Trenton is a proud and prosperous place that’s managed to walk the line between industrial center and cultural pleasure. It’s a hard-working town but one that knows how to play. The centre is peppered with brilliant museums, a varied arts and culture scene, while still being where the great and good of New Jersey come to do politics and governing.
A Trenton tour
If history had turned out differently, Trenton could have been one of the biggest cities in the world. For 54 days in 1784 it was the capital of the entire US. That glory may have been short-lived, but there’s still history here to explore.
It’s built into every brick of the New Jersey Statehouse, an imposing 1792 building that you can tour even as the state legislators work in it. Look out for the painted ceiling that tells some of the state’s most famous stories.
Across the street is the World War II Memorial, with its sculpture of Lady Victory and fascinating story walls. Opened in 2008, it sensitively commemorates the New Jersey folk who died during the war.
Head to West State Street for the New Jersey State Museum, with its impressive collection of fine art, archaeology, natural history and more. It shares a site with a planetarium, making this a great place to go if you have kids in tow.
A walk in the park
Trenton’s main - and oldest - park is Cadwalader Park. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted - the legendary landscape architect who also dreamed up the layout of New York’s Central Park – it covers 100 acres. The centerpiece is Ellarslie Mansion, built in Italianate style in the mid-19th century. It now houses the Trenton City Museum.
Wander the park and you’ll chance upon a deer paddock, meadow and wetlands, rare trees, a lake and a canal. There is also a Civil War memorial and, weather permitting, some gorgeous places to picnic.
Around Trenton
Trenton makes a great base for exploring New Jersey and the neighbouring states. Head south-west to reach Philadelphia - the City of Brotherly Love - in less than an hour. Make a beeline for the Liberty Bell and indulge yourself by doing the Rocky run up the steps outside the Museum of Art.
Take the I-95 and in just 90 minutes, you’ll be driving along streets lined with the skyscrapers of Manhattan. New York remains one of the most exciting city in the world - a non-stop thrill ride of food, theater, shopping, culture, museums, parks and the American Dream.
For a touch of faded glamor go south-east to Atlantic City. Stroll the famous boardwalk – or traverse it in a rolling wicker chair – and then head out to the Steel Pier for some old-school fun and games.
Trenton car rental means you can head up and down the shore here, in search of quiet beaches and a series of stunning lighthouses. Climb the steps of Absecon, the state’s tallest and most dramatic, before heading back to Trenton.
