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New Brunswick (New Jersey) - Wikitravel
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Amtrak[2] serves New Brunswick station. It offers an express train that is slightly faster; however, the cost of a ticket (>$27) is greater than the cost of an NJ Transit train ($13.50). For those traveling from Baltimore and other points south, the Amtrak is a good option, and some travelers from as close as Philadelphia may also choose Amtrak in order to have a one-train trip and avoid having to change from the Philadelphia-area SEPTA trains to NJ Transit in Trenton.
New Jersey Transit - Northeast Corridor line, [3]. Service between New Brunswick station and New York City's Penn Station can be between 30 and 70 minutes, depending on the time of day and whether the train is running on the local or express route (both run at different times throughout the day). Local service is available to other New Jersey Transit stations such as Newark Penn Station, Newark Airport, and Trenton (as such, New Brunswick is also an easy trip from Philadelphia via transfer from SEPTA).
If you come in late at night, you might wind up having to walk through a few cars and disembark at the low platform.
New Jersey Transit[4] buses have several stops in New Brunswick, one of which happens to be on Route 27. However, the major New Jersey Transit bus hub is centered upon the New Brunswick train station (at its northern end) and along George Street (which is essentially the centerpiece of New Brunswick's downtown area).
Suburban Transit[5] (a subsidiary of Coach USA) stops in front of the train station, and comes from both Princeton and New York. The main Suburban Transit bus depot is also in New Brunswick, and is next to the New Brunswick White Castle restaurant. (Yes, Harold and Kumar fans, there is a White Castle in this town.) It is further down the bus route from New York City than the train station is, but only a couple of minutes further.
Megabus[6] (a subsidiary of Coach USA) sells Suburban Transit tickets on its website; Megabus ticket holders may board regular Suburban Transit buses only at the bus stop in downtown New Brunswick.
New Brunswick can be accessed by Interstate 287 Exit 10 (Easton Ave, New Brunswick), Exit 9 off of NJ Turnpike/I-95, U.S. Route 1, NJ Route 18, Livingston Ave, and Route 27 by way of Highland Park, across the Raritan River.
From Highland Park, several of the bridges across the Raritan River are open to pedestrians and cyclists. The river is rather broad but easily walkable for healthy individuals. One can also come in from the south by way of Millstone (New Jersey) from East Brunswick or up Ryders Lane in East Brunswick, or by walking down the sidewalks of Easton Avenue from the west. (Note: Approaches from the south and west can get pretty hilly.)
Buses (and bicycles) are the most effective means of traversing throughout New Brunswick. NJ Transit travels throughout the city. Rutgers University has buses that travel all around the campus, and you don't have to be a student to utilize them. Taxis are also prevalent (but relatively expensive), and the size of the town is such that walking is not out of the question.
Driving is also possible but parking is difficult to find in the downtown area and expensive. Most on-street parking in the downtown area is 2-hour only Monday-Friday, and parking garages tend to run about $1.50-$2 per hour. On-street regulations are suspended on the weekend but most spots are taken by residents. Some garages, such as the Lower Church Street garage, are free on Saturdays if you park before 5:00PM.
Traffic gets unbelievably stuck up after football games and Rutgersfest, with cars and buses often coming to a standstill on Route 18 and in neighboring Piscataway, as well as in downtown New Brunswick. So give yourself extra time on those occasions. Route 18 may also become jammed between the hours of 4 and 6 pm, due to rush hour traffic.
There are well known and great taxi services you can use in New Brunswick to get around.
Rutgers University[7]. Located in northeast New Brunswick, Rutgers University is a major aspect of the city. The College Avenue Campus is home to several dorms and lecture halls, with frathouses nearby. The Zimmerli Art Museum, Geology Museum, the Rutgers Student Center, and Old Queens (as a historic centerpiece) are places of attraction. The College Avenue Gym is also the site of the first ever intercollegiate football game, in which Rutgers defeated Princeton by a score of six to four in 1869, commemorated by a plaque on the outside of the Gym and a statue outside Rutgers Stadium on the University's Busch Campus. In the spring, in recent years, there have been the colorful and dynamic Tent State University protests as well.
Downtown: Downtown New Brunswick is home to a plethora of restaurants and bars. For entertainment, there are clubs such as Club Platinum for dancing and The Stress Factory for comedy. New Brunswick's nightlife is excellent for a city its size. The Court Tavern is the best place to catch up and coming local bands, helping make famous such acts as the Smithereens, Ween and DefTime. Johnson and Johnson's, the makers of the Band-Aid and Johnson's Baby Shampoo, has their headquarters here.
George St/Monument Square: George St./Monument Square is home to the Performing Arts of New Brunswick (as well as an art gallery and urban planning school). The State Theater, where big name acts are constantly booked, is here. At the George St playhouse, right next to it, you can catch a variety of plays.
Bucceleuch Park: Located up College Avenue from the train station, past the college campus. A Revolutionary War mansion is the centerpiece of this park.
Chabad House, Hillel House, the old churches, the Theological Seminary, and Congregation Poile Zedek: New Brunswick's colorful religious institutions. Those are located both on College Ave. and downtown.
Zimmerli Art Museum, 71 Hamilton Street New Brunswick NJ 08901, ☎ (732) 932 7237. 10:00am-4:30pm. The Jane Vorhees Zimmerli Art Museum has become quite an attraction in this little city. Charging $6 for adults who are not members, $5 for citizens over 65, and children under 18/ Rutgers University students, faculty, and staff with a valid I.D. enjoy free admission. In addition, free admission is given for all visitors on the first Sunday of every month. This art museum continuously has new exhibitions coming in and out, which keeps things interesting.
Hospitals: While not exactly attractions, both Robert Wood Johnson and St. Peter's Medical Center are located in New Brunswick, giving it the title of the Health Center of New Jersey.
American Hungarian Foundation, 300 Somerset Street New Brunswick NJ 08901, ☎ (732) 846-5777, [x]. 10:00am-4:30pm. New Brunswick has a significant Hungarian cultural presence, and the American Hungarian Foundation's mission is to communicate the story of American Hungarians through the Hungarian Heritage Center, which is the only facility of its type in the United States. The American Hungarian Foundation maintains a museum, a library and archives and offers tours.
The New Brunswick State Theatre, located at 15 Livingston Avenue New Brunswick is a fantastic structured theatre which has had history pass through the doors, maintaining well known events constantly. This theatre underwent a $3 million restoration and renovation in 2003 and has become the highlight of the small city.
Rutgers Gardens located at 112 Ryders Ln New Brunswick (732) 932-8451. Rutgers Gardens is a beautiful garden which rely's on students and locals to maintain the up keeping of the gardens, the purchasing of supplies, and so on. This gives students a sense of bonding between each other ensuring that they keep there garden alive. The goal of these gardens and the way its ran is to "promote and provide accurate information about the art of horticulture with an emphasis upon the relationship between plants, human health and nutrition in the designed, as well as in the natural landscape." according to http://rutgersgardens.rutgers.edu/about.html. There's constantly Wedding Ceremonies and Receptions done here. To keep up with events use the link provided; http://rutgersgardens.rutgers.edu/events.html
There are also clubs, including:
Perle Night Club & Lounge, located at 13 Paterson St New Brunswick, Nj 08901 (732) 937-6113. Although there is a cover charge price depending on the night or event, once inside all sections are free and drinks aren't overpriced.
360 Lounge, located at 120 Albany St New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (908) 616-0633 This is the usual club to be at on a Friday night due to cheap drinks and friendly bartenders.
Rutgers University has Division I NCAA teams in several sports, including football and basketball. Attend a match.
Rutgers football team finished 9-4 in their 2012-2013 season, making a bowl game.
New Brunswick holds a yearly lighting of the christmas tree during the holidays. 2012 marked the 20th Annual New Brunswick Tree Lighting and is a great event to come out to and enjoy. Along with the lighting they hold a scavenger hunt, free carriage rides, and of course Santa comes out to make an appearance. This all takes place around the corner of Livingston and George St.
New Brunswick Holds chili tasting contests every couple months located in Downtown New Brunswick.
Antiques, five-and-dime stuff, clothing, old books, etc., can be found in the George St. district. Rutgers-branded merchandise is sold in many shops on Easton Ave.
Finale Clothing shop located at 120 Albany St Ste 3, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (732) 828 2122
Clicquer's Clothing shop located at 355 George St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (732) 937 9547
Fever Scarlet Rutgers Merchandise located at 109 Somerset St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Latino Fashion's Clothing shop located at 218 French St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (732) 246-1103
New Brunswick is home to several 4-star restaurants and, typical of a college town, it has dozens of options for casual dining. Most of the upscale dining is clustered in the downtown section around George St, all within easy walking distance of the train station. Most of the college-oriented restaurants are focused on Easton Avenue, also within easy walking distance of the station (albeit uphill), although there are some downtown as well.
La Fontana Ristorante, 120 Albany St, +1 732 249-7500, [9]. Serves Italian cuisine, representing all twenty regions of Italy.
The Stage Left Restaurant, 5 Livingston Ave, +1 732 828-4444, [10]. Located next to the George Street Playhouse and known for one of the best wine lists in the world.
The Grease Trucks, a College Ave. landmark of Rutgers student life. (Those are actual trucks and trailers where one can grab a bite of a "Fat Cat" and other such delicacies - stuff on a roll, essentially.)
Stuff Yer Face, good boli restaurant and sports bar, Easton Ave.
Thai Noodle, 174 Easton Avenue. Thai cuisine.
Edo, Japanese restaurant, Easton Ave.
Evelyn's, Lebanese cuisine, Easton Ave.
Efes, Turkish restaurant, Easton Ave.
Hotoke, George St. Japanese restaurant.
Harvest Moon Brewery. American cuisine. and Microbrewery George St. [11]
Makeda. Ethiopian Cuisine
Several lunch-oriented places are in the downtown district as well.
Brunswick Pizza and Grill, 112 Church Street, ☎ (732) 246 4648. 11am to 11pm. This colorful place is a little hole in the wall that usually has a ton of people standing outside. The Buffalo Chicken Wrap is good.
Cool Runnin's, 25 Easton Ave, ☎ (732) 246 2800. 11am to 7pm. You walk in and there are only a few seats and tables, but that is because just about everyone takes it to go. The jerked chicken is well known as a famous dish, but the “spicy” chicken patty is also good.
Old Man Rafferty's, 106 Albany Street (on the corner of Albany Street and George Street), ☎ (732) 846 6153. 10am to 11pm. In the heart of the city's corporate and theater districts, and the Rutgers University campus. Perfect for a casual lunch, intimate dinner, or even a corporate business function. Offers outdoor seating in a garden setting.
Caliente Grill located at 415 Hwy 18 S New Brunswick, NJ 08816 (732) 353-664. Caliente Grill well known for being a great place for food as well as a place to drink. There menu includes shish kebab, variety of seafood, crepes with caviar, lamb chops, and the list goes on.
Clydz located at 55 Paterson St New Brunswick (732) 846-6521. http://www.clydz.com/. Known for there deep menu including favorites such as, Roasted Valley Chicken, Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, Australian Ribeye.
Since New Brunswick is a college town, you can't walk far without bumping into a few bars. There are two main bar areas in New Brunswick. Easton Ave. is mostly a college-age crowd, while George St. caters to young professionals and a somewhat older crowd. There are other bars scattered about New Brunswick that cater to a non-college clientele.
Namasté Café Organic Juice Bar, 89 Morris Street, ☎ 732-247-0118, [x]. An all vegan, organic cafe which offers various juices and wraps. It is located above the George St. co-op.
the Court Tavern, 124 Church St, ☎ 732 545 7265, [x]. The Court Tavern has been New Brunswick NJ's longest running live music venue for the last 26 years. During that time, they have hosted: The Gaslight Anthem, The Melvins, Pavement, The Replacements, WEEN, The Flaming Lips,Circle Jerks, Henry Rollins, Jonathan Richman, Real McKensies, Urge Overkill, Jesus Lizard, Nashville Pussy The Butthole Surfers, X, The Smithereens, ? and the mysterians, The Dictators, The Upper Crust, The Parlor Mob, The Bouncing Souls, World Inferno Friendship Society, Vision, The Woggles, The Fleshtones, The Moony Suzuki, Los Straightjackets, Shades Apart, Lifetime and many many other talented artists.
Old Bay Restaurant, 61 Church Street, ☎ 732 246-3111, [x]. A cajun restaurant during the day, at night it turns into a pretty crowded bar with the best draft beer selection in the city. Taps are rotated constantly and specials are frequent
The Hub, 123 French Street, ☎ 732 247-7933. Massive selection of cheap packaged goods open until 2 AM. They have a small bar that can get a little rough after sundown
Patrick's Pub, 309 Somerset St, ☎ 732-246-9048. Quiet place to stop by out of the college and professional area. Nice to go to if you want a cheap drink by yourself
Tumulty's Pub Located at 361 George St New Brunswick (732) 545-6205. http://tumultys.com/. Half Price Appetizers every night after 9. Happy Hour Wednesday after 4.
Harvest Moon Brewery located at 361 George St New Brunswick (732) 545-6205. http://www.harvestmoonbrewery.com/. Open 11:30am to 2am everyday. Live Karaoke Thursdays starting at 10 pm.
The Frog & The Peach located at 29 Dennis St New Brunswick (732) 846-3216. http://www.frogandpeach.com/. 2010's opentable.com Diners Choice Winner.
The Heldrich, 10 Livingston Avenue, [x]. 248 rooms with views of downtown New Brunswick and the surrounding area. The hotel is in the cultural heart of New Brunswick, just a half hour from Newark Liberty International Airport. Across the street from the aforementioned theaters and the Mason Gross art gallery, as well as the Bloustein School lecture hall.
Hyatt Regency New Brunswick, Two Albany Street. New Brunswick, NJ 08901, [x]. 288 guest rooms. 6-story Hotel, 2 blocks from New Brunswick train station. Conveniently close to restaurants and shopping.
Courtyard Cranbury South Brunswick, 420 Forsgate Drive, ☎ 1-609-655-9950, [x]. checkin: 3PM; checkout: 12PM. The Courtyard Cranbury South Brunswick is near Six Flags Great America and convenient to Princeton along with Monroe Township.
The Rutgers College campus, located in the City of New Brunswick, is generally safe for visitors and students. The Rutgers University Police or RUPD is a very noticeable presence in the city. If you have trouble, approach one of the officers (made clear by their red uniforms) and they'll be more than happy to help you. However, like most college cities, New Brunswick has its share of social problems. Homeless beggars hang out on George Street and near Rutgers bus stops, and will ask for money. Accept it as a by-product of a college town, which attracts visitors and money. However, the homeless are not aggressive and will leave you alone if you say "no." The most common crime is theft. Keep your belongings close to you, especially wallets, phones, and iPods.
Also, keep in mind that while some areas of New Brunswick are safe during the day, certain neighborhoods are dodgy and unsafe at night. Don't wander around alone at night, especially beyond Livingston Avenue. Certain streets near Rockoff Hall should also be avoided late at night. Muggings do occur, mostly after midnight, and both males and females should travel in a group to stay safe.
On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, drunken behavior is rampant. If aggressively confronted in a bar or on the streets, simply walk away.
Stone Street is a street students and visitors should avoid at all costs late at night. Homicides, break ins, and gangs have been reported there on a constant basis. Students have constantly fell victim to gang initiation type crimes for years now.
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