10 Must-Visit Small Towns in New Jersey

Haddonfield was first settled by English Quakers in the late 17th century, but it wouldn’t play its most major historic role until the American Revolutionary War. At that time, the Indian King Tavern was a meeting place for the New Jersey legislature to dodge the watchful eyes of the British while obtaining their independence. The tavern remains one of Haddonfield’s most notable spots and a top traveler attraction today.

Later on, in the next century, Haddonfield gained paleontological significance as the site of the first relatively complete dinosaur excavation in North America. That’s why New Jersey is one of the few states to have its own state dinosaur.

Seaside Heights is most notably the setting for the wildly popular MTV show Jersey Shore. However, don’t make the mistake of thinking that Seaside Heights is only wild parties and drinking the day away in the sun and sand (though you can find both within its limits). 

Seaside Heights is also a favourited family destination, with the bright lights of its boardwalk and many restaurants, games and other activities. In fact, the beach town is so popular in the summer, that the population of Seaside Heights can more than double in July and August.

Lambertville is located along the Delaware River, and the river just so happens to have played a major role in the town’s establishment. The river’s Delaware and Raritan Canal, built in the early 1800s, basically caused Lambertville to establish itself as a major town during the time. Sadly, the canal is haunted by a grisly past, having been built on the backs of thousands of Irish immigrants and cholera victims.

You can still see the town’s historic structures dating back to the 1700s and 1800s, with many old buildings converted into inns, restaurants, galleries, boutiques and more. The canal is also on view, with a canal path favored by pedestrians and cyclists.

Clinton is a relatively young town, only established in the mid-1800s. It was built primarily around 2 mills – a wool processing mill and a gristmill – both of which you can still see today. The latter now operates as an art museum called the Hunterdon Art Museum for Contemporary Craft and Design.

The wool processing mill is now known as The Red Mill Museum Village and comes with its own haunted lore. It was even featured on the show Ghost Hunters and is turned into a public haunted house in autumn.

Chester is less than an hour’s drive from New York City, but the small town feels a world away from the hubbub and hustle of The Big Apple. The posh town is home to some of the area’s elite, and is filled with green space, agrarian fields, Victorian-style housing and historic structures.

The lively community is always offering something for locals and visitors alike to enjoy, too, such as live music and vacation festivals. Agritourism is popular in Chester, as are the many green spaces such as Highlands Ridge Park and Hacklebarney State Park.

Right in the center of New Jersey, Allentown offers travelers a wealth of history, shopping and dining. There’s even horses, as the town is the site of the Horse Park of New Jersey, a significant equestrian site. The shopping district is one of the more popular neighborhoods of the small town, with lots of specialty boutiques and antique shops.

Favourited historic spots around Allentown include The Old Mill along Indian Run Creek, The Old Burial Ground, The Old York Road and John Imlay’s Georgian mansion.

Bernardsville was a popular, post-Civil War vacation spot for wealthy New Yorkers in the mid-1800s. Now, it’s still a nice little getaway for those seeking not only the great outdoors, but also some great history. Bernardsville’s Olcott Avenue Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, thanks to the district’s abundance of 19th-century and 20th-century structures.

Bernardsville is directly adjacent to several mountains which, in the 1890s, were popular for polo, racing and even gardens. Visitors are now mostly relegated to hiking.

Brielle was founded as a primarily agrarian community, pre-American Revolutionary War. During the Revolutionary War, the community operated a salt works, providing important resources to the colonists. Later on, Brielle became popular with vacationers, and one of those vacationers gave the city the official name of Brielle, after another riverside town in the Netherlands.

Check out the Manasquan River shoreline and Osborn Island, which famous author, Robert Louis Stevenson, nicknamed “Treasure Island” after his arguably most popular book. You certainly won’t be left wanting for waterfront when visiting this New Jersey small town.

Point Pleasant, while a popular and very enjoyable beach destination in New Jersey, is one of the less crowded towns. This makes it a good fit for travelers seeking the New Jersey beach scene without the suffocating crowds. Point Pleasant features a mile-long boardwalk filled with amusement park rides, restaurants, games, mini-golf, arcades and even an aquarium.

Beyond the beach, you’ll find multiple museums such as the Vintage Automobile Museum of New Jersey and the New Jersey Museum of Boating. There are also parks, canal walkways and a riverfront to enjoy.

Spring Lake was a Gilded Age retreat around the turn of the 19th century. It was lauded by high society individuals who would flock to the seaside town from hot and hectic New York City and Philadelphia. You can still see their historic homes today, such as the Martin Maloney Cottage and the Audenried Cottage.

Bathing is popular off the town’s shore. But be careful – some say Spring Lake’s beaches were the inspiration for the hit novel and movie Jaws. If you’d rather get in a workout on dry land and away from the sharks, you can always participate in the Spring Lake 5 Mile Run, the most popular 5-mile race in the United States, with more than 12,000 participants each year.