New Brunswick

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At some point during your visit, you may hear an enthusiastic “Go, Scarlet Knights!” New Brunswick is the home of Rutgers University, the state university of New Jersey and its sports teams, which have been making big news in college sports.

But that’s nothing new – the city was the location of the country’s first intercollegiate football game, Rutgers versus Princeton, in 1869.

The town’s extensive history dates back to pre-Revolutionary times. Pick up the Historic Downtown Walking Map to visit buildings from 1730 through the turn of the 19th century. There’s sophisticated entertainment and dining in New Brunswick, too.

In the 15-block downtown area, nearly 50 restaurants compete for your palate, among them the award-winning Frog and Peach.

There are three distinct theaters – the African American-focused Crossroads, George Street Playhouse and the State Theater of New Jersey for concerts and special events – as well as the American Repertory Ballet.

Don’t miss:

• Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum on the Rutgers campus for European and American fine arts

• Stuff Yer Face (49 Easton Ave.), the stromboli spot where star chef Mario Batali first donned a professional apron

• Old Queens, the oldest building on the Rutgers campus (circa 1809) and a great place for a casual meal

Insider tip: Come see how New Jersey earned its Garden State moniker at the New Jersey Museum of Agriculture. The museum houses everything from a Lenni Lenape Native American wigwam (the Lenape were the region’s first farmers) to the largest observation beehive in the northeast. Special programs focus on family fun, including dairy day with goat milking, barn tours and an ice cream sundae bar.

New Brunswick STORIES