Enjoy the Unique Food and Culture of the Pennsylvania Dutch Without Having to Travel Too Far

The Pennsylvania Dutch community is one of the many interesting aspects of Pennsylvania that sets it apart from other states.  The Amish reside mostly in Lancaster County, which is about two hours west of Philadelphia. However, you do not have to travel too far from the city to experience the culture of the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Newtown Farmer's Market

Address: 

2150 South Eagle Road
Newtown, PA 18940

Hours:

Thursday: 9:00am - 6:00 pm
Friday: 9:00am - 7:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am - 4:00pm

Market closed the rest of the week.

Newtown Farmer's Market Entrance

The Newtown Pennsylvania Dutch Farmer's Market contains 16 unique vendors that offer very interesting foods in which they are unique to the Amish and other specialty vendors.  To give a comparison, the Newtown Farmer's Market has a very similar set-up as the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia. However, almost all of the vendors in the Newtown Farmer's Market are from the Dutch community.

Riehl's Bakery Inside the Market

One of my favorite places to stop at on my stroll through the Newtown Farmer's Market is Riehl's Bakery. Pictured above are Riehl's homemade pies.  If you love fresh, homemade sweet treats you must stop by Riehl's Bakery. They have the freshest pies you will ever buy. They also sell cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, breads and sugar free pies.

Not only can you find sweet treat vendors at the market, but also seafood, candy, falafel, soft pretzels, vegetables/fruit and sushi vendors are available.  What is so interesting about the Newtown Farmer's Market is that you can see the Amish making the food right in front of you.  If you want to relax and eat your Dutch food, plenty of sitting areas are available around the market. It is a great place to stroll through to enjoy the Pennsylvania Dutch culture.

Rice's Sales and Country Market

Address:

6326 Greenhill Road
New Hope, PA 18938

Hours:

Open all year round on Tuesday: 7:00am - 1:00pm
Open Saturday's March - December: 7:00am - 1:00pm

Rice's Market Shops in the Barn

Rice's Market origins begin back in 1860 when A.L. Rice arrived in Solebury Township, PA. He settled on a farm, which is now the location of the 30 acre Rice's Market. He began to auction off his livestock products.  Word spread about Mr. Rice's auction, and soon neighbors and other farmers brought their products to the farm to get auctioned off.

Rice's Market Fruit Vendor

In the 1950's, a market portion of the auction was added, and it rapidly grew to 400 vendors, which sold a variety of products.  The evolution of the market started with it being a mainly produce market to it now being a bargain shopping market.

Today, Rice's vendors sell products from home goods, antiques, clothes, handbags and even handmade home decor all at reasonable prices.  It is now the oldest and largest outdoor market in Bucks County. Approximately 8,000 people visit Rice's Market per week.  It has been a bargain shopper and tourist destination for many years.

Rice's Market Wicker Country Collage

Rice's Market Antiques

So, who needs Canal Street when you have Rice's Market? Rice's is a great outdoor market that sells anything your heart desires.  Do you want a Gucci bag? No problem. Stop by one of the many vendors that sell "designer" handbags to get a great deal.

Here is the list of products at Rice's Market.

Rice's Market Handbags

My favorite aspect of Rice's is the clothes and handbags the vendors sell.  Although the prices are low, make sure to bring along your bartering skills to get the best bargain shopping price you can. Be sure to check out the indoor shops, which sells furniture, home decor and food.

If you are looking for a specific product, look through the merchant directory to find what you are looking for, and here is the market layout in case you get lost.

Rice's also has paved walkways, so it is wheelchair assessable and pet-friendly too.

Have an interesting product or produce that you think people would love? You can become a Rice's Market vendor by clicking here to find out what the prices are. Rice's shoppers are always looking for new and interesting products to buy, so consider selling at Rice's.

For more information and to view Rice's photo gallery be sure to visit Rice's main page.

A City of Unique Shops and Outlets Awaits You At Peddler's Village

The shops at Peddler's Village are where you can find anything and everything your heart desires. Conveniently located just across the street from Peddler's Village are designer outlets, and who can resist great deals? It is a dream come true.

Peddler's Village

Address:

41 Peddler's Village Road
Lahaska, PA 18931

Hours:

Monday - Thursday: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Friday - Saturday: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Sunday: 11:00 am - 6:00 pm

Hours vary depending on season please click here for more information.

Peddler's Village Welcome Sign

Peddler's Village is a colonial style shopping village containing 65 specialty stores and 5 restaurants located on 42 acres of land in central Bucks County.  Created in 1962 by Earl Jamison, it started out as a 14 shop, 1 restaurant shopping village and has now grown exponentially throughout its 50-year existence.  It attracts nearly 2 million visitors per year.

Do you feel like making a weekend trip to Peddler's Village? I recommend staying at the Golden Plough Inn, which is located in the heart of the shopping village.  It is a cozy bed and breakfast with 70 rooms and many amenities. Have a nice night in next to the warm fireplace while sipping your complimentary Chaddsford Winery bottle of wine. Not only does each overnight guest receive a bottle of wine, but he or she also receives a complimentary snack basket, a Chaddsford Winery gift card and a breakfast or lunch voucher that is valid at any of the 5 restaurants in Peddler's Village.

Peddler's Village Map Center

Shopping at Peddler's Village is a one-of-a-kind experience. If you are a new visitor, be sure to stop by the hospitality center and get a map so you know where to go and how to get there.

Some of my favorite shops are Canterbury Tales Forever, House of Coffee and Pigadilly's.  

Canterbury Tales Forever

Canterbury Tales Forever is a specialty shop of mostly Indie books with reasonable prices.  It is a great shop to spend an afternoon in looking through mainstream and non-mainstream books. The best part about Canterbury Tales Forever? It offers offer 20-40% discounts on a variety of books. It even hosts author signings throughout the year.  Keep checking its website to see who its next guest will be.

How many people love coffee? Well, you will be in heaven when you step into House of Coffee. Fresh coffee is made on a daily basis through an antique Probat Roaster using imported beans from around the world.

So, not everyone may be a coffee drinker.  House of Coffee has you covered. It also serves a variety of teas from dark roast to exotic blends.  Take a trip down the stairs to the cafe section where your nose will be filled with the aroma of fresh scones, croissants and other sweet treats. Then, take a break from your shopping to enjoy the House of Coffee's relaxing sitting area atmosphere.

Pigadilly's Ice Cream

I saved the best for last. I love ice cream, and I enjoy trying new flavors and ice cream shops. At Pigadilly's, you can enjoy a selection of 24 different home-made flavors you can't find anywhere else. They even offer soft-serve and gelato for those who may not be a fan of traditional ice cream.  Its soft serve is just as delicious as its ice cream.  What makes this ice cream shop different from others is it uses all-natural ingredients. You can choose from fat free, no sugar added and lactose free ice cream, so everyone can find something he or she will enjoy.

If you are interested in what other stores are located at Peddler's Village, please click here for a complete directory.

Peddler's Village Water Wheel

Peddler's Village Gazebo

Peddler's Village Water Wheel is an interesting design aesthetic that adds to the character of the village.  It was designed by Alfred Boell of New Hope and was recently restored to mint condition in 2006.  It is a relaxing view during the spring, summer and fall months when the water is flowing and the wheel is churning.

 Are you getting married anytime soon? Well, a Peddler's Village gazebo wedding should be highly considered. If you are looking to have an intimate, romantic wedding, a gazebo wedding is the best choice. The gazebo pictured above is a great place to relax and or to even have a wedding ceremony. How many people can say they got married in a picture-perfect gazebo in the heart of Bucks County? It is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Festivals are a major part of Peddler's Village. Take a look at the list of festivals and events to plan your trip so you don't miss out on a great event.

Penn's Purchase

Address:

5861 York Road
Lahaska, PA 18931

Hours: 

Monday - Saturday: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sunday: 11:00 am - 6:00 pm

Hours vary depending on season. Please click here for more information.

Penn's Purchase Stores

Penn's Purchase Directory

Penn's Purchase is a city-like outlet center directly across from Peddler's Village. Some of my favorite outlets are Coach, G.H. Bass & Co and Nine West. Because they are outlet stores, Penn's Purchase always has great discounts on all products throughout the outlets. In Coach, it offer up to 75% off some of its products during certain times of the year.  How can you beat that price?

Warning: This is not the place to visit if you are trying to save money. It is near impossible to leave the outlets empty handed.  I know through experience.

Penn's Purchase Coach Outlet

Penn's Purchase Outlets 

Before you visit Penn's Purchase, take a look a the store directory and events page.

Interesting Story: So, I visited the outlet store G.H. Bass & Co in Penn's Purchase around the time of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Guess who stopped by the store the day before I was there? An Olympian who won the women's skiing half-pipe, and came home with the silver medal!  So, you never know what famous faces you may come across in Bucks County. Even Olympians love Bucks County, which just adds one more reason to the list of reasons to visit.