A tight-knit North Jersey borough
Old Tappan, a North Jersey borough, is a community known for its quiet suburban nature and tight-knit community. "People genuinely look out for one another here," says Attilio Adamo, a Coldwell broker who has lived in the community for over 30 years and has been in the real estate market for over 40 years. "In Old Tappan, acts of kindness are commonplace — from neighbors coordinating meal deliveries for those in need to friendly waves exchanged at the local coffee shop or pizzeria." Adding to the tight-knit nature of this community are annual events like Old Tappan Day and a summer concert series held at Oakes Park — one of the area's green spaces. Hightly rated schools and spacious living also add to the appeal. Here, Colonial Revivals and contemporary colonial farmhouse properties — many with backyard pools — define residential living. With a location right at Bergen County's northern edge, Adamo calls Old Tappan "a hop, skip and a jump to anything you want," including New York City, making this a convenient spot for commuters.
Spacious lots and an architecturally diverse community
Homes in Old Tappan range from early 20th-century Colonial Revival styles to newer multimillion-dollar custom-built properties. Other housing options here include midcentury ranch-style and split-level homes. Many sit on nearly an acre of grassy land; they often feature attached multi-car garages and spacious, often stone, driveways. Listing prices typically range from $650,000 for a midcentury ranch-style to $2.4 million for a newer farmhouse-inspired build. While much of this community is comprised of non-HOA single-family homes, the borough also features contemporary townhouses and a number of condo and apartment complexes. "Once people settle in Old Tappan, they want to stay, even if it means downsizing as their needs change,” Adamo says. Many prospective residents are especially drawn to Old Tappan because "we have one of the third lowest tax rates per capita for Bergen County," Adamo adds.
Old Tappan’s highly rated schools
A number of people move to Old Tappan because of the highly rated schools that serve this community. Children can enroll in the Old Tappan Public School District to attend T. Baldwin Demarest Elementary School, which receives an A rating on Niche. It serves nearly 400 students and is ranked in the top 15 percent of New Jersey’s public elementary schools. They can then head to A-minus-rated Charles DeWolf Middle School, where some students participate in the Learning Enrichment for Advanced Pupils (LEAP) Program. To finish their schooling, they can enroll in the Northern Valley Regional High School District to attend A-plus-rated Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan. Niche ranks it as the No. 25 public high school in the state. Students can explore their passions by taking advantage of the school’s career and technical education offerings in various fields, including biomedical technology, engineering and architecture.
Golfing, hiking and relaxing
Old Tappan’s location is a golfer’s paradise. “We’re surrounded by golf courses,” Adamo says. Sandwiching Lake Tappan — where anglers spend their afternoons relaxing by the water, catching catfish — are two hot golf spots. Inside the community’s boundaries is the 9-hole Old Tappan Golf Course, where people purchase memberships to hit the greens with their friends. Just to the east of Old Tappan is the semi-private River Vale Country Club’s 18-hole course. The community is home to other green spaces, including Stone Point Park, where kids spend their free time exploring the playground. For a more relaxing outdoor experience, people here can head to Oakes Park to enjoy a picnic by the two-tiered fountain or a nice stroll on a paved path enveloped by trees. For more walking opportunities, locals are less than 5 miles from Tallman Mountain State Park, where heavily wooded trails stretch along marshland, offering scenic vistas of the Hudson River.
Old Tappan Day and other events
Summertime brings events like the neighborhood’s annual June garage sale. On Wednesdays in July, many people here gather at Oakes Park to enjoy evenings of live music and dancing. When the second week of September rolls around, the community hosts one of its biggest events — Old Tappan Day. “That’s a fun day, especially for the new residents to come in and meet one another. The kids have a fun-filled day, and at the end of the day, they finish it off with fireworks on the golf course,” Adamo says. Another important annual event is the Memorial Day gathering; the community comes together to show respect for veterans with a parade and a ceremony complete with a speech from the mayor. The Mayor’s Wellness Program (MWC) is the source of many of the Old Tappan's smaller, more frequent events, including weekly exercise classes like line dancing.
A small downtown area
Most of the community's establishments are situated along Old Tappan Road, which forms the borough's small downtown area. Locals can head to the Bi-State Plaza to pick up a breakfast sandwich at Butterworths Bagel & Bakery or sit down to enjoy a classic pie at La Bona Pizza. Those craving sushi stroll into Hoshitori to feast on tasty rolls amid an environment complete with bamboo and cherry blossom decorations. Just up the road is Bosfa Italian Restaurant, where patrons can enjoy star-shaped pizza. For groceries, locals can head to the nearby ShopRite location. Those wanting to pick their own strawberries or flowers check out Stokes Farm's availability, which is dependent on the season. "What I like about Old Tappan is that on Sunday, our retail is closed, so it's really quiet," Adamo says. "If we want to go shopping, we go right over the state line into New York, and everything is open and available."
Convenient location, easy commutes
Many residents here work in New York City, which they can get to by heading across the George Washington Bridge; the fastest route is often an 18-mile drive via the Palisades Interstate Parkway. While Adamo says, “50 to 60, maybe even 70 percent drive” here, people can also take advantage of NJ Transit train routes that pass through nearby communities, like Westwood, where they'll need at least one transfer to get to Penn Station. Some people even utilize the NJ Transit’s buses in Harrington Park, according to Adamo. Residents can take Line 167 to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Both journeys from Westwood and Harrington Park typically take anywhere from 50 minutes to an hour and 20 minutes. Locals may also work at nearby employers like Hackensack Meridian Health Pascack Valley Medical Center, which is just 3.5 miles away via Westwood Avenue. Old Tappan's location is also convenient for frequent flyers since Newark Liberty International Airport is just about 36 miles away via the Garden State Parkway, and LaGuardia Airport is just around 30 miles away via the Palisades Interstate Parkway.
