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When summer comes I want to go, and I think you probably do too. It’s important to get what we call recreation, meaning re-creation. You see during the winter when we stay indoors we lack sunshine and the kind of exercise that is fun and emotionally satisfying. I know, we go to the gym or workout on machines that look like medieval torture devices, but how much delight do we get in that? So, summer is a time when we can engage in activities that nourish both the body and the soul. We can play outside. And there is no better place to do that than in the Doylestown/ Central Bucks County area. So here are some suggestions about where to go and what to do during those warm summer days.
My first suggestion is to go to Peace Vally Park. To begin with: Do nothing. Walk along Lake Galena on the paved pathway, find a bench, sit there and watch the boats float by. As you begin to get squirmy then maybe take a hike. There are 14 miles of trails in this park and you may work up a sweat—it’s summer after all. So take a hike. Or ride your bike. But then you see that big beautiful lake and you wonder, “What can I do to get closer to the water?” Well, those boats that float by—you can rent one or launch your own with a permit. Kayaking, canoeing, or floating on a raft can make you feel new, re-created. You can also go fishing, visit the Peace Valley Nature Center and sign up for Moonlight Walks or just keep sitting on that bench enjoying the sun and watching the fun. Peace Valley Park is located at 230 Creek Road, New Britain, PA.
If you like to pump pedals and grip handlebars, then a great place to go is Chapman Park. There they have a pump track. You can do this alone, with a friend or you may want to do it with a club. If you crave company check out the Central Bucks Bike Club at www.cbbikeclub.org. They are looking for new members. In fact the Borough of Doylestown has a webpage called Bike Doylestown and it has information about the Chapman pump park and links for the bicycle enthusiast. See www.doylestownborough.net/pages/bike-doylestown. A list of of all the Doylestown Borough Parks can be found at www.doylestownborough.net/pages/parks.
Kids can have a good time at most local parks, but there is one where they can have over-the top fun and that’s Central Park with Kids Castle Playground. Built like a small kingdom and featuring buildings that look like a wooden castle with sand surrounding it. There places to climb, slides, a maze and lots of room. That sand is like a humongous sandbox. Don’t you wish you were still a kid? They seem to have all the fun! Kids Castle is located within Central Park in Doylestown Township at 425 Wells Road, Doylestown, PA. To learn more about Kid’s Castle Playground visit www.doylestownpa.myrec.com/info/facilities/details.aspx?FacilityID=12833 or www.savekidscastle.org.
Central Park in Doylestown Township, where the Kid’s Castle Playground sits, is also a great spot for other kinds of recreation. On the Township website (www.doylestownpa.org/departments/parks-recreation/parks) it says, “Paved surfaces also connect both sides of the park and meander through meadows and wetlands. Flowers, butterflies, bluebirds abound, enchanting both bikers and hikers. It is the start of Circuit Trails network (Circuit Trails.org) leading to Montgomeryville and on. A destination for walking and biking and simply enjoying nature.” Doylestown Township has seven parks.
When someone says to me, “Take a hike,” I take it literally. At least I do when thinking about the Doylestown area. Trails in parks and connections to networks of trails can be found throughout the area. Several come to mind. Neshaminy Greenway Trail is considered “a generally easy route” and is 2.4 miles and takes about 49 minutes to finish. Near Fonthill Castle is the Fonthill Park Loop that is 1.3 miles and takes about 28 minutes to hike. A good place to visit for information on hiking in the area that lists the best ten trails in Doylestown is the All Trails website www.alltrails.com/us/pennsylvania/doylestown.
The point is get out there. Get some summer sunshine. There are so many things to do outside in the Doylestown area that build your body, relax your mind and are lots of fun. Besides boating, biking and hiking you can play sports tennis, golf, softball, pickleball, cornhole and the old standards, quates and horseshoes. And talking about horseshoes, there are many opportunities for the equestrian inclined in the area. So get out there re-create your body and your mind. Have fun and enjoy the sun, water, parks, trails that are so close to home.