Road Trip: Bristol in a Day

When’s the last time you visited a Delaware River town with shopping, dining, and entertainment on a weekend and had an easy time finding parking? If you can answer “recently” then you know that Bristol Borough has become Bucks County’s under-the-radar, day trip gem. The shops and restaurants—most of them concentrated on Mill Street—along with the waterfront are within easy walking distance of one another. Throughout the year, the many festivals, free concerts, and special events make it a destination to visit frequently.

Originally inhabited by the Leni Lenape tribe, the riverside community has gone through many changes since English Quaker colonizers came in 1681, creating a mill town. Bristol’s proximity to both the water and Philadelphia made it an ideal place for factories and railroads during the Industrial Revolution, attracting immigrant workers. Much of that history is still evident in the existing architecture—homes from its earliest European residents to those of today. Walk along the waterfront and you’ll find mansions. Explore the streets in the town’s center and you’ll find three centuries of modest houses of the workers and families who have made Bristol home.

Calm Waters Coffee Roasters

10AM
GRAB COFFEE AND BREAKFAST

Fuel up at Loretta’s, an Italian American café, with a cup of coffee and some traditional Italian pastry or a hearty breakfast sandwich full of egg, cheese, and pork roll, bacon, or prosciutto. For a less filling morning nibble, go to Calm Waters Coffee Roasters for a light bite and freshly roasted coffee. Don’t forget to grab some beans to go so you can enjoy their freshly roasted coffee at home, too.

Collector’s Corner

11AM
SHOP FOR VINTAGE TREASURES ON MILL STREET

Treasure hunting in Mill Street’s antique and collectible shops will keep you busy for at least two hours. Start at the corner of Mill and Pond Streets at Collector’s Corner with a large selection of DVDs, CDs, and old game-console games. Cross Pond Street to Bristol Antique Mart and explore its two floors of vendors. If you’re looking for mid-century Pyrex, vintage barware or signs for your home bar, or a selection of 1970s and ’80s vinyl at good prices, you won’t be disappointed.

Continue along Mill Street and you’ll come across vintage and collectible stores that specialize in history and military memorabilia, vintage sports clothing and memorabilia, and artwork.

1PM
TAKE A BREAK FOR LUNCH

For a quick lunch, stop at one of the many casual restaurants on Mill Street that offer sit down or takeout. Choose from Japanese fusion, deli sandwiches, pizza, or Mexican. Any of the restaurants will pack your food to go, but if you stop by Café Bombay for authentic Indian cuisine, you can order a lunch box special if you happen to be exploring Bristol on a weekday. Why take your food to go? There are plenty of spots on the waterfront to sit and eat while people watching and enjoying views of the Delaware River.

2PM
STROLL THE WATERFRONT

Bristol’s vibrant history is commemorated on the waterfront. Take a walk on the path through the park by the water and explore the monuments dedicated to the various cultures who have contributed to the town and continue to have a strong presence.

A statue of Harriet Tubman—the escaped enslaved woman and abolitionist with descendants who live in Bristol—tells her story. The Hispanic monument honors the various cultures of Puerto Rico. A Celtic monument honors the Irish, Scottish, and Welsh immigrants and their Bristol descendants. Finally, a Columbus monument does the same for those of Italian descent.

3PM
COCKTAIL TIME

Indulge in a mid-afternoon cocktail at one of Bristol’s two distilleries. Dad’s Hat Rye has a tasting room on Mill Street with craft cocktails made from their classic Monongahela-style whiskey. Just a few steps away, Hops and Hardware Distillery on Cedar Street shakes up premium cocktails from their vodka or rum, or other spirits from Pennsylvania distilleries.

• PRO TIP: Order Hops and Hardware’s meatballs as a snack. Delicious!

The Forager

4PM
DO A LITTLE SHOPPING

Pop in and out of the specialty stores along Mill Street and its side streets like Re-Urban-It, a refinished furniture and décor shop. End at the recently opened The Forager, a specialty local food and cheese market. If you don’t walk out with a wedge of cheese from one of Pennsylvania’s creameries, you’re not doing it right.

5:30PM
TIME TO DINE

Come dinnertime, Bristol offers a wide range of possibilities. Itri Wood Fired Pizza has fresh pizza, sandwiches, and a well-stocked bar. King George II Inn, founded in 1681, is one of the oldest continuously operating establishments in the country. The restaurant offers fine dining, a piano bar starting at 5pm on weekends, and beautiful views of the Delaware. Jules@Market expertly prepares sustainable ocean-to-table seafood.

LATE NIGHT
ENJOY BRISTOL’S NIGHTLIFE

Plan to stick around after dinner. Naked Brewing’s tasting room has live music throughout the year (check their Facebook page for performers and dates).

The award-winning Bristol Riverside Theatre entertains with live plays, musicals, and special events. On most Sundays between Memorial Day and Labor Day, you can catch a free outdoor concert. 

• PRO TIP: The Detroit Style Pizza at Itri Wood Fired Pizza with mozzarella and Wisconsin cheddar is a satisfying feast.

(top left)Loretta’s; (bottom left)Hops and Hardware Distillery; (right)King George II Inn

FESTIVALS AND SUMMER CONCERTS

Bristol loves special events. In winter, the town hosts events such as the Fire and Ice Festival with ice carvings, fire shows, and fire pit marshmallow roasts; or the Mill Street Chocolate Festival where participating businesses give out treats.

But the warmer months are when festival season really kicks in. Traditionally, the borough hosts four cultural festivals each year: Celtic Heritage in June, Puerto Rican in July, African American in August, and Italian in September.

From Memorial Day through the end of summer, free concerts abound. On most Sundays from 6 to 8pm, local acts perform on the waterfront. The concerts culminate with an end of summer Doo-Wop concert in the Mill Street parking lot (perhaps the one time each year parking in Bristol isn’t easy) that brings well-known acts from the ’50s, ’60s, and beyond—many with their original members—to entertain the crowd. Bring your own refreshments or buy food from the many vendors and food trucks.

• PRO TIP: For the most up to date information on special events, new shop openings, festivals, concerts, and all that’s happening in Bristol, follow the “Bristol Borough: Raising the Bar” Facebook page.

YOUR DAY AT A GLANCE
 

Loretta’s
312 Mill St.
215.458.7931

Calm Waters Coffee Roasters
242 Mill St.
215.781.6286
calmwaterscoffee.com

Collector’s Corner
401 Mill St.
267.980.0001|
collectorscornerbristol.net

Bristol Antique Mart
329 Mill St.
267.812.5222

Cafe Bombay
233 Mill St.
215.788.4239
cafebombay.biz

Dad’s Hat Rye Tasting Room
131 Mill St.
215.7818311
dadshatrye.com/tasting-room

Hops and Hardware Distillery
101 Cedar St
215.220.4430
hopsandhardwaredistillery.com

Re-Urban-It
408 Mill St.
215.500.1563
re-urban-it.com

The Forager
300 Mill St.
forageronmill.com

Itri Wood Fired Pizza
310 Mill St.
215.458.8419
itriwoodfired.com

King George Inn II
102 Radcliffe St.
215.788.5536
kginn.com

Jules@Market
111 Market St.
215.458.7622
julesatmarket.com

Naked Brewing
212 Mill St.
267.554.7129
nakedbrewingcompany.com

Bristol Riverside Theatre
120 Radcliffe St.
215.785.0100
brtstage.org