Hidden Gems: The Best Small Towns for Day Trips

Sometimes, you just need to get away from it all. While there are many big cities in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey that offer endless things to do on the weekend, it’s always worth it to occasionally venture off the beaten path and check out a local small town.

From bustling downtowns packed with unique and quirky stores to interesting museums, these towns, though they may not have a large population (and might be out of the way), offer plenty of ways to spend a memorable Saturday or Sunday with your family.

Doylestown, PA

A common recommendation for small-town day trips, Bucks County’s Doylestown has a population of a little over 8,000 people but boasts an immense amount of history. Among its most popular attractions is the Mercer Museum and Fonthill Castle, which exhibit the collection of museum founder Henry Mercer and paint a picture of what daily life was like in 18th and 19th century America.

If you like museums but prefer art to history, check out the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, another Mercer venture that now serves as a museum of tile art and a workspace for local artists.

Many of Doylestown’s buildings have history to them, so chances are that you’ll learn something new whenever you walk down one of its streets. Peace Valley Nature Center is a short drive away from the downtown area and is home to many wooded trails, a vibrant population of wild birds and a native pollinator garden.

New Hope, PA

Also in Bucks County, New Hope offers a lot of fun, family-friendly activities, especially for children. It’s home to the Bucks County Children’s Museum, an interactive museum that allows children to engage in fun, educational pretend play in its many exhibits. Peddler’s Village is also a highlight, with plenty of places for grown-ups to shop and dine. The Giggleberry Fair Indoor Family Fun Center boasts a vast arcade, an antique carousel and the Giggleberry Mountain obstacle course.

New Hope is also a hub for arts and culture. The Bucks County Playhouse regularly hosts traveling productions of popular musicals and has been named “one of the top theaters on the East Coast” by the Wall Street Journal. There are also many art galleries in its downtown area that display works from local independent artists, including the New Hope Art House and Scrambled Gallery.

Lambertville, NJ

If you visited Doylestown or New Hope and want to spend a weekend in the area, consider stopping in Lambertville—less than a 10-minute drive from New Hope with a similar small-town charm. Lambertville is considered “The Antiques Capital of New Jersey” and offers plenty of places for people looking for unique finds to add to their collection, including the Antiques Center at The People’s Store and The Golden Nugget Antique & Flea Market, which is open three days a week and has been operating since 1967.

Want to get a scenic view of the area? Check out the Goat Hill Overlook, a beginner-friendly hiking trail in Washington Crossing State Park that offers a picturesque look at Lambertville, New Hope and the Delaware River. Finish the day off with a sweet treat at one of the town’s well-loved creameries, including Peace Pie for ice cream sandwiches and Owowcow Creamery for made-from-scratch ice cream.

Lititz, PA

Lititz was originally a settlement for members of the Moravian Church, but today it’s a fairly popular tourist destination. One of its most interesting attractions is just north of its downtown, though. The Wolf Sanctuary of PA is just a short drive away from Lititz and is a great place to see wolves in their natural environment. The sanctuary is home to more than 50 wolves and wolf-dog mixes and offers guided tours and fundraiser events for people interested in learning more about these elusive animals.

And it’s not the only attraction for animal lovers, either. Lititz Springs Park is home to a population of friendly ducks so well-known that they have their own Instagram account, with feeding stations located throughout the park for visitors who want to give them a snack.

If you’re looking for human food instead, there are plenty of options for that, too. Try the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, the oldest commercial pretzel bakery in the United States. It’s been in operation since 1861, and visitors can tour the historic factory, try their hand at pretzel-twisting and sample fresh-baked pretzels. Interested in something sweeter? The original Wilbur Chocolate Store still stands to this day and is home to the free Candy Americana Museum and a wide variety of handmade chocolate.

Chester, NJ

One of Chester’s most well-known attractions is Stony Hill Farms, which is a popular fall destination because of its wide variety of pick-your-own fruits and vegetables. Picking season starts in June with berries and flowers and ends in October with apples and pumpkins. Outside of the harvest season, though, the town has a farm market selling local products and a giant corn maze open in the fall.

Nearby is the Willowwood Arboretum, a historic park and farm property with a diverse array of exotic flowers and plants. There are several trails there for walking and hiking, as well as a Redwood tree that currently stands at nearly 100 feet tall. For more adventurous hikers, Hacklebarney State Park is a short drive away.

For tourists who prefer shopping to hiking, Chester’s downtown is home to many unique local businesses, including a variety of antique shops, apothecaries selling crystals and herbs and more.