Great Place To Live
by Cynthia Marone
It is easy to live in Bucks County and never want for a thing. Whether it is shopping or sailing, covered bridges or the casino, there is something for every taste and style. That diversity has been a draw time and again for artists, families, empty nesters, singles starting out, nature lovers and history buffs.
The breathtaking landscape is the first thing that captures a person’s eye. The large swaths of open farmland shine in the morning sun and captivate all who pass. The sparkling Delaware River that George Washington famously crossed to jump-start the fledgling Revolutionary War in 1776 has given way to teems of tubers that languidly float downstream. Our 12 covered bridges contribute to Pennsylvania’s designation as having the most of any state in the country. Our parks’ rolling hills, open fields and towering trees glitter in greens in the summer and golds and reds in the fall. Those trees in winter, bare as they stretch skyward, become lush with the promise of spring. It is a showcase of color and tranquility that only nature can provide.
The beauty of the seasons is only eclipsed by what a person can do in those great outdoors. Several nature centers teach and entertain bird- and butterfly-watchers. Hiking, walking, equestrian and biking trails, along with fishing, kayaking and canoeing, are all ensconced in the parks. Washington Crossing Historic Park is a designated National Historic Landmark, as are many places throughout the county, and just a tap at Ringing Rocks Park boulder field will make the most unlikely chimes fill the air.
Music is only the tip of the creative iceberg in Bucks County, which has had a flourishing arts scene for more than a century. Talent is born in Bucks County while many others nurture it here. Broadway legend Oscar Hammerstein II lived in Doylestown, but pop’s Pink is native to the borough as is Pulitzer-winning author James Michener. The arts are for all, and the bounty is shared through theater companies, a symphony orchestra and the Gilbert & Sullivan Society that mounts an annual operetta.
With history and the arts at every turn, education is paramount and it shows in every Bucks County school. For what is the purpose of these jewels if not to show the next generation their value? These institutions expand young minds through many styles of schooling, from public, private and charter to colleges, universities and career and technical schools. Three of Bucks County’s public high schools—New Hope-Solebury, Central Bucks East and Central Bucks West—ranked in the top 25 of the best high schools in Pennsylvania, according to U.S. News & World Report. With much to boast about, the county is most proud of how it prepares children and young adults for their next steps in life by teaching them how to understand the past, celebrate the now and create a better tomorrow.
Learning in Bucks County is not limited to the formative years or the walls of academia. Museums, including the Michener Art Museum and Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle; historic sites and homes, such as the Moravian Pottery & Tile Works, Moland House and the Erwin-Stover House and Barn; and even a grist- and sawmill at Stover-Myers Mill will dazzle the most discerning art, architecture or history buff.
Bucks County has a profound past, acclaimed arts and artists, a stellar school system, magnificent landscapes and even Sesame Place for little ones and Parx Casino as an adults’ playground. Yet its uniqueness goes a step further with cozy shops, one-of-a-kind boutiques, art galleries and antique stores. Sprinkled throughout the county, from Peddler’s Village to New
Hope and from Newtown to Yardley, are lovingly curated items for self and home that are as distinctive as their buyers.
Many consider shopping not only a necessity but also a passion. Dining out fits that bill, too. Foodies, families and the famished can find whatever they crave in this haven for the hungry. Elegant eateries, BYOBs, gastropubs, pizza places, burger joints, tasteful taverns and inns steeped in the past will tempt any palate. Sophisticated wine and ale trails are complemented by an ever-growing list of distilleries such as Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey and Hewn Spirits. If a cone is preferred rather than a cocktail, there is the family-friendly ice cream trail that will tickle the taste buds.
Life in Bucks County has all there is to offer, but there may be occasion to leave—though homesickness would surely set in soon. Located 90 minutes from New York and less than an hour from Princeton, N.J., and Center City Philadelphia, other frontiers are a hop and a skip away with the best part being that home always awaits.
William Penn founded this land in 1682. He may have named it after Buckinghamshire, his home in England, but centuries later, today’s Bucks County stands alone.
Cynthia Marone is a freelance writer and editor who lives in Northeast Philadelphia.