Key Takeaways:
- The Nassau Inn in Princeton is a historic boutique hotel located about 30 minutes from New Hope and Lambertville, making it an ideal overnight base for a day spent in the river towns.
- Staying at the Nassau Inn means trading the late-night drive home for an unhurried morning in downtown Princeton, with shops, restaurants, and the green all just outside the door.
- The Inn traces its roots to 1756 and is a member of Historic Hotels of America, offering storied character alongside modern comforts.
- Overnight guests receive parking passes with unlimited in-and-out garage access, so exploring Princeton and the surrounding area stays easy throughout the stay.
A day exploring New Hope and Lambertville has a way of stretching longer than planned. The antique shops, the galleries, and maybe a walk across the bridge between the two towns. By the time you’re thinking about the drive home, the last thing you want is a long one. The better question isn’t when to leave. It’s where to stay.
Just about 30 minutes east, in the heart of downtown Princeton, the historic Nassau Inn offers an answer that feels like a natural extension of the day rather than a compromise at the end of it. Here’s why the Inn makes such a fitting overnight base for a river-town getaway, and what makes a stay here distinctly Princeton.
Why Stay in Princeton After a Day in New Hope and Lambertville?
Because it lets the day end gently instead of all at once. A day in the river towns has a natural arc, and by the time dinner winds down, the drive home is the only thing left on the itinerary. Staying overnight in Princeton replaces that tired drive with something better: a short, easy trip to a historic inn, a good night’s sleep, and a morning that’s still yours.
That next morning is really the point. Wake up in the heart of downtown Princeton, linger over coffee, take a walk around Palmer Square before the day gets going, and browse the shops you didn’t get to the evening before. Then head back across the river early, unhurried, with a full weekend’s worth of experience behind you instead of a single long day. It’s the difference between rushing a getaway and actually having one.
If you’re still mapping out how to combine the river towns with a Princeton visit, our guide on adding Princeton to your New Hope and Lambertville day trip walks through the shopping, dining, and logistics of pairing the two. This piece picks up where that one leaves off: where to spend the night.
What Makes the Nassau Inn Historic ?
The Nassau Inn’s story begins in 1756, when its original tavern stood on Nassau Street, and that history is woven into everything about the place today. As a proud member of Historic Hotels of America, the Inn has preserved the character and ambiance of a genuine Princeton landmark while quietly updating everything a modern traveler expects.
Over the centuries, the Inn and its tavern became part of the fabric of Princeton life, a gathering place for students, alumni, locals, and travelers passing through. The building you stay in today anchors Palmer Square, the downtown destination developed around it in the late 1930s, and it still functions the way the best historic inns do: as a living part of the town rather than a museum piece.
For travelers coming from the antique shops and preserved architecture of the river towns, there’s a pleasing continuity to it. You spend the day among things with history, then spend the night somewhere with plenty of its own.
What Are the Rooms and Amenities Like?
Comfortable, spacious, and quietly modern beneath the historic details. Guest rooms and suites at the Nassau Inn pair period-inspired décor with the amenities that make a stay easy, so the character never comes at the expense of comfort.
Room features include Serta “Perfect Sleeper” mattresses, high-speed Wi-Fi, HD televisions, coffee makers, and the practical touches you’d expect from a full-service hotel, along with thoughtful extras like turndown service. Suites offer more room to spread out, and some include separate living areas, a nice option if your day trip is turning into a full weekend.
The result is a room that feels like part of a historic building without feeling like a step back in time. You get the atmosphere of a centuries-old Princeton inn and a genuinely restful night’s sleep, which is exactly the combination you want after a full day on your feet.
Learn more about the rooms and suites at Nassau Inn.
What Is There to Do Right Outside the Inn?
Almost everything, and all of it on foot. The Nassau Inn sits right in Palmer Square, so the shops, restaurants, and the open green are all just steps from the lobby, and the historic gates of Princeton University are directly across Nassau Street.
Inside the Inn itself, the Yankee Doodle Tap Room is a destination in its own right. Princeton’s oldest tavern, it’s home to a thirteen-foot Norman Rockwell mural painted in the 1930s, oak tables etched by generations of visitors, and a working fireplace. In 2025 it was named one of the country’s most historic bars, and it remains a warm, welcoming spot for dinner, a drink by the fire, or a meal on the outdoor patio overlooking the Square.
Step outside and downtown Princeton opens up: boutique and name brand shopping, a stroll past the university’s Collegiate Gothic buildings, and an easy morning walk through a downtown full of character. It’s the kind of walkable, one-and-done convenience that’s hard to find on a day trip, where a single check-in puts dinner, shopping, and a morning coffee all within a block or two.
How Far Is the Nassau Inn From New Hope and Lambertville?
About 20 miles, or a comfortable 30-to-35-minute drive on scenic country roads. That’s close enough to spend your full day in the river towns and still reach Princeton with the whole evening ahead of you.
The drive east runs through rolling farmland and small historic towns, an easy, low-traffic transition rather than a highway slog. And because overnight guests at the Nassau Inn receive parking passes with unlimited in-and-out access to the Palmer Square garages, coming and going stays simple. You can leave the car parked and explore downtown on foot, or make an easy morning trip back across the river before checking out.
Make a Night of Your River-Town Getaway
A day in New Hope and Lambertville deserves a proper ending, not a rushed drive home in the dark. Staying overnight at the Nassau Inn lets you carry the day’s unhurried pace into the next morning, trading highway miles for a walkable downtown, a charming room, and time in Princeton before you head back.
With its roots in 1756, its place at the center of Palmer Square, and everything downtown Princeton offers just outside the door, the Nassau Inn turns a day trip into a getaway worth lingering over.
Book your stay at the Nassau Inn and give your river-town day the ending it deserves.
About Nassau Inn
With roots dating to 1756, the Nassau Inn has anchored Palmer Square since moving to its current location in 1937, offering 160 guest rooms and 28 suites in the heart of downtown Princeton. As a member of Historic Hotels of America, the Inn blends colonial charm with contemporary comfort while remaining home to the legendary Yankee Doodle Tap Room.
Just outside the front doors, Palmer Square offers walkable dining, boutique shopping, and seasonal community events throughout the year. And for those who decide one evening in Princeton simply isn’t enough, The Residences at Palmer Square place luxury living directly inside the neighborhood’s historic center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Nassau Inn pet-friendly?
Yes. The Nassau Inn welcomes dogs and cats, so your day of exploring the river towns can include a four-legged companion. A pet fee applies, and because policies and room availability can change, it’s best to call the Inn directly when booking to confirm current details and reserve a pet-friendly room.
What else is worth visiting near the Nassau Inn?
Plenty, and much of it is walkable. The Princeton University campus and its art museum sit just across Nassau Street, Morven Museum & Garden is a short stroll away, and the shops and restaurants of Palmer Square surround the Inn. It’s easy to build a second morning of sightseeing into your stay before heading home, turning a single day trip into a fuller Princeton getaway.
Does the Yankee Doodle Tap Room Serve Breakfast?
Yes, the Tap Room serves breakfast, so you can start the morning without leaving the Inn. If you’d rather wander, Palmer Square’s cafés and coffee shops are just steps away, making it easy to grab a coffee and a pastry on a slow morning walk before the drive back across the river.