In Camden County, discoveries range from waterscapes to sites of African American and regional history. Cooper River Park covers 346.55 acres and extends through Pennsauken, Cherry Hill, Collingswood and Haddon Township. Together, these places show how nature and culture can be explored in very different ways.
Waterways, Parks and Recreation
The Cooper River Water Trail is 15.5 miles long and connects park areas with water access points. Cooper River Park hosts rowing regattas; the river provides a narrow, protected 2,000-meter straight for them. Water here is not just part of the landscape—it also shapes the sport of rowing.
The Camden County park system includes 21 parks and nature preserves, with more than 2,000 acres of natural landscapes. At Newton Lake Park, fishing piers are located at Matrimony, Lees Lane and Bettlewood Avenue. Haddon Lake Park has a public boat launch suitable only for small boats transported on roof racks; motors are not permitted. New Brooklyn Park also has a disc golf course.
The trails at Maria Barnaby Greenwald Memorial Park also differ in their focus. There is a 1.8-mile Watchable Wildlife Trail and a 1.2-mile bicycle path between Grove Street and Kings Highway. Their lengths and uses offer a concrete comparison: the nature-watching trail and bicycle path are two different options in the same park.
History in Houses and Museums
On the Camden Waterfront, the Camden Shipyard and Maritime Museum tells the story of more than 200 years of shipbuilding. The Peter Mott House in Lawnside offers a different view of the past. Built in 1845, it is considered the oldest known house in the community, which was founded as a settlement for free African Americans. Here, you can encounter not only the history of a building, but also the founding story of Lawnside.
Burrough-Dover House is an early fieldstone house built in two phases beginning in 1710. The Pennsauken Historical Society offers tours, special events and a small museum there; check the current visitor guidelines before your visit. The present-day Quaker Store in Stratford was built on the foundation of a general store dating to 1743. Pomona Hall Historic House dates to 1726.
Other historic landmarks include Historic Berlin Railroad Station, the oldest surviving railroad station in New Jersey, and Champion School in Haddon Township, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Croft Farm is listed on both the New Jersey Register and the National Register of Historic Places. These listings add specific historic designations to the architectural history.
For a broader view that goes beyond individual sites, the Camden County Heritage Trails Map & Guide connects historic sites and historical organizations through seven Heritage Trails. It provides an overview of different historical themes and places in Camden County.
Explore more destinations: Berlin, Camden, Bellmawr, Gloucester City, Clementon, West Collingswood Heights, Runnemede, Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Pine Hill, Atco, Winslow Township, Pennsauken Township.
For the broader travel overview: New Jersey.
