Since it was established, Princeton went from a simple settlement to the "Heart of Southwestern Indiana." Nowadays Princeton is best known for the Gibson County Courthouse, a Second Empire-style building.
Although it may share the name with the famous Ivy League university, the similarity ends there. Significantly more inland than New Jersey, Princeton offers an array of entertainment opportunities. With a population of 8,644 living across 5.08 square miles, if you choose to live here, you will be glad to know that even the weather is welcoming. The climate here is characterized by hot summers and you will rarely see a bone-chilling winter.
Moving to Princeton
How to Find a Place
Take your time and don't rush in making a decision. Finding a place to rent an apartment in Princeton isn't overly complicated. You can rely on the old standard methods. You know the ones: looking in local newspapers, on the internet, and driving around to look for "for rent" signs. If you keep your fingers crossed while you drive around looking for a place, you may just sign a lease deal on the spot. You can look all year round for housing for rent in Princeton. During winters, however, chances are good you will find homes with lower rents.
How Much Will it Cost?
If you are picky and you want one of the premier apartments available on the market, then you should increase your budget. Some rental properties include Internet connection, cable, water and utilities, while others don't. You don't have to take our word for it, but an all-inclusive apartment is usually worth it.
Where Will You Live?
The neighborhood you pick is naturally important. After all, this is where you are likely to be killing most of your free time. Do you want something closer to the water or to the park? Maybe you want a place with a handful of amenities close by. These are important factors to consider before signing the lease.
Car
Princeton is a city where no one uses the public transportation system to go to work. In case you don't own a car, you can easily use the carpool. People spend an average of 21 minutes commuting. Before you sign your lease, take a test drive to get an idea of how much time you will be spending on the road.
Plan the Moving
You finally found an apartment that ticks all your needs. Congratulations! Unfortunately, manual labor is now likely in your future. Sorry. Fortunately, you may not be resigned to moving in everything yourself. With the help of a local moving company, you can limit your role to the packing of valuables and a little project management.
Pets
If you intend to bring your pet with you, make sure you search for pet friendly apartments first. Landlords usually accept cats or dogs, but you will definitely need to plunk some money down to pay its rent as well as your own.
Neighborhoods in Princeton
While there are no distinct neighborhoods, Princeton has two constituent areas. It's your choice where you live. You can choose the somewhat historic part or you can relax far away in an enclave.
City Center: The highlight of this neighborhood is definitely the Gibson County Courthouse, followed by South Side Park. The center of the city is well connected with the two parks, a few schools, coffee shops and grocery stores. There are also plenty of houses and apartments available for rent.
West Princeton: While cars rumble the W Broadway Street, the rest of the residents spend their time in Lafayette Park. From the west part of the city to S West Street, this neighborhood of Princeton has the most to do in terms of shopping and eating. In between shopping you can always stop by McDonald's or Donut Bank for a tasty meal or a donut and a coffee. Renting here is more expensive than the City Center.
Living in Princeton
Princeton Area Parks
The city has three main recreational parks, all of which are maintained by the municipality. By far, the largest one is Lafayette Park, located on the north side of the city. It features a playground, a fishing pond, a stage for public performances and several shelter houses. Adjacent to the park, there's a swimming pool and Kiddie Land, a playground for kids.
Nightlife
There are numerous opportunities to spend a relaxing evening here. Restaurants allure their clients with exquisite Chinese, Mexican or Italian dishes served with tasty wines. There is also an array of fast food chains like Burger King, Subway, KFC, Papa Johns, Taco Bell, and the like. And if you ever want a good coffee, try the coffee shops scattered around the town.
Princeton is anything but boring, so leave your TV and take your friends to a movie. Check the Now Playing list at the Showplace Cinemas for the latest movies. There are plenty of promotions, group discounts and cheap popcorn.
Activities
Grab those bowling shoes and head to Gibson Lanes, a place equipped with state-of-the-art bowling lanes to enjoy a night out with your friends. Don't have your own pair? They'll loan you a pair in your size. The best part is that you book the lane in advance you get free drinks and free shoes.
Paintball is a fun sport that anyone can practice. If you like an adrenaline rush, then book the local paintball field and spend a day shooting your "enemies" with paint balls. You don't even need to wash your clothes afterwards.
Another way to spend your free time is by driving a kart on the specially designed tracks. Speedstick raceway has karts for all ages, so you won't be the only adult on the track.
Wildlife
If you want to take a day off from the modern world then you should head over to Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge. With great outdoor opportunities, the Refuge welcomes anyone that loves hiking, paddling, hunting, fishing, canoeing or bird-watching. Stretching along the Patoka River, the reservation is home of more than 380 species of wildlife, including 63 animal species and 20 plant species that are considered as endangered.
Festivals
The most prominent festivals are Picking and Fiddling Championships and Golden Heritage Folk Festival. Both festivals are held every year on September.