Stores, Sand Art, and Straddling a Border (6/22/26)

Before our homeowners left, they provided us with a list of places to visit, restaurants to eat at, etc. Today, Bob and I visited two of the places they recommended. Both were areas with lots of stores, hotels/inns, and restaurants in scenic settings, and we were happy to have visited both when the crowds were minimal.

The first stop was Peddler’s Village, about a 25 minute drive from the house. it is located in Lahaina, Pennsylvania, in Buck’s County (like Newtown). It consists of a number of blocks of 18th century style shops surrounded by brick pathways, pretty landscaping, and offering family entertainment and special events. While we were there, we got to enjoy their American Road Trip themed sand sculptures as well as Bucks Fever Art and Sculpture competition.

A sign at one of the many parking lots for Peddler’s Village

We started our visit in the Visitors Center where they were displaying the results of the art competition.

A winning sculpture, “Show Day” by Holly Layman
out of recycled cardboard. It can be yours for $20,000.

One of the paintings, “Derby Street,” by Jennifer Troulis,
much more affordable at a little under $2,000.

Below are some of the pics I took of the shops and grounds. We enjoyed poking through a few stores, and even made a purchase for our next homeowners, but we enjoyed the sand art most of all.

This was a colorful pond and backyard store.

I liked the name of this shop, though we didn’t go in.

Because the theme of the sand art exhibit was American Road Trip, there were sculptures representing the different regions of the country, although I think Hawaii was neglected.

American Northeast — This side and the other side below showcase the region of the country where the USA story began and highlight places and events that depict
liberty, revolution, and reinvention.

The American Southwest depicts the part of the country that’s a land of cowboys, roadside legends, oil booms, and desert blooms.

The Midwest Region (above and below)
depicts America’s heartland and gateway to the west,
where golden fields feed the world.

The Northwest captures Hollywood’s dream factories, Silicon Valley’s innovative hubs, misty coastlines, and volcanic summits.

The American Southeast (above and below) captures the home
of American jazz and rock and roll
as well as marshy environments and Georgia peaches.

After our perusal of Peddler’s Village, we drove about 10 minutes to another small Bucks County town — New Hope— to check out their shopping area that lies between the Delaware River and an old canal and tow path. New Hope lies on the very edge of Pennsylvania, so we walked out onto the bridge across the Delaware River to straddle the state line between Pennsylvania and New Jersey.