Top Ten Reasons for Moving to Short Hills and Millburn New Jersey

I love living in Short Hills, an area of Millburn Township.  Not only did I grow up here, but I’m also raising my kids here. They are currently in Millburn High School.  

Buyers new to the area are always asking me why the town is so great…here are the Top Ten reasons: 

1. Commuting to NYC. You can be at Penn Station within 41 minutes on an Express Train from Short Hills or Millburn Train Stations on the Midtown Direct Train Line. Or, if you need to go to Downtown Manhattan, you can be Hoboken in just 36 minutes to catch the PATH or ferry across the Hudson. As a resident an annual parking permit is $321. We even have valet parking in Millburn.  It’s pretty funny to watch those early morning commuters that are running late. They toss their keys to the attendant as they rush to the train.  

2. The Schools. Millburn High School has been named as one of the “best” High Schools in NJ by National publications such as Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal and Money Magazine. Average SAT scores for Millburn High School 2006 graduates were 603 Verbal and 640 Math. The class also had 8 National Merit Semi-Finalists and 49 National Merit Commended Students.   

3. Community. On August 4th, 2007 Millburn, NJ celebrated its Sesquicentennial (150 years) Anniversary with a day of family fun events. Annual July 4th townwide celebration, street fairs, summer/fall Farmer’s Market, Classic Car Show and the Holiday Snowflake Parade are just a few of the events in town.  

4. Great Downtown. Terrific stores from Bridal (Calvary Bridal House, Vera Wang Bridal House, Priscilla the Bride’s Shop), to Maternity (Shelly Belly) to Home Design (Kitchen Expressions, Sawhorse Designs) to hip and trendy fashions (Mannings, Gito and Gotham) and restaurants from Sushi (Samurai Sushi is the best of the three) to Italian (there are 6 but I am partial to Basilico for dining and La Strada for Pizzas) to Thai, Chinese, Deli, Tex-Mex to Modern American Cuisine (Restaurant MC…the Best New Restaurant and Best New American Restaurant per New Jersey Monthly Magazine…tell Marc that Perri sent you.)

5. The Entertainment Industry Loves Us.  Adriana died here and AJ Soprano’s car caught fire in the South Mountain Reservation just past the Papermill Playhouse, as well as many other scenes from HBO’s popular series, Sopranos. The 1979 Movie “Hair” filmed at the then “Day Estate” and now Short Hills Park. Short Hills was the setting for Philip Roth’s 1959 novel “Goodbye, Columbus.” Anne Hathaway (Becoming Jane, Devil Wears Prada, The Princess Diaries), John C. Mcginley (Perry Cox from Scrubs), Jon Kilik (Academy Award Nominated Producer), Lisa Zeno Churgin (Academy Award Nominated Film Editor) all grew up in town.    

6. Short Hills Mall. If you want it, they have it. Neiman Marcus. Nordstroms. Tiffany’s. Saks. Bloomies. Louis Vuitton. Burberry. Chanel. Fendi. Cole Haan. Jimmy Choo. True Religion Brand Jeans. To name but a few of the almost 150 stores. If you get hungry, Legal Seafood and Joe’s American Bar & Grill are my favorites.  

7. Easy access to Newark Airport and Routes 24, 78, 287 and 287. 

8. Great Town Run and Club Sports: Biddy Basketball, Biddy Baseball, Soccer, Little League, Field Hockey, Flag Football. 

9. Neighborhoods. There are many neighborhoods within the township each with their own distinctive personalities…the key hometown feel is most apparent at Halloween when the kids are out in droves and feeling safe in the streets as they go door to door for their goodies.  

10. Year Round Activities in the Parks. In town Taylor park is home to summer concerts, playgrounds and town sporting events. Gero Park finds the community pool, par-3 golf course, roller rink, tennis courts, little league and playgrounds, Short Hills Park is home to Club Soccer and Greenwood Gardens. 

Related Info

 

NJ Monthly School Rankings
The Short Hills Mall
NJ Transit