Bucks County, PA

[Ed note: The driving tour mentioned in our magazine is linked within the story below.]

The perfect antidote to the stress of city living, Bucks County is rife with country charm, from centuries-old stone farmhouses and rolling meadows to miles of creeks, streams and rivers, rendered even more stunning thanks to an abundance of waterfalls and covered bridges.

Bucks County generally conjures up thoughts of New Hope, a tourist-packed village that offers wind chimes, Native American fabrics and figurines. Focus instead on Northern Bucks; in less than an hour and a half, you’ll be crossing the Delaware via Frenchtown, New Jersey, into picturesque Pennsylvania.

Choosing a home base is easy thanks to a plethora of old-world inns. The 1740 House (River Rd, Lumberville, PA; 215-297-5661, 1740house.com. From $150) puts the river in your lap with many balcony-appointed rooms. For a celebworthy spa retreat, indulge in a stay at The Barley Sheaf Farm (5281 Old York Rd, Holicong, PA; barleysheaf.com. From $250—includes brunch, stocked minibar, and wine and cheese on arrival), a lavish resort built on the former estate of Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright George S. Kaufman.

Covered bridge

The main throughway of the area, Highway 32 (also called River Road), runs parallel to the hyperscenic Delaware. Start out at Riverview Antiques (1738 River Rd, Upper Black Eddy, PA; 610-982-5122) and head south for stunning views.

Find specialty foods and gifts at A Gourmet’s Pantry (905 River Rd, Erwinna, PA; 610-294-9763) and antiques galore at The Trading Post of Bucks County (6 River Rd, Point Pleasant, PA; 215-297-5895). Enjoy 15-mile views and award-winning wines at Sand Castle Winery (755 River Rd, Erwinna, PA; 800-722-9463, sandcastlewinery.com), or a game of Frisbee golf at the 126-acre Tinicum Park, where you can catch a polo match each Saturday (2–4pm) from mid-May through mid-October. A stop at Purely Farms (80 E Dark Hollow Rd, Smithtown, PA; 215-317-0889) will yield fresh organic eggs and some gob-smackingly delicious—and cheap-by-NYC-standards—whole organic roasting chickens (the farm also sells organic pork and lamb by special order).

Grab lunch at beloved burger stand Dilly’s Corner (Rte 263 at River Rd, New Hope, PA; 215-862-5333), and then keep heading south, where you’ll find Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, a 134-acre tract of land that features Pennsylvania’s native plants (1635 River Rd, New Hope, PA; 215-862-2924). End your day in Washington Crossing, at the historic grounds of our first President’s famous boat ride (1112 River Rd, Washington Crossing, PA; 215-493-4076). Check out the nearby Colonial-themed store The Patriot (River Rd at Route 532, Washington Crossing, PA; 215-493-5411, patriotgeneralstore.com) and relax over dinner at The Washington Crossing Inn (Rtes 532 and 32, Washington Crossing, PA; 215-493-3634), housed in a circa-1817 home.

Other historic dining options abound, including the celebrated Black Bass Hotel (3774 River Rd, Lumberville, PA; 215-297-5770). Notable for refusing to serve George Washington during the American Revolution, its enduring loyalty to the British Crown is evident in an enormous collection of royalty memorabilia. Or, BYOB to Tastebuds (49 W Ferry St, New Hope, PA; 215-862-9722), situated in a minimally decorated 1785 clapboard building and featuring a reasonably priced seasonal menu.

Carousel Farm

For a glimpse beyond the river, opt for a tour of the area’s covered bridges. Despite Madison County, Iowa’s fame, you’ll find more of these historic structures in Pennsylvania than in any other state. At one time, as many as 1,500 dotted the landscape, though Bucks has only 12 of its 36 original bridges remaining. To get started, download the driving tour here. It’s circular and covers a large swath of the area and can be commenced at any one of the bridges. If you’re driving on a Saturday, pause at Carousel Farm (5996 Mechanicsville Rd, Mechanicsville, PA; 917-837-6903), a stunning lavender farm set on a 1748 dairy farmstead. In addition to the therapeutic benefits of strolling amid thousands of aromatic herbs (against a picture-perfect backdrop, no less), this is a great place to score organic soaps and candles.

After exploring the antique shops just across the bridge in Frenchtown, NJ, head to Cycle Corner (52 Bridge St, Frenchtown, NJ; 908-996-7712), where you can rent bikes to get up close and personal with Bucks County’s historic Delaware canal, a mule-barge–powered transport route in the 1800s and now a state park. As you pedal along the towpath, keep your eyes peeled for blue and white herons, foxes, hawks and ubiquitous deer. Or, take to the water—a refreshing 80 degrees all summer—with Bucks County River Country (2 Walters Ln, Point Pleasant, PA; 215-297-5000, rivercountry.net), one of the area’s most popular attractions. This self-proclaimed “tubing capital” rents inflatable tubes or kayaks and drops guests off at one of many points upriver for two-, three-, or four-hour excursions.

Though time seems to move at a different pace in this history-laden district, it’s only an hour and a half away.

Been somewhere great recently? Tell us where to go at travel@timeoutny.com.

THE TAB

Three days, two people
Hotel $600
Car rental 270
(with gas)
Tubing 36
+ Meals 340

TOTAL COST $1,246

By car: Take I-78 west to exit 15 and follow signs for Hwy 513 South to Frenchtown, NJ; cross the bridge into Pennsylvania.

TRAVEL TIME 1hr 20mins