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My boyfriend and I recently moved to West Windsor from the DC area. I am finding things to be different here. I think I may be homesick but I need some assistance. We moved to West Windsor because we thought it would be a safe area and easy to commute to work via Princeton Junction.
1. Looking for a good shopping center near West Windsor. We have been to the shopping area with every store imaginable, Target, Walmart, homedepot but the sheer volume of traffic, and people there make it less than an enjoyable experience. We dont need much just a nice size clean target where people are not likely to be less than kind in a safe area, a home depot, nice clean grocery store. In Va there are very few unsafe areas and so I have to stress the safety issue. I saw that there is a Target and home depot in East Windsor. Is this an okay area. Also, there are a few stores in Bridgewater, NJ, and a superwalmart in Levittown, Pa. What do you think of these areas? I am willing to travel 30-40 minutes to shop if necessary so I am open to suggestions
2. Are there any nice parks nearby to take a hike, have a picnic, when spring hits. What are your favorite recreational areas here with beautiful scenery, day trips that are worth it. I am not much of a beach person so stick with mountain areas even if they are nearby in surrounding states
Please chime in with suggestions
As a fellow transplant, I sympathize! I've lived here for 10+ years, but it does take a while to get your bearings. Besides the central Jersey impatience, traffic, and crowding, I've sometimes experienced a weird self-importance with some shoppers in the Princeton area (bumping into you and not apologizing, blocking aisles while they pontificate on the news of the day, etc.), but that could just be my working-class paranoia! You might want to drive north on Rt. 1. The traffic thins out a bit, and there is a Target and Stop and Shop supermarket in S. Brunswick, and a Walmart with some other shops in a strip mall further north in N. Brunswick. Bridgewater and East Brunswick on Rt. 18 also have shopping options, but I think they might be a bit far for regular shopping trips. All of these areas are safe; in fact, I don't know of any areas that are dangerous in your immediate area outside of parts of Trenton and New Brunswick.
As far as day trips go, there are various parks near you (Delaware-Raritan Canal State Park, Sourland Mountain Park) which are pleasant enough, but you might want to check out the Delaware Water Gap in the Northwestern part of the state for more serious hiking options. Good luck and welcome!
I don't live near you, but I can comment on Bridgewater. It's obviously extremely safe, basically everyone in the area is middle-class and up. The Costco can get very crowded, although nowhere near as bad as I've seen in some other areas. Put another way, you can always walk around most of the store pretty easily except for a few busy spots.
Otherwise, the Target, Home Depot, and other stores are generally fine. Same goes for the Bridgewater Commons mall and the Best Buy up next to it. That said, this month of the year is going to be crazy there and anywhere, and I would think you could find shopping closer to home.
Traffic will always be a problem in the area. I grew up in Rockville, MD and can't say it's any worse.
There are multiple places to do your grocery shopping which I would find to be clean and adequate for most of your needs: Shop Rite, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's
East Windsor, Hamilton, and West Windsor will have your major box stores (Home Depot, Target, Walmarts) and are safe. It is unnecessary to go to Levittown and from my personal experience, I would even say it's not as safe to go there compared to your neighboring towns.
For your retail therapy, you can go to Palmer Square in Princeton, which has some nice boutique stores. For mall shopping, my wife prefers Freehold Mall or Menlo Park. The outlets in Jackson aren't too far away either.
My boyfriend and I recently moved to West Windsor from the DC area. I am finding things to be different here. I think I may be homesick but I need some assistance. We moved to West Windsor because we thought it would be a safe area and easy to commute to work via Princeton Junction.
1. Looking for a good shopping center near West Windsor. We have been to the shopping area with every store imaginable, Target, Walmart, homedepot but the sheer volume of traffic, and people there make it less than an enjoyable experience. We dont need much just a nice size clean target where people are not likely to be less than kind in a safe area, a home depot, nice clean grocery store. In Va there are very few unsafe areas and so I have to stress the safety issue. I saw that there is a Target and home depot in East Windsor. Is this an okay area. Also, there are a few stores in Bridgewater, NJ, and a superwalmart in Levittown, Pa. What do you think of these areas? I am willing to travel 30-40 minutes to shop if necessary so I am open to suggestions
2. Are there any nice parks nearby to take a hike, have a picnic, when spring hits. What are your favorite recreational areas here with beautiful scenery, day trips that are worth it. I am not much of a beach person so stick with mountain areas even if they are nearby in surrounding states
Please chime in with suggestions
I don't see how any of the areas you are referring to can possibly be viewed as "unsafe". As a matter of fact, I find it bizarro that people seem to have this weird view of NJ as "unsafe" in the first place. Are you kidding me? As long as you stay out of the high-crime parts of inner cities, which are a tiny percentage of the state, why on earth would you feel unsafe in NEW JERSEY?
Geez, I just got back from visiting Arlington, VA, and the surrounding areas. I'd be more wary of crime, etc., in that area than I would be in 99 percent of Jersey.
NJ has some beautiful state and county parks. NJ also has a lot of history, particularly Revolutionary War history, if that interests you at all, and has museums and parks set aside to honor that history.
These are all great suggestions. It is also good to hear that most of the surrounding area is quite safe. It was one of my chief concerns. I will look into the shopping areas and recreation. I apreciate your replies tremendously.
I don't know what it is about jersey perhaps tv has portrayed it that way or maybe the only parts you ever hear about are trenton and Newark, the parts that aren't so great. So funny, I used to work in Arlington and while there is a high population of homeless it is actually quite safe, but I could see how a visitor would think otherwise.
I don't know what it is about jersey perhaps tv has portrayed it that way or maybe the only parts you ever hear about are trenton and Newark, the parts that aren't so great. So funny, I used to work in Arlington and while there is a high population of homeless it is actually quite safe, but I could see how a visitor would think otherwise.
If safety was such a concern, I'm sure you researched crime stats beforehand. Ditto to what MQ said, NJ's crime areas are easy to avoid. It doesn't permeate the entire tri state area like other places.
My boyfriend and I recently moved to West Windsor from the DC area. I am finding things to be different here. I think I may be homesick but I need some assistance. We moved to West Windsor because we thought it would be a safe area and easy to commute to work via Princeton Junction.
1. Looking for a good shopping center near West Windsor. We have been to the shopping area with every store imaginable, Target, Walmart, homedepot but the sheer volume of traffic, and people there make it less than an enjoyable experience. We dont need much just a nice size clean target where people are not likely to be less than kind in a safe area, a home depot, nice clean grocery store. In Va there are very few unsafe areas and so I have to stress the safety issue. I saw that there is a Target and home depot in East Windsor. Is this an okay area. Also, there are a few stores in Bridgewater, NJ, and a superwalmart in Levittown, Pa. What do you think of these areas? I am willing to travel 30-40 minutes to shop if necessary so I am open to suggestions
2. Are there any nice parks nearby to take a hike, have a picnic, when spring hits. What are your favorite recreational areas here with beautiful scenery, day trips that are worth it. I am not much of a beach person so stick with mountain areas even if they are nearby in surrounding states
Please chime in with suggestions
We transplanted to the area some 20+ years ago. The traffic back then was not an issue. When they developed Nassau Park (where the Target/WalMart/Wegmans is) the traffic increased substancially and this time of year it is insane.
That complex draws people from Pennington, Hopewell, Montgomery, Princeton etc. Don't know where they shopped before but I blame it on the popularity of Wegmans LOL!
The Target Store in East Windsor is less congested (there is a new WalMart and Home Depot on Rte. 130 in E Windsor too) and just as safe. The Target in S Brunswick (quick trip up Rte. 1 N) is similar to the East Windsor Target. The S Brunswick Best Buy is much less congested!
For a quick outdoor fix, check out Mercer County Park, ice skating in winter, picnic areas, tennis, 2 golf courses, walking/biking trails, paddle boats etc.
It's funny, our daughter moved to Arlington, Va and complains vehemently about the traffic there. When she comes home, she tells her friends she is going to her "country place"!
We have never been given any reason to feel unsafe in the area. It might just be an adjustment time for you.
Good luck! And welcome to NJ!
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