One-Tank Getaway
New Hope, PA
by Karla Vierthaler
 If you’ve never been, New Hope, Pennsylvania is a small haven of
organic commerce located just inside the New Jersey border along the
Delaware River. It may seem like a driving ordeal, but a simple jaunt
eastbound on the PA turnpike will put you in charming New Hope.
You’ll
descend into a picturesque town with shops, galleries, and restaurants
that have homemade painted signs, and will find most owners at work inside
their business. There is nothing in the town that is not quaint and
charming. From the train stop with a puppy courtesy drinking bowl to the
bead store with a sign welcoming bare feet, New Hope is a refreshing
destination for the worn and weary city dweller.
What is there to do in New Hope? How about taking a ferry ride down the
Delaware Canal, followed by a walk down quaint cobblestone streets, dinner
at a restored inn, and ending with a night at the theatre? With a stunning
variety of shops, galleries, attractions and dining, the town will leave
you wishing you had more time to explore. New Hope is easy to navigate due
to the fact that there are technically only four streets. The Visitor’s
Center is conveniently located at the corner of Main Street and Mechanic
Street, and may be a good place to begin your day.
Shopping
Shopping in New Hope takes on a different identity. With over
100 retail attractions, the town boasts rare and unique finds for the
seasoned shopper. There are a number of eclectic vintage clothing stores —
like Night Owl Vintage Clothing, 10 Stockton Avenue — offering Levi’s from
the 1960s and polyester bellbottoms from the 1970s. India Fashions, in the
Four Seasons Mall on 32 S. Main Street, offers unique women’s clothing
with an eastern flair. Dresswell’s, 10 Bridge Street, offers sportswear
made from natural fabrics for men and women.
Another store offering antique clothing along with a bunch more is the LSD
shop, also known as Love Saves the Day. Located on South Main Street, the
store is a maze of rare finds from old police uniform shirts to 1950s
collector Pez dispensers. Similar is the Now and Then Shop on East Bridge
Street, an authentic head shop born in the days of peace and love.
Enchanted Treasures, 88 South Main Street, is a self-titled “destination
for fun and funky creative craft.” Laser Illusions, 11 West Bridge Street,
boasts impressive framed holograms. The shop also has rare gadgets and
gifts like miniature pinball machines and air hockey games. Gothic Gifts,
15 North Main Street, has over 400 gargoyles, angels, and grave images.
Farley’s Bookshop, 44 South Main Street, is a wonderful store stuffed with
a wide array of books and a knowledgeable staff. If you’re a book lover,
schedule in a good half hour to get lost in the shelves of rare books.
Toys for Men, also located in the Four Season’s Mall, has everything from
funky ties to pocket watches. Although the electronic gadget section was
lacking, the store remains a boy’s dream.
Other shops include beads and jewelry-making shops, Native American-themed
boutiques, and specialty food stores (one was devoted to hot sauces!).
Galleries
It is easy to peg New Hope as a mecca for the arts. Named one
of the top 20 artsy towns in the U.S., New Hope has a superfluity of
galleries offering everything from fine art to crafty finds. The J&W
Gallery at 20 West Bridge Street offers fine art from over 25 local,
national, and international artists of varying styles and media. J&W is
the three-year (and running) winner of New Hope’s “Arty” award for the
best gallery in town.
 A
Mano Gallery, 36 North Union Street, has been named one of the top 10
galleries for American crafts. Offering garden, home, and office
accessories along with jewelry, glass, clay, and wood furniture, the
gallery is an eclectic combination of art and craft. The Gratz and
Conservation Studio, 30 West Bridge Street, has 19th and 20th century oil
paintings, and gold leaf and fine conservation services.
The Greene and Greene Gallery, 32 Bridge Street, shows the contemporary
jewelry and furniture of artist Jeffery Green, who opened the gallery 14
years ago. The distinct leather design shop of Fred Eisen, 129 South Main
Street, is a treat. The artist exhibits ready made and custom leather
coats, bags, wallets, belts and clothing for the discerning shopper.
A highlight for the music lover is the Gallery of the Stars, Mechanic
Street. The gallery displays the works of Jerry Garcia, John Lennon, Tony
Bennett, Ron Wood (of the Rolling Stones), and one amazing piece by David
Bowie.
Other Activities
Tired of shopping? There are a ton of other activities to full
up your short vacation.
Masterpiece Galleries, 15 West Mechanic Street, offers art and
architecture tours guided by art historian Dr. Lori Verderame. The tours
begin at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays at a cost of $10.
Children under 16 are free.
If you’d would like to experience New Hope by varied means of
transportation, River Mountain Outfitters rent bicycles, kayaks, and
canoes. Located on the river, canal and bike path at 287 South Main
Street, the business offers seasonal instructional kayaking programs and
tours.
Ferry rides — including a narrated tour of New Hope — are offered from 11
a.m. to 6 p.m. at a cost of $6 for adults and $4 for children. Just catch
up with the boat at the end of Ferry Street to jump on board.
Amid the plethora of dining options offered in New Hope is the dinner and
brunch offered on the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad. Aiming to recreate a
trip on the Orient Express, the railroad offers a 50-minute dining
experience while touring the back woods of Bucks County. Reservations are
required, and can be made by calling 215-862-2332 or visiting
newhoperailroad.com.
The essence of the One Tank Getaway is to offer our readers the
quintessential condensed vacation and New Hope is the ideal answer to that
challenging goal. The town is fresh and alive, and the aura kind. We found
ourselves commenting quite frequently that it was “nice to get away,” and
came back refreshed and energized. What more could one ask for in a tank
of gas?
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