11 Prettiest Towns in New Jersey
Nicknamed "The Garden State" and placed at the center of the Northeast megalopolis, New Jersey, the 11th most populous US State, is home to one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the world. Located in one of the nation's most geologically and geographically varied regions, New Jersey boasts the Highlands and Piedmont provinces in the northwest and the Atlantic Coastal Plain with the Jersey Shore and the Pine Barrens in the southeast. Dotting the state are small towns waiting to be explored, from the Jersey Shore's waterfront resorts to inviting inland towns with well-preserved colonial architecture, lively downtowns full of shops, and natural areas made for the outdoors. These are eleven of the prettiest.
Cape May
Situated where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, this small resort town in Cape May County sits at the southern edge of the Cape May Peninsula. One of the oldest vacation resorts in the United States, Cape May draws crowds through the warm summer months. The entire town is designated the Cape May Historic District, with more than 600 well-maintained Late Victorian buildings spread across 380 acres.
The town runs on the Washington Street Mall and the retail stores, boutiques, inns, and restaurants along its beach promenade. In summer, swimmers, surfers, and sunbathers head to Cove Beach at the town's southern tip. Cape May is also home to the Cape May Lighthouse, the Emlen Physick Estate, the World War II Lookout Tower, the Harriet Tubman Museum, the Cape May Bird Observatory, and the Fisherman's Memorial. Annual festivals fill the calendar, including the Cape May Jazz Festival, the Film Festival, the Food and Wine Festival, and the Music Festival.
Spring Lake
Spring Lake is a coastal resort town on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County, about 65 miles from both New York and Philadelphia. Home to just 2,789 residents, it is known for clean sandy beaches and the cozy boutiques and restaurants downtown. Many of its houses date to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and a walk down the tree-lined streets passes landmarks like the Martin Maloney Cottage, the Audenried Cottage, St. Catharine Roman Catholic Church, and the Sea Girt Lighthouse.
The town's 1.5-mile non-commercial boardwalk along the Atlantic is the place to relax and take in the view. For live theater, the Spring Lake Theatre Company performs in the Spring Lake Community House. And since 1977, the town has hosted the Spring Lake Five, which the borough bills as the largest five-mile race in the country, a loop that circles the whole town and starts and finishes at the beachfront.
Frenchtown
This small town sits atop the Hunterdon Plateau along the Delaware River, about 32 miles northwest of the state capital, Trenton. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 100-acre Frenchtown Historic District holds several colonial-era structures, including the Uhlerstown-Frenchtown Bridge, the Frenchtown Inn, the old Belvidere Delaware Railroad station, the Nathaniel Shurtz House, and the Oddfellows Building. Downtown is a shopping destination in its own right; whether you are after gifts, antiques, books, clothes, or a bag of coffee, you can find it here. There are also cafes, taverns, and restaurants serving French cuisine. The town's annual festivals include La Fete Nationale on Bastille Day, the Wine and Art Festival in May, and RiverFest in September.
Avalon
A South Jersey seashore resort in Cape May County, Avalon sits at the northern tip of Seven Mile Island. It holds some of the most expensive real estate on the Eastern Seaboard and ranks among the wealthiest communities on the Jersey Shore. True to its motto, "Cooler by a Mile," Avalon reaches about a mile farther east into the Atlantic than the neighboring barrier islands. Filled with beach cottages, this quiet community offers plenty on the water, and each summer thousands come for the white-sand beaches, the shops, the seafood, and the nightlife. Do not miss the well-preserved "high dunes," the Avalon History Center, the Avalon Sport Fishing Center, and Bay Park Marina.
Clinton
A bedroom community for commuters working in and around New York City and northern New Jersey, Clinton sits along the South Branch of the Raritan River in Hunterdon County. The 175-acre Clinton Historic District covers much of the town and takes in roughly 270 contributing buildings. With just 2,773 residents, this small town is best known for its two historic mills facing each other across the river. At the center of town, the Red Mill Museum Village is anchored by the iconic Red Mill, built in 1810 and used over the years to process graphite, plaster, talc, and grain. Every October, it becomes the Red Mill Haunted Village, drawing visitors from across the East Coast. The 19th-century Stone Mill, meanwhile, houses the Hunterdon Art Museum and its shows of modern art, craft, and design. Outdoor options nearby include the Round Valley and Spruce Run recreation areas, the Landsdown Trail, and the Ken Lockwood Gorge.
Cranbury
One of the state's oldest towns, Cranbury sits among meadows and woodlands roughly 18 miles from Trenton. The Cranbury Historic District holds more than 200 buildings from the mid-19th century in Victorian, Federal, and Greek Revival styles. Stroll the shaded Main Street, visit the Cranbury Museum, Town Hall, Brainerd Cemetery, and the Gourgaud Gallery, and settle in for a meal at the Cranbury Inn. Nature lovers can explore the Reinhardt Forest Preserve, the Cranbury Brook Preserve, Brainerd Lake, Village Park, Barn Park, and Heritage Park.
Bordentown
Bordentown sits where the Delaware River, Crosswicks Creek, and Blacks Creek meet in Burlington County, about six miles south of the state capital. It forms part of the Delaware Valley and the greater Philadelphia metropolitan area. Visitors can tour historic sites like the Crosswicks Creek archaeological site and Point Breeze, once the American estate of Joseph Bonaparte, and browse the art galleries, antique shops, bookstores, record stores, breweries, and restaurants downtown. The town draws crowds for festivals like the Iris Festival and Art Show, the Street Fair, and the Cranberry Festival, plus the Peach Social and Holiday House Tour run by the Bordentown Historical Society.
Lambertville
Named for John Lambert, a US senator and acting governor of New Jersey, Lambertville is a quiet town on the Delaware River in southwestern Hunterdon County. It began as a manufacturing town, thanks to its position on the Delaware and Raritan Canal and the Belvidere Delaware Railroad. Today it is a popular getaway, with restored houses, local shops, art galleries, antique stores, bed-and-breakfasts, and restaurants. It sits at the crossroads of Routes 29 and 179, and the Lambertville Historic District includes the James W. Marshall House and Lambertville House, both on the National Register of Historic Places.
In every season, the canal path offers views of both the canal and the Delaware River while giving walkers, cyclists, and joggers a flat route to exercise. Each April, Lambertville hosts the annual ShadFest, organized by the Greater Lambertville Chamber of Commerce. Its vendor booths spotlight the local arts community, and the festival helps fund nonprofits that support the town's residents and businesses.
Ocean City
Part of the South Jersey region in Cape May County, this family-oriented seaside resort is the anchor of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. Named for its spot on the Atlantic, Ocean City offers miles of clean beaches, a 2.45-mile boardwalk, and a downtown shopping and dining district. Family-owned shops, the Ocean City Music Pier, Gillian's Wonderland Pier, a water park, and amusement parks like Playland's Castaway Cove line the boardwalk. City parks like Corson's Inlet State Park round out the outdoor options.
Red Bank
Red Bank is a charming borough on the southern shore of the Navesink River in northern Monmouth County. Its lively downtown pairs cultural attractions with specialty shops, independent boutiques, cozy cafes, breweries, and restaurants. The town keeps many well-preserved historic buildings, including the Count Basie Center for the Arts and the Two River Theater, along with parks for recreation. The calendar stays full with the Red Bank Guinness Oyster Festival, the International Beer, Wine and Food Festival, the Jazz and Blues Festival, a farmers' market, a Halloween parade, an indie film festival, and a holiday town lighting.
Princeton
This lively town lies just south of a long, curving ridge, the Princeton Ridge, in Mercer County, roughly halfway between New York City and Philadelphia. Beyond the renowned Princeton University, the town draws visitors to a downtown full of shops, boutiques, and restaurants. Other notable stops include the Morven Museum and Garden, the Princeton University Art Museum, the McCarter Theatre Center, the Albert Einstein House, and Princeton Battlefield State Park. Nature lovers can reach parks, hiking and biking trails along the Delaware and Raritan Canal, and canoeing on Lake Carnegie.
From the waterfront communities of Cape May, Avalon, and Ocean City to the scholarly streets of Princeton, the small towns of the nation's 47th largest and 11th most populous state are worth a look. They may lack the glitz of nearby New York City, but they offer a welcoming feel that stays with you. Whether for a day trip or a weekend, these pretty towns of the Garden State are well worth the drive.
