This place has been begging for a blog entry since before I even started blogging. I discovered Schooley’s Mountain Park this summer, about a month ago – when I was researching new local places to explore. My parents / younger brother aren’t as adventuresome as I am … (I’m basically the alien of the family), so this place (among many other nearby places) have never been explored despite living here all my life. Spending 4 years at school in NYC had me conditioned (aka spoiled) to go out and do things every chance I had because the city always had something going on. After graduating and coming back home, I missed that thrill – and was determined to find “hidden gems” of suburban NJ. This is by far the best gem I found this summer, and I think it currently holds the spot of “favorite happy place” in my heart. I often come here now on the weekends with my mom, but I’ve only taken two solo trips to the park: September 2 and yesterday (October 8). Those 2 solo trips were by far the best – and take the cake.