The Raritan River flows past East Franklin and into the Raritan Bay. The Raritan Basin covers 1,100 square miles. The rushing waters not only sustain wildlife, but residents of New Jersey also drink the water and use it recreationally for fishing (popular catches include sunfish, catfish and trout), boating and the like.
Verdant mountains, churning rivers and charming inhabitants make up a few of the many benefits of East Franklin
The Raritan River flows past East Franklin and into the Raritan Bay. The Raritan Basin covers 1,100 square miles. The rushing waters not only sustain wildlife, but residents of New Jersey also drink the water and use it recreationally for fishing (popular catches include sunfish, catfish and trout), boating and the like.
Verdant mountains, churning rivers and charming inhabitants make up a few of the many benefits of East Franklin. Of course, there's also the beach about five miles away. But despite being close to New York, the Atlantic Ocean and Pennsylvania, East Franklin is pretty tucked away and quiet. It's the sort of place where you know all your neighbors, greet sales clerks by name and develop a weekly routine. That's not to say it's boring. With all the earthly riches Mother Nature can provide, most locals can't find enough hours on the weekends to take advantage of all the recreational opportunities afforded to them. Combine that with a slew of nearby amenities and you have yourself a modern East Coast paradise. The only downside: living in paradise means you'll have to travel farther to get back to reality, a.k.a. work.
As for those East Franklin places for rent, you may want to start your search a month or two in advance, but there's a decent selection. Townhouses and houses for rent are the most common, but you'll find apartment rentals too. Cost of living here is reasonable, unlike some other areas of NJ, and crime is low. Also good to know: you're near bus stations! And they go straight to Midtown Manhattan! There is also train service on the Raritan Valley Line, as well as SCOOT, DASH and CAT buses, which sound both adorable and speedy. You'll still want a car, for the record, but you can get around most of the time without one.
With roughly 8,600 people in the CDP, there isn't a lot of room for traditional neighborhoods. There are some notable differences between one area and another though.
North: Head to the top of East Franklin for access to Interstate 287, the Raritan River and Rutgers Ecological Preserve. Easy access means more housing options, like one-bedroom apartments as opposed to just single-family homes.
East: Rents can be a bit cheaper over here, the closer you get to New Brunswick. The State Theatre of NJ is here, so that's fun.
South: Route 27 is the closest highway, so commutes might get a bit longer. Six Mile Run is an awesome park with hiking, biking and walking trails -- plus it's pretty.
While it's worth pointing out that newcomers should plan ahead for the changing seasons, if they're not used to having all of them, it's also essential to understand what life is like here. It's awesome. Stop by Sophie's Bistro for lunch or get take out from Mei Mei's.
Eco-Fabulous
Residents of East Franklin love their outdoor adventures and they want to protect them, too. There's a big kerfuffle about ensuring no pollutants, poisons, discharge or other horrible sounding things end up in the river from where their drinking water comes. That doesn't mean they're all crunchy Birkenstocks-wearing sissies, though. These people love to work hard and play hard. They wrestle kayaks down rapids and seafood from its home, so being able to talk about your nature-based hobbies can help win you friendships, as long as you don't dabble too far into crazy "plants are better than humans" zone. And that's definitely not an issue, right?
