then be on our feet most of the time when we are in the park, museum, houses and gardens. It is also possible to drive from Mountainside Park to the Van Vleck House and Gardens and cut out about 4 round trip miles of walking and reduce the walk to 2.5 miles. Usually, there is on-street metered parking available near the Van Vleck House and Gardens.

We will begin our day at 9:00. YES, I know it is early and I can't help that because the Montclair Art Museum closes at 5:00. We will meet at the entranceway of the Walther House and Grounds in Mountainside Park, where the finest collection of irises bloom in the world. During the peak times, there are over 75,000 irises, dubbed, "Rainbow on the Hill". The contact information is: Presby Memorial Iris Gardens, 474 Upper Mountain Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07043, 973-783-5974, www.PresbyIrisGardens.org. There is no charge for Mountainside Park, however, they suggest a $5 donation.
After we finish enjoying Mountainside Park, we will walk about 2 miles to the Van Vleck House and Gardens, 21 Van Vleck Street, Montclair, NJ 07042-2358, 973-744-4752, www.VanVleck.org. This 6 acre home and gardens are known for their rare rhododendroms and azaleas. We should arrive there by 12:00. The price is free.
Around 2:30, we will arrive at the Montclair Art Museum, 3 South Mountain Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07042, 973-746-5555, www. MontclairArtMuseum.org. The cost is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (65 and older) and free for children under 12.
We will finish the day with an early dinner at Mediterranea Fine Cuisine, 578 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07042-2805, 973-744-1300, www.mediterraneanj.com and then walk back to Mountainside Park to get our cars.
Wear sneakers and comfortable clothing. Pack a picnic lunch, water, snacks, sunscreen, chapstick and sunglasses. This is a kid friendly event, although children under 8 might be bored or have a hard time walking. Come for as much of the day as you want. If you are coming for only part of the day, let me know when to expect you. There is a guest/unpaid member fee of $5.
If you want to take the train, you would have to skip the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens and meet us later for the Van Vleck House and Montclair Art Museum. From NY Penn Station, take the Montclair-Boontown Line (the brown line) for an easy 45 minute commute to Bay Street, which is within walking distance of the Van Vleck House or Montclair Art Museum. There is also the #33 Decamp bus from the Port Authority that will take you to the Montclair Art Museum and Van Vleck House area.
If you want to join us from the beginning of the day, at the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens, you would have to take the #66 Decamp Bus from Port Authority.
You could also take the #66 Decamp Bus to the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens and then instead of walking back to the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens with us, take the #33 Decamp Bus to the Port Authority or the train from Bay Street to Penn Station.