A college campus in Central New Jersey might not sound like the ideal getaway, but Princeton has a PhD in historic charm, boutique shops, eateries, and museums. As a lifelong New Jerseyan, I keep forgetting how much I love it there.

Even the Wawa is a work of art.

“Princeton is just a beautiful little town and, in my opinion, there are only a few places like it in all of New Jersey,” said John Lambert, owner of the iconic Princeton Record Exchange.

Strolling through Princeton University’s ivy-covered campus, as Albert Einstein used to, is almost worth the trip alone, particularly if you go on a bustling fall weekend. The campus is teeming with sculptures, massive churches, and historic school buildings. The town is only 50 miles northeast of Philadelphia and is even accessible by Amtrak at 30th Street Station.

I’m a sucker for a downstairs pub, and I’ve been to Winberie’s Restaurant & Bar a handful of times. It’s dark and bedecked in stained glass and brick, and iconic images of Princeton icons, like author John McPhee and basketball legend Bill Bradley, line the walls.

It’s not the only bar in town, but Winberie’s seems like the ideal place to grab a craft beer or wine before or after a Tiger football or basketball game. It sits right on Palmer Square in the middle of town.

Winberie’s has full entrees, including pan-roasted, crispy skin salmon, and braised, beef short ribs, but I also get one of their burgers. On a recent weekday in June, I ordered the smash burger on rye bread with mustard.

Afterward, while walking off the meal around Palmer Square, I made a note to try Teresa’s pizza and wine bar next time. Princeton’s Triumph Brewing is an elevated brewing experience with duck, lamb, and oysters on the menu. It was named a 2025 Diners’ Choice by OpenTable.

📍 Winberie’s Restaurant & Bar, 1 Palmer Square E., Princeton, N.J. 08542

📍Teresa’s Pizza & Wine Bar, 23 Palmer Square E., Princeton, N.J. 08542

📍Triumph Brewing Company, 20 Palmer Sq. E, Princeton, N.J. 08542

Princeton can be easily a day trip for anyone in Philadelphia. That’s a great option too, because overnights can be expensive, particularly when school is in session, and there are large events on campus.

The Nassau Inn, on Palmer Square, is Princeton’s most iconic hotel, and it offers summer getaway deals starting at $175 a night. Rooms jump to $325 a night come mid-September. The Nassau, established in 1775, offers 16 craft beers, plus breakfast, lunch, and dinner at its Yankee Doodle Tap Room.

The Graduate Hotel, by Hilton, has a breathtaking lobby but the prices are breathtaking too. There are some simple and relatively affordable Airbnbs downtown, too, but expect the prices to double during the school year.

📍 Nassau Inn, 10 Palmer Square E., Princeton, N.J. 08542

📍 Graduate Princeton, 10 Chambers St., Princeton, N.J. 08542

There are almost too many options to choose from, but the Princeton Record Exchange, or PREX, is a must-see. As the sign in the window attests, it’s one of the nation’s, even the world’s, best record stores with over 100, 000 albums, cassettes, and CDs spread out over 4,500 square feet.

James Murphy, of LCD Soundsystem, said PREX “saved his life.”

Owner Jon Lambert said he has visitors from all over the world, and he’s found the average customer spends over an hour in the store. Sometimes they’re simply browsing and reminiscing, and Lambert said that’s just fine.

“We want you to feel comfortable here, to have a tactile, sensorial experience,” he said. “We know you’ll probably be back.”

Other must-sees are jaZams, arguably the greatest toy story ever (I managed to spend just $14) and Labyrinth Books, which specializes in rare and academic titles.

📍 Princeton Record Exchange, 20 S. Tulane St., Princeton, N.J. 08542

📍 jaZams, 25 Palmer Square E., Princeton, N.J. 08542

📍 Labyrinth Books, 122 Nassau St., Princeton, N.J. 08542

The Princeton University Art Museum was the biggest surprise of my visit, a vast, modern building full of pieces, large and small, that touch on, well, everything. My daughter, just 4 years old, was captivated.

There’s a Warhol, Monet, some German expressionism, gold-ground paintings from the 1400s, and massive, modern pieces by sculptor Nick Cave.

In honor of America’s 250th celebration, the museum has an exhibit titled “What Is an American?” running through November, too.

Even better: it’s free.

📍 45 Elm Dr., Princeton, N.J. 08544

The Bent Spoon, an artisan ice cream shop on Palmer Square, has crafted hundreds of flavors since it opened in 2004. The small shop, which is open year-round, redefines “farm to spoon,” which means you have to grab flavors like blueberry and strawberry when they’re available.

“We really try to celebrate the seasons, for real,” said co-owner Gabrielle Carbone. “We get our strawberries from South Jersey, and they’re only available until the strawberries run out.”

I ordered vanilla bean — sourced from Madagascar. My daughter had a vegan vanilla with organic rainbow sprinkles. We swapped.

Carbone says blueberry ice cream and blueberry-lemonade sorbet will be in around July, but not for long. Princeton is bustling come winter, too, she said.

“We’re known for our hot chocolate,” she said.

📍 35 Palmer Square W., Princeton, N.J. 08542

You know Wawas. You’ve seen hundreds of them and, for the most part, they all look the same.

The Wawa at the Princeton Station train stop was designed by architect Rick Joy, though, and features exterior walls with sharp angles and columns made of blackened steel panels. Inside, above the cash register, is a large skylight.

The Wawa even has a green roof, along with the ubiquitous shorties and hot coffee.

📍 152 Alexander St, Princeton, N.J. 08540