9 Stress-Free New Jersey Towns For A Weekend Retreat

Although some people indeed have a limited view of New Jersey, the truth is that "the Garden State" is a wonderful place with an abundance of breathtaking towns to visit for a stress-free weekend retreat away from the hustle and bustle of major cities. Each of the following nine communities offers peace and relaxation from a stressful week, along with a refreshing sense of beauty throughout the area—places you'll want to visit over and over again in the future!

Cape May

At the very southern tip of the state is the coastal city of Cape May, which is known for its Victorian Architecture, immaculate beaches, natural beauty, and the iconic Cape May Lighthouse. Being a shore point in the state, Cape May has plenty of beaches to explore. However, a quieter beach to explore in town is Poverty Beach, a 2.5-mile-long beach located near the Coast Guard training center, giving visitors and residents a more tranquil beach for walking on the sand, enjoying the sound of the waves moving back and forth, and it is a decent spot for surfers wanting to enjoy the waves.

Outside of the city is the Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area, a 1,100-acre state-managed nature area perfect for those looking to destress from the office. With two miles of natural trails, it is a perfect spot for birdwatching. However, visitors cannot camp, swim, damage vegetation, paintball, use metal detectors, or light a fire in the nature reserve, as it preserves the beauty of the trees, plants, and wildlife that call that area home.

Within downtown is the Washington Street Mall, which is three blocks long, pedestrian-only, and features a mix of the city's unique Victorian-style architecture. The mall became pedestrian-only in 1971 and features various local restaurants and shops, can host local events, and much more. The mall is a great place to walk around and explore the over 60 local restaurants and shops. Stay at the Southern Mansion Bed and Breakfast, which was built in 1860.

Wildwood

Just north of Cape May is Wildwood, a shore point community that is known for having a 1.8-mile lively boardwalk, free beaches, and an abundance of Doo-Wop style architecture from the 20th Century. The Wildwoods Boardwalk, built on over 70,000 wooden planks, is an iconic walkway in town with unique local restaurants and shops, arcades, and is the home of the Morey's Pier Amusement Park. There's plenty of parking and accessibility for visitors and residents to enjoy during their time on the boardwalk, no matter the season.

Just next to the pier are the beaches that make the community iconic. As mentioned earlier, admission to the beach in Wildwood is free, and gives visitors and residents of the community plenty of activities to accomplish throughout the year, whether it's walking on the beach, enjoying the sun and waves during the summer, playing beach volleyball, or boogie-boarding and surfboarding.

The rest of the community is known as the "Doo-Wop Capital" of the world, thanks to the mid-20th-century architecture throughout the area. The Doo Wop Experience Museum showcases the history of Doo Wop architecture—bright neon lights, historic artifacts, and a retro-style malt shop. The museum is in what used to be a restaurant called "Surfside," which was open until it closed in 2002 and became a museum in 2007. The museum is a great spot to experience what life was like in the 1950s and early 1960s during the prime of Doo Wop.

Princeton

Just 12 miles north of Trenton is the iconic college town of Princeton, the home of Princeton University, rich history, and culture. Check out the Princeton Battlefield State Park, which earned its name from an intense battle between British and American troops during the Revolutionary War on January 3, 1777, in the Battle of Princeton. The park has an oak tree in the center of the park, which oversaw the infamous battle, has plenty of trails for folks to partake in, and is also a prime bird-watching park.

Princeton University's iconic campus is in the heart of the town and is a wonder to visit at any time of the year. The Ivy League university offers tours of the campus, along with visiting the Princeton University Art Museum, which showcases beautiful art created by students and artists from different parts of the country and world. This can be scheduled on the university's website.

Just on the outskirts of town is the Terhune Orchards, a family-owned and operated farm and winery that has been operating since 1975, which is perfect for families looking for a change of scenery. The farm serves cider donuts, wine tastings, and an endless amount of freshly grown apples, peaches, and pears for all to enjoy.

Ridgewood

Up in Bergen County is the village of Ridgewood, a suburb of New York City known for its vibrant downtown, walkable environment, historic charm, and various parks where you can enjoy a nice, calm, and sunny day. One park to visit in town is the Irene Habernickel Family Park, a private horse farm that evolved into a wonderful public park in 2004. The park features a playground, soccer field, and baseball field, perfect for a little recreation!

Another spot to chill for the day is visiting the Mudspinners Pottery Studio, an arts studio where people can craft pottery that's beautiful and functional. People can sign up for classes, whether they're private or in groups, or bring their own wine and food for mud and Merlot nights.

The Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum is a great place to de-stress for the week and learn about wildlife outside of town. The museum is located in a historic shingle-style mansion, the Altwood-Blauvet Mansion, and proudly displays wildlife art, paintings, and an outdoor sculpture garden.

Neptune Township

Right on the shoreline is Neptune Township, a community known for being the "Crossroads of the Jersey Shore," a regional commercial and cultural hub, and the home of Ocean Grove, a historic neighborhood in the community. Since Neptune Township and Ocean Grove are a shore point community, Ocean Grove Beach is an ideal spot to unwind. Dogs are also allowed on the beach during the offseason from September 15 until May 15, so furry friends can tag along if visiting then.

Just near the beach is the comfy Ocean Park Inn Bed and Breakfast, a 13-room bed and breakfast that was purchased in 2019 by Claudia and Dominick DeFino. Ocean Park Inn serves its guests with a warm, welcoming breakfast between 8:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. in a cozy dining room or on the front porch. Ocean Park is also within walking distance of the Great Auditorium and amazing local restaurants and shops on Main Avenue for a memorable day or night out on the town.

With Neptune Township being a shore point with access to the water, the Shark River Municipal Marina is an excellent way to explore the water. The marina is open to the public and provides visitors and residents with slips for boats, plenty of docks reserved for residents who own or rent boats, and a boat ramp for those ready to launch their boats into the water for further exploration of the Shark River.

Lambertville

Further west from the Jersey Shore is the city of Lambertville, a community known for its vast antique shops, specialty boutiques, and wonderful restaurants. Being a river town, a stress-reducing activity to accomplish in town is taking a nice stroll through the Delaware Canal Trail and enjoying the scenic views of the area, as the trail connects Lambertville and Frenchtown. People can either walk the trail, go on a nice bike ride, or go for a stress-burning run.

Being nicknamed the "Antique Capital of New Jersey," it is no wonder the town has some amazing antique stores to explore. In the heart of downtown are stores like the Antique Center at the People's Store, A Touch of the Past Antiques, and Midiri Antiques, to name a few. Each of these antique stores has wonderful one-of-a-kind pieces. On top of that, it's also fun to visit these local antique shops and stroll through each aisle containing preserved relics from the past, and give them a new home.

The town also has its fair share of landmarks, such as the James Wilson Marshall House Museum in the heart of downtown. This museum was the home of James Wilson Marshall, who discovered gold in California in 1848, which later resulted in the California Gold Rush a couple of years later. The house is the headquarters of the Lambertville Historical Society, while the house itself was built by his father, Philip Marshall. Within the museum, visitors can explore what life was like in the 19th century, along with learning more about the city's history, a perfect activity to escape the monotony of a work week!

Frenchtown

Just 15 to 17 miles north of Lambertville is the borough of Frenchtown, a community known for its Victorian architecture downtown, similar to Cape May, a vibrant arts scene, and its location on the Delaware River, similar to Lambertville. Being a town with a lovely arts scene, visitors and residents are treated to the ArtYard. There, people will find themselves in the incubator of creative expression in the world of transformative art. Displayed at ArtYard are paintings by Brian House, who utilizes electronic circuits as art.

The National Hotel, a local hotel that opened in 1850, is a wonderful and charming hotel to visit in town. The hotel offers a relaxing and comforting stay for those looking to temporarily escape the city. It offers an upscale atmosphere in a very close-knit community, along with a lovely restaurant and bar, making it an iconic staple for escaping reality in Frenchtown. The hotel also hosts events local to the area, making it a great spot to visit and decompress for the weekend.

Another place to check out with charming views of the Delaware River and the adjacent Pennsylvania is Sunbeam Lenape Park. It features local events, like the Riverfest Festival that takes place in town. It is a perfect place to soak up the sun, with benches and plenty of green grass for picnics, and it gives people access to the lovely downtown of Frenchtown.

Ocean City

Just south of Atlantic City is Ocean City, a coastal city known as a more family-oriented shore point, earning the nickname, "America's Greatest Family Resort," with its glorious boardwalk and beaches, nature, and amusement parks. Right on the boardwalk itself are two amusement parks, Playland's Castaway Cove and Ocean City Waterpark. Both parks provide plenty of rides and activities for families to enjoy on a nice summer weekend away from major cities. While Playland's Castaway Cove has roller coasters, mini golf, a Ferris wheel, a swinging ship, and much more, Ocean City Waterpark has a lazy river, water slides, a rock wall, and mini golf, making either of them excellent options!

The Ocean City Boardwalk itself is a wonderful place to explore. It's filled with vibrant local restaurants, shops, and two amusement parks, as mentioned earlier, on a family-friendly two-mile-long boardwalk. People can even break out their bikes and pedal the boardwalk, if they choose! You can also head on down to the beach and soak up the sun, walk on the sand, and enjoy the sound of crashing waves.

Another locale to visit on the boardwalk is the Ocean City Music Pier, a concert hall built in 1928, which hosts concerts, comedy shows, musicals, various pageants, and other local events in a beautiful building. The Music Pier is very easily accessible, as it's right on the boardwalk, which has ramps and stairways for people to see the concert hall, and is very close to some local hotels in the city.

Stone Harbor

Just north of Wildwood is the coastal borough of Stone Harbor, which is known for being the only heronry (a breeding colony for herons) in the United States. It also boasts an upscale beach resort with a quiet and relaxing atmosphere, perfect for a weekend getaway. Since Stone Harbor is a shore point community, the Seven-Mile Beach runs through town, along with the town of Avalon. Seven Mile is nicknamed "the Jewel of the Jersey Coast," as it attracts visitors to its soft-sanded beach with beautiful and gleaming waves that complement the peaceful beach perfectly for those looking to unwind in a quaint shore coastal town.

Another beach to explore south of town is Stone Harbor Point, a conservation area not made for surfing and picnics but rather for nature walking on a 3.6-mile-long trail, birdwatching, hiking, and running. Stone Harbor Point is very scenic and peaceful, making it a fantastic spot to explore and destress.

A natural place to visit in town, just outside of the beaches, is the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary. The Bird Sanctuary is an open-air park open 24/7 for birdwatching of all the diverse shore birds that fly in and out of the community. It's also the home of preserving the heron birds that flock to the region. There are plenty of paths to walk on in the Sanctuary, and carefully watch the birds settling into the site and flying away from the site.

Each of these wonderful communities provides fantastic attractions, local restaurants, shops, and natural wonders for all to explore and refresh themselves after a stressful week of working. No matter what community someone visits, they'll make it a memorable experience, whether it's a solo trip, an adventure with friends, or a quality vacation with family. Though many of these towns are on or near the Jersey Shore, the further inland towns are also worth exploring and visiting, with plenty of local treats for everyone to enjoy. So, whether by the beach or in town, New Jersey is a great destination the next time you crave peace and relaxation.