Visiting What Possibly Is The Friendliest Town In New Jersey
Lambertville is just across a bridge from a sister town in Pennsylvania
Friendly. Pedestrian friendly. Dog friendly. Plenty of quaint shops and restaurants. Art galleries and antique shops. Lots of places to take a load off your feet and sit and chat with friends or even strangers. I found folks throughout Lambertville to be friendly and approachable and willing to strike up a conversation.
It’s a tight knit community. Actually it is a pair of tight knit communities. Even though New Hope is in Pennsylvania the towns are intertwined. For example, the ambulance corps services both towns. And there are joint community events all the time, such as the recent turkey trot which dates back to 1946.
I mentioned before that there are a plethora of both art and antique galleries in Lambertville. Here is an example of a combination of both.
In Lambertville one can find stately homes such as this one …
… and more modest homes like these. All in the same neighborhood because, although Lambertville is divided by Bridge street into two sections … it’s really just one neighborhood. There are only about 4,000 residents And Lambertville only encompasses 1.3 square miles. I can’t say I walked every street in the town. But I pretty much covered the area walking for about an hour-and-a-half.
There are a lot of hidden gems to find if you walk off of Bridge street which is the main draw for tourists. This is actually a tiny Mexican restaurant tucked into a residential area. I found other restaurants and bars in unlikely places, so if you like to explore and want to avoid the crowds I recommend traversing the side streets.
I didn’t venture inside but I think it’s probably safe to say they’re no longer selling things for a nickel or a dime here any longer. Still, it’s a great reminder of how things once were in America.
I took this while walking along the D & R Canal Trail, which is hard packed dirt and level and easy to walk or bike. I even saw some older folks on motorized powerchairs enjoying the trail. The trail actually extends in three sections for 77 miles. Included are loops of several miles people can take to return to their starting point.
A mother and daughter pause along the trail to enjoy the canal.
I took this photo because I was struck by the yellow motorcycle parked alongside the yellow house.
This is a multi-use governmental building. You can pay a ticket in the municipal court. Then buy a ticket to screen a movie at the Acme theater without leaving the building!
Some tips:
If you’re visiting Lambertville leave some time to walk the bridge across the Delaware River and visit New Hope Pennsylvania. I plan a return trip there for another photo adventure soon.
As lovely as Lambertville is, and as welcoming as it is to visitors, parking is at a premium. Leave extra time to find a spot. You have to drive a few blocks off the main drag if you want to park for free. There is valet parking available off of Bridge Street just before you cross into Pennsylvania. And don’t assume the meter parking doesn’t count on Sunday. I saw quite a few cars parked at meters with tickets on their windshields!
All photos copyright Gary Baumgarten
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