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Netcong is one of the smallest towns in Morris County, a borough of about one square mile tucked into the county’s western edge where Route 46, Route 183 and Interstate 80 meet. What it lacks in size it makes up for with a lake you can actually launch a boat on, a children’s theater that draws families from all over North Jersey, a century old train station, and two old school Italian feasts every summer.
Here is our guide to the best things to do in Netcong, NJ, and where to eat while you are in town.
See a show at The Growing Stage
The anchor of downtown Netcong is The Growing Stage, the Children’s Theatre of New Jersey, which stages its family musicals inside the restored Historic Palace Theatre. The company is in its 45th season, and the main stage lineup runs from fall into spring, with titles like The Pigeon Gets A Big Time Holiday Extravaganza in December, Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo in March, and Tigger: A New Musical in May 2027. Shows are short enough for young kids and polished enough that parents enjoy them too, which is why the theater pulls audiences from well beyond Netcong.
The Growing Stage also runs a New Play-Reading Festival each winter, where audiences hear brand new children’s plays before they have ever been fully staged.
Fish or paddle Lake Musconetcong
Lake Musconetcong is the 329 acre lake that Netcong shares with neighboring Stanhope, fed by the Musconetcong River as it flows out of Lake Hopatcong. Unlike many lakes in the county, it is open to the public. There is a state boat ramp at Allen Street and Dell Avenue with limited parking, and the lake is part of Hopatcong State Park.
It is shallow and weedy in places, which is exactly why anglers like it: largemouth bass, crappie and chain pickerel are the usual targets, and the lake is a local favorite for ice fishing in a cold winter. Kayaks and canoes are a good fit too. There is no public swimming beach, so plan on the water, not in it. If you want a beach day, the state park beach on Lake Hopatcong is a short drive away in Landing, covered in our guide to things to do in Roxbury.
Ride the train from a historic station
Rail service reached Netcong in 1854, back when the area was still called South Stanhope, and the current station on Main Street at Route 46 was built between 1901 and 1903. Today Netcong station is served by NJ Transit’s Morristown Line and Montclair-Boonton Line on a limited schedule, with free parking (no overnight parking). Even if you are not catching a train, the old station building is worth a look on a walk down Main Street.
Catch a summer concert or a feast
Summer is when Netcong really fills up. The borough’s free Friday Concerts in the Park bring local bands to DiRenzo Park on summer evenings, so bring a chair and get there early.
Arbolino Park hosts two of the most traditional church feasts left in Morris County. The Feast of St. Cesario, held each July, has been running for well over a century, and the Feast of the Assumption every August 15 brings a procession, Italian food and fireworks. Check the borough’s website for each year’s dates.
Where to eat in Netcong
Ron’s Landmark, 85 Main Street. Netcong’s signature restaurant started in 1978 as a pizza and beer spot and grew into a full service Italian restaurant with a full bar, still family owned. Dishes are cooked to order, there are early bird specials daily until 6 p.m., and the Friday steak and shrimp special is a local habit.
Polo’s Bar & Grill, 50 Route 183. A neighborhood bar and grill whose menu runs from paninis and big salads to filet mignon.
Don Jose Mexican Restaurant, 124 Route 46. A longtime local pick for Mexican, with daily lunch and dinner combinations, vegetarian options and a kids menu.
La Cocina de Maria, 70 Main Street. A small Main Street kitchen that is easy to grab before or after a show at The Growing Stage.
Plan your visit
Netcong is easy to reach from anywhere in the county: it sits right off Interstate 80 at the Route 46 and Route 183 interchange, about a half hour west of Morristown. The downtown is compact enough to park once and walk from the theater to dinner, and the lake ramp is just a few blocks from Main Street. Pair it with a stop in Stanhope or a day on Lake Hopatcong and you have an easy western Morris County day trip.
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