This New Jersey Town Has The Most Walkable Downtown

Downtown Collingswood is primed for traveling on foot every single day of the year. This four-season New Jersey town always has something going on in town as should be expected from the Festival Capital of South Jersey. Downtown Collingswood comes to life year-round with festivals on Haddon Avenue, from newer ones like the Collingswood Crafts and Fine Art Festival to ones that have been around forever, like May Fair, which began in 1979. Haddon Avenue is the main shopping and dining corridor in town, home to vintage stores like Time Lapse Vintage and fine-dining restaurants like June BYOB. Other areas in town, like Knight Park, offer visitors a green space in the heart of downtown where they can retreat and rest. When it comes to walkability, this New Jersey town might just be the winner.

Knight Park

Out of all the parks in Collingswood, Knight Park is right in the middle of town, adjacent to its center strip, Haddon Avenue. This triangular-shaped park comprises close to 70 acres and is dedicated to the town’s residents but is enjoyed by visitors alike. The park is equipped with athletic fields for ball games, a playground, walking and biking paths laced throughout the grounds, pavilions and picnic tables available upon request, and Knight Park Lake, which is used for fishing. Its central location makes it a suitable place to start walking around the rest of Collingswood.

Haddon Avenue

Haddon Avenue is known best as a shopping destination, with no shortage of shops like Time Lapse Vintage, a treasure trove of vinyl records, vintage clothing, VHS tapes, rare books, toys, and collectibles from the 1980s and 1990s. For the opportunity to view or even purchase original artwork, prints, and books, stop by Archive Gallery.

For cuisine from all around the world, upscale-to-casual dining, Haddon Avenue is the place to go. Sample a five-course tasting menu featuring traditional French dishes with a modern flair at June BYOB. Alternatively, for those dead set on leaving no time to spare, simply grab a slice of pizza from Café Antonio’s and keep moving forward across town.

Markets and Festivals

Since May 2000, the Collingswood Farmers’ Market has been operating every year from the first Saturday in May to the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Over the years, it has grown into a Saturday morning staple, selling locally roasted coffee, produce, meat, flowers, and everything in between while the notes of local musicians play in the background.

The Collingswood Crafts and Fine Art Festival is held every year on the third weekend of August. During the weekend, Haddon Avenue's most celebrated restaurants, cafes, and galleries display arts and fine crafts produced by over 280 artists from the tri-state area. While you make your way between establishments to view different works, the ambience of live music is heard in the street.

The May Fair began in 1979 as a small “clothesline art exhibit,” and today it stretches more than ten blocks across the business district of Haddon Avenue. The 45th annual May Fair is on Saturday, May 23rd, 2026, and is set to see 250 artists and crafters showcase and sell their works. Stages of live music will be placed along Haddon Avenue, playing different genres of music for fair-goers to listen to while they view different art forms.

Concert Hall

The Scottish Rite Auditorium was built in 1931 and still remains one of the largest theaters in South New Jersey, with over 1,000 seats. Spread across eight acres of land, the Scottish Rite property is divided into two separate buildings, with the largest building rising five floors. The Collingswood Grand Ballroom is located on the ground floor, whereas the Scottish Rite Auditorium is on the top floors. The auditorium hosts over 20 concerts per year.

Nearby Towns

In every direction on the outskirts of Collingswood, there are small towns that are waiting to be visited, such as Haddonfield. Haddonfield is regarded as a mini-Philadelphia and has its very own centralized downtown street. Kings Highway in Haddonfield is home to over 200 establishments, including galleries, shopping stores, and places to eat. Join a guided tour at the Indian King Tavern Museum, originally built in 1750, and which served as a Revolutionary War meeting place.

Camden is on the banks of the Delaware River and is big on family-friendly outings. Especially to places like Adventure Aquarium, which, along with a 550,000-gallon tank and shark tunnel, offers visitors hands-on experiences in its touch tanks and is one of only two aquariums in the country to have a hammerhead shark.

If you think Collingswood was a hub for shopping experiences, wait until you get to Cherry Hill, a suburb of Philadelphia. The Cherry Hill Mall was one of the first enclosed malls of the East Coast of the United States and is still a premier destination to this day. As well as shopping experiences, it has many options for dining and is the host of special events.

Take a Walk Through Collingswood

Collingswood’s size contributes to its walkability. While other towns like Camden have plenty of attractions of their own, they are often larger than Collingswood and not as easy to walk around. Downtown Collingswood is centered on Haddon Avenue, and while other places like the Scottish Rite Auditorium are across town, it is still easy to walk to, especially if you cut through Knight Park. Collingswood is so walkable that it hosts many festivals and events throughout the year, allowing locals and visitors alike to traverse across town with ease.