{"id":49108,"date":"2014-11-12T23:47:08","date_gmt":"2014-11-13T03:47:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/?p=49108"},"modified":"2025-09-02T00:15:33","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T04:15:33","slug":"doylestown-pa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/49108\/doylestown-pa\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Things to Do in Doylestown, PA"},"content":{"rendered":"

Doylestown\u2019s tree-lined streets and stone farmhouses paint a Norman Rockwell portrait of small town, U.S.A. It\u2019s no wonder that this button-cute Bucks County village is a favorite with urban Philadelphians, who regularly make the 45-minute pilgrimage when they crave an afternoon of laidback charm.<\/p>\n

Sophisticated New Yorkers will find cultural satisfaction combined with buckets of quaint only two hours from the city. The human-scale dimensions include an established arts and culture scene that is invigorating without being overwhelming. After you\u2019re saturated with the civilized, stroll downtown Doylestown\u2019s inviting shopping streets, a patchwork of specialty stores and tempting restaurants. For a short and sweet getaway that is accessible without a car, catch the next bus to Doylestown.<\/p>\n

The Must-Do Experiences<\/h2>\n

The Mercer Mile is the leafy stretch where you\u2019ll find several worthy attractions. Named for Henry Chapman Mercer, a hometown eccentric born in 1856, this illusive millionaire continues to enjoy a Howard Hughes-like reputation. His current influence can be seen in the cultural contributions that are the cornerstone of present-day Doylestown. Get a glimpse of Mercer\u2019s unusual aesthetic sense when you visit his self-designed home, Fonthill Castle<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Til

After your one-hour guided tour of Fonthill, mosey next door to Moravian Pottery and Tile Works. This working history museum continues to produce, just as it did when tile-obsessed Henry Mercer built the factory more than a century ago. You will observe an artisanal ceramic process that has changed little over the years. The exquisite tiles are sold and shipped all over the world (Pope Francis is said to have been gifted a set), but visitors may purchase them at the gift shop.<\/p>\n

\"Mercer

Doylestown\u2019s literary ties are plentiful and resident wordsmiths included luminaries like Pearl S. Buck and James Michener. The James A. Michener Art Museum<\/a> is named for the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of \u201cHawaii\u201d and \u201cTales of the South Pacific\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"Michener

The Insider Tips<\/h2>\n

\"Nonno's

Cineastes from around the Northeast go bonkers for the County Theater<\/a>. This art deco movie house screens a broad array of foreign, documentary and classic flicks all year. When the film lets out, moviegoers head next door to Nonno\u2019s<\/a> for an authentic espresso or a refreshing gelato.<\/p>\n

The Eats<\/h2>\n

\"Honey

Hickory Kitchen\u2019s reputation was built on its award-winning barbecue served with unbeatable sides, but the menu has grown to include burgers, veggie specialties and a decadently meaty weekend breakfast. The setting is finger-licking casual, so step right in.<\/p>\n

Honey<\/a> is a major-league dining experience. The menu offers small plates in an intimate setting, so be sure and make reservations. Seasonally inspired cuisine is served by soft candlelight, making Honey the right spot for a romantic t\u00eate-\u00e0-t\u00eate. The all-American boutique wine list is exceptional.<\/p>\n

The Drinks<\/h2>\n

\"Mom's

<\/h3>\n

The Shops<\/h2>\n

\"Tr\u00e8s

No need to head to Paris for the latest Gallic trends. Tr\u00e8s Bien Boutique sells a curated collection of home d\u00e9cor and accessories straight from France for a soup\u00e7on of chic.<\/p>\n

Busy Bee Toys<\/a> specializes in unique playthings for the tiny people in your life. They sell simple, colorful toys made of durable materials to inspire creative play.<\/p>\n

In the locavore race for freshest produce, The Doylestown Food Co-Op runs a neck-and-neck with the Saturday Farmers\u2019 Market.\u00a0 The surrounding fertile farmland supplies glorious fruits and veggies for much of the year, so plan on bringing your reusable bag and lugging a sack of goodies home.<\/p>\n

The Digs<\/h2>\n

\"Doylestown

Getting to Doylestown from NYC<\/h2>\n

Trans-Bridge Bus Lines<\/a> takes two hours from Port Authority. The bus drops you off in the very center of town, just two blocks from the Doylestown Inn. A comfy pair of walking shoes is your best in-town transportation bet, but there is a free trolley that scurries around Doylestown all weekend.<\/p>\n

For more information, go to Visitbuckscounty.com<\/a> or visitphilly.com\/towns\/doylestown<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Doylestown\u2019s tree-lined streets and stone farmhouses paint a Norman Rockwell portrait of small town, U.S.A. It\u2019s no wonder that this button-cute Bucks County village is a favorite with urban Philadelphians, who regularly make the 45-minute pilgrimage when they crave an afternoon of laidback charm. Sophisticated New Yorkers will find cultural satisfaction combined with buckets of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50,"featured_media":53288,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[316,747,829,1869,769,841,1057,842,907,843,846],"tags":[238,40,176,293,145,110,18,133,282,84],"class_list":{"0":"post-49108","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-weekend-getaways","8":"category-bus-2","9":"category-culture-2","10":"category-editors-picks","11":"category-historic-sites-culture","12":"category-holidays-culture-2","13":"category-museums-culture-2","14":"category-music-culture-2","15":"category-pennsylvania-2","16":"category-photography-culture-2","17":"category-theater-culture-2","18":"tag-adventure","19":"tag-art","20":"tag-bed-and-breakfast","21":"tag-budget-friendly","22":"tag-dining","23":"tag-historical-sites","24":"tag-museum","25":"tag-outdoors","26":"tag-romantic","27":"tag-shopping"},"acf":[],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":53288,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/Mercer-Museum-Visit-e1465314981717-300x169.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/50"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49108"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49108\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53288"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}