Spend time on the Raritan River at the county's 81-acre park. Walk paved paths, use sports courts/fields, visit the playground or dog park, picnic, or use the boat-launch facilities when open and permitted.
Donaldson Park · Raritan River · Downtown · Farmers Market · New Brunswick Access
Visit Highland Park, New Jersey
Highland Park works well as a compact day-trip or add-on to a New Brunswick/Rutgers visit. Walk the Raritan Avenue business district, spend time along the river at Donaldson Park, explore residential history and cross the bridge for rail, university and arts access.
Conventional hotel inventory is limited inside Highland Park, so overnight visitors generally use nearby New Brunswick hotels that are clearly outside the borough.
Top things to do in Highland Park
Browse local businesses, cafés and restaurants along the compact downtown spine. The strongest walkable cluster centers near the lower-numbered avenues.
Fridays at 212 Raritan Avenue, March 6–December 11, 2026. Seasonal produce, specialty foods, community partners and live programming rotate through the market.
Explore the historic residential character of the Livingston Manor area. Many properties are private homes, so enjoy architecture from public streets and sidewalks.
The corridor follows a very old travel route and contains layers of borough history, from early settlement to twentieth-century neighborhood development.
Seasonal events in 2026 include outdoor movies, Arts in the Park, a townwide garage sale, Halloween on the Avenue and holiday markets.
A simple Highland Park day
Coffee or breakfast downtown, then walk a few Raritan Avenue blocks while shops open.
Head down to Donaldson Park for a river walk, picnic or recreation.
Return downtown for lunch and browse local retail, the library or an event if scheduled.
Dinner in Highland Park, then consider a show or Rutgers event across the bridge in New Brunswick.
Where to stay
Highland Park itself has limited conventional hotel inventory. The closest full-service lodging cluster is in New Brunswick, outside Highland Park. The following are nearby options rather than in-town hotels:
Outside Highland Park: 2 Albany Street, New Brunswick. Downtown full-service hotel near the train station and Rutgers.
Outside Highland Park: 10 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. Downtown hotel and conference center in the theater/arts district.
Outside Highland Park: 178 Ryders Lane, New Brunswick. University-affiliated lodging in a quieter campus setting.
Location note: Do not treat a New Brunswick, Edison or Piscataway lodging address as Highland Park. The borough is small and the municipal line matters for parking, taxes and local regulations.
Getting here & getting around
Use New Brunswick Station on the Northeast Corridor, then walk, bus, rideshare or drive across the Raritan River into Highland Park. The station is in New Brunswick.
NJ 27/Raritan Avenue is the direct east-west spine. US 1 and Route 18 provide nearby regional connections.
The central downtown is compact, and many local destinations are within a practical walk of one another. Allow extra distance for Donaldson Park and eastern Raritan Avenue addresses.
Visitor planning resources
Visitor-facing business in Highland Park?
Attractions, lodging partners, event venues and visitor services can ask NJTGO about enhanced promotional placement.
Visitor AdvertisingContact NJTGOVisitor information reviewed September 16, 2026. Confirm park rules, event times, market schedules and lodging availability before traveling.