Scotch Plains is bisected by NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line, formerly the mainline of the Central Railroad of New Jersey.
A passenger station is located in Fanwood. New Jersey Transit offers service on the routes to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.
Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately 14 miles east of Scotch Plains, most conveniently reached via Route 22. Newark Liberty International Airport is also accessible via New Jersey Transit train by transferring from the Raritan Valley Line to the Northeast Corridor Line at Newark Penn Station.
Scotch Plains has access to Amtrak service, by taking the Raritan Valley Line to Newark Penn Station. This gives Scotch Plains rail access to destinations along the entire east coast.
The two major roads that pass through are Route 28 for a brief stretch in the central part and Route 22 in the north. The township is accessible from highways in neighboring communities, such as Interstate 78 in both Watchung and Berkeley Heights, the Garden State Parkway in Clark and Interstate 287 in Edison Township.
Casual dining is the name of the game. There are plenty of small friendly restaurants to be found. Among the most popular are Stage House Tavern, Jessica's Cafe, and Darby Road.
If you're looking for great take-out sandwiches, salads, gourmet food as well as fresh vegetables and fruit, try Tom The Green Grocer on South Avenue.
Scotch Plains offers plenty of parks and tennis courts, as well as two public golf courses and a community pool.
Ponderosa Farm Park is a park on Cooper Road. It is a modest park featuring playgrounds and a sprinkler area, plus open green spaces and public restrooms.
Scotch Hills Municipal Golf Course, known as the Shady Rest Golf and Country Club before it was taken over by the township, was at one time the only African-American country club in the United States.
Ashbrook Golf Course, is a public golf course with 18-holes of championship golf as well as a 9-hole pitch and putting course located on Raritan Road in Scotch Plains. As of 2019, the new clubhouse and restaurant, The Tavern @ Ashbrook, opened for business.
Shackamaxon Country Club is a private golf course, swimming and tennis facility also hosting celebrations, founded in 1916 and is located on Shackamaxon Drive in Scotch Plains.
Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA and the JCC of Central New Jersey both offer classes, athletic activities and a chance to meet the community.
Since 1958, Willow Grove has offered residents of Scotch Plains and the surrounding towns the haven of a pool and other activities set on five plus park-like acres. The Club offers a 25-meter L-shaped, 6-lane pool with diving boards, and a separate gated baby pool. In addition to swimming, the Club offers a large sandbox, basketball, ping-pong, pickleball, volleyball, tetherball, children’s play structure, a large picnic area affectionately called "The Grove", and free Wi-Fi throughout the grounds. Adult and teen socials, barbecues, family fun nights and several special events for children are held through out the season. For young swimmers, Willow Grove offers swim lessons and the club fields a swim team each summer, competing against other swim clubs in the immediate area.
Highland Swimming Club is a private swimming facility with a large L-shaped main pool and a smaller kiddie pool, a BBQ area, a small "Snack Shack", and play area. Its swim team competes against other private swim clubs in the area in meets held mostly in July.
Scotch Plains, NJ has an excellent school system. Public school students in Scotch Plains attend the schools of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional School District, which serves students in Pre-K through 12th Grade from the Borough of Fanwood and the Township of Scotch Plains. The district has five elementary schools (Pre-K through 4th Grade), two middle schools (5th through 8th Grade) and a comprehensive high school (9th through 12th Grade). Students from School One, Evergreen and Brunner pool into Nettingham Middle School (formerly Park Middle School), while students from Coles and McGinn feed into Terrill.
The Union County Vocational Technical Schools includes the Union County Magnet High School, the Academy for Information Technology, the Union County Academy for Allied Health Sciences, the Union County Academy for Performing Arts, and the Vocational-Technical School. The grouping of different schools is for vocational as well as gifted students, publicly funded by the combined taxes of Union County municipalities.
Union Catholic Regional High School, a private Roman Catholic school, brings in students from Union County from parts of Essex and Middlesex counties. Union County College also has a facility in Scotch Plains.
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