The Foot Bridge in Pennsylvania and New Jersey

One of my favorite things that I LOVE about visiting my Aunt April in New Hope, Pennsylvania is enjoying the views of the nearby Delaware River and town of Lamberville, New Jersey on the other side of it. On my Instagram recently (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I shared some photos of the foot bridge, the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge, in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The only thing separating the two states is the Delaware River – a monumental river and historical landmark in George Washington’s Crossing of the Delaware on December 25-26, 1776. Its beauty and historical significance reigns true to this day.

Most people on my blogger side of things don’t know that I was born and raised in New Jersey for about 5 years of my life. I lived in New Jersey for a few months after I was born, moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas to live until I was 3, and then moved back to New Jersey until I was 8. The second time that I lived in New Jersey my family and I lived in Pennington, New Jersey – a small town located about 20 minutes from Princeton in one direction and 20 minutes from New Hope and Lamberville in the other. However, even when I lived in Pennington and the many many many years that followed, I never realized the historical significance of the places just minutes away from my pre-8 years of age childhood hometown.

The historical significance of the Washington’s Crossing of the Delaware River is that it was the first move in a surprise attack led by George Washington against the British during the American Revolutionary War. Washington’s Crossing of the Delaware River occurred on the night of December 25-26, 1776. The nearby-to-New Hope and Lamberville is the town of Washington’s Crossing, Pennsylvania which plays homage to a historical downtown village, Washington’s Crossing Inn (where my Aunt Sherri got married!!), and a historical park open to ALL visitors to enjoy the Delaware River, historical sites, and the beauty in between it all. Each year around Christmas time, Washington’s Crossing, Pennsylvania hosts a reenactment of George Washington’s revolutionary crossing of the Delaware River during the American Revolutionary War. The Delaware River in all of its glory and beauty plays a big role in the making of our country, today.

I grew up going to both New Hope and Lambertville as a kid. We would go to New Hope for ice cream. One cool thing is that New Hope has its own Bucks County Playhouse, which showcases several performances, including Kinky Boots which is on tour this summer! Meanwhile, Lambertville had a gorgeous train station that turned into a pizza shop with a nearby duck pond, which my Dad would always take my brother and I to back in the day! Each time we went, we would walk across the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge where there’s even a marker to mark the borders, where *YES* you can stand in both states at once!

Nowadays, I LOVE getting to go visit my family and friends who still live in and around Pennington, New Jersey and enjoy the gorgeous footbridge separating both New Hope, Pennsylvania and Lamberville, New Jersey from one another. Each town offers a plethora of small businesses, historical beauty, great restaurants and cafes, and *of course* drop dead gorgeous waterfront views. I feel extremely lucky to be able to enjoy the waterfront views along the Delaware River, especially knowing that this bridge that I love to admire connecting the two states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey was once not that AND that it played a major major major role in the eventual making of the United States of America.

Personally, I really really really LOVE going to visit New Hope and Lamberville and admiring that gorgeous bridge between the two states and will continue to for YEARS to come!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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48 Hours of a New Jersey Christmas

New Jersey is known as the “Garden State” and many people never get to truly see why. New Jersey is a magnificent state and it’s filled with a vast array of beauty. My Aunts, Uncles, cousins, Grandpa, and some of my best friends currently live in New Jersey, giving me plenty of opportunities to go back and visit. In fact, I was actually born in New Jersey and lived there for 5 years of my life! Needless to say, I love love love New Jersey and some of the many things that it has to offer – history, beaches, beautiful countryside, pizza and bagels, and its close proximity to New York City and Philadelphia. This past weekend, I visited one of my childhood best friends Chris in our hometown where I used to live of Pennington, New Jersey in the Central part of the state.

For more United States travel inspiration, check out my Exploring 50 States expedition page.

Day 1 – Pennington Holiday Walk

Coffee with a View Part 1 – in front of Twirl Toy Shop!

Every year, the town of Pennington puts on a Holiday Walk. At the Holiday Walk, they light the town tree, the streets are closed, and many of its local businesses – which fill the streets rather than well-known chains – distribute hot chocolate to attendees for free. All of the local businesses also stay open later so that Holiday Walk goers can shop and support locally. Some of my favorite shops are The Front Porch, Twirl Toy Shop, and 2nd Time Around (a secondhand store that I sadly closing come January 1, 2022). The Front Porch happens to have an online store, too, so I can luckily shop my favorite finds from the DMV! Chris and I also went to Vito’s Pizza – our favorite New York or what I like to call New Jersey style pizza shop that has been around for YEARS – with his girlfriend Kim and our mutual good friend Andrew.

Throughout the night, we all walked the carless main streets of Pennington. Snowflakes that light up twinkle throughout the streets as they line the poles along the Main Street. Pennington is filled with so much historic charm that has remained in tact throughout the years. Its churches that reminisce those of cathedrals straight from the streets of London with their hand-painted stained glass windows, the homes that have been around for centuries and still maintain their unique, historical charm, and its small businesses – some of which have been there for decades, including The Pennington Market and the Pennington Apothecary. Whether its daytime or nighttime, Pennington’s historic charm shines through, especially during the holiday season filled with holiday cheer at every turn you make.

Coffee with a View Part 2 – in front of Poppy Boutique!
Coffee with a View Part 3 – in front of a dazzling Snowflake!

Day 2 – Titusville

On my second day here in beautiful New Jersey, Chris showed me one of his favorite places to walk – Titusville, New Jersey. Titusville, New Jersey is conveniently located along the Delaware River across from Washington’s Crossing Historic Park in Pennsylvania which lays on the other side. There are many riverside views that we were able to take in, even in the Wintertime! The trail along the Delaware River takes you through to a mystical, Victorian style magical wonderland. There are homes, a Titusville church, a cemetery, and several waterfront views that line it. All of the houses were decked out in their best Christmas way to spread some holiday cheer. Needless to say, despite the cold and the less than picturesque than Fall, Spring, and Summer Winter trees, I loved Chris’s regular walk and am so glad I got to do it with him. I was immersed into learning about the historic Titusville, New Jersey from just a simple walk!

Chris and I had an amazing weekend together. Chris is extremely well-versed with his knowledge of Pennington and its surrounding areas, including Titusville. He LOVES New Jersey and is so proud to be a born and raised resident there that it makes anyone want to be proud of their own heritage and hometowns, too. We had such a beautiful weekend getting in friend time and some sightseeing, too. All in all, a true blessing!

XOXO – Katie <3

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