Things to Do in Princeton

As one of the charter members of the Atlantic League in 1998, the Somerset Patriots are the most successful franchise in the league’s history, but such good fortune didn't come immediately. In fact, it had to play its entire first season on the road while construction crews finished constructing TD Bank Ballpark from billions of sunflower-seed shells. In 2001, however, the Patriots' began a decade-long run that included five championships—including back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009—plus several awards for the 6,100-seat ballpark (completed in 1999), which was named "Ballpark of the Year" by Baseball America in 2007

In 1754, Richard Stockton, a leading attorney who would go on to be a signer of the Declaration of Independence, acquired land on his grandfather's 5,500-acre tract to build a home. The house later traded hands among Stockton family members until the 20th century, when it served as the state's first Governor's Mansion, eventually housing five governors.

Since its restoration and conversion into the Morven Museum & Garden in 2004, galleries on two floors of the dwelling have housed permanent and temporary exhibitions relating to New Jersey history and culture, as well as the Morven property, now a National Historic Landmark. As guests wander the museum’s halls, Stockton family portraiture and decorative art speaks of past eras while contemporary art and photographs keep visitors grounded in the present day. Meanwhile, 5 more acres outside host a massive garden that includes a recreation of Morven's old Colonial Revival¬–style blooming garden and its charismatic, singing Venus flytrap.

Soon after Mimi Omiecinski moved to Princeton in 2006, a chance sighting of a Nobel laureate sparked her interest in the town's distinguished residents. When a local business owner informed her that Princeton has more Nobel laureates, Pulitzer winners, and Parakeet Best in Show recipients than any two-square-mile radius on Earth, she commenced an intense study about the town, its tenants, and its history.

The result of this fascination is Princeton Tour Company, an eclectic blend of tours that covers the breadth and depth of Princeton's history, including its culture, university, and local businesses. Ghost tours take guests on a cemetery walk past the gravesites of a United States president and a signer of the declaration of independence, whereas walking tours cover the stories of former Princeton residents including T.S. Eliot and Brooke Shields.

Under the umbrella of The Bowling Proprietors' Association of North Jersey, an eclectic group of alleys work together to fill the region with the thunder of scattering pins. At most of Bowling Proprietors' bowling centers, bowlers keep track of pummeled pins with automatic scoring, and bumpers, which arrive at the call of a button, keep balls on course without filling the gutters with retired VCRs. Snack bars at some locations bolster ravenous bowlers, and game rooms in select centers keep hand-eye coordination in peak condition. Free WiFi is available in some centers so that winners can exercise bragging rights.

At The Mad Potter, both kids and adults find an outlet to flex their creative muscles. The studio—a welcoming space full of natural light and wooden tables and chairs—showcases a variety of unfinished pottery pieces, ranging from magnets and candlesticks to picture frames and food-safe dinnerware. During Paint by Story sessions, a staff member reads a book aloud while budding child artists use nontoxic paints to bring one of the characters to life. The studio also hosts birthday parties for youngsters and get-togethers for adults, including bridal showers, corporate outings, and team-building events.

BAM Social Sports assembles co-ed teams of athletes aged 21 and older for regular battle in recreational games throughout northern and central New Jersey. The network's friendship-fueled leagues span a wide range of sports, including basketball, soccer, softball, and bowling, and excluding hamster racing. After games, players can retire to local sponsor bars, where discounts on food and drink help celebrate victories or fuel mournful food fights.