Katrina Hauser 
In Essex County, there are so many great places that it can be difficult to narrow down what to do on a free day. To help, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of must-visit places and the activities available at each one and categorized it by your interests. Read on to find out more about the best things to do in Essex County (if you just don’t know what you want to do).
For Second-Hand Shopping Lovers
2nd Ave Thrift Superstore | 2661 Morris Avenue, Union
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If losing track of time combing through racks of used clothing is your idea of relaxation, this is the ideal treasure trove to spend hours in. With an assortment of seasonal formalwear including dresses, jackets, shoes, and more, this is a great place to revamp your wardrobe for a low cost. The store also offers daily discounts based on tag colors and accepts donations.
Read More: A Guide to Thrift Stores + Antique Shops in Montclair
2nd STREET | 10 South Park Street, Montclair
After establishing over 900 locations in Japan, 2nd STREET branched out to the US in 2018 with a Melrose, California storefront. Now, New Jerseyans are lucky enough to have another fixture of this upscale secondhand brand in the heart of downtown Montclair (as well as in a few other New Jersey towns like Morristown and Westfield). It boasts an extensive collection of designer shoes, bags, and high-end streetwear. It also has an online store.
MyUnique | 2485 US-22, Union
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This company has a commitment to making shopping more affordable and sustainable in the tristate area. With a large retail space and a wide selection of preloved goods including home goods, clothing, books + furniture,, even a fledgling secondhand shopper is likely to find something special that catches their eye.
Save and Rave Consignment Shop | 615 Bloomfield Avenue, Bloomfield
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This women-owned shop is a fun stop for vintage fashion lovers as it has its own eclectic but chic style. Inspired by a passion for consignment shopping, owner Alonya Holley now runs this destination spot for women’s vintage pieces, where, according to their website, “individuality shines and every shopper can discover something special.” The ‘‘Golden Girls,’ or mannequins at the store, or its ‘Golden Girls,’ are styled differently \each week. The outfits are available in bundles or piece-by-piece. The shop also has an online store.
Valley Vintage | 168 South Valley Road, West Orange
This showroom highlights individual shops from over 20 individual suppliers. While getting lost in its nooks and crannies, shoppers will see antique furniture, collectible items, vintage postcards and prints, and tchotchkes that can add whimsy to anyone’s home.
For Those Who Love a Self-Care Day
Bliss Nail Spa | 334 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
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This fume-free and acrylic-free nail salon has a commitment to generating a peaceful experience while keeping customers’ nails as healthy as possible. Specializing in structured manicures, dry pedicures, and Gel-X and UV Gel extensions, this salon makes an effort to provide detailed and thoughtful nail care as well as a set of nails that are sure to get compliments.
Full Spectrum Quantum Wellness | 48 West Northfield Road, Livingston
This wellness center, established in 2020, currently hosts a variety of unique technologies designed for holistic healing. These include bio resonance scanning, negative ion therapy, electromagnetic therapy, sound healing, Reiki, and Rolfing, a physical healing routine similar to a massage that aims to recalibrate the body. With a wide array of services open to both members and drop-in clients, this space is worth a try for anyone open to a more holistic healing experience.
Harmony Day Spa | 5 Smull Avenue, Caldwell
For a more standard spa day, this serene space has all the classic elements of a traditional wellness center. They offer facials, massages, and painless waxing sessions, as well as body treatments, which focus on restoring different parts of the body with the help of assisted stretching, hot and cold stones, and heated towels.
For Anyone Wanting to Sweat Outside of the Gym
AIR® Aerial Fitness | 15 Valley Street, South Orange
This studio offers a unique workout a few feet above the ground. Class-takers are challenged to leverage their body weight to strengthen their core by suspending from aerial silks. Beginners are welcome at specific class sessions, which can be booked online. Be sure to also keep an eye out for the candlelit aerial yoga classes.
The Gravity Vault | 8 Seymour Street, Montclair
Indoor rock-climbing has become popular in the past few years, partly due to its accessibility to beginners and its availability in all weather. The Gravity Vault in Montclair has also helped spread the hype locally. Though it only offers bouldering, a style in which climbers use chalk to free solo walls at different grades of difficulty, the 12,000-square-foot facility also contains a workout space equipped with weights, treadmills, cable machines, and more. This is the perfect place for athletic types to challenge themselves with a new experience while getting a comprehensive indoor workout.
Millburn Municipal Pool | 315 White Oak Ridge Road, Short Hills
As the summer heat kicks up, it’s always beneficial to know where the best outdoor pools are located. The Millburn Municipal Pool in Short Hills is open seven days a week to refresh residents, who can register with a community pass online. Plus, there are pickleball and tennis courts right next door.
For Working Remotely or Cozying up with a Book
Cedar Bean’s Coffee Joint + The GroveWorks | 575 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove
This beloved coffee shop has a comfortable atmosphere, made for settling in with a hot cappuccino to do some light homework or reading. It’s also physically adjacent to The GroveWorks, a rentable workspace. Fulfilling the need for more remote workspaces in a modern environment that promotes working from anywhere, this remote office spot offers options for individuals or small teams in both hourly and daily configurations. An underrated perk is that a reservation comes with 16oz of Cedar Bean’s Specialty Coffee.
Chestnut Cafe and Eatery | 338 Passaic Avenue, Nutley
This charming cafe isn’t just a quaint stop on the corner for grabbing up a cup of tea and a small bite, although it can be. It has a large outdoor patio where guests can enjoy the weather, bring their pets, and even dine from the comprehensive menu similar to that of a diner’s. Seriously, there is any kind of salad or wrap imaginable, and friendly staff that makes this spot worth the trip.
Eagle Rock Cafe | 202 Bellevue Avenue, Montclair
With an interior intentionally designed to boost focus and relax the mind, this cafe is a great go-to for those who get tired of working from home. It’s brightly lit, has high ceilings, and some of the most delicious coffee around. This is a great place to work solo or with friends but be warned that you won’t get a lot of talking done; everyone is able to zero in on productivity at this spot.
Jackie + Sons | 134 South Orange Avenue, South Orange
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This restaurant was the brainchild of its owner and namesake, Jackie, whose Levantine lineage inspired in her a love of Middle Eastern food and an understanding of how food could bring people together. After seeing success with casual eateries in Little Falls and Montclair, she launched the South Orange brunch destination, which boasts fantastic pitas, salads, baked goods and much more. Per the business, Jackie sees this location as “as a beacon of love, flavor, creativity and most importantly, a place you can count on and be inspired by each and every day,” which sums its essence up quite well.
Maplewood Cowork at The Lofts | 1585 Springfield Avenue, Maplewood
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This coworking space, located in an apartment building in a growing area of Maplewood, gives local remote workers a boutique place to get their tasks done surrounded by top amenities. With private offices, meeting rooms, and even a podcast studio, there is something for everyone here. Interested people can book a tour of the facility to see how it works for their needs.
For Anyone Looking to Learn a New Skill
GlassRoots Inc. | 10 Bleeker Street, Newark
This nonprofit glass center unites the community by sharing the unique artistry of glassblowing with people of all ages, and has been doing so for the past 25 years. From family glassmaking classes, apprenticeship programs, seniors-only classes, and an art-making collective called PRISM Club for LGBTQ+ youth, there are many communities supported by GlassRoots. Adults can sign up for frameworking or stained glass classes, and there are even soccer-themed classes coming up for World Cup fans.
Kitchen Table | 1851 Springfield Avenue, Maplewood
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Cooking is an essential skill that not everyone gets to learn. Kitchen Table makes it so anyone can; with adult classes and family classes, cooking here is made fun and easy. Some classes take students on an introductory tour of a certain cuisine, while others take on a more celebratory, BYOB-welcome ambiance. Their summer teen culinary workshop is already sold out. In the fall semester, a kids’ class called Global Eats for Young Chefs, for ages 1.5 to 16, will be offered.
Meet and Mend at the Newark Public Library | 5 Washington Street, Newark
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If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to sew, Newark Library is offering up use of its sewing machines in a club that will teach you everything, complete with supplies for you to learn with. Through the Made@NPL makerspace, experienced sewers can gain access to a sewing machine with their library card and a reservation. those who don’t know how to mend or make clothes, there’s another option: a monthly sewing club at the Main Branch of the Newark Public Library called ‘Meet and Mend.’ The club meets on every first Wednesday of the month at 4PM. Newcomers receive a hands-on introduction to basic hand sewing and machine sewing. No reservations are required, but participants must sign a Made@NPL User Agreement upon arrival.
See More: Hoboken Third Spaces to Check Out, Based on Your Vibe
Mud and Soul Clay Works | 1275 Bloomfield Avenue Building, Fairfield
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This pottery studio is dedicated to the art of creation and invites those new to the art form to book introductory classes where they can learn to spin the pottery wheel and create something that can be a part of their lives and homes forever. There are also intermediate wheel throwing classes for those with more experience and open studio
memberships for working artists or anyone who wants to create pottery without guidance. In September, they are sharing a day-long workshop in Raku, an ancient Japanese pottery technique notable for its firing process and the unpredictable outcomes it yields.
Shake and Pour | 405 Broad Street, Bloomfield
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Whether you’re an aspiring industry professional looking to sharpen your skills, or a novice bartender hoping to entertain friends at parties, there is an option to learn. Shake and Pour provides students with the required 40 hours of bartending classes needed to obtain a license in New Jersey and allows guests to book sessions at their own pace with flexible schedules. They have new class sessions starting every Monday on full-time and part-time commitment schedules, weekend-only sessions, and sessions in Spanish. Booking a full class session comes with a multitude of perks such as a mixology kit, unlimited access to online lectures and seminars, and job assistance. Prospective students can take a free trial class.
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