River Vale is primarily residential, with parks and country clubs interspersed between the northern and southern areas of town. River Vale is small — just 4.3 square miles — and bordered on the east by Lake Tappan and on the north by Rockland County, New York. With tree-lined streets and plenty of green space, River Vale is known as the “Garden Spot” of leafy Pascack Valley and always sits at the top of “best places to live” lists. There’s a weekly farmers market in the summer or it’s a quick five-minute drive to the more comprehensive shopping and dining scenes in neighboring Westwood or Hillsdale. River Vale has a fun annual tradition of a town-wide garage sale, with the proceeds going to a local charity. The commute to New York City is about 45 minutes by car, or you can take an NJ Transit bus or train from Paramus or Montvale.