Mount Arlington

In Mount Arlington, you can vacation where you live. "Mount Arlington has really old lakefront homes that have historical significance. Some of them used to be hotels or private residences from back in the day that are still standing," says Realtor Patrick Bolger with The Holmquist Group of Keller Williams Metropolitan.

Bolger says that Lotta Crabtree, an actress in the 1800s, had an 18-room summer cottage in Mount Arlington. The home, where Crabtree held parties, rode horses and painted, still stands. Her estate recently hit the market for $3.5 million. You can live lakeside — or just minutes from the water — in Mount Arlington. You can find a condominium with two bathrooms and two bedrooms for around $310,000; a three-bedroom, one-bathroom colonial for roughly $470,000; a custom-built 2022 craftsman-style lake house with four bedrooms and five bathrooms for about $800,000; or a lakefront condominium complete with a private boat deck, a gym and pool for about $850,000. Mount Arlington is home to several 55 and older communities, like The Carriage House and Nolan's Ridge.

While many folks associate Lake Hopatcong, the largest freshwater body of water in the entire state, with nearby Hopatcong, the lake is also part of Mount Arlington. In fact, most of the lake's iconic history originates from the Mount Arlington side, Bolger says. "There used to be a lakefront amusement park on Bertrand Island. It had a roller coaster and merry-go-round," Bolger says. While the park closed in the 1980s, Mount Arlington is home to the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club. Recognized by the national and New Jersey Register of Historic Places, the yacht club hosts many social events in the spring and summer, like the annual antique boat show and Fourth of July fireworks. Young residents can join junior sailing leagues and there are weekly dinners for members. If the yacht club isn’t for you, your happy place could be Mount Arlington Municipal Beach, a public space for residents to enjoy the lake. At Memorial Park, you can walk among the tall trees or bring your kids to the Fireman's Field Park playground. The Berkshire Valley Wildlife Management Area runs parallel to the town. You can go hiking and find Snoopy, the famous beagle from "The Peanuts" comic strip. (Someone has playfully made a dog house and placed a Snoopy figurine inside).

Local eats include Lakeside Eatery, where you can enjoy a breakfast sandwich or pancakes in the mornings, and once lunchtime comes around, you can pretty much any pizza topping you want. Pizzas include baked ziti, chicken parmesan and salad. At Pub 199, where deer heads and fish adorn the walls, feast on fresh seafood like clams, lobster and shrimp. If seafood isn't your favorite, no worries, you can order a T-bone steak or grill favorites like hamburgers. If you like hot dogs, check out Andy's Roadside Dive. It's home to the pig dog, a hot dog with pulled pork, bacon, cheddar and barbecue sauce. You can also bite into a wing dog with Andy's signature buffalo sour cream, bacon, diced celery and blue cheese crumbles. For even more pizza, order slices from Frank's Pizza and remember to stop in The Bagel Place for a New Jersey bagel.

Local kids can attend the Mount Arlington School District through the eighth grade. At Mount Arlington Public School, the district's middle school, students can participate in sports programs and student council. The middle school has an overall A- rating from Niche, including an A- for teachers, academics and diversity. High schoolers attend Roxbury High, where they can enroll in college-level courses from Seton Hall University, Fairleigh Dickson University and William Patterson University. Roxbury High staff teaches college-level classes. Roxbury High has an overall A- rating from Niche, including an A for sports and B+ for teachers, academics and college preparation.

Once a thriving summer resort community for New Yorkers, Mount Arlington residents still enjoy lake life today. But now, most of them enjoy it 365 days a year.

Written By

Jess Nocera

Photography Contributed By

Brendan Rogers

Video By

Syd Silberman