Among the members of the Council are various local merchant and business associations representing small but vibrant towns and villages in Northwest New Jersey. Following are brief profiles of each.

Some of these small quaint places are in the process of revitalization, but discerning shoppers are attracted by stores with hand picked inventory and personalized service. Take some time to visit, and get away from the rush of the malls.

The drive from Milford to Frenchtown to Lambertville along the Delaware River is about 30 minutes straight through. The river towns, which retain the character of decades past, and in many cases the architectural lines of the last century, are developed to varying degrees with regard to tourism. Each village along the way offers a unique experience. The attractions across the river in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, enhance the appeal of the trip, as you can thread your way back and forth over several bridges spanning the border between the states, acquainting yourself with a wide array of shops, inns, restaurants and a thousand views of a beautiful and extraordinary waterway.

Frenchtown is jammed with dozens of antique and collectible shops, some of the finest art galleries in the state, half a dozen fine restaurants, bed and breakfasts, and frontage on some of the prettiest stretches on the Delaware. Yet the town is still unspoiled, refreshingly unglitzy, downhome and friendly. The village will be doing the “Shopping Just Got Better” promotion again in 2007 as an incentive for shoppers. Customers get a coupon for every $25 spent, each of which is placed in a collection box for a free drawing. The winner will receive a getaway package.

Lambertville's beauty, style, and charm almost begs the casual visitor to get out of that car and take a walk around. If you’re strongly influenced by the sense of getting and spending, one would be hard-pressed to find a more densely located conglomeration of shops dedicated to antiques, collectibles, specialty clothing, fabrics and interior decoration, painting, photography, and sculpture. One’s sense of taste in good food is set for further refinement with an encounter with one of Lambertville’s many acclaimed restaurants. And if your sense of the cozy needs an overnight, Lambertville offers a selection of bed & breakfasts that are sure to please.

Merchants offer the annual “Cure for Mall Madness” with an old-fashioned Christmas, kicking off its holiday shopping season with a Second Saturday celebration on December 8, 2007. Many shops stay open until 9 pm and offer holiday shoppers a change of pace, along with holiday treats such as hot chocolate, cookies and eggnog.

Ten minutes south of Lambertville, Washington Crossing State Park commemorates Christmas night of 1776 when General George Washington and his men crossed the Delaware River and marched to Trenton where they defeated Hessian troops and set for a campaign that saved Washington’s army from defeat. The crossing is reenacted on Christmas day around 1pm. If you’re busy on Christmas you can view the dress rehearsal for the annual memorial on December 10, also at 1pm. Additional activities and demonstrations occur throughout the day.

Nearby points of interest and more information

The National Hotel

Martin Coryell House Bed and Breakfast

The Town of Clinton, known for the Red Mill and the Hunterdon Art Museum, offers something even more impressive than its two historic landmarks. Within a three-block area in town, and in the adjacent borough of High Bridge, visitors will find unique restaurants, specialty shops, boutiques, and galleries offering goods produced locally and from around the world. Eighteenth and nineteenth century buildings recall a traditional Main Street, and there is a warm, friendly feeling that was once common in many American small towns.
Clinton has a well-established tradition of holiday celebrations, beginning with the annual Dickens Days weekend in late November followed by a Christmas Parade the next weekend. On Candlelight Night in December, luminaries line the streets and horse-drawn carriage rides accentuate late-night shopping. For Valentine’s Day shopping Clinton merchants offer various specials during Sweetheart Week from February 7-14.

Nearby points of interest and more information

Holiday Inn Select

Courtyard By Marriot Lebanon

A visit to Flemington is a must for any serious Main Street shopper. Here you sense a special quality of life, enjoy small town friendliness, see beautifully restored and preserved architecture, and take pride in an historic district where 60 percent of the buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a borough where people stroll along its streets, where local residents and tourists mingle, exchanging smiles and share the Victorian atmosphere. Flemington’s Main Street has been touted as one of the prettiest in America, lined with shade trees and a fascinating mix of Greek Revival and Victorian buildings. Look closer and you will find something for everyone in this quaint yet cosmopolitan small town.

Flemington remains one the leading locations in the northeast for great bargain hunting. It is home to over one hundred outlet stores in several outlet shopping centers and free-standing stores throughout the town. The outlet stores, owned and operated by leading designers and manufacturers, offer first-quality, current season merchandise at everyday factory-direct savings of 25 to 65 percent.

The largest collection of outlet stores is found at Liberty Village Premium Outlets. In the 1960s and 1970s, Liberty Village was a popular artisans’ village where visitors came to observe weavers, cabinet makers, blacksmiths and glass blowers. In 1981, Liberty Village became the country’s very first outlet village, where many designers and manufacturers opened their first outlet stores. Sixty outlet stores are now situated in a colonial-styled village where the brands are anything but old-fashioned. A stroll through this charming center reveals a “who’s who” of today’s most popular fashion brands.

Victorian Flemington has something for all family members - antiques, shopping, designer outlets, golf, history, art galleries and more. Free summer music concerts, classic car shows and town wide events add a special treat for the family and are not just for local residents. The many restaurants give visitors a variety and choice of cuisines. Make your getaway more enjoyable by staying at a local Bed and Breakfast or near-by hotel.

Nearby points of interest and more information

Liberty Village Premium Outlets

Hampton Inn of Flemington

Flemington to Frenchtown: 11 miles as the crow flies.
Frenchtown to Milford: Down the road a piece or 3.5 miles

Phillipsburg
Warren County’s largest town is well on the way to reinventing its identity as a major riverfront destination. Most of the heavy lifting in melding the town’s rare mix of historical, cultural, and aesthetic assets into a new identity has come from within. And its status as an Urban Enterprise Zone gives shoppers a break on sales tax. For the holidays, Phillipsburg has a Friday late night shopping program called On The Main. Shops are open until 8:00 pm and the town trolley runs to all the participating businesses. Visit www.phillipsburgdowntown.com for special offers during On The Main. Visitors may also ride the trolley with Santa or ride the Polar Express Santa Train, as the story is told during the train ride along the Delaware River.

On December 2nd don’t miss the 7th Annual Santa Train at the Phillipsburg Railroad Historians Museum (Cross Street & 10 Pine Alley). Come ride the Centerville & Southwestern miniature train from 1:00 - 4:00 pm! No admission charge. The Gift Shop will be open and there is plenty of parking. On December 3rd enjoy the Annual Christmas Tree Lighting in Shappell Park at 6:00 pm. Children can meet Santa and enjoy refreshments.

Whether it is shopping for unique gifts, homemade chocolate, jewelry, cameras, or dress shoes and formal wear for that very special party, Washington Borough offers an array of select shops for visitors. In addition, there are arts and crafts stores for children and adults, as well as several dining establishments for your eating pleasure during shopping - or after - from breakfast to Portuguese BBQ to fine dining. Also a big part of this year’s holiday celebration, the Washington Business Improvement District is hosting, in conjunction with (and at) Washington Kid Care and Learning Center, free photos with Santa on Dec. 8 from 10-3 and Dec. 15 from 10-2. and the Second Annual Gingerbread Extravaganza, with entries from children, adults, and organizations, on display at Washington Kid Care. For further information about Washington Borough’s holiday activities, visit www.washingtonbid.org.

Nearby points of interest and more information

The Alexander Adams Homestead Bed & Breakfast

Warren County CVB

A few minutes up Route 15 into Sussex County you will enter the village of Lafayette, near the junction of Route 94. This magic little town offers adventurous shoppers the great bargains of outlet shopping, a full treasure chest of antique shops, and stores filled with wonderful, unique, handcrafted items.

Evoking the image of a quaint colonial town, complete with winding walkways and a duck pond, Olde Lafayette Village lies nestled amid rolling hills and farmland. Included on the Village’s roster are brand name outlets, specialty shops with handmade crafts, gifts & collectibles, antiques, cosmetics, books, custom clothiers for men and women, and several restaurants including a full service banquet facility. The Village features frequent special events fit for the entire family.

Sussex Borough
Just before Route 23 begins its final ascent to High Point at the very northwest most corner of New Jersey, it bends around the tiny town of Sussex. Historic buildings along Main Street house the Flying Pig Art Gallery, art studios, antique and gift shops, and a selection of restaurants offering Italian, Chinese, Mexican and American cuisine. Other shops are located here and there along a square mile of lanes that run up and down hillsides in town, as well as those nearby on the state highway.

Sussex Borough was settled in 1732 as Decker Town, named for the family that built a gristmill, a sawmill and tavern along Clove Creek. The recently renovated Sussex Theater sits behind Deckertown Square, the town park. Now called the Tri-State Actors Theater, it is a stage for the town’s community spirit and artistic endeavor.

Layton, Sussex
Just in time for the holiday shopping season, Peters Valley Store & Gallery presents the annual “Wearable Art & Gift Show from November 10 ~ December 31.

Wearable art and fiber artists from across the country like Baa Baa Zuzu, Shoshana Matthews, Japanalia, Liz Pemberton, Kerr Grabowski and Liza Jane Norman among others will be showing large collections of their work. This is one of the most amazing selections of artist made jewelry, jackets, clothing, scarves, children and baby items, table runners and more in the area! There is something for every age, taste and price range.

Peters Valley Store & Gallery is open year round. November and December hours are 10am-6pm, 7 days/wk. Contact the Store & Gallery at
973- 948-5202 for extended weekend/holiday hours.

The Store at Peters Valley features handmade crafts and gift items by over 350 American artists. The Gallery hosts rotating exhibitions of fine craft on a monthly basis. Resident Artists and faculty exhibit their work as well as direct a full workshop schedule in eight craft disciplines. Peters Valley Craft Center is a non-profit educational center for the exploration, promotion and practice of the craft arts, located in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Please visit www.petersvalley.org to learn more.

New Jersey's Great Northwest
Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex and Warren Counties

PO Box 464, Belvidere, NJ
1-800/4SKYLAND • email