Have you ever heard of “The Antiques Capital of New Jersey?” Located right on the border between Pennsylvania and our Garden State, on one side of the river, this little town earned that nickname years ago. It’s been around since 1705, and the streets are full of Victorian Homes and cozy nooks to pop into, whether for shopping or a bite to eat. It specializes in antiquarian everything, from homes to jewelry. If you know about New Hope, you’ve heard of it. This is the town across the water. This is Lambertville.

Lambertville is the small town that you might never think to stop in at, but it has all of the things you might enjoy. There’s a restored train depot that is home to Lambertville Station, a restaurant and inn that gives you a waterside view while you relax. The 1816 home of James Wilson Marshall, who discovered gold out in California, was built by his father and is open to the public on select weekends to explore the town's history. There’s a Gallery of Fine Art where you can look through paintings to buy at decent prices, or you can just observe some fine art for the sake of observing.

There’s also a creamery called Owowcow Creamery, which is a vegan ice cream shop where everything is made in house and with the freshest ingredients. Most surprising on that menu is some of their flavors; who ever heard of honey lavender vegan ice cream? Don’t dismiss it before you try it, though. I didn’t think I would like it either, but I go back at least twice a summer now to try something unique. They even have specials depending on the month. June’s specials all revolve around strawberry.

The real reason Lambertville has its nickname, however, is because of all the wonderful antiques it sells. Three days out of the week, on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, visitors will find the Golden Nugget Antiques Market, an indoor and outdoor market displaying rare and unusual items from all sorts of vendors. What makes this so fascinating is that you never know what you will find. It’s quite literally a treasure hunt, and what’s there one day may not be there the next. I know someone who found an antique record player there for about $100, and the next day, she found some records to go with it. There is something for everyone to discover, and if you look in the right places, you’ll find something that you love and that is worth your money.

The People’s Store is another big selling point on this topic. It’s a large mall, full of over 40 vendors across four floors, and all it deals is antiques. Furniture, clothing, art. Whatever it is you can think of, they likely have it somewhere. It’s not all dealing in American artifacts either! There are many from Europe as well to expand your interest beyond the borders of our country.

Of course, these are not the only two stores that work with such things, or Lambertville never would have received its nickname. There are dozens of these shops crammed alongside the old houses on the streets, from A Touch of The Past to Funk and Junk to James Curran Antiques. The problem is fighting the urge to show up in every single one. If you visit like that, you’ll end up only getting through about one street per visit! They all have something to offer you, but don’t stop in every door.

Speaking of antiques, how did this quaint little antique town come about? Here’s a fun fact. It was originally bought from the Delaware Indians as part of a much larger land. After a number of years and much changing of hands, the Lambert family built a stone tavern and inn to serve as a post office while their descendant, Captain John Lambert served as the postmaster. Thus, years later, the town was named Lambert’s Ville in 1810, which was shortened to Lambertville afterwards. Of course, that’s an extremely simplified version of the history, but there’s much more for you to learn about if you’re interested!

A small town like this is perfect for investigating on a nice day. There is so much to see and do and experience, even if you aren’t an antique fan. It has a certain charm to it all the same, full of stores and places you feel like you could never find except in your dreams, or in a really good book. Yet, it’s a short drive away, and if you were so inclined, you could take a trip out there tomorrow. There’s a world in that small New Jersey town, an old world, and it’s waiting to be explored by someone like you!

Lambertville Is A Hidden Gem of Shopping

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