Hopatcong

Living in Hopatcong means living near the largest freshwater lake in all of New Jersey. "The best part about living in Hopatcong is living so close to the lake and enjoying lake life," says Patrick Bolger, who grew up in Hopatcong and is a Realtor with The Holmquist Group of Keller Williams Metropolitan.

Bolger says there are lots of folks who grew up in Hopatcong who never want to leave. For those looking to move into the borough, "they wanted to get a boat and have a community beach," says Bolger. There is ample opportunity to wake up to views of Lake Hopatcong each morning or live a little more inland, still only minutes from the water. You can find a three-bedroom, two-bath ranch-style home on the lake for around $315,000; a colonial with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a private dock for roughly $600,000; or a luxury lakefront property with a private dock, sauna and glass sunroom, four bedrooms and three bathrooms for nearly $1.6 million. A little bit inland, you can find a two-bedroom, two-bathroom ranch for about $280,000; a bi-level with a two-tier deck that underwent an extensive renovation in 2021 for around $385,000; or another bi-level roughly a mile from the lake with three bedrooms and two bathrooms for nearly $400,000.

"I love the lake," says Bolger, "The lake always has a summertime feel to it and there are a lot of businesses that revolve around it, like lakefront bars and restaurants." After boating all morning or getting some sun, head to Lola's Waterfront Tex-Mex restaurant for lunch. Order mini empanadas and guacamole for your table before enjoying a chicken burrito. Quench your thirst with a Guinness from Patrick's Pub, an Irish eatery on the water. Hopatcong is also home to the Garden State Yacht Club, where as a member, you can go water tubing, ride a sailboat and relax poolside. The club has events all year round, like a Halloween costume party, foreign film nights and kid's activities. You can also access the lake from Hopatcong State Park, where you can swim and have barbecues in the summer. You can also play volleyball, soccer and fish. When fresh snow blankets Hopatcong, grab your sled and head to the hills at the state park. In the winter months on the lake, you can go ice fishing or, if you're feeling brave, participate in the annual Leap in the Lake, a polar plunge-style event. You can enjoy the great outdoors in several other parks like Jefferson Dog Park, Veteran's Field Memorial Park and Civic Center Field throughout the borough.

"There's no main highway that cuts through it. It's very much a small town that doesn't feel very commercial," Bolger says. At the Hopatcong Diner, a no frills place, enjoy a grilled cheese with a side of disco fries — french fries covered in mozzarella and gravy. Order pad Thai or pad see ew from Twisted on Thai Cafe, or try the "Twist on Thai creations" like spicy bamboo and Thai tacos. Beloved annual events include the Memorial Day parade and Hopatcong Days. Every summer on Sundays, there's a farmers market where Bolger says, "you can support a lot of local businesses."

Local kids can attend Hopatcong Borough Schools, like Tulsa Trail Elementary. When they get older, they move on to Hopatcong High, where they can teach preschoolers a few days a week through the Little Chief's Preschool program. Families can send their littles to high school for roughly three hours, where they play with blocks, make arts and crafts and go outside to enjoy the fresh air.

If lake life is calling your name and you want to vacation where you live, consider finding your dream place in Hopatcong.

Written By

Tina Davis

Photography Contributed By

Brendan Rogers