Princeton, New Jersey

Princeton's Francofest turns Palmer Square into a small corner of Paris for an afternoon, crepe stands and coffee carts doing brisk business beneath the university's gothic spires. It is a delightfully specific reason to add Princeton, NJ to any list of charming day trips near New York and Philadelphia.

The Princeton University Art Museum, recently and rather dramatically rebuilt, rewards even a modest afternoon with an enviable collection spanning centuries across a handful of galleries. It belongs firmly on any list of the best free museums near Princeton, NJ.