Compared to other LGBT-friendly resorts in the Northeast, sophisticated but laid-back New Hope and its appealing Jersey neighbor Lambertville are restful and romantic weekend hideouts for couples. This quaint, artsy hamlet is a mere hour from Philadelphia and 90 minutes from New York City, but the hectic bustle of either city is decidedly absent.
Location
Tiny and scenic New Hope sits on the west bank of the Delaware River, just across from Lambertville, NJ. The borough of New Hope is one of several small villages on either side of the Delaware, just three miles north of Washington Crossing Historic Park, which commemorates George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River in 1776.
Traveling There
Most visitors to New Hope, a popular weekend destination for Philadelphians and New Yorkers, arrive by car. However, New Hope is also easily accessible from any of the major airports serving Philadelphia and New York City.
You could rent a car from any airport and drive here, but there’s also Trans-Bridge Lines daily bus service between New Hope and Newark Airport, New York City, and JFK Airport. Moreover, from Philadelphia and its airport, you can take SEPTA regional rail service to Doylestown, where you can take a taxi the 10 miles to New Hope.
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Things to See and Do
Visitors will want to check out the shops and cafes in New Hope village and across the river in Lambertville. Moreover, New Hope also serves as an excellent base for interesting side trips.
In addition to Washington Crossing Historic Park, which celebrates the region’s crucial role in the Revolutionary War, there’s historic Peddler’s Village, a community boasting around 70 restaurants and specialty stores. Furthermore, nearby Doylestown is home to the James A. Michener Museum of Art.
Getting to Know New Hope
New Hope is not only the name of one small town but also what many visitors call the surrounding region. This area comprises several rustic Pennsylvania and New Jersey communities in the Delaware River Valley, characterized by wooded estates, horse farms, winding rural roads, restored canals, towpaths, and charming villages filled with antique shops and cafes.
New Hope holds a highly festive and popular Pride festival, which occurs in mid-May. Consequently, there has been an LGBT presence in the area for decades, primarily on the Pennsylvania side of the river, dating back to when New Hope gained popularity as an artists’ community.
The actual village of New Hope is tiny, covering roughly one square mile filled with preserved 18th- and 19th-century buildings. Most of these structures now house inns, restaurants, shops, and private homes.
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History
In the 1930s and 1940s, the area began to attract musicians and writers, many of them from New York City, including notable figures such as Dorothy Parker, S.J. Perelman, Oscar Hammerstein, Moss Hart, and Pearl Buck.
The opening of the Bucks County Playhouse in 1939 marked the beginning of a gay presence in town. Built in the rustic shell of Benjamin Parry’s old 18th-century grist mill, the theater brought New Hope a regular summer tour of actors and stagehands, many of whom started settling here for at least part of the year. The theater successfully reopened in 2012 following a significant renovation.
