The day started out with no real expectations. It was the first day of fall and the weather was gorgeous. It was also my first chance to see Avery play soccer for her new team the Extreme. Avery, my 4 year old granddaughter, was scheduled to play a 10:00 am game at Middletown Park. The park is a 5 minute drive from our Levittown home, where my wife Lynne and I, have lived and raised our family for the last 26 years.
I’m guilty of sometimes forgetting what makes living in Bucks County so special, but by the end of this weekend, I was once again a believer. As others were making the 2.5 hour drive down to the Jersey shore for Wildwood’s Irish weekend, my family and I drove no further than 25 minutes north or south for a family weekend to remember.
But, back to the soccer game where our weekend had started. Each player on the team, dressed in hair bows and shin guards, moved together like a little red school of fish. We’ll leave the discussion of whether or not a four year old should be playing organized sports, for another day. This day was all about family and fun. I think the green team may have pulled it out in the end, but we’re not supposed to be counting and more importantly, we all had fun.
Naturally, Avery and her 2 year old sister, Peyton wanted to celebrate after the game. A short drive to, nearby Uncle Dave’s Homemade Ice Cream at Shadybrook Farm was the perfect choice. We headed over to Uncle Dave’s for some of their famous homemade pumpkin ice cream, and two hours later, left with carts full of mums, pumpkins and scarecrows. In that time we, of course, had some great frozen treats as well as lunch from the Market. My son-in-law and I relaxed in the shade, watching the girls at the playground, while the women enjoyed some shopping.
That evening, we decided to take a drive downtown. In less than 25 minutes south on route 95, we were at 12th and Sansom Street, right in the middle of big city Philly night life. Our first stop was Eat-A-Pita, our niece Jamie’s new restaurant.
We were not disappointed. After our healthy and tasty meal, we took a stroll around the city; taking in the sights and feel of city life. Unfortunately, our tour was cut short by a sudden down pour. On our drive home, we made a quick stop at Walgreen’s, where I saw one of those scarecrows from Shadybrook Farm, for more than double what we paid at the farm. Always nice to get validation that the purchase you made on a whim was a good one!
On Sunday, we took another 25 minute drive, this time in the other direction, to Washington Crossing Park on the New Jersey side. We followed the walking path along the river, taking in the beautiful scenery. We decided to cross the bridge, on foot, as we could see a lot of activity happening on the Pennsylvania side. Once there, we discovered a market & muster day in the park. People were dressed in colonial garb, with plenty of demonstrations and food to eat. Further down the street, we came across the Washington Crossing Inn .
In a spur of the moment decision, we decided to check it out. We thought we were a little under -dressed, but soon felt right at home. We enjoyed a filling and tasty Sunday brunch, outside, in the beautiful outdoor dining area. The atmosphere was pleasant, the staff was courteous and the garden seating was exquisite.
“I’m guilty of sometimes forgetting what makes living in Bucks County so special, but by the end of this weekend, I was once again a believer.”
What a great place to live. Levittown, in the heart of beautiful Bucks County Pennsylvania, has so many things to do and see, right in our own backyard. From the beautiful fall foliage, to the historic sites, the food, and just plain fun, its perfect for making lots of memories.
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