Outdoorsy activities are hard to come by in Philadelphia. There are only so many times you can bike along the Schuylkill River or explore Fairmount Park. To experience some hardcore nature, a trip outside of the city limits is required.
Ringing Rocks Park is not too far outside of the city limits. And this Bucks County park features hiking, impressive rocks and a decent-sized waterfall.
How to get there
You’re going to need a car. It’s a pretty straightforward route. Just take I-95 N to NJ29 N before turning onto a few small roads as you get near Ringing Rocks. The trip should take a little more an hour.
Cost
This will be a cheap trip. Your only price should be the gas it takes to get up there and whatever you might want to spend in the surrounding area after you visit Ringing Rocks.
What to do
The boulder field
Ringing Rocks Park gets its name from this seven-acre or so formation that features hundreds of different-sized rocks. Some of them ring when you hit them with another rock or a hammer, thus the name. Scientists have tried to figure out why so many rocks ended up in one place that has very little wildlife — a flood, a glacier, radiation — but aren’t 100 percent sure. So, chalk it up to aliens, I guess! Actually don’t. But some people do.
Hiking
Away from the rocks, you’ll find a lush forest with plenty of routes to walk through it. Take a trail to the right of the rocks, and you’ll start on the path that leads to the waterfall. You can end your hike with a picnic. Plenty of picnic tables are scattered throughout Ringing Rocks.
A photo posted by Jamie Stahley Cabreza (@jamiecabreza) on
Art
Drive about 20 miles south to the twin towns of New Hope, Pa., and Lambertville, N.J. There are somewhere around about 200 craft shops, galleries and antique stores around these towns. The New Hope Antiques Center and the Bucks County Gallery of Fine Art are two of the top stops.
Nearby restaurants and bars
Just like the art, the best place to find food and drink is New Hope. Most of these places are on or near the Delaware River (New Hope has done a better job than Philly of developing its waterfront).
John & Peter’s: Live music every night.
Logan Inn: This restaurant is housed in a 1722 building. Has steak and seafood for dinner and also serves breakfast and lunch.
Marsha Brown: Creole food served in an old church.
Triumph Brewing Company: You’ve probably had Triumph before. This is one of the locations where they brew it.
Zoubi Restaurant and Bar: Known for its outdoor seating and constantly changing menu. Foie gras ravioli anyone?
