There’s nothing more relaxing than spending time on the water, whether you’re traveling in a tricked-out motorboat or a one-person kayak. Luckily, New Jersey offers plenty of lakes and waterways sure to please both novice and experienced boaters. Here are a few places you may want to add to your list of favorite boating spots.

Greenwood Lake

West Milford  

Located partly in New Jersey and partly in New York, Greenwood Lake is a popular place to swim, fish, and boat. At 7-miles long, the lake offers an ever-changing shoreline with plenty of cozy coves. Whether you prefer to travel by motorboat, canoe, kayak, sailboat, paddleboat, or rowboat, you’re sure to spot something new every time you visit the lake.

Several marinas clustered around the lake, including Greenwood Lake Marina and Sportsman Marina offer long and short-term boat slips. Rentals are also available at the lake if you don’t have a boat of your own.

Kittatinny Valley State Park 

Newton 

Located off Route 206 in Northern New Jersey, Kittatinny Valley State Park is home to beautiful Lake Aeroflex. The 110’-deep lake is the deepest glacial lake in the state, according to the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry. Thanks to its depth, it provides the ideal habitat for landlocked salmon, which were added to the lake in 2006 by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife.

A boat launch ramp makes it easy to get on the water quickly at Lake Aeroflex. Boats with electric or trolling motors, canoes, kayaks, rowboats and stand-up paddle boards are permitted on the lake. Rowboats and kayaks are available for rent and are located near the boat launch area.

Kittatinny Valley State Park also includes two smaller lakes, Gardner’s Pond (39 acres) and Twin Lake (29 acres), which are ideal for smaller boats.

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Hardwick Township  

Your boat offers the ideal vantage point to view the foliage and wildlife on both sides of the Delaware Water Gap. A 40-mile-long section of the Delaware River winds through the Recreation Area, once the home to the Lenni-Lenape tribe. Spend all day traveling the river or enjoy a leisurely float in between hiking, fishing or swimming.

From April 1^st through September 30^th, a 10 mph speed limit is enforced on the river. (The speed limit is 35 mph for the remainder of the year.) Wondering where you can put your boat in the river? The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife offers a list of boat access sites along the Delaware River and fees, if applicable.

Hopatcong State Park

Landing, NJ 

At 2,600 acres, Lake Hopatcong, part of Hopatcong State Park is the biggest lake in the state. Once part of the old Morris Canal, the lake is a popular recreation destination today. Bring your own boat or rent a watercraft from one of several marinas that serve the area. Sailboats, large motorboats, canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and jet skis are welcome on Lake Hopatcong.

Boat ramps are available at Lake Hopatcong and the smaller Lake Musconetcong. New Jersey residents pay $12 per launch or $60 for an annual pass. Fees are collected from April 1^st through October 31^st.

Bass River State Forest 

Tuckerton 

Located among pine, oak, and white cedar trees in the pinelands of Southern New Jersey, manmade Lake Absegami is another place you’ll want to visit if you’re a boater. Part of Bass River State Forest, the 67-acre lake not only offers a scenic place to boat or swim but also serves as a water conservation area and is part of the state’s wildlife and timber management program.

Boats with electric motors and canoes, kayak, rowboats, and other non-motored boats are permitted on the lake, which offers a public boat launch.

Do you have enough room for your boating gear in your current home? If space is an issue, check out Country Classics’ selection of new home and apartment communities. You’ll find spacious closets, garages, and storage areas big enough for all of your recreation equipment. Take a look at our website for information on our newest communities.