Bucks County (in the winter) - Part 1 A Surprise Around Every Corner
Written by: Christine Coviello
More than just B&Bs and crafts, but a couple of things to do in this section of Pennsylvania.
When I first received the assignment to go to Bucks County, I was torn. Part of me was excited to go back to the place I knew so well, and the other part of me was disappointed because I truly had thought I had "been there and done that." I had gone to New Hope for weekend trips before, and I thought I knew all this wonderful town had to offer. The theatre, restaurants, and shops always were a delight to visit. So when I saw that most of my trip was spent in other parts of Bucks County, I was surprised and eager to get started.
We started off the first half of our trip in Peddlers Village in Lahaska. This is about 15 minutes away from New Hope. We stayed at the Golden Plough Inn. The first thing you notice about Peddler’s Village is how helpful and genuinely friendly everyone is. We arrived early, and the people at the front desk at the hotel were happy to help us get into a room, and then suggest a good place for lunch. We checked into our room and were so impressed. The rooms at the Golden Plough are tucked in between or above the shops, so at first I thought they might be small or noisy—yet another surprise: this room was just the opposite. It was spacious, elegant, and inviting. We were welcome by a basket of treats and champagne as every guest is. The bedding and furnishings were quaint and comfortable. The room had a luxurious bathroom with Jacuzzi for two and a fireplace. This definitely became a warm oasis from the cold weather outside.
We spent the afternoon walking among the over 70 shops in Peddler’s Village. There were so many that we wanted to spend time, even more time that you could possibly spend in 2 or 3 days of shopping! Just my kind of place! The stores range from the usual to the extreme—if you can’t find what you are looking for here, it probably doesn’t exist. I would love to come before Christmas to get presents for all those hard-to-shop-for people.
We had dinner at The Cock ‘N Bull restaurant for "an evening in the Colonial Kitchen." It was so nice to be staying right in the village and just be able to cross the street to go to dinner. This event happens every Monday night from January through March. I wouldn’t really call myself a history buff, so I again wasn’t sure how I would feel about this dinner. This was one of the first of many times I started to learn to trust in this town because everything I tried during this whole dinner was delicious. I would recommend anyone coming here on a Monday night to make reservations for this, especially if you have children. It made history come alive with tastes, sounds, and characters.
We chose items from an authentic colonial menu. Our waitress helped us make our selections and even suggested I try half portions of two items to be able to taste more things! Everything we ordered was delicious. Some items were a little different because they were true to the colonial times, like the fruit shrub or black cherry sallet, but they were still fun to try. Between Vincent and myself, I think we almost tried everything. You get a bread basket, choice of soup, choice of salads, a choice of main course, and a dessert plate. Musicians playing period music and dressed in costume played in the background, as two characters from the time walked around mixing and mingling with the guests. It was fun to watch the children’s reaction to meeting Abraham Lincoln. But it was even better to meet him myself!
