Veterans Park is a much bigger park than many people realize. There are four entrances and each of them have different amenities to offer. Read more to discover what you will find at each entrance.

Veterans Park is located in Central New Jersey. It is home to multiple easy walking trails, playground equipment, sports fields, buildings, memorials and more. It has 3.4 miles of bicycle paths as well. In keeping with the Veterans theme the trails are named Marine Corps Way, Leatherneck Lane, Army Way, Merchant Marine Way, Coast Guard Way, Navy Way, Air Force Way and Thunderbird Lane. The park is almost 350 acres. It was made in 1977 to honor the veterans in Hamilton.

Where is Veterans Park?

Veterans Park is located in Hamilton, NJ.

What can you find at each entrance of Veterans Park?

Keep reading to find out all about it. There is a link to a longer video about the park later on. Here is a sneak peek:

Veterans Park North Entrance

Best for: Toddlers and Younger Kids

Amenities: Lots of playgrounds, picnic benches, a fountain and more

Dedicated to the: Air Force

Location: Put Veterans Park into Google Maps

Our Experience:

This entrance is hard to miss since as you enter you see a giant U.S. Air Force F-5 Phantom II Jet. Nearby there is also a Wounded Warrior Foundation Memorial, Hamilton’s Fallen Memorial, 9-11 Memorial Grove, Volunteer Fireman’s Monument and 9-11 Steel Beam Monument.

As you go further in you see the Veteran’s Memorial Plaza. When we visit my kids love to run around the circular path around the fountain towards the entrance that are near some formal gardens. Here you can also see the sculpture “Frustration” by J. Seward Johnson Jr. The parking lot is huge so there are always plenty of spaces to park. In the warmer months there is often an ice cream truck located near the parking spots.

After parking you see lots of picnic benches, pavilions with shade, grills and a building with bathrooms. The children’s playground area is enormous. There are lots of different playgrounds with things kids will love such as a large inclusive playground, toddler playground and a huge slide. My kids love the small zipline and the inclusive playground the most.

Near this area visitors can also find a monument “dedicated to the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing” as well as a Rotary Pavilion.

After spending some times on the playgrounds continue on the trail behind them to walk deeper into the park along Air Force Way. The trails have lots of trees so there is plenty of shade even on a hot day.

Veterans Park South Entrance

Best for: Older Kids, Dog owners and History Lovers

Amenities: Carl “Ace” Abbott Tennis Center (also with Pickleball Courts), Sports fields, Dog parks, Skate park, Hockey rink and more

Dedicated to the: Marines

Location: Enter Veterans Park Tennis Courts into Google Maps

Our Experience:

This entrance I went to the most in high school. I was on the tennis team and we played a lot of matches here against schools such as Steinert. They have multiple tennis courts that they keep in great shape. There is also seating around them as well. Two features I like are the small playground near the courts as well as the tennis wall here.

If walking behind the tennis courts you also find soccer fields. At this entrance there are also baseball and softball fields and a skating rink. Dog owners will like taking their dogs to the dog park. This is mostly shaded as well. After you pass all of the fields there is a trail that takes you into the rest of the park. I have seen deer here a few times.

At the entrance visitors will first notice the U.S. Marine Iwo Jima Monument. After this there are multiple other monuments and buildings at this entrance such as the Military Working Dog Memorial and the “Lunch Break” sculpture by J. Seward Johnson Jr. This entrance also has the John Abbott II House. as well as the Civil War and Native American Museum.

Veterans Park East Entrance

Best for: Adults who want a workout

Amenities: Parcourse Fitcircuit and patriotic brick walkway

Dedicated to the: Army

Location: Enter Veterans Park Patriotic Walkway into Google Maps

Our Experience:

This entrance has some interesting things to see at the entrance. There is some military equipment including a Cobra Helicopter AH-1F, M60A3 Main Battle Tank and 1906 Field Artillery Piece. After that there is a fitness trail that starts here and goes into a portion of the park along Army Way.

Veterans Park West Entrance

Best for: Walkers

Amenities: Trail going to Martins Lake

Dedicated to the: Coast Guard, Merchant Marines and Navy

Location: Access from Whitehorse-Hamilton Square Road

Our Experience:

This entrance is notable due to the U.S. Navy Anchor. There is also the Joseph A. McNerney, Jr. Memorial and Robert G. Martin Monument and Fountain near the entrance as well. It is great to walk on Navy Way until you reach Martins Lake. This is a beautiful spot with lots of birds, a bird house and small gazebo. The last time we were there we even saw a blue heron.

Are there bathrooms?

Yes. We saw bathrooms in buildings at the North and South entrances.

Is there a video of Veterans Park?

Yes! This is a video of some things at each entrance to the park: Veterans Park.

What are other things to do in Hamilton?

These are my other favorite things to do in Hamilton: Hamilton Hot Spots.

The Four Entrances to Veterans Park

Where is Veterans Park?