Experience a classical Mediterranean villa right here in NJ

The Van Vleck House and Gardens, a privately owned estate by the Van Vleck family is a nonprofit located in Montclair, New Jersey.

Three generations of Van Vlecks, many of whom were architects, built this suburban Italianate villa and gardens over the years. In 1884 the property was attained and by 1916 the main house was built by Joseph Van Vleck Jr. 

The Garden Conservancy refers to the style of the main house as "classic architectural style of a Mediterranean villa".

Around 1939, Howard Van Vleck planted a Chinese wisteria that still exists today. He also began to work on hybrids of rhododendrons. The Garden Conservancy notes that several of these are registered and named for members of the Van Vleck Family.

In 1933, the Van Vleck heirs donated their home and gardens to the Montclair Foundation and it became the nonprofit center it is today. Four years later it was established as part of the Garden Conservancy. In 2003, a Garden Conservancy fellow, Sonia Uyterhoeven, renovated the formal gardens and documented the history of the gardens. In a violent storm in 2006, some damage was done to the northeast corner of the garden, but restoration was completed in 2008.

I decided to drive to Montclair to visit the gardens which are free and open from dawn till dusk.

Check out the photos from my visit:

One of the top candy stores in the United States is right here in New Jersey. See below to check it out!