Trenton's strength is out of town!
Written: May 09 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Nearby cities and towns, good Italian food, real bakeries
Cons: Old and in need of repair, dirty, traffic is terrible, traffic circles
The Bottom Line: There's no reason to go to Trenton unless you know someone there. But it's a good central location for visiting a variety of nice, nearby towns.
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| KateTPZ's Full Review: Trenton |
If I didn't have family and friends in the Trenton area I have to confess that I wouldn't visit. I was born there, at St. Francis Hospital on Chambers street, but more than once I've joked that it wasn't by choice. I tried to get my Mom go across the river before I was born but she didn't hear me! Since I do have family and friends in the area, however, I visit about once a year. If you want to fly to Trenton, only one airline (Shuttle America - see my review of it at http://www.epinions.com/trvl-review-29F0-421F2BB9-3A435328-prod3) serves the small Trenton/Mercer airport. Newark airport is about an hour away, as is Philadelphia.
Trenton is home to The College of New Jersey, formerly known (back in my day) as Trenton State College. It's a small but attractive campus, in Ewing Township just outside the Trenton city limits. Rider College is also nearby, in Lawrence Township.
No trip to the Trenton area would be complete without dinner in Chambersburg, the Italian section of town known for its narrow streets and incredible restaurants. On the right blocks the wonderful aroma of garlic fills the night air and mingles with the savory fragrance of freshly baked bread. I can gain five pounds just thinking about it! As a resident of North Carolina, where good Italian bread is hard to find, no trip to Trenton would be complete without stopping at Italian People's Bakery to buy a few dozen hoagie rolls to take home. It's sad, but even frozen and defrosted "New Jersey rolls", as Son Two calls them, are better than any I can buy at home. But enough about food!
Leaving Trenton will lead you to some really nice places.
North of Trenton, twenty to thirty minutes depending on traffic, you'll find the quaint college town of Princeton. Princeton was once a quiet, sleepy little town, with Princeton University as its main attraction, but in recent years the greater Princeton area has expanded to become both a major retail and corporate center. The down-town area still has the cozy, college-town feel, with ice cream shops and boutiques.
West of Trenton, fifteen to twenty-five minutes depending on traffic, you'll find Washington's Crossing, a tiny town with a bridge across the Delaware River which takes you to Washington's Crossing, Pennsylvania. Be careful - it might be the narrowest bridge still in use for two-way traffic! In case you're wondering, this is the place where George Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware. Now that you're in Pennsylvania, drive east a few miles to see Bowman's Tower, another remnant of the revolutionary war, or drive west a few more miles to get to the town of New Hope. New Hope is a small town focused on art. Craft shops, funky restaurants, and a large outdoor market on weekends combine to make New Hope a charming little town, almost a tiny San Francisco.
Time to head back to Trenton. You might want to drive along the river on the Pennsylvania side through the lovely town of Yardley (lots of nice houses to see and the river sometimes looks beautiful) to Morrisville, then take any one of the three bridges from Morrisville back to Trenton. A note about Morrisville: The town of Morrisville was almost selected as the nation's capital! I'm sure the residents of this sleepy town are glad they don't live in D.C.! Bucks County Pennsylvania, the county in which New Hope, Washington's Crossing, Yardley, Morrisville and many other towns are located, is full of historical sites.
You won't have to pay a toll if you take the "toll bridge" (Rt. 1) - you pay to get out of Trenton but not to get into it. Many jokes have originated with this bridge, although when I lived there twenty years ago a 15 cent toll was collected both ways; now it's 25 cents exiting New Jersey, free to enter. You can also take the Alternate-Rt. 1 bridge, which bears the sign "Trenton Makes The World Takes." Many will tell you it should say "Trenton Uses The World Refuses." This is the bridge you'll see in every movie ever made about the area - unfortunately most of them (remember "Stealing Home" with Jodi Foster and Mark Harmon?) show cars driving toward Pennsylvania when they're supposed to be heading to the shore.
Head east about 45 minutes to Six Flags Great Adventure. This fun, family amusement park also has a 4.5 mile drive-through safari that's a lot of fun. Be careful, though - the baboons love to climb on cars and if you have a convertible you'll have to pass. This park stays crowded in the summer months, but it offers some terrific rides! Just be prepared for long lines and very expensive food.
If you've got young kids, too young for a Six Flags park, take Route 1 into Pennsylvania from Trenton. You'll go through Morrisville (again - nothing much to see there, either!), Fairless Hills (budget retail shopping) and finally arrive in Langhorne, home of Sesame Place! Kids love it! All their favorites - Big Bird, Elmo, Grover - are there with kid-sized amusements that children love. Don't forget the swim-suite - the water park is a blast.
One more short car trip for you - the Jersey Shore. You might think of it as "the beach," depending upon where you live, but the locals call it "the shore." There are signs on all of the major highways in Trenton that will direct you to the shore. Seaside Heights is about an hour's drive, as is Atlantic City. Don't expect pristine beaches, or free beaches, however. Unlike other coastal states, most of the beaches in New Jersey are private - either off limits to non-residents or available for a fee. Seaside Heights, Atlantic City and Wildwood are all popular destinations.
Final Thoughts On Trenton
Trenton is not a vacation destination. It does have a few attractions, but unless you're a history buff you might want to miss them.
- Old Barracks Museum (www.barracks.org)
- Historic Mill Hill (www.oldmillhillsociety.org) which has a garden tour each June
- Ellarslie - Trenton State Museum
- William Trent House
I recommend you don't miss the scrumptuous dining in Chambersburg or the fantastic bakeries, and do get in the car and drive! Trenton might be bland, but some of its neighbors are quite special!
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Seniors
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May
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Epinions.com ID:
KateTPZ
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 - Top 1000 |
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Member: Kate
Location: North Carolina
Reviews written: 126
Trusted by: 80 members
About Me:
40-something Mom of two great kids and aspiring author in my "spare" time.
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