Middlesex County Winner: PLAINSBORO
This pristine Middlesex County community is prime for outdoor fun. Douglas Donaldson, father of two and a resident of 24 years, loves the many parks and trails around town. “I taught both of my kids to ride bikes on the Lenape Trail in Plainsboro…We have a few go-to parks, and also love the trail behind [West Windsor-Plainsboro] High School North that runs along the Millstone River,” he says. The Plainsboro Preserve is a must-visit with 1,000 acres surrounding a lake, plus the Environmental Education Center where kids can learn about nature.
There’s a rich dining culture in town, as well as in neighboring downtown Princeton. Casual eats include Romeo’s Ristorante and Original Steak & Hoagie—Donaldson loves the buffalo chicken cheesesteak. Try Rhong-Tiam Thai for Bangkok-style cuisine, or Jhopri for Indian fare.
Fun fact: Elsie the Cow, the mascot of Borden Dairy, was created at Plainsboro’s Walker-Gordon Dairy Farm in the late 19th century. The real-life cow she was based on was later buried at the farm.
When ranking the most family-friendly towns in NJ, we weighed factors like school quality, safety, affordability and diversity, among other things. See the other towns that made the cut, including Cranbury, Metuchen and Edison.
See the Full 2019 List of NJ’s Best Towns for Families
