NEW HOPE, PA.

The sweet town of New Hope lies 90 minutes south of New York by car. Its streets hold a wealth of quaint shops, historic hotels and locally sourced restaurants. The community also boasts a river walk not to be missed, perched on the west bank of the Delaware River. Small wonder Forbes.com rated this as one of the best places to own a summer home in the Northeast. It’s also home to one of the oldest gay communities in the U.S.

What’s new:

Sept. 26 and 27 will see one of the town’s top annual events, the Outdoor Arts and Crafts Festival (VisitNewHope.com). The weekend fest shows the work of more than 175 artists and craftsmen working in oil paintings, pastels, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, glass art, photography and more. How apt for a place that boasts a century-old artists’ colony.

Don’t miss:

Buckingham Valley Vineyards & Winery (pawine.com) features self-guided tours of the vines as well as tastings. The local Bucks County Playhouse (bcptheater.org) has long served as a testing ground for Broadway-bound productions. Braver visitors can take in the “Ghost Tours of New Hope” (ghosttoursofnewhope.com). It’s a night walk, lit by lantern, showcasing the town’s shadowy side. More, the New Hope & Ivylan Railroad (newhoperailroad.com) offers a 45-minute spin (below) through the rolling hills and lush valleys of surrounding Bucks County.

Stay:

Aaron Burr House B&B (aaronburrhouse.com): A stately structure, named for the town’s most historic resident, this Victorian B&B dates from 1873. You’ll find an equal architectural gem at the Golden Pheasant Inn (goldenpheasant.com). This fieldstone structure, built in 1857, lies between a dreamy stretch of the Delaware River and a bucolic canal.