Paramus, NJ Local Community

The town was named as a New Jersey “Healthy Town” in 2012 with the state's Mayor's Wellness Campaign. The designation recognizes the state’s cities that have made promoting healthy lifestyles and wellness top priorities.

If you are into shopping this is the place to be. This borough is one of the biggest shopping destinations in all of the country, generating more than $5 billion in annual retail sales. So if you are a big spender, you will love to come here for the weekend.

Paramus is a place of several "firsts." One of the earliest drive-in theaters opened in Paramus and it had the largest and brightest screen in the world at that time. Sadly, the Paramus Drive-In closed in 1987, so this is just a lovely memory of the past. 
 
Things to do in Paramus:

A visit to The Outlets at Bergen Town Center is an obvious activity now that you know that shopping here is sort of the national activity. You will find tons of amazing sales and brands, all inside a very comfortable place that will make your shopping experience a lot better.
 
Other major shopping malls in Paramus include Fashion Center (formerly a mall, it transformed into a shopping center from 2001), Westfield Garden State Plaza (the largest of all of Westfield’s shopping properties), and Paramus Park (the first enclosed shopping mall in the city).
 
If you like animals, a visit to the Bergen County Zoo is a must. Visit their Discovery Center and you will find several hands-on activities, as well as numerous live animal exhibits. They also have a very fun mini-theater where they screen wildlife videos and feature films, these are shown daily.

The zoo is located in Van Saun County Park, which also offers picnic areas, outdoor sports fields (soccer, softball, baseball, tennis courts), pony rides, a carousel, and a dog park. Of particular interest are the miniature gauge trains that visitors can take rides on. The park hosts several annual events for the community.

If you are into history and museums, you should visit the Fritz Behnke Historical Museum. This place is named for Fritz Behnke who was the official historian for this place a long time ago. He grew up with his brothers on a vegetable farm and he transformed the area into a museum to preserve the memories of the past by showing people the way life was lived many years ago. This is a very close and interesting look at a farmer’s community and is a way to travel back in time and discover life back then.

Other points of interest in Paramus:

- Buehler Challenger and Space Center: located on the Bergen Community College campus, the center is devoted to space science, particularly space missions and outer space.

- Garret Mountain Reservation: the nearby 588-acre park offers trails (hiking, jogging, equestrian, cross-country skiing), picnic areas, outdoor sports (basketball, cricket), and even a castle (Lambert Castle).


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