This 300-year-old Inn Has Just 9 Rooms and a Fantastic Restaurant—and It’s a 90-minute Drive From NYC

On a sunny weekend in September, my fiancé, Daniel, and I visited the nine-room Stockton Inn. When we pulled up on a Friday evening, it was—to my surprise—completely packed. Every stool at the outdoor bar was taken, and locals lined the patio. The 300-year-old stone building is on the border of Philadelphia and New Jersey, right on Stockton, New Jersey’s busy S Main Street.

First built in 1710, the Stockton Inn has lived many lives: It was a private home, an inn and restaurant, and most recently, a tavern. (Visitors to the inn included soldiers of the Continental Army and even F. Scott Fitzgerald.) In 2022, local couple Steven Grabowski and Cheryl Olsen purchased the property and brought in a James Beard Award-winning team to revive it.

Anthony Rudolf, the inn’s managing director, held prominent roles at restaurants by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Thomas Keller in New York. And the Stockton Inn Restaurant’s executive chef, Bob Truitt, has worked at New York City highlights like Marea and Ai Fiori. The entire team has created a sophisticated, warm gathering place in a small town of 500 people, right on the banks of the Delaware River. At the Stockton Inn Restaurant, Daniel and I tucked into warm rolls with seaweed butter and dirty martinis to start, followed by a massive, perfectly cooked strip steak to share.

The guest rooms, located within the original inn and two adjacent carriage houses, contrast the historic façade of the buildings, with light neutral tones and modern touches (like the Dyson hairdryer) throughout. In our room, on the top floor of the main building, there was a balcony and a gas fireplace, which we turned on every evening after a day of exploring.

Stockton is about four miles from Lambertville, New Jersey, and New Hope, Pennsylvania—two quaint historic towns lined with boutiques, antique stores, and restaurants. Stockton Inn is also just two blocks from the scenic, nearly 70-mile D&R Canal State Park “Towpath” that runs on the border of New Jersey and Philadelphia. During our stay, Daniel and I borrowed two of the hotel’s bikes, provided by Stephanie Lisle, the innkeeper, and biked along the trail to Lambertville and back. Under a canopy of fall colors, we explored, stopping at Panoply Books for rare used books, A Touch of the Past for antique furniture and jewelry, and Lambertville Station Restaurant and Inn, where we had lunch on the patio.

Right across from the hotel is The Stockton Market—also owned by Grabowski and Olsen—serving coffee, homemade bread, pastries, and a seasonal selection of sandwiches. During our stay, it was consistently packed with people.

“Stockton has always been a unique destination, tucked away from the rest of the world and yet still at the heart of it,” Lisle told T+L. “I love welcoming guests who arrive seeking a pause from daily life, locals escaping without traveling far, and travelers passing through. Watching them leave refreshed and serene is the greatest reward. I feel we’re restoring a sense of community that once defined this historic inn.”

Rooms at Stockton Inn start at $325 a night and can be booked here.