Located not far away at all, the historic village of Allentown in Monmouth County offers a pleasant escape from Central New Jersey’s crowded malls and thoroughfares.

Incorporated as a borough in 1889, the town’s shaded streets are lined with restaurants, boutiques and historic homes. Allentown offers a scenic and relaxing alternative to shopping at the mall. Looking to spend the day in Allentown? Then, try out some of Patch’s Allentown picks below.

•  Necessities for the Heart, 28 S. Main St.

Touted as a shop for your “girly girl” side, Necessities for the Heart offers a broad selection of Vera Bradley bags, Trollbeads and Chamilia jewelry and Brighton accessories.

•  Bruno’s Bicycles, 1280 Yardville-Allentown Rd.

This is a great bike shop for anyone looking to get a new bicycle or fine-tune an old bike this spring. Bruno’s Bicycles carries a large selection of children’s bicycles, Trek bikes, and skateboards. The shop will host spring bike rides starting April 3.

• Earth Goddess Jewelry & Gifts, 28 S. Main St., Suite #1

This environmentally friendly store sells products like soy candles and beautiful jewelry made from recycled materials. Earth Goddess Jewelry & Gifts will be holding an “egg-cellent”  store-wide sale from March 27 to April 2, with discounts of up to 40 percent off. Just pick your egg while shopping to reveal your discount.

• La Piazza Ristorante, 11 Church St.

This family-family restaurant serves pizza, sandwiches, fresh pastas, Italian desserts, espresso and cappuccino. There is also a kids menu featuring pastas and kid fare like cheeseburgers and hot dogs.

• Swal Dairy, 33 S. Main St.

This ice cream shop, which opens for the season on March 15, makes 36 ice cream flavors, including sugar-free and fat-free ice cream, plus ice cream cakes and pies and Italian ices. You can find Swal Dairy on Facebook.

• Necessities Day Spa, 9 N. Main St.

Why not end your day in Allentown with a little pampering? Located in a historic national bank building, Necessities Day Spa offers haircuts and hair treatments, massages, manicures and pedicures, waxing and teeth whitening.