Day Trip to New Brunswick, New Jersey

In Middlesex County, New Jersey, overlooking the southern banks of the Raritan River, lies the historic and culturally diverse city of New Brunswick, home to a numerous leading healthcare facilities and to the vast main campus of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. While many Monmouth County residents may be at least marginally familiar with New Brunswick due to past hospital visits or by following the Rutgers football team, the city offers much more to explore, with all the makings of a great day trip at any time of year.

New Brunswick’s impressive history dates back to before the American Revolution. Visitors can easily take a step back in time by following the city’s own historic downtown walking tour map, which may be downloaded right off the community website at www.cityofnewbrunswick.org. The map features 37 fascinating sites that may be viewed and visited, some highlights of which include the home of the 19th-century poet Joyce Kilmer, author of the poem “Trees;” the site of the third public reading of the Declaration of Independence, on Albany Street; the Red Lion Tavern Site, first home of what would become Rutgers University, the eighth oldest college in the United States; and the Hamilton Cannon Battery Site, where, in December 1776, Alexander Hamilton positioned a battery of artillery to guard the retreat of the Continental Army led by General George Washington.

If you’d like to enjoy some modern-day entertainment and culture instead, downtown New Brunswick takes center stage in more ways than one, with a vibrant, year-round lineup of offerings with everything from Broadway productions to dance performances to musical concerts of every genre and for every age group. Within the space of just a few blocks, you’ll find the historic State Theatre, the George Street Playhouse, the Crossroads Theatre, and the American Repertory Ballet. The New Brunswick Cultural Center website, at www.newbrunsickarts.org, provides a handy performance calendar where you can access all the details you need on venues, show dates, times, and links to ticket sales. The venues themselves are as intriguing and diverse as the productions that they present.

The historic State Theatre, for instance, is a magnificently renovated 1921 vaudeville and silent film palace that has become a premier nonprofit center for the performing arts and entertainment, as well as an array of annual festivals and community programs. It is credited as a major factor in New Brunswick’s return to economic vitality, attracting approximately 200,000 patrons each year. The roster of performers who have graced the State Theatre’s stage reads like a “Who’s Who” in the entertainment industry.

The George Street Playhouse, founded in 1974, is a nationally recognized theater that presents an acclaimed mainstage season while providing an artistic home for both established and emerging theater artists. The playhouse has been represented by numerous productions, both on- and off-Broadway.

The Crossroads Theatre Company received the 1999 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre in the United States. It is the nation’s premier African-American theater and leads the country with its commitment to literary works that examine the African-American experience so that it may be understood and appreciated by all audiences.

And finally, the American Repertory Ballet, now in its 37th season, is a classical and contemporary ballet company committed to presenting ballets from the 19th and 20th century alongside new and existing works by choreographers from today, with dancers who are known for their versatility and powerful artistry.

If you’re looking for some good laughs, check out The Stress Factory, which has been hosting some of the best stand-up comedians in the industry for 20 hysterical years. Plenty of seating, including an outdoor patio lounge area, and a full menu of American fare make it the perfect setting for a fun and funny outing with friends or even a unique fundraiser. Find out more on their website at www.stressfactory.com.

If you’re in a museum mood, be sure to visit the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University (www.zimmerlimuseum.rutgers.edu), whose permanent collection comprises more than 60,000 works, ranging from ancient to contemporary art and featuring particularly rich holdings in the areas of French art of the 19th century, Russian and Soviet Nonconformist Art, and American and European works on paper, including prints, rare books, drawings, photographs, and original illustrations for children’s books.

The Rutgers Geology Museum (www.geologymuseum.rutgers.edu) showcases exhibits on geology, natural history, and anthropology, featuring a dinosaur trackway, a mounted mastodon, rocks and minerals from New Jersey and around the world, and an emphasis on the natural history of the Garden State.  

Working up an appetite? The assortment of culinary delights in New Brunswick is astounding, with nearly 50 restaurants within the 15-block downtown area. They include the award-winning Frog and Peach and numerous other renowned Zagat dining guide favorites, offering ethnic dishes that range from Italian, Middle Eastern, Mexican and Peruvian to Indian, Ethiopian, Thai, Chinese, and Nouvelle American fare. Yet more favorite tasty treats may be found at the popular “Grease Trucks,” a group of truck-based food vendors located on the College Avenue campus of Rutgers. Try the “Fat Sandwiches” – sub rolls laden with ingredients such as steak, chicken fingers, French fries, falafel, cheeseburgers, mozzarella sticks, gyro meat, bacon, eggs, marinara sauce, etc. The choices are endless!

As you traipse around the city, you may also discover some great stores and shops that you’ll want to peruse. An added bonus to purchasing some mementos of your visit: most of New Brunswick’s retail businesses are within a designated urban enterprise zone, which means shoppers can take advantage of the reduced 3.5% sales tax – half the usual state tax rate. Every little bit counts!

Look for more information on planning the perfect New Brunswick day trip at www.newbrunswick.com.