Median home cost: $894,450
Population: 8,300
Family demographics: 32%
11 local parks
8 park playgrounds
65,000 artifacts in the Mercer Museum
Top Schools: Central Bucks High School – East, Central Bucks High School – West, Doyle Elementary School, Kutz Elementary School, Holicong Middle School
The county seat of Bucks County, Doylestown originally grew out of Doyle’s Tavern, a business owned by Irish innkeeper William Doyle that set the stage for further settlement of the area. While the tavern no longer stands, Doyle’s image survives on a mural painted on the Doylestown Post Office by artist Charles Child.
Today, Doylestown attracts visitors through its charming downtown shopping district and its many historic locales. Nine different places in Doylestown are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Historic Houses
Step back in time at the Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle, both historic castles once owned by curator, archaeologist and mosaic artisan Henry Chapman Mercer, with thousands of artifacts from before the Industrial Revolution. Visitors can take a one-hour guided tour of Fonthill Castle — Mercer’s preserved home, which showcases many of his creations — but parents should note it has steep stairs and is not stroller-accessible.
Art Appreciation
Mercer also founded the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, which now serves as a ceramics museum and a workshop for tile artists. But aside from Mercer’s works, the Michener Art Museum exhibits American art primarily focused on the Delaware River Valley region and has an upcoming exhibit on “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” author and illustrator Eric Carle. Older children may also want to check out VAMPA, a spooky museum full of supposedly-haunted artifacts and vampire-focused art.
More To Explore: Catch a foreign film screening at the County Theater, play at Kids Castle Central Park, learn about the performing arts at the Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center and enjoy lavender season at Peace Valley Lavender Farm.
More for Families
• Bucks County Civil War Library and Museum | Aldie Mansion
• Chapman Gallery | Mini Mega Electric Gallery
• Doylestown Bookshop | Busy Bee Toys
• Doylestown Arts Festival
• Hanusey Park Community Center | Bucks County Free Library | Star Garden Park
Family-Friendly Eats
• Station Taphouse
• Devil’s Acre Tavern
• The Hattery Stove & Still
• Water Wheel Tavern
• Aunt Judy’s Family Restaurant
Pediatricians
• Michael Nicholas (CHOP Primary Care)
• Pamela Harrington (CHOP Primary Care)
• Rob Riesenberger (Doylestown Pediatric Dental)
