Princeton, New Jersey

If no lecture is to your liking, perhaps some music or theater will do. The cream- of-the-crop students at Princeton put on pro-quality productions at prices that are strictly amateur. Since 1920, student members of Theatre Intime (609/258-4950, princeton.edu/~intime) have done all the acting, directing, fund-raising, and sometimes writing for each season's shows, ranging from wacky comedies (Noises Off) to intense dramas by Jean-Paul Sartre and David Mamet. Performances inside Murray-Dodge Hall's 200-seat theater cost around $12 for general admission ($6 for students), though they're free if you're willing to serve as an usher (call ahead). Quipfire!, the campus improv-comedy group, performs several times a year, charging $5 entrance. The Richardson Auditorium (609/258-5000) inside Alexander Hall hosts mostly classical and jazz concerts that average $15 (less for students and seniors), with some performances free.

If your budget's a bit more flexible, the university's McCarter Theatre (609/258-2787, mccarter.org) presents topnotch professional music, drama, and dance performances (Tony Award winner Blair Brown starred in The Tempest this spring) for less than they would cost at big-city venues (generally starting at $25 to $30). Consult the Princeton Weekly Bulletin or go online to http://calendar.princeton.edu for a schedule of events.

Outside the gates

Even if there were no university here, Princeton would still have its share of history to brag about. The area was settled in the late 1600s, and in early 1777, soon after George Washington famously crossed the Delaware River, his forces defeated Lord Cornwallis in the pivotal Battle of Princeton. Learning about area history is as easy as crossing the street from campus to the Bainbridge House, built in 1766 and now home to the Historical Society of Princeton (158 Nassau St., 609/921-6748, princetonhistory.org). Inside is a free museum with nearly 100,000 artifacts, photographs, and manuscripts. Tours of historic Princeton depart the Bainbridge House every Sunday at 2 p.m. ($6 adults, $3 children), visiting the Princeton campus and the former homes of Albert Einstein, Woodrow Wilson, and Grover Cleveland, among others. The Society also hands out free maps for self-guided walking tours. As for the old battle site, it's now Princeton Battlefield State Park (500 Mercer Rd., 609/921-0074), a peaceful parkland where a preserved 1770-era home is open to visitors as a free museum.

For other diversions, Westminster Choir College (101 Walnut La., 609/921-2001, rider.edu/westminster) offers operas and concerts year-round starting at $7 adults, $5 students or seniors. Landau (102 Nassau St., 609/924-3494) is a family-owned woolen-products store with decent prices and, oddly enough, its own mini-museum of newspaper clippings, artifacts, and photographs of Albert Einstein. The historic Delaware and Raritan Canal (built in the 1830s, running just southeast of campus) is an ideal spot for jogging, bike riding, canoeing, and kayaking.

Subsistence and sleep

Like many rich suburbs in New Jersey, low-budget dining options are limited in Princeton. Your best bet is to think (and eat) like a student, sticking to sandwiches and snacks rather than several-course meals.

Within stumbling distance of campus are two student favorites: breakfast specialist P.J.'s Pancakes (154 Nassau St., 609/924-1353) and sandwich shop Zorba's Grill (183-D Nassau St., 609/924-2454), both of which will fill your belly for under $5. For something a little more formal, try Winberie's (One Palmer Sq., 609/921-0700), which charges $6 to $7.50 for small orders of pasta or chicken. There's a full bar with happy hour specials, and the windows are painted with caricatures of famous alums like Bill Bradley and Brooke Shields.

Real estate is pricey in Princeton, so there are few cheap beds right near campus. However, drive a few miles in almost any direction and it's easy to find affordable lodging. Examples: the Days Inn in Monmouth Junction (six miles from campus, 732/329-4555, daysinn.com; $54 to $100 double) or the Red Roof Inn in Lawrenceville (3203 Brunswick Pike, six miles from campus, 609/896-3388, redroof.com; $50 to $100 double). Go to princeton.edu for more ideas on area lodging.

In the surroundings

A big reason Princeton is such a sought-after address is because of what's nearby. Philadelphia and New York are both reachable in about an hour, but considering your brain may have been working overtime in Princeton, it might be time to let the gears slow down. Don't be ashamed to revel in old-fashioned, lowbrow fun awaiting you at the Jersey Shore or Six Flags Great Adventure (732/928-1821, sixflags.com), both about an hour away by car.