The Middlesex County region’s cultural scene offers a year-round schedule of musical, theatrical, artistic, and dance performances. The New Brunswick Theatre district attracts well-known actors such as Jack Klugman and Paul Dooley, Comedians Chris Rock, Sinbad, and Bill Cosby. Experience the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, American Repertory Ballet/ Princeton Ballet, international ballets, dance companies, orchestras, operas, Broadway musicals, and thought-provoking plays. There are comedy clubs, martini bars, live performance venues and even an International film festival.

If you prefer museums and art galleries, our region has those too. In addition to the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Museum, a number of art galleries are opening in the area.

Walk through the quaint downtowns, shop at a South Asian Indian bazaar, and experience the many cultures that make up our region. South Asian Indians, Hispanic, Hungarian, Asian, Russian, African-American, Caribbean, Italian, South American, the list goes on. The best news is that these cultures are reflective in the restaurants in the area. You can literally travel the world with your taste buds in the Middlesex County region and still find dozens of fabulous American-style fare restaurants that cater to visitors and locals alike.

There is plenty of opportunity for the unusual—check out various cemeteries with several pre-revolutionary war headstones. Find out why there is a headstone in a local movie theatre parking lot! Take a historic homes tour or a historic walking tour and don’t miss the Ghost Tour at Rutgers University.

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Alfa Art Gallery

Located in the heart of New Brunswick, Alfa Art Gallery welcomes artists, fine art collectors and visitors. Open Tuesday-Saturday 12pm-8pm. This space is also available to rent for your special occasion!

108 Church Street, New Brunswick

Crossroads Theatre Company

7 Livingston Avenue PO Box 238

New Brunswick, NJ 08902

732.545.8100

Website: www.crossroadsnb.com

Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum

Address: 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Phone: 732.932.7237

Web Site: http://www.zimmerlimuseum.rutgers.edu/

George Street Playhouse

Address: 9 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 8901

Phone: 732.846.2895

Web Site: www.GSPonline.org

State Theatre

Address: 11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1903

Phone: 732.247.7200

Web Site: www.statetheatrenj.org

American Repertory Ballet/Princeton Ballet

Address: 80 Albany Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Phone: 732.249.1254

Web Site: www.arballet.org

Barron Arts Center-Woodbridge

Address: 582 Rahway Avenue, Woodbridge, NJ 07095

Phone: (732)634-0413 Fax: (732) 634-8633

Web Site: http://www.twp.woodbridge.nj.us/barronarts/index.html

Birding and hiking in Middlesex County

Cheesequake State Park is open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. The park offers open fields, salt and freshwater marshes, a white cedar swamp, a sample of the pine barrens, and an outstanding example of a northeastern hardwood forest. The park is 1,274 acres. The local birding list includes 186 species within the park. Enjoy swimming, hiking, picnicking, camping, fishing and biking. For more information please call 732-566-2161.

Perth Amboy Harbor Walk-Waterfront resources under development as part of the Harbor Walk include the 1904 Ferry Slip to Tottenville, Municipal Marina, 1929 Armory, 1880 Raritan Yacht club headquarters, 1880 Great Beds of Light and 1780 Kearny College.

Plainsboro Preserve: 80 Scotts Corner Road, Cranbury NJ Phone: 609-897-9400. Hours of Operation are Tuesday to Saturday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday noon to 5:00pm. Closed Mondays. Trails are open daily dawn to dusk. The Sanctuary is closed Thanksgiving. The preserve is a 1,000 acre natural area that supports a diversity of wildlife with one of the larest lakes in the area. In addition, you will find a nature center with nature exhibits, a reference library, a nature store, and over five miles of trails. Hiking daily-over five miles of trails traverse an interesting variety of habitats.