Local Information

The Arts Council of Princeton (102 Witherspoon Street, 609-924-8777) offers a wide variety of art classes and workshops for children, teenagers, and adults.

Two local resources for purchasing new bicycles and helmets include Jay's Cycles (249 Nassau Street, 609-924-7233) and Kopp's Cycles (38 Spring Street, 609-924-1052). Bike Exchange, located in Trenton, NJ, sells refurbished bicycles, with all proceeds benefitting the Boys and Girls Clubs of Trenton. Please note that New Jersey state law requires individuals under the age of 14 to wear a helmet while riding a bicycle. 

There are several local resources for books, magazines, and newspapers in the Princeton area: Labyrinth Books (122 Nassau Street, 609-497-1600), Princeton University Store (36 University Place, 609-921-8500) and Barnes & Noble (Princeton MarketFair on Route 1, 609-897-9250).  In addition, the Kiosk at Palmer Square sells magazines, newspapers, and maps.

Princeton's free weekly newspaper, Town Topics, is delivered on Wednesday afternoons to the Laundry Room. Other area papers, which are available by subscription include: Princeton Packet, published on Tuesdays and Fridays (609-924-3244), The Times, a local Trenton, New Jersey newspaper (609-989-5454) and The New York Times (800-631-2500). 

CJDSsponsors dance lessons and dances at local venues

There are several local movie theaters. The only one within walking distance of the Institute is the Garden Theatre (160 Nassau Street, Princeton, 609-683-4656). Showing your IAS ID card, allows you a $2.50 discount on a $10 full-priced ticket. Other area locations include: AMC Theatres Hamilton 24 (325 Sloan Avenue and Quakerbridge Road, Hamilton, 609-890-4900), Hillsborough Cinemas (111 Raider Road, Hillsborough, 908-874-8181), Montgomery Cinemas (1325 Route 206, Skillman 609-924-7444), and United Artists MarketFair (MarketFair on Route 1, Princeton, 609-520-8700).

Many coffee shops are within walking distance of the Institute in the town of Princeton: Small World Coffee (14 Witherspoon Street, 609-924-4377), Starbucks (100 Nassau Street, 609-279-9204) and Chez Alice Gourmet Cafe´ & Bakery (5 Palmer Square, 609-921-6760).

Helen Goddard offers English Conversation on Monday mornings in her home, 43 Maxwell Lane, from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon. The first session will begin on October 1st.  Other English language classes are offered at the Princeton YMCA, Princeton Adult School and Princeton University.

Online Grocery Shopping and Delivery to Princeton, fees may apply
Peapodby STOP&SHOP
Grocery Stores: other online delivery options

Wawa Market (609-921-3677), open 24 hours, is a convenience store located near the Princeton train station at the corner of Alexander Street and University Place (1.4 mile/2.25 km walk from the Institute). Wawa sells sandwiches, delicatessen items, telephone debit cards, some basic groceries, and is equipped with an automatic teller machine (ATM). 

Cox's Market and Catering (180 Nassau Street, 609-924-6269) sells bagels, sandwiches, soups, deli meats and prepared salads.

D’Angelo Italian Market (35 Spring Street, (609-921-0404) sells Italian specialty groceries, including pastas, prepared foods, freshly-made pizzas and salads and pastries.

McCaffrey's is located in the Princeton Shopping Center (609-683-1600). McCaffrey's is open seven days a week and has a full range of grocery items and prepared foods.  They offer grocery delivery to your apartment by calling the store to place your food order or via faxing your order.  Fees apply and a 24-hour notice is required.  The Institute Shuttle does include a stop at the Princeton Shopping Center.

Nassau Street Seafood and Produce Company (256 Nassau Street, 609-921-0620) sells fresh seafood, fresh fruit and vegetables and prepared foods.

ShopRite is located in Mercer Mall, 3373 Brunswick Pike (Rt. 1 and Quaker Bridge Road, 609-275-8555).  It is open seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. – midnight. It is a full service food store with a pharmacy and floral department. TheInstitute Shuttledoes include a stop at this location.

Wegmans is located at 240 Nassau Park Boulevard, off of Route 1 South (609-919-9300). Wegmans is open seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. and has a full range of grocery items, prepared foods, and a pharmacy. A wine and spirits shop is located adjacent to Wegmans. The Institute Shuttle transports passengers to Wegmans.

Whole Earth Center (360 Nassau Street, 609-924-7429) offers a full line of organically grown fruits and vegetables.

Whole Foods Market (3495 US Route 1 South, 609-799-2919) is a supermarket that also offers cooking classes and other family activities.  The Institute shuttle does include a stop at Whole Foods Market..

In New Jersey, wine and liquor stores may be open seven days a week. There are several in Princeton's main business district, Community Liquors (23 Witherspoon Street, 609-924-0750), CoolVines (21 Spring Street, 609-924-0039), The Corkscrew Wine Shop (49 Hulfish, Street, 609-430-1200), Princeton Wine & Liquor (174 Nassau Street, 609-924-0279), and Varsity Liquors (234 Nassau Street, 609-924-0836), and Claridge Wine & Liquors (Princeton Shopping Center, 609-924-5700).

There are several local hotels offering services at various prices: Nassau Inn (10 Palmer Square), Hyatt Place Princeton (3565 US Route 1, 800-230-4134, Hyatt Regency Princeton (102 Carnegie Center, 609-987-2584), Marriott Residence Inn (3563 US Route 1, 609-799-0550) and Red Roof Inn (3203 Brunswick Pike, 609-896-3388). The Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village (201 Village Boulevard, 888-627-7036). A full listing of area hotels may be found in the Verizon Telephone Directory Yellow Pages and Princeton Online.

A full listing of local houses of worship can be found in the Verizon Telephone Directory Yellow Pages and on Princeton Online.  Click on the community link at the top of the page and then religion in the far right column.

McCarter Theatre, recipient of the 1994 Tony Award as the nation's "Outstanding Regional Theatre," was also named "theater of the year" by The New York Times.  McCarter is the region's leading performing arts center with an internationally acclaimed Music Series of classical artists, World Music Series, spotlighting innovative and diverse artists from around the globe, and a Jazz Series, starring renowned musicians. McCarter Theatre located at 91 University Place offers a full season of theater, music, and dance productions. For ticket information and reservations, call the box office at 609-258-2787.

There are a vaiety of stores around Princeton that specialize in pet supplies, Petco, located in Mercer Mall, and PetSmart, located in the Nassau Park Pavilion, both have pet supllies, services, and pet grooming. Cutter Mill Pet Store, an all organic and natural pet store, is located in the Princeton Shopping Center. There is also a Princeton Animal Hospital on Alexander Road.

CVS (172 Nassau Street, 609-683-1337) is a source for both non-prescription and prescription drugs.

Princeton University Pharmacy (36 University Place, (609-924-4545) has next day delivery Monday through Friday.

Rite Aid is located in Princeton Shopping Center (609-924-6125)

Several local restaurants deliver pizza and other Italian selections to the Institute housing complex.  Some of these restaurants include: Massimo's (609-924-0777), Naked Pizza (609-924-4700) and Pizza Star (Princeton Shopping Center, (609-921-7422), which is also a family restaurant.

The Princeton Adult School offers a variety of non-credit courses open to adult residents of Princeton and its neighboring communities. Most classes are held at the Princeton High School located on Moore Street. At the beginning of September, the fall brochure listing the course offerings will be available on-line. Information may also be obtained by calling 609-683-1101.  Other English as a Second Language courses are offered at the Princeton YWCA and Princeton University. 

Princeton Online features information about Princeton and its local government, businesses, restaurants, childcare facilities, community groups, volunteer opportunities, and adult education classes.

The Princeton Public Library (Witherspoon and Center streets) offers a wide variety of books and periodicals as well as music CDs and DVDs. Audiobooks are available in three formats: CD, tape and downloadable. The library publishes a quarterly newsletter Connections that lists upcoming activities, speakers and performers. It is available online or copies will be available in the laundry room. A library card may be obtained by filling out the online form or requesting an application at the circulation desk. Proof of address is required and all applications must be signed by the person responsible for the materials checked out. Children under the age of 18 must have the signature of a parent or guardian.

Bainbridge House is the home of the Historical Society of Princeton  (158 Nassau Street, 609-921-6748) and is the unofficial visitor's center for downtown Princeton. Free walking tour brochures are available. Walking tours sponsored by the Historical Society leave from the Bainbridge House. The two-hour tour features the historical sites of Princeton. The Bainbridge House also features exhibits and a museum shop.

Princeton University Campus virtual tours are offered by Orange Key Tours.  Free tours are given on most days of the year.  Princeton University campus guides and pocket-sized books for tours of the campus' sculpture, gargoyles, and trees are available for purchase at the Princeton University Store.

The Princeton University Community Auditing Program (CAP) allows individuals to attend University lectures on a non-credit basis.
Fee: $125 per course. Registration required; Class size is limited.

WHWH (1350 AM) and WKXW (101.5 FM) are local radio stations that report Princeton Regional School closings.  In exceptionally inclement weather, the schools may be closed earlier than the customary dismissal time or may not open at all if road conditions are extremely hazardous. WPRB (91 FM) is the student-operated station of Princeton University. National Public Radio (NPR) is on WHYY (91 FM) in Philadelphia. The Classical Network, WWFM (89.1 FM), is a service of Mercer County Community College

A full listing of local places of worship can be found in the Verizon Telephone Directory Yellow Pages and on Princeton Online

In the Princeton area there are a wealth of restaurants, with several located in the town of Princeton. Princeton Dining is a valuable resource for dining information.

Princeton's business district begins at Palmer Square located off Nassau Street between Chambers and Witherspoon Streets.  The Institute Shuttle makes several daily stops at Palmer Square.  Many retail and dining establishments are located along Nassau Street and Witherspoon Street.

Retailers in the Princeton Shopping Center (301 North Harrison Street) include: Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, Bon Appetit, Claridge Wine and Liquor, Cutter's Mill Pet Store, Rite Aid, Great Clips, Metropolis Spa Salon, McCaffrey's, New York Sports Club, Radio Shack, Signature Cleaners, and Smith's Ace Hardware among others. Princeton-Nassau Pediatrics is also located in the Princeton Shopping Center. The Institute Shuttle does include a stop at the center. 

Nassau Park Pavillion (US Rt. 1 and Quaker Bridge Road) provides opportunities to shop at many types of stores, including Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Home Depot, Home Goods, Kohl’s, Sam’s Club, Target, WalMart and the food store Wegman’s.  The Institute Shuttle does include a stop at the center.

Retailers in the Princeton MarketFair (3535 Route 1) include: Anthropologie, Barnes & Noble Bookstore, Chico’s, Eastern Mountain Sports, Gap, GapKids and BabyGap, Gymborree, LensCrafters, Pottery Barn, among others. The Institute Shuttle does include a stop at the center.

Quaker Bridge Mall (Route 1 and Quakerbridge Road) is the area's largest shopping center. Retailers include: Macy's, Sears, JC Penny, Lord & Taylor, plus a number of specialty shops.  The Institute Shuttle does include a stop at the center.

Windsor Green Shopping Center (Route 1) includes Whole Foods, AAA travel store, Marshalls, and Sidney Albert Salon. The Institute Shuttle does include a stop at the center.

Princeton is roughly equidistant between New York City, NY and Philadelphia, PA. This location increases transportation possibilities in the area. Princeton has its own train station, which is less than two miles from the Institute. This station connects directly with the Princeton Junction station, located along the New Jersey Transit Northeast Corridor line, which runs from Trenton, NJ to New York City's Penn Station, and Amtrak's Northeast Regional line, which runs from Newport News, VA to Boston, MA.

Princeton also has a bus transportation system, with numerous bus stops around the area. See NJ Transit for more details.

New Jersey is famous for its fruits and vegetables, which are available well into the fall. Terhune Orchards (330 Cold Soil Road, 906-924-2310) offers pick-your-own fruits, vegetables, and flowers, and they sell "Jersey fresh" produce, cider, honey, and baked goods. Terhune is open all year, seven days a week except for major holidays, and hosts seasonal events, such as Apple Day and Kite Day, which are popular with both children and adults. In addition, children are invited to feed the farm animals.

There are several websites to help you plan Family Day trips in New Jersey or trips to New York and Pennsylvania. Princeton Online offers a monthly e-mail newsletter with many area activities and lists a monthly calendar of events.

Westminster Choir College of Rider University offers world-class performances by faculty, students, and special guest artists. For tickets and information, contact the box office at 609-921-2663.

The community music school of Westminster Choir College of Rider University, Westminster Conservatory offers private and group instruction on nearly any instrument for individuals of all ages and stages of ability.  The fall class schedule and a calendar of events can be viewed on-line or information may be obtained by calling 609-921-7104 or by going on their website.

The Princeton YWCA (59 Paul Robeson Place, 609-497-2100) and the Princeton Family YMCA (59 Paul Robeson Place 609-497-9622) are membership organizations serving the greater Princeton area. They each offer a wide variety of classes and activities for adults, teenagers, and children.

Association of Members of the Institute for Advanced Study
Einstein Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540, 609-734-8259, amias@ias.edu 

Please contact Linda Cooper at llg@ias.edu or (609) 734-8259
with any questions regarding Institute activities.