Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
Our daytrip begins at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve south of New Hope, Pennsylvania, along the Delaware River. The brainchild of two 1930s visionaries, the preserve encompasses meadows, forest, and creek banks rich in native wildflowers. The paths are wide, smooth, and mostly flat. Its current 134 acreage features over 700 native species viewable by the public year-round.
Lambertville Antiques & dinner
Next we travel up the river a few miles and cross the Delaware River into New Jersey on the historic New Hope-Lambertville Bridge. Most tourists and weekend visitors are drawn to New Hope because of its shopping and dining reputation, but we prefer the smaller-scaled, walkable Lambertville. The quiet town offers interesting architecture and diverse shopping and dining destinations.
A popular stop is the People’s Store, a three-story antiques and design center, loaded with affordable and eclectic items for sale and painters working on the top floor. A great place for browsing.
We get in some walking with a stroll uptown for hand-crafted, premium ice cream at the Owowcow Creamery, then return for a drink at the unique Boat House, a nautical-themed bar written up in magazines like Conde Nast Traveler. The small two-storied structure has been known to fill quickly, so we arrive soon after opening time at 4 pm.
Afterward we walk a few blocks to Anton’s at the Swan for dinner— a lovely restaurant serving “new American comfort food.” The dinner and bar menus feature grilled meats and fish as well as crabcakes and risotto. We sink into comfy chairs along the wood-paneled walls to enjoy an intimate dinner that caps off our day.
