Bucks County, Pennsylvania, has places to visit with activities for outdoor lovers, history buffs, wine aficionados and art enthusiasts. The county was founded by William Penn in 1682 and named for his family's home county of Buckinghamshire in England. Spread over more than 600 square miles of land and 15 square miles of water, the county is rich in natural scenery, fertile farmland, cultural activities and colonial history.
Historic Sites
- If your interest in history leads you to explore colonial America's heritage, architecture, covered bridges or small towns, Bucks County offers a multitude of sites to visit. It almost seems as if every building in Pennsylvania was built 300 years ago, but Historic Fallsington actually was built in 1692. Guided tours are available of three original buildings. Take a look at how everyday life functioned in the 17th century with a tour of Pennsbury Manor, William Penn’s 17th-century estate along the Delaware River. The 43-acre plantation has been reconstructed, and you'll find a manor house, outbuildings, livestock, gardens and exhibits. Numerous covered bridges built in the 1800s are situated around the county, including the Frankenfield Covered Bridge. Constructed in 1872, it's one of the longest covered bridges in the county.
County Parks and Lake Luxembourg
- Discover eight parks in Bucks County, including Core Creek Park, one of the most popular because of its size and amenities. The 1,200-acre park has playgrounds for kids with swings and climbing apparatus, ball fields, an off-leash dog park, multi-use courts, bike trails, hiking trails and walking paths. The park surrounds Lake Luxembourg, where you can boat and fish or take part in unusual activities open to visitors. Try the dragon boat experience, in which you ride in a boat with 20 paddlers total, a drummer and a steersperson. There also are full moon kayak tours, rowing lessons and junior boating camps. Picnic tables are available so you can enjoy a bite to eat. The county also oversees two historic properties and an additional nine recreation sites that offer numerous amenities, including boat rentals and facilities for tennis, swimming and golf.
Bucks County Wine Trail
- Nine family or small wineries dot the hills of Bucks County, minutes apart from each other, making a wine tour an easy afternoon event. Many of the tasting rooms also have gourmet tidbits or snacks for purchase and a picnic table or two where you can enjoy a glass of wine. The moderate climate of the area has helped bring the county into the forefront of grape-growing regions on the East Coast. At Buckingham Valley Vineyards, while you taste a fruit or port wine, you can admire the sculpture and art on display, most by local artists. If you're a music fan, make sure to visit New Hope Winery -- there are concerts most weekends in the 250-seat concert venue.
Arts Action
- The culture and activities of the area are captured by local artists whether they're painters, quilters, sculptors or tile makers. The Moravian Pottery and Tile Works in Doylestown is a National Historic Landmark open for tours that functions as a "working history" museum. Handmade tiles are available for purchase, as are mosaics made in the American Arts and Crafts tradition. In another medium, artist Al Lachman depicts American barns and landscapes in his paintings at the Lachman Gallery in Lahaska. Quilters showcase more than a hundred pieces at the annual Bucks County Quilt Show in Bensalem; visitors can see traditional, Amish and artistry quilts. In historic Quakertown, you can participate in annual events and festivals, such as an arts festival, a fall harvest festival or a Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
