Local Towns Make Ultimate Fall Day Trip List
Looking for a great fall day trip destination? You won't have to travel far. My adorably charming hometown made the NJ.com list, and so did a bunch of other cute, local spots.
Peter Genovese from NJ.com loves to list his favorite things, and I definitely agree with his Ultimate Fall DayTrip picks, although, like I said, I may be a little biased.
He said he doesn't just like these spots because of their restaurants and shops, he likes them because they're a great way to escape the pressures and stress of your life. All of these town are "packed with history, tradition, charm and congeniality," according to Genovese.
Here are the towns right around Mercer County, and why they're so special. How many have you been too?
Hopewell #9: "My favorite Mercer County town, Hopewell exudes history, tradition, gentility, and small-town charm. Churches, restaurants, banks and markets line the picturesque main street; Brick Farm Market is a popular spot for breakfast and lunch. Stop at Nomad Pizza for excellent Neapolitan-style pizza, and at tiny Troon Brewing for beer-to-go (there is no tasting room)."
Bordentown City #13: "Overlooked, underpublicized; one of these days the rest of the state will become acquainted with Bordentown City (not to be confused with Bordentown Township). A restaurant with killer burgers (Oliver A Bistro). An excellent Italian restaurant (Toscano). Marcello's for pizza and a great local bar (HOB Tavern). Take a pleasant stroll down historic Farnsworth Avenue. One must-stop: Randy Now's Man Cave, with its head-spinning collection of CDs, records and pop culture artifacts."
Crosswicks #10: "Crosswicks claims to be the birthplace of Taylor pork roll — John Taylor, a descendant of Crosswicks settlers, made his soon-to-be-famous ham for a local market — but that's not why it's on this list. The village, part of Chesterfield Township, is a charming step back in time, with 100 or so historic houses and buildings. Check out the cannonball, fired during a battle with Hessian troops in 1778, still embedded in the wall of the Crosswicks Friends Meeting. The town library is in the former fire department, and the Crosswicks Inn, which opened as a tavern in 1681, is now a pizzeria (and a good one, Osteria Procaccini)."
Cranbury #4 - My hometown. "You've got to love a town with weekly porch parties. It's a tradition in this Middlesex County town, where residents take turns hosting parties at their homes. Cranbury, one of the state's best-preserved 19th century villages, scarcely seems to have changed, with its tree-lined Main Street and well-maintained homes. Teddy's Restaurant, open since 1973, is where the locals eat, and a cone at Gil & Bert's Ice Cream is a summer night tradition. One other thing to love about this town: no parking meters." Stroll down to Cranbury Lake on Main Street too. I used to ice skate on it every winter. Ahhh, the memories.
Lambertville #1 - "Great riverfront setting, lively arts community, loads of shops, an eclectic mix of restaurants, and a funky sister city (New Hope) a state, and a short walk, away. Hunterdon County is packed with scenic small towns, but none offer quite the complete package as Lambertville. The state's most unique bar. The Boat House, is here. For great pizza, Liberty Hall. Steps away is oWowCow Creamery, winner of our NJ's best ice cream showdown. For Middle Eastern food, try Marhaba. Route 29, which winds along the Delaware River, is one of the state's great drives; a stop at Washington Crossing State Park, just south of Lambertville, is a must. Lambertville was incorporated as a city in 1849, but in today's real world it's very much a small town."
For the rest of the list, click HERE.
I've got myself a fall bucket list. Game on.