On what turned out to be a beautiful spring day, I recently headed north — to Doylestown Borough — for a quick visit, curious to walk about the town.
I have been in Doylestown a number of times — passing through, visiting the museums, going to a restaurant and catching a movie. But I had never really walked about town for a length of time other than getting from the car to the theater, for example.
I decided it was time to take my time and check out the town. And, or course, I wanted to treat myself to a little escape.
For some, this town may just be down the road. For others, it may be, “Where is that again?”
Anyway, it is just across the county line.
I decided to hop on the R5 SEPTA train at the Lansdale Transportation Center. And, less than 30 minutes later, I was at my destination.
I am glad I decided to take the train. It gave me a chance to view some scenery that otherwise we miss as we drive ourselves. I saw parts of Lansdale that I never see; plenty of backyards already lined up with newly planted vegetable gardens; and quite of bit of woods and winding creeks.
The train station in Doylestown is off South Clinton Street and is a short walk from the center of town to the north and the Mercer Museum and the James A. Michener Art Museum to the east. My first stop was the borough office, where I picked up a map and some other information.
I wandered around town at a leisurely pace with no particular route in mind. A very flexible walking tour. I stopped whenever something caught my eye or just to take in the scenery.
I was treated to a few pleasant surprises. I stumbled onto small park areas that were a delight. One is off South Main Street and behind the Doylestown Historical Society, 56 S. Main Street, a couple of blocks from the train station and adjacent to the 1814 House Inn.
Right at the entrance of the park is a locator map. It gives you an overview of where everything is. I found two other small parks, one named Star Garden, featuring a whimsical mosaic.
Doylestown boasts a bounty of historic and interesting structures. Historic houses bear markers, which makes them easy to spot. I found many clustered around Church, East Court and State streets.
The town is peppered with law and accountant offices, as you will notice. And a conspicuous landmark is the county courthouse at the intersection of Main and Court streets. A garden area off the courthouse features memorials to World War II, plus the Vietnam, Korean and Persian Gulf wars.
The town also boasts a variety of boutique-style shops and an assortment of restaurants through which you could take a culinary trip around the world. You can find pricey shoes, specialties for your pooch, trendy fashions and curiosities.
I made only a few stops to look around: the Doylestown Bookshop at 16 S. Main St.; BusyBee Toys at 58 E. State St.; and Raymer’s Homemade Candies at 21 E. Oakland Ave., where I was seduced by the aroma of chocolate.
This last stop was by accident as I was on my way to catch the train. I was walking along East State Street and I decided to make a turn on a side street. On my next turn, I saw a storefront decked out in patriotic garb but I could not see the inside completely because of the curtains so I had to go in — what’s a chocolate lover to do?
Back at the train station, I had some time to sit at a bench and relax and enjoy the spring sky before heading back home. My visit lasted less than 4 hours.
I found Doylestown to be very walkable. The borough has made a point of making sure that pedestrians are taken care of. Locations are easy to find and, according to borough Manager John Davis, more pedestrian-oriented signs are in the works to further help visitors find their way around.

TRAVEL NOTES

WALKING TOUR: Doylestown will be making available a map and brochure of a self-guided walking tour of the historic district. The information will be available at the borough hall at 57 W. Court St. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. They do have other brochures and informational leaflets on hand. Visitors are welcome to stop by. For more information about the self-guided walking tour call (215) 345-4140.
For additional information about Doylestown Borough, check www.doylestownborough.net/index.htm.
TRAIN RIDE: My morning train ride was $6 round trip. For R5 SEPTA train schedules and fees, check www.septa.com or call (215) 580-7800. Train fares vary.
There is also Doylestown DART, a public transit service that makes a stop at the train station, at Main and State streets and at the Michener Museum, among others. For more information, including a route map, check www.doylestowndart.com or call (866) TMA-RIDE (862-7433). The buses run Monday through Saturday.
GETTING HUNGRY: I spent less than $10 for a hoagie, small chips and iced tea at a local hoagie place at lunchtime. There are plenty of eateries around town. I noticed some opened close to noon on the Friday I visited. You can also consider packing a lunch or a snack.
SOUVENIRS: I bought some candies and pastries for my family, but I lost track (ahem) of this expenditure.
DATE POTENTIAL: A date in Doylestown looks pretty nice — there are plenty of restaurants; the tree-lined streets lend themselves to a romantic stroll; or you can check out an art house movie at the County Theater.
CHECK THESE OUT: Take the kids, visiting relatives and friends to the Mercer and Fonthill museums; they are castles complete with towers and gables. Check www.mercermuseum.org or call (215) 345-0210 or (215) 348-9461. Art lovers should give The James A. Michener Art Museum a try. Check www.michenermuseum.org or call (215) 340-9800. There are entrance fees for these locations. Call before you venture out.
GETTING THERE: If you are going by yourself, maybe taking the train is the best bet. If you are going as a family, you will have to consider the cost of the train vs. taking a car (gas) and parking meter fees. There are metered public parking lots and parking throughout town. I saw parking enforcement officials checking the meters, so make sure you have coins on hand. Parking is available free and 24/7 at the Bucks County Garage at North Main Street across from the courthouse.
EXTRAS: If you visit on a Saturday, you may want to check out the farmers market, which runs from 7 a.m. to noon at State and Hamilton streets. On a recent visit I picked up some fresh spinach and asparagus. For breakfast, try the bagel shop on State Street. When I visited there was a line, so I asked a couple who was in line if the bagels were that good. They said yes, so I decided to wait. You can see the bagels being made. Yes, they were good.
The town holds First Fridays from 6 to 10 p.m. — events held every first Friday of the month — to highlight businesses and the arts. Events are free to the public and are held rain or shine. For information, check doylestownalive.com/firstfriday.