A bed and breakfast that has an Italian touch; the best restaurant in New Hope for authentic Mediterranean food and Dubai cookies; where to get cocoa cappuccinos and spiced hot chocolates; and where to hike along the Delaware River to see fall foliage. Read on to plan the perfect Autumn getaway!
Where to Stay: The Woolverton Inn
The best bed and breakfast in New Hope PA…isn’t in New Hope at all! Less than a 10-minute drive over a bridge from Main Street in New Hope, lies the little town of Stockton, NJ, where you will find the most quaint and picturesque bed and breakfast called The Woolverton Inn.
My husband and I have stayed here for a sweet October getaway three years in a row (and counting). We’ve gotten to experience the Carolyn’s Overlook cottage with two bedrooms and a full kitchen, as well as two different rooms in the main house (Amelia’s suite is my personal favorite and Letitia’s suite which has a Bridgerton vibe in its style and feel). All the rooms have a fireplace and a two-person Jacuzzi or soaking tub. The inn is situated on 300+ sprawling acres of beautiful country scenery. Eating breakfast on the porch while watching the autumn leaves fall really feels like you are in a postcard.
There are plenty of historic bed and breakfasts in New Hope and the surrounding areas, but what sets The Woolverton Inn apart, for me, are the unique Italian touches. The inn is now run by Mary and Mario Passalacqua, both of Italian American descent, who lived abroad in Milan for a couple of years when their children were young. The breakfasts, the vegetable garden, and rolling landscape of the property where their six resident sheep roam are a few of the things that remind me of an inn somewhere in the central or northern Italian countryside.
Your stay at this bed and breakfast includes a 3-course breakfast, often a baked good, some fresh fruit and your main choice of a savory (like a frittata) or a sweet (like French toast or pancakes), and a protein. The eggs usually always come with veggies and/or a side Italian salad of mixed greens, olives, and sweet red peppers. This sort of breakfast with sweet and savory and including veggies reminds me of my time in Italy and Greece. It always feels good to start the day off with some fresh produce and I really appreciate this Italian touch to the menu. It definitely differs from the usual complimentary breakfast at other places I’ve stayed.
Another one of my favorite parts about the inn, and a nod to coffee culture in Italy, is the state-of-the-art espresso and coffee bar. A complimentary “help yourself” station where you can indulge throughout the day, fully equipped with all the fixings. I love enjoying cappuccinos each morning, and teas in the evening. I get very spoiled with my routine of waking up early, relaxing by the fire, then enjoying a cappuccino-a-day on the covered porch, watching the Autumn leaves fall. (who am I?!)
Keeping with the Italian concept of eating seasonally, locally, and as fresh as possible, the inn cooks with whatever vegetables they grow in their garden or from neighboring farms. Sometimes they even offer afternoon apples from nearby orchard. I recommend adding on the local cheese plate with nuts and fresh and dried fruit to your room, so you can snack on it upon arrival.
You can really see the history throughout the common areas of the inn as old black and white family photos and pictures of Mario’s mother, Norma Passalacqua glitter the walls of the main house. Often, quiet jazz music plays all through the night in the common areas, very softly, so if you head down for any reason, it feels warm and cozy. If you’ve ever listened to “jazz songs from another room” then that’s the best way for me to describe it. At my grandma’s house in New York City, she hooked up a radio to the lamp, so when you entered the bedroom, a soft light would turn on, and so would old standards or instrumental jazz music, and I think that is why this little touch feels extra sweet to me.
There are no televisions in any of the rooms, but you can bring your own laptop to connect to WiFi for an evening movie, though I think the lack of technology adds to its charm. It’s a comforting and rejuvenating experience and a place I hope to return to time and time again.
Where to Eat: Best Restaurants in New Hope for Lunch
After exploring town, you will be ready for some lunch! My third year in a row feasting at The Good Gyro, one of the best restaurants in New Hope. Some trips, we go two days in a row, it is that good. The Good Gyro is family-run, and they make homemade Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. Everything spanning Greek, Lebanese, Syrian, and Turkish- you can find it there. They even have a section where you can purchase dry and shelf stable Middle Eastern and Mediterranean goods. It is located right in the Ferry Market (a small, metered parking lot in the back, but typically only available during the week when it is less crowded). But don’t let the “in a food market” vibe fool you: the owners have owned restaurants in Philadelphia and San Francisco and were mentioned in the Michelin Guide.
Over the years, we have tried so many items here. The grilled chicken with garlic toum platter is my favorite. Everything is homemade, made-to-order, and definitely worth the wait. Your meal will include lots of fresh vegetables and they even grind their own spice blends. They have a selection of authentic desserts too, like baklava and Turkish Delights. I recently tried their Dubai cookie with pistachio and knafeh, fresh out of the oven! It was delicious. I recommend picking up a couple to bring back to your room, heat up in the microwave, and enjoy with a cup of tea or milk. SO good. At the time of writing this, they are closed on Tuesdays and you will want to double-check daily hours before you go.
Another restaurant we like is Lumberville General Store, about a ten-minute drive from New Hope. Everything is made fresh and they have a solid menu serving homemade soups (the butternut squash tastes like a less-sweet pumpkin pie!), sandwiches, salads, baked goods and breakfast all day. They have a great cheeseburger on brioche. They also have tons of outdoor seating on a hill overlooking the woods, so it’s lunch and a view.
Where to get coffee
There are quite a few coffee spots in the area, and we have two favorites we like to frequent. The first is SkyRoast Coffee, also located right in the Ferry Market in New Hope, across from The Good Gyro. If you want a little chocolate fix, ask for the cocoa powder sprinkled on top of your cappucino, a perfect combo with a sweet treat since the bitterness of the chocolate balances out the sweetness. The second place we like to go is Lambertville Trading Company where you can get a spiced hot chocolate and lots of other goodies. This coffee shop feels really cozy and has an old-timey feel.
Things to do in New Hope: Shops, Ghosts, and Hikes!
There are lots of cute and fun shops in New Hope, Lambertville, and the surrounding areas. Window shopping or popping in and out of unique stores is always a fun way to spend the afternoon. The surrounding architecture is beautiful, so definitely be sure to veer off the main streets and up into the hills of the neighborhoods to take in the beautiful historic buildings with so much character.
New Hope is said to have lots of ghostly paranormal activity, so if you are into that sort of thing, you can sign up for one of their ghost tours. I do believe they are only on weekends, and we visited during the week, so my husband did some research and made our own little map of locations around the town to hear the spooky tales he found online. It was honestly so fun, and I actually appreciated doing the tour in the golden hour of sunset rather than at night, as I was able to really see the intricacies of the historical homes and appreciate the details more fully.
A huge draw of the area is the accessibility to hiking trails and nature. That is what makes this trip such a fall tradition for us: we get to immerse ourselves in the fall colors, appreciate the clear and expansive Delaware river, and drive along winding country roads. There are tons of hikes in the area and a variety of loops you can choose. This map of loop trails in the area is a good place to start. We like to park near the bathrooms at the Virginia Forest Recreation Area and go from there.
Let me know in the comments: have you ever been to this area? What are some of your favorite attractions? If you are planning a trip to the area, I hope this article can give you some recommendations!
