Princeton is one of the oldest settlements in New Jersey, a handsome town of tree-lined streets and colonial-era buildings that grew up around its famous university. Princeton University dominates the town — its Gothic campus, anchored by Nassau Hall from 1756, is one of the most beautiful in America and freely open to walk through. The university art museum is excellent and free, with collections spanning Chinese antiquity to modern American art.
Nassau Street runs along the campus edge and serves as the town's main street, lined with independent bookshops, restaurants, and cafes. The Princeton Battlefield State Park, a short walk south, marks the site of Washington's surprise victory in January 1777 — one of the turning points of the Revolution.
Princeton sits roughly midway between New York and Philadelphia, easily reached by NJ Transit train (the Dinky shuttle connects Princeton Junction to the town centre). Einstein lived here for the last twenty years of his life, walking to work at the Institute for Advanced Study, and the town retains that mix of small-town calm and intellectual energy.