Welcome to Smalltown USGay.
I’ll admit, New Hope is an unlikely LGBT destination, but “unlikely” still counts. About 40 miles north-ish of Philadelphia, this little town of 2,500 on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River is actually one of the biggest gay draws between New York and Rehoboth Beach. When did it happen? Who knows? How did it happen? Who cares? New Hope proves that little towns in the countryside aren’t hotbeds of homophobia. Quite the opposite, in fact.
The town (village?) has its own week-long Pride Festival (in May) and not one, not two, but three gay accommodations. An icon in these parts, the pool and cabana of the Raven Resort is your go-to for all things gay and social in New Hope, and they have supplemented their 10 rooms with another 28 at an additional sister property, the New Hope Lodge. Finally, there is the Wishing Well Guesthouse, whose hospitality made it as far as OUT Magazine.
But a circuit party it is not. New Hope is where gays from both the Big Apple and the City of Brotherly Love go to get away from the parties, the scene, the attitude, and the narcissism — as much as one can, of course. Think of it as a small-town, country retreat with all the gay comforts of home. You can catch a performance at the Bucks County Playhouse where Grace Kelly and Liza Minelli performed. Or maybe get some fresh air at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Reserve. And of course there is Marsha Brown, a savory Cajun cookery. I hear the Halloween ghost tours ain’t shabby, either.
In other words, I am not recommending some remote outpost that just so happens to be gay-friendly. And outside of town is the rest of Bucks County. Aside from being a favorite setting for any number of M. Night Shyamalan films (please don’t hold that against the county), Bucks is one of several regions in southeastern Pennsylvania discovering its potential for wine. The Bucks County Wine Trail counts nine wineries, which is just enough to get you tipsy but not so much to completely plaster you. It will take up a day at the very least, and is the very essence of country living.
As an FYI, across the Delaware River is equally idyllic Lambertville, NJ, and the two towns often work in tandem, particularly when it comes to LGBT goings-on. There’s a bridge linking the two, and it is a nice walk.
For more info, go to visitbuckscounty.com. To book, contact Steele at 646.688.2274 or [email protected].