Famously home to the inventor Thomas Edison, West Orange is a township in New Jersey’s Essex County. It encompasses the rugged peaks of the Watchung Mountains, which were of strategic importance to the Lenni Lenape people. Today, West Orange is a commuter suburb for both Newark and New York City.
Things to do in West Orange
In the heart of West Orange is the Essex County Country Club, which was founded back in 1887 on the site of a mineral springs resort. A 9-hole golf course was completed in 1895 before being extended to 18 holes two years later. The current course combines design elements from Seth Raynor, Charles Banks and A.W. Tillinghast, with recent renovations by Gil Hanse.
Travelling with kids? Spend a day at the Essex County Turtle Back Zoo, which forms part of the sprawling South Mountain Reservation. It was established in 1963 to showcase native animals and is now home to species from across the globe. You can get up close to Masai giraffes and Aldabra giant tortoises in the African Adventure exhibit before admiring the cougars and jaguars of Big Cat Country.
East of West Orange is Thomas Edison National Historical Park, which preserves the laboratory and residence where the inventor was based in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Admire his Queen Anne-style home designed by Henry Hudson Holly and the Eastlake Movement interiors. In addition to learning about the legacy of Edison, the park offers an insight into the country’s industrial past.
Getting around West Orange
West Orange is around 15 minutes' drive from the centre of Newark and 30 minutes from Newark Liberty International Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Trains connect to the Orange railway station and buses travel throughout West Orange.