A Road Trip Through Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Fuel up for your first day of adventure-ing at one of two spots in the very center of Doylestown, a charming town located about an hour north of Philadelphia. Ease into your day with sit-down brunch (indoors or out!) at The Hattery Stove & Still, located in a former hat factory that now doubles as the Doylestown Inn. Or take your breakfast on the go with bites from Native Cafe, with dishes broken down into two categories: east (Thai) and west (American).

Walk off breakfast on 14 miles of trails — most around pretty Lake Galena — in nearby Peace Valley Park, just a 10-minute drive outside Doylestown. More adventurous visitors can rent a boat and paddle out onto the lake, while others should seek out the bird blind at the Peace Valley Nature Center, which offers a quiet observation of cardinals, woodpeckers, finches, titmice, sparrows and more.

Next, retreat indoors to one of Doylestown’s fascinating arts and culture attractions. Nineteenth-century archaeologist and industrialist Henry Chapman Mercer built the borough’s three most striking landmarks: Fonthill Castle, a sprawling 44-room concrete palace (set to reopen on August 3, 2020); the Mercer Museum, a six-story Gothic and Byzantine historical repository for pieces of early Americana that Mercer collected; and Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, where employees preserve fading methods of production with care and attention. A final option: the stellar collection of paintings by impressionist artists at the James A. Michener Museum. Note that advance tickets are recommended or required for all of these spots, so plan ahead!

Swing back through downtown Doylestown for a late lunch at one of two great spots. The Doylestown location of Spuntino serves up mouthwatering wood-fired pizzas, while Quinoa offers up an enticing fusion of Peruvian and Mexican food.

While away the late-afternoon hours browsing the dozens of shops in the charming countryside Peddler’s Village, a 15-minute drive northeast of Doylestown. The 42 acres of landscaped grounds and winding brick walkways offer more than 70 independently owned and operated boutiques and shops, perfect for a relaxing stroll or a dose of retail therapy.

Cap off a busy day one with sit-down dinner at one of Peddler’s Village restaurants (don’t sleep on the burger at Buttonwood Grill), then settle in for the night at the village’s Golden Plough Inn, a 67-room boutique inn offering modern comforts (and new safety precautions) in a classic town-and-country setting.

Set the GPS for New Hope to start day two. A 10-minute drive from Peddler’s Village puts you at Ferry Market, where patrons grab seats indoors or in the garden, or simply pick up takeout at this local take on Manhattan’s Chelsea Market. A baker’s dozen or so small shops offer such things as coffee, seasonal produce and more.

Ease into your day by strolling and perusing the galleries and shops that line New Hope’s riverside Main Street and side streets. Keep an eye out for rainbow flags; New Hope has been a premier destination for LGBTQ travelers since the mid-20th century. Extend your stroll by hopping on the nearby Delaware Canal Towpath.

Place an order for pick up from a spot in downtown New Hope (think vegetarian fare from Sprig and Vine), then it’s back in the car for a quick five-minute drive south. Perfect for a hike and a picnic lunch, Bucks County’s 134-acre Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve comprises nearly 1,000 species of native plants, a meadow, a pond and a creek. Note that reservations are required to visit the preserve. Can’t snag a reservation? You can also picnic at the next stop…

Your next stop is the site of perhaps the most famous river crossing in American history. In 1776, General Washington gave the British troops a morning-after-Christmas surprise — a sneak attack that ultimately turned the tide of the Revolutionary War. Echoes of that historic event are evidenced throughout Washington Crossing Historic Park, where centuries-old historic houses and buildings recount that daring trip. The park makes a fine spot for a picnic (more info on picnic pavilions here) or an afternoon hang. Want more? Extend your experience by making a reservation to tour the park’s historic village, a historic house that served as a field hospital for Washington’s troops, or the 125-foot-tall Bowman’s Hill Tower, offering bird’s-eye views of surrounding Bucks County and New Jersey.

The ultimate choice: wine or beer? Brew lovers should make a reservation for an outdoor table at Vault Brewing Company, where hazy IPAs and imperial stouts blend nicely with session-friendly IPAs and pilsners. Those craving wine should swing through Crossing Vineyards, where restrained, European-style wines are made on the grounds of a 200-year-old estate.

An epic two days calls for an epic dinner. If you like what you’re sipping on during happy hour, grab a couple of bottles to go and roll up at Charcoal BYOB at Yardley. (Save room for the hot chicken.) Elsewhere, the Yardley Inn Restaurant & Bar offers a new perspective on the Delaware River with its romantic porch seating paired with a contemporary play on comfort food.

End your Bucks County adventure with a good night’s sleep. Families can make the 20-minute drive to the Clarion Inn Levittown, which offers an outdoor pool, among other amenities. Two nearby bed-and-breakfast options: the cute Bucks County Cottage on the Delaware in Yardley and The Temperance House in Newtown.