Princeton, NJ, Guide and Information

With Princeton located in the heart of the county and Trenton to the south, there’s a lot going on in Mercer County, New Jersey. Plus, it’s considered as part of the New York Metropolitan Area in addition to bordering the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, so it’s populated with lots of movers and shakers from two of the east coast’s most dynamic cities. What does that mean for visitors? Well, here you can expect to find lots of wonderful cultural offerings, great food and dining as well as fun shopping. The region is a whole bastion of history, so you can bet that here each of the buildings and sites of historical significance have been buffed and polished for all to appreciate.

Best of all, all this is set within a low-lying coastal plain abundant with rich farmland and verdant hillsides. For a good taste of Mercer County’s bounty, head straight to Blue Moon Acres, a delightful organic farm in Pennington. Family-owned and operated, this socially-conscious business sells their fresh products along with other locally-made goods in their farm market. Rice and micro greens are among their specialities; it’s no wonder they’re purveyors to some of the finest dining establishments in the region.

With its tree-lined streets and Gothic buildings, the town of Princeton, New Jersey does indeed possess a princely allure. During the early part of the 1700s, in fact, the community was referred to as Prince’s Town and also Princetown. Finally, the Princeton name stuck and today it’s a vibrant municipality of some 30,000 people. Home to the Ivy League Princeton University since 1756, it’s a town steeped in culture, tradition and lots of free-thinking. Other important institutions and companies are also headquartered here, including Westminster Choir College, Berlitz International and Dow Jones & Company, to name just a few.

The central New Jersey location of Princeton makes it equidistant to New York and Philadelphia and just a short train ride to both of those metropolitan destinations. So not surprisingly, a lot of people that work in the big cities live in this lovely little town. It’s this marriage of sophisticated movers and shakers, inspired students and longtime locals sweet on their community that contributes to Princeton’s appeal. (It’s consistently ranked as one of the top places to live in the U.S. by major publications.)