New Yorkers who want to escape the city on a weekend often choose between two options. Hudson Valley Or, Hamptons. The region is known as the Delaware River Valley and includes the towns of New Hope, Newark, and Newark. New Hope is located in the Delaware River Valley. Pennsylvania—described to me by tight-lipped locals as “Hudson without a train stop”—has long been a popular spot for those seeking relaxation and inspiration. New Hope first came across my desk within the last year, and the frequency illusion quickly took over—once I heard about it, I couldn’t stop hearing about it. Maybe in part because stars like Bradley Cooper, and the Hadid Family, have taken residence in the city.
The more I researched it, the more I realized that New Hope and the small towns surrounding it have a lot of charm. George Washington made a famous run through the area. (Remember that fateful Christmas Eve when he walked across the Delaware River?), and in the 1920s, a group of artists, authors, and playwrights—Oscar Hammerstein and Dorothy Parker, a few among them—flocked to the region in search of a creative retreat, granting the area its historic “genius belt” moniker.
Similar to Hudson and its Hudson Valley counterparts, a visit to New Hope also puts you in proximity to a string of sweet little towns along the PA-NJ border—Doylestown, Lambertville, and Frenchtown, to name a few—and you can easily idle away your days between them, paddling along the river, hunting for antiques, or catching a show at a local theater. In terms of food and drinks, there are many restaurants run by former restaurateurs. big-city chefs The feeling that diners are being told a secret is enhanced by the presence of people who have given up their careers for a simpler lifestyle. The area is bursting with boutique hotels, which go above and beyond in order to make the stay special.
It was only this spring that I decided to finally see the area for myself. You would be remiss to not do the exact same. If you are ready to start planning your trip, here is a list of places to stay, eat and play around New Hope.
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New Hope is a great getaway. It’s only an hour and a half drive from Manhattan. weekend jauntYou can drive anywhere in the world, as long as you have your license. Driving is by far the most convenient way to travel from one city to another. Uber is an option but it was not always easy to get a ride (there are restrictions for pickup across state boundaries) and I did better by scheduling my cars ahead of time.
Where to Stay
This 38-room hotel may be the most sought after in town. River House at Odette’sThe hotel, which boasts a picturesque view of the Delaware River, was once a bohemian cafe run by Odette Myrtill, a musician and actress. Remnants of midcentury glamour persist in the lobby Piano Lounge—where you might run into a bride or two, due to its popularity as a wedding venue—or on The Roof, a members-only bar where Yolanda Hadid’s signature is displayed proudly on the wall.
The eight-room accommodation offers a more personalized experience. Stockton InnThe revitalization of a historic inn from the 1700s in Stockton, New Jersey was completed in 2024. The on-site restaurant, helmed by chef Bob Truitt (formerly of Michael White and Stephen Starr), and the hotel’s casual sister café, Stockton MarketBoth are food destinations. While the walls carry echoes of a creative past—F. Scott Fitzgerald and Margaret Mitchell spent time at the hotel—the digs are decidedly modern, from the contemporary photographs that line the dining room to the chic paper lantern lights that hover above the beds.
