Bucks County, Pennsylvania—just a 30-minute drive from downtown Philadelphia—offers the perfect getaway. Tour eight wineries, ride an old-fashioned steam locomotive, explore historic towns and museums, scout out romantic covered bridges and experience the hospitality of country inns, bed & breakfasts or contemporary hotels. Outdoor enthusiasts can create their own biking, boating, fishing, hiking or horseback riding adventure. Along the banks of the Delaware River, visitors will see the location where General George Washington led his troops to victoriously change the course of the American Revolution. Bucks County also offers myriad shopping opportunities, overflowing with antique shops, specialty boutiques, art galleries and open-air markets.

Bucks County is well known for its acceptance of all lifestyles. Visitors are welcome without regard to issues of gender, race or sexual orientation. In particular, the artistic riverside village of New Hope has long been lauded for its openness and sensitivity to the gay and lesbian community. In 2003, the New Hope Borough Council passed an antidiscrimination law, and in March 2004, the Council unanimously passed a resolution in favor of same-sex marriages. Known for its art galleries, independent shops and quaint bed & breakfasts, New Hope is home to the famed Bucks County Playhouse showcasing top musical productions and the renowned Odette’s Restaurant offering a nightly piano bar and weekend cabaret performances, plus such popular nightspots as The Cartwheel, The Raven and Triumph Brewing Company.

In spring 2005 (dates to be announced), the businesses of New Hope will combine efforts for the 2^nd annual Somewhere Over the Rainbow: New Hope, PA Celebrates!, a weekend celebration of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. “The festivities are a nod to the borough’s past, a cheer for its future and a shout-out to attract many who have not visited New Hope for years – or at all!,” said Dan Brooks, owner of A Wishing Well Guesthouse and the coordinator of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Attracting nearly one thousand guests in 2004, the three-day (and night!) event includes a wide range of entertainment and activities with proceeds benefiting local and national charities.

All year long, bed & breakfasts situated throughout Bucks County’s towns and countryside offer a wide variety of gay-friendly getaway packages. Among the unique options:

• Over The Rainbow at gay owned and operated Ash Mill Farm Bed & Breakfast, next to Peddler’s Village in Holicong features one or two nights in a 1790’s Grand Manor Farm House, a sumptuous breakfast, discounted shopping at Peddler’s Village, dinner for two at Odette’s Cabaret, Piano Bar & Restaurant and a balloon ride over scenic Bucks County in the Wings of Gold hot air balloon.

• The Romantic Retreat at Inn to the Woods, Washington Crossing includes one or two nights in a luxurious room with a fireplace and private bath, dinner for two at the Yardley Inn and a choice of a VIP Tour of the Crossing Vineyards and Winery or two tickets to the Bucks County Playhouse. Wake up to a gourmet breakfast. 

• New Hope Gayborhood Special at A Wishing Well Guesthouse, New Hope offers a third night free at a 150 year-old farm house nestled on an acre of woodland backing up to Ingham Creek. The package includes free gym and pool passes as well as one free admission to the disco at The Cartwheel.

• The Horseback Riding Adventure package at Stone Ridge Farm Bed & Breakfast, Hilltown includes an elegant room in an historic barn on a ten-acre horse farm. The offer features horseback riding around beautiful Lake Nockamixon, followed by dinner for two at the Washington House, an original stagecoach stop in Sellersville, now a restored Victorian restaurant.

Visit www.GayBucksCounty.com for more information about gay and lesbian owned shops, restaurants and lodging, as well as weekend getaways and same-sex commitment ceremony packages, or call the Bucks County Conference & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-836-BUCKS.