We asked readers for their favorite fun spots, food and drink, places to shop, stroll and more. Read on for the results of our survey of the best of the Garden State!
Best Vacation Spot
WINNER
Cape May
FINALIST
Long Beach Island
Best Al Fresco Dining Spot
WINNER
Rat’s Restaurant, Hamilton Twp.
FINALIST
Haven Riverfront Restaurant & Bar, Edgewater
Favorite Salon
WINNER
Depasquale The Spa, Morris Plains
FINALIST
Hair Salon Body & Soul, New Providence
Favorite Hotel
WINNER
Hotel LBI, Ship Bottom
FINALIST
Wave Resort, Long Branch
Fun in New Jersey
Favorite Tri-State Snowtubing/Skiing Spot
WINNER
Mountain Creek, Vernon Twp.
FINALIST
Shawnee Mountain, East Stroudsburg, PA
Favorite Kids Party Venue
WINNER
Urban Air, multiple locations
FINALIST
Medieval Times, Lyndhurst
Favorite Lake
WINNER
Lake Hopatcong
FINALIST
Lake Lenape
Best Nature Center
WINNER
Tenafly Nature Center, Tenafly
FINALIST
New Jersey Botanical Garden, Ringwood
Favorite Boardwalk
WINNER
Jenkinson’s Boardwalk, Point Pleasant Beach
FINALIST
Asbury Park Boardwalk, Asbury Park
Prettiest Garden
WINNER
Greenwood Gardens, Millburn
FINALIST
Duke Farms, Hillsborough Twp.
Best National Park
WINNER
Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park, Paterson
FINALIST
Gateway National Recreation Area, Sandy Hook
Favorite NJ Landmark
WINNER
Cape May Lighthouse, Cape May
FINALIST
The Hermitage, Ho-Ho-Kus
Best Rock Gym/Ninja Warrior Gym
WINNER
Gravity Vault, multiple locations
FINALIST
High Exposure Rock Climbing, Ninja Warrior & Parkour, Northvale
Favorite Hiking Spot
WINNER
Stokes State Forest, Sandyston Twp.
FINALIST
Stairway to Heaven Trail, Vernon
Most Fun Night Out
WINNER
Bury The Hatchet, multiple locations
FINALIST
Top Golf, Edison + Mt. Laurel
Favorite Beach
WINNER
Ocean City
FINALIST
Wildwood
Best Zoo
WINNER
Turtle Back Zoo, West Orange
FINALIST
Cape May County Park & Zoo, Cape May Court House
Best Amusement Park
WINNER
Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson Twp.
FINALIST
Nickelodeon Universe, East Rutherford
Best Indoor Play Place
WINNER
iPlay America, Freehold
FINALIST
Sky Zone, Multiple locations
Best Kept Secret for a Family Afternoon Out
WINNER
The Gardens of Wyckoff, Wyckoff
FINALIST
New York Society of Model Engineers Model Train Museum, Carlstadt
Favorite Aquarium
WINNER
Adventure Aquarium, Camden
FINALIST
Jenkinson’s Aquarium, Point Pleasant Beach
Favorite Museum
WINNER
Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
FINALIST
The Newark Museum of Art, Newark
Best Kid-Free Getaway
WINNER
Crystal Springs, Hamburg
FINALIST
Atlantic City
Best Party Planner
WINNER
Creative Twist, Metuchen
FINALIST
An Affair to Remember Weddings & Events
Shopping + Services
Best Children’s Book Shop
WINNER
The Little Boho Bookshop, Bayonne
FINALIST
The Curious Reader, Glen Rock
Best Indie Book Shop
WINNER
Bookends, Ridgewood
FINALIST
Town Book Store, Westfield
Best Children’s Clothing Store
WINNER
The Red Balloon, Summit
FINALIST
Small Wonders, Wyckoff
Best Women’s Boutique
WINNER
Envy by Melissa Gorga, Ridgewood
FINALIST
South Moon Under, Woodcliff Lake
Best Men’s Clothing Store
WINNER
Tessuto, Somerville
FINALIST
Sal Lauretta for Men, Midland Park
Best Paint/Craft Place
WINNER
Board & Brush, multiple locations
FINALIST
Tipsy Tie Dye, Hoboken
Home Decor Store
WINNER
The Farmhouse Store, Westfield
FINALIST
Homestead Princeton, Princeton
Best Florist
WINNER
Family Florist & Gifts, Budd Lake
FINALIST
Sunnywoods Florist, Chatham
Best Home Remodeler
WINNER
Made Anew Home Remodeling, Hamilton
FINALIST
Torbilt Construction, New Providence
Best Senior Living Community
WINNER
Sunrise Senior Living, multiple locations
FINALIST
Christian Health, Wyckoff
Best Wedding Venue
WINNER
The Manor, West Orange
FINALIST
The Park Savoy Estate, Florham Park
Best Farm
WINNER
Ort Farms, Long Valley
FINALIST
Terhune Orchards, Princeton
Best Downtown
WINNER
Red Bank
FINALISTS
Ridgewood
(tie)
Somerville
Best Equestrian Center
WINNER
Saddle Ridge Riding Center, Franklin Lakes
FINALIST
Essex Equestrian Center, West Orange
Best Vet Hospital
WINNER
Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, Red Bank
FINALIST
Black River Veterinary Hospital, Chester
Best Pet Store
WINNER
Faux Paws Wholesome Pet Shop, Summit
FINALIST
Concord Pet Foods, multiple locations
NJ Charity We Need to Know About
WINNER
Parents of Autistic Children POAC, Brick
FINALIST
Moms Helping Moms Foundation, Warren
Favorite Gym
WINNER
Life Time, Multiple locations
FINALIST
The Bar Method, Multiple locations
Best Outlet Mall
WINNER
Bergen Town Center, Paramus
FINALIST
Jersey Shore Premium Outlets, Tinton Falls
Best Mall
WINNER
Westfield Garden State Plaza, Paramus
FINALIST
Bridgewater Commons, Bridgewater Twp.
Best Plastic Surgeon
WINNER
The Peer Group for Plastic Surgery, Florham Park
FINALIST
Beverly Friedlander, MD, Short Hills
Best Blowout
WINNER
DryBar, multiple locations
FINALIST
Blo Blow Dry Bar, Franklin Lakes
Best Lash Studio
WINNER
Lure Lash, multiple locations
FINALIST
Deka Lash, Franklin Lakes
Best Spa
WINNER
SoJo Spa Club, Edgewater
FINALIST
Fountain Spa, Hackensack + Ramsey
Food + Drink
Best Burger
WINNER
Maggie’s Town Tavern, Wayne + Little Falls
FINALIST
The Committed Pig, multiple locations
Most Delish Deli
WINNER
Vito’s Deli, Hoboken
FINALIST
Lakeside Deli, Verona
Best Hot Dog
WINNER
Rutt’s Hut, Clifton
FINALIST
WindMill, multiple locations
Best Sub Sandwich
WINNER
Tastee Sub Shop
Edison
FINALIST
Cosmo’s Italian Salumeria, Hackensack
Best Pizza
WINNER
Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza, Elizabeth
FINALIST
Kinchley’s Tavern, Ramsey
Best Bakery
WINNER
Sook Pastry, Ridgewood
FINALIST
Bovella’s, Springfield + Mountainside
Favorite Diner
WINNER
Tops Diner, East Newark
FINALIST
Westfield Diner, Westfield
Best Brewery
WINNER
Iron Hill, Maple Shade
FINALIST
Triumph Brewing Company, multiple locations
Best Winery
WINNER
Beneduce Vineyards, Pittstown
FINALIST
Laurita Winery, New Egypt
Best Farm to Table
WINNER
Ninety Acres at Natirar, Peapack-Gladstone
FINALIST
D’floret, Lambertville
Best Doughnuts
WINNER
Broad Street Dough Co., Oakhurst + Freehold
FINALISTS
Duck Donuts, multiple locations
(tie)
Top That! Donuts, Point Pleasant Beach + Rutherford
Best Place to Get a Pork Roll/Taylor Ham
WINNER
Johnny’s Pork Roll and Coffee Too, Red Bank
FINALIST
Big Al’s Hometown Deli, Linden
Tastiest Cookies
WINNER
The Cookie Connect, multiple locations
FINALIST
Crumbl Cookies, multiple locations
Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant
WINNER
Chimney Rock Inn, multiple locations
FINALISTS
The Pop Shop, Collingswood + Medford
(tie)
Rainforest Cafe, Edison
Best Ice Cream
WINNER
Van Dyk’s Homemade Ice Cream, Ridgewood
FINALISTS
Holsten’s Brookdale Confectionary, Bloomfield
(tie)
Hoffman’s Ice Cream, Spring Lake + Point Pleasant
Best Date Night
WINNER
Battello, Jersey City
FINALISTS
Elysian Cafe, Hoboken
Best Place to Have a Cocktail
WINNER
Watermark, Asbury Park
FINALIST
Charlie’s of Bay Head, Bay Head
Best Bagels
WINNER
Bagel Chateau, Westfield
FINALISTS
Bagel Nosh, Franklin Lakes
(tie)
The Bagel Nook, Freehold + Princeton
Best Brunch
WINNER
Willow & Whisk, Wyckoff
FINALISTS
Le Peep, Edison
(tie)
Raymond’s, Montclair + Ridgewood
