By Lizz Dinnigan, Preventionist
Feeling stressed and overwhelmed? You’re not alone. Studies show that spending time in nature can lower cortisol levels and improve mood. If you’re looking for peaceful spots to unwind, Monmouth and Middlesex Counties offer plenty of scenic escapes.
Releasing some of that tension and pressure is essential to our well-being. It’s important to find an outlet to help blow off steam and seek relief in a healthy way. Engaging in outdoor activities for stress relief, like hiking or walking by the sea, has never failed to lift my spirits. I am a nature junkie with an excessive amount of energy for a woman in her 50s. Hiking has become my savior.
For the last 10 years, I have worked with children ages 4 to 18. Although my career is tremendously rewarding and meaningful, it can also be exhausting and draining. My weekly Sunday hikes and walks help me clear my head and decompress at the end of a long week, as well as recharge for the upcoming week.
The benefits of nature therapy, such as spending time outdoors, are well-documented, as exposure to green spaces can boost mental health by releasing feel-good endorphins. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), there have been studies showing the positive effects of nature on depression, anxiety, and mood disorders. Access to nature has also been found to improve sleep and reduce stress, increase happiness and reduce negative emotions, promote positive social interactions, and even help generate a sense of meaning to life. In fact, “ecotherapy”—tapping into the therapeutic and healing properties of nature—is also gaining traction.
Best Places to Relax and Unwind in Monmouth and Middlesex Counties
With spring around the corner, it’s the perfect time to get out there and explore! The following are five of the best places to relax in Monmouth County and Middlesex County, perfect for unwinding and escaping daily stress.
- Deep Cut Gardens (Middletown): One of the best places to relax in Monmouth County, Deep Cut Gardens is a hidden gem featuring a vibrant display garden bursting with color, a bonsai display, a koi pond, a Parterre with 52 varieties of roses, and my personal favorite spot, The Rockery, with benches shaded by a collection of Sargent’s Weeping Hemlock trees, whose branches sprawl out above the terraced pools. Free.
- Happy Day Farm (Manalapan) and Holland Ridge Farms (Cream Ridge): Both of these properties have outstanding seasonal floral displays. Happy Day boasts lavender and sunflowers fields, with blueberry and raspberry picking, while Holland Ridge replicates the magnificent and expansive rainbow-striped tulip fields of Holland at Tulip Time. In the fall, Holland Ridge’s fields transform into rows of golden sunflowers. Admission charged.
- Plays In the Park, Roosevelt Park (Edison): Although this outdoor activity requires you to sit still, audience members get to enjoy al fresco Broadway-style musicals at the Stephen J. Capestro outdoor amphitheater. The 2024 calendar includes Beauty and the Beast (June 19-29), In the Heights (July 10-20), and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (July 31-Aug. 10). Ticket prices vary.
- Cheesequake State Park (Matawan): This spot is my go-to park when I don’t have time to drive upstate for my Sunday hike. Please note, though, that mosquitos make summer hiking here a challenge. I have hiked each of the trails numerous times, and I prefer to combine them to get a sampling of each ecosystem. Boardwalk trails through salt- and fresh-water marshes link up with hardwood forest trails. The diverse ecosystems here offer a great example of nature therapy benefits, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in both northern hardwood forests and southern pine barrens. Cheesequake is the only park where the northern hardwood forest meets a southern pine barren ecosystem at sea level. Gate fee Memorial Day to Labor Day.
- Sandy Hook at Gateway National Recreation Area (Highlands): Sandy Hook is one of my top spots because this barrier beach peninsula remains rugged and wild, with no Jersey Shore Boardwalk commercialism due to its National Park designation. For those seeking outdoor activities for stress relief, Sandy Hook offers trails for biking and walking through vegetated dune habitats, tidal mudflats, salt marshes, and maritime forests. Bayside kayak and canoe rentals are available. Wildlife such as osprey, bald eagles, red foxes, and a large population of deer call this park home. For birders, it’s a shorebird spring migration hot spot. Sandy Hook is equally rich in maritime and military history. Built in 1764, the Sandy Hook Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in the U.S. Parking fee Memorial Day to Labor Day.
More Ways to De-Stress in Nature
Beyond visiting scenic parks and gardens, there are many simple outdoor activities for stress relief that can help you feel refreshed and recharged. Whether you have a few minutes or a few hours, spending time in nature can work wonders for your mental well-being.
1. Take a Mindfulness Walk
Instead of walking with distractions like music or your phone, try mindful walking—focusing on each step, the feeling of the ground beneath you, and the sounds of nature around you. This practice helps clear the mind and reduce stress by keeping you present in the moment.
2. Practice Deep Breathing Outdoors
Find a quiet spot in a park, by the water, or under a tree. Take slow, deep breaths, inhaling the fresh air and exhaling any tension. Breathing exercises combined with nature’s calming atmosphere can lower cortisol levels and promote relaxation.
3. Try Journaling in Nature
Bring a notebook and write down your thoughts, reflections, or even what you observe around you. Journaling outdoors encourages creativity, reduces anxiety, and provides mental clarity.
4. Engage in Grounding Exercises
Grounding, or “earthing,” is the practice of physically connecting with the earth—whether by walking barefoot on grass, touching tree bark, or sitting directly on the ground. Studies suggest that grounding can reduce stress, improve mood, and even lower inflammation.
5. Observe Wildlife and Birdwatching
Spending time observing birds, butterflies, or other wildlife can be incredibly relaxing. Birdwatching, in particular, encourages patience and focus, helping you disconnect from daily stressors and reconnect with nature.
6. Do Outdoor Yoga or Stretching
Practicing yoga or light stretching outside, whether in a park or your backyard, can amplify the nature therapy benefits of movement. The combination of fresh air, gentle exercise, and deep breathing can improve flexibility and calm the nervous system.
7. Have a Picnic in a Quiet Spot
Instead of eating indoors, take your meal outside to a park, near a lake, or in your own backyard. Enjoying food in a peaceful setting allows you to slow down, appreciate the moment, and relieve stress naturally.
Have a favorite spot to relax in Monmouth or Middlesex County? Let us know in the comments!