Once home to Annie Oakley, Frankie Valli and Martha Stewart, this sweet, conservative town of 27,000 just 8 miles from the city remains tenderly in a bygone age, with an old-fashion string of mom-and-pop shops along Franklin Avenue and many family-centered activities to compliment the array of vintage and mid-century homes. An outgrowth of one of the oldest NJ settlements, circa 1693, Nutley was first settled by a Dutch painter, Bastian Van Geisen and later became a center of brownstone quarry excavation. From Nutley, here’s bus transportation to the city, easy access to major highways, and well-regarded schools. Go to www.nutleynj.org/home and www.oldnutley.blogspot.com.