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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Bordentown
Give Bordentown one night or a half-day stop between Trenton and Philadelphia: a walkable downtown of Revolutionary-era buildings, not a destination on its own.
Bordentown is a small Delaware River town about 8 km south of Trenton, with a compact downtown along Farnsworth Avenue, a riverbank park and a strong Revolutionary War streak — Thomas Paine lived here. Most travellers see it in a few hours or use it as a cheaper bed near Trenton and Philadelphia. Two nights is the practical ceiling.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (humid), Jan–Feb (ice on pavements)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–100 excl. bed · Mid $100–170 excl. bed · High $170+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · NJ Poison Control (24 h) 1-800-222-1222
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–5 |
| Diner breakfast | $10–16 |
| Lunch main (pizza, sandwich, Chinese) | $12–20 |
| Dinner main, sit-down | $18–32 |
| Draught beer in a tavern | $6–9 |
| River Line light rail ride | $2–3 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $10–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PHL · Philadelphia International
- About 45–60 min by car via I-95 and I-295; no direct rail link to Bordentown.
- TTN · Trenton–Mercer
- Smaller airport about 20 min north; limited routes.
- EWR · Newark Liberty
- About 1 h 15 min by car; the usual pick for international arrivals.
Typical fares
- River Line, Bordentown → Trenton
- about $2–3, 25–30 min (check)
- Taxi or rideshare, downtown → US-206 motels
- $10–15
- Car, Bordentown → Philadelphia
- about 1 h via I-295 and I-95; tolls on some crossings (check)
Get around
Downtown is walkable in 15 minutes end to end. A car is needed for the motels, Crystal Lake Park and the US-130 stores. NJ Transit's River Line light rail stops at Bordentown station (100 West Park St) and runs between Trenton and Camden; buses also serve Burlington and Park streets.
See and do
Known for
- Thomas Paine and Revolutionary War history
- Farnsworth Avenue downtown
- Delaware River riverbank
- Old Bookshop and Record Collector
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Trenton | River Line light rail from Bordentown station, or 15 min by car on US-206 | About 30–40 min |
| Philadelphia | Car on I-295 and I-95, or River Line to Camden then PATCO | About 1 h by car |
| Cinnaminson | Car on US-130 north, about 15 min | About 20 min |
| Burlington, New Jersey | River Line light rail north, or car on US-130 | About 25 min |
| Medford, New Jersey | Car on US-206 and NJ-70, about 25 min | About 30 min |
Sleep
- Downtown / Farnsworth Avenue
- Walk to restaurants, the riverbank and the monuments; very few rooms, so book early.
- US-206 and US-130 strip
- Chain motels with free parking, 5–10 min drive from downtown; the practical choice with a car.
- Trenton or Philadelphia
- Both within 30–40 min; use them as a base and visit Bordentown as a stop.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Where is the station? | Where is the River Line station? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Is this seat taken? | Is this seat taken? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Downtown pavements are uneven brick and get icy in winter.
- Most downtown kitchens close by 21:00–22:00; late arrivals should eat before they get in.
- The River Line is a light rail, not a fast regional train: check the timetable before relying on it for a connection.
- Motels on US-206 need a car; walking to downtown from there is not realistic.
A low-crime small town; the real issues are uneven pavements, winter ice and unlit stretches near the riverbank after dark. Standard US precautions apply.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bordentown yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Thomas Paine and Revolutionary War history
- Farnsworth Avenue downtown
- Delaware River riverbank
- Old Bookshop and Record Collector
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit New Jersey — official state tourism: www.visitnj.org/
- NJ Transit — River Line: www.njtransit.com/river-line
- Burlington County — official site: www.co.burlington.nj.us/
- Wikivoyage: Bordentown, revision 4643367 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4643367
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Bordentown
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- NJ Poison Control (24 h)1-800-222-1222
No embassies here; consulates and embassies are in New York, Washington, DC and Philadelphia (check the one for your country).
Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/bordentown). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.