Wallington was created as a borough on January 2, 1895, based on a referendum held on December 31, 1894, from area taken from Bergen Township and Saddle River Township. The borough was formed during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through New Jersey, in which 26 boroughs were formed in Bergen County alone in 1894, with Wallington the last of the 26 to be formed by an 1894 referendum. Sections of Wallington were ceded to Garfield in 1898. The borough is said to have been named for Walling Van Winkle (1650–1725), who built a home in the future borough. 
​Each December, Wallington holds a holiday parade. Fire departments and ambulances from the surrounding area (including the Wallington Fire Department) put Christmas lights on their trucks. There is a contest to determine which department's apparatus has the best Christmas lights. The winning department gets a trophy.

Samuel Nelkin County Park is located on Parkview Drive, covering 17 acres (6.9 ha). It has a playground, tennis courts, athletic fields, a dog park, picnic areas, and a shallow, artificial pond for fishing. Bowlero Wallington is a bowling alley that has 48 lanes, an arcade, restaurant and bar.[

Founded in 2016, Viva Margarita was established with the intention to introduce authentic Mexican cuisine to the New Jersey. their mission is to have their customers experience the culinary traditions of authentic Mexican food in a beautiful and festive environment. The restaurants extensive selection of dishes, desserts, and drinks from various parts of Mexico..