The Delaware River Valley

Read On, Day Tripper . . .

WE'LL START . . . . .
. . . in Frenchtown, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Take Exit 15 off Route 78 (East or West); then 12 country miles along Route 513S brings you to this small town on the Delaware River. Frenchtown was called "Sunbeam" in the late 1700's . . . just now the town is still dark, but sunbeams are lighting up the sky above the river, turning the treetops on the Pennsylvania bluffs into sparklers. A thick rope of foggy mist twines downstream like a lassoed cloud. And you can hear the croaking call of early-rising Canadian geese looking for the water they know is there, but cannot see.

MORNING . . . . .
If you like to get a really early start, consider coming out to the area the night before. There are a dozen B&B's worth checking out. One day I'll give you a complete run down. For now, consider the Hunterdon House (12 Bridge Street, Frenchtown, NJ, 908-996-3632) -- it is literally 150 paces from a bridge that connects the two counties across a beautiful stretch of the Delaware. For breakfast try the Frenchtown Café (formerly Mondo Mick's), one block east of the HH on Bridge Street. Or cross Frenchtown's Bridge Street Bridge, head south on Route 32, and stop at Buck's Bounty about a mile or so on the right (there's little but river on the left). The food is fair to good, but you'll find the decor cool.

For terrific homemade pastries and decent bagels (Brooklyn it ain't, pal . . . you gotta problem widdat?), there is the Bridge Street Café -- 150 paces west of the HH and 50 paces east of the actual Delaware -- with nothing blocking the view. The BSC gets a bit crowded with New Yawkuhs and others on the weekend, but you'll want to stop there anyway. Bring your own copy of the New York Times and grab an outdoor or greenhouse table early. Sip your coffee, pretend to read, watch the cyclists ride along the tow path, and listen to the river slide past the bridgemaster's house.

If you come on Sunday, consider brunch at the Frenchtown Inn, directly across the street from the BSC. The FI has been a culinary landmark for almost a decade now and the Sunday brunch is a fiscally responsible way to sample some superior cooking and still be able to justify going out for dinner. Reservations are necessary, but if you are flexible you can sometimes get in at the last minute -- 908-996-3300.

Regardless of where and what you eat for breakfast, you'll want to avoid jamming yourself back into the car. Take a walk across the Bridge Street Bridge and back again, then stroll "around town." That will slow you down -- a little. Frenchtown is about two blocks long . . . and along the two blocks of Bridge Street antique shops, specialty stores, and boutiques lean against one another like drunks on an escalator. One of my favorites is the Decoy Store. There are some advantages to doing your day trip on the weekend -- everything is open (well, almost everything -- Mr. Schiable's Barber Shop is closed Sunday). By the way, if you do the day backwards and visit Frenchtown for lunch or later, walk around the block and across the creek past K&K Automotive to the Frenchtown General Store (until recently "Heater's" General Store . . . and most people still call it Heater's if you're asking for directions). The FGS may be the only place in America where a dime will still buy you a flavored ice pop on a stick. Try the root beer . . .

AFTER LUNCH . . . . .
We are at the first decision point now. Say it is Saturday and about 1 pm. You can drive across the Delaware into Upper Black Eddy and turn left onto 32 South. Take in a polo match at Tinicum Park, about 2 miles south on the right (starts at 2 pm). Otherwise, continue south another six miles or so to Point Pleasant. Follow the signs on the left to Point Pleasant Canoe (215-297-8823).

At PPC you can rent river tubes, rubber canoes, and rafts. They'll bus you and your tube up river and drop you at one of three different spots (2-, 3-, or 6-hour trips). If you believe you no longer know how to relax, the river will prove that you're wrong. You'll float downstream . . . that's it. There is literally nothing else to do and nothing you can do about it. And you'll be happy that's the way it is, I promise you.

A COUPLE OF HINTS AND ONE CAVEAT . . . . .
The First Hint: Bring a ball that floats, a mask or goggles to share a peak under water, a rope or cord to tie tubes together, a (plastic) bottle of water, sunscreen, a hat you won't care much if you lose, torn-up old sneakers (optional), a bathing suit (probably not optional), and a little mesh bag to carry all this stuff in as you merrily float along.
The Second Hint: Bring some money. Frequently some enterprising young lad rows midway across the Delaware with a couple of coolers and sets up a table at the upstream end of a small island you'll be floating past just as you recall that I told you to bring water. He's got drinks and snacks that you would never eat at home. Enjoy.
The Caveat: The river is a river after all and is as unpredictable as any other living thing. People (all kinds -- kids, adults, oldsters) drown in the Delaware every year -- even experienced people. Have fun, but don't be stupid. Take the life vests PPC offers. Oh, yes, definitely tube it rather than raft or canoe if you are with adults. But rafts and canoes are good choices (as is the shorter trip) if you've got small kids or adults who are worried about their swimming skills.

LATER . . . . .
You'll float back to Point Pleasant and then have to decide what to do next. If you are staying overnight at the HH, go on back to shower, etc., then on to dinner and the night. If you are just making a day of it, dry off and change and either picnic on PPC grounds or continue down 32 South into New Hope, PA. Have something off beat for dinner on the main drag (you'll know you are there when you realize there is no place to park). Havana or Mother's (M's is actually better for dessert, I think) are old standbys for casual dining and relatively interesting menus. Lambertville (directly across the bridge in New Jersey) has better restaurants and does have a few good art galleries, but for general entertainment value and people-watching, you'll want to play in New Hope at night. New Hope is full of shops, galleries, bars, bikers, ice cream, sex, old- and new-wave clothing, and other engaging things to see and do.

RETURN TO "AFTER LUNCH" . . . . .
Let's say you finished your walk around Frenchtown and you don't feel like polo or tubing. Okay, did you bring your bicycle? You can get last minute supplies or a tune-up at Freeman's Bike Shop and then head down the tow path along the Delaware. You could bike all the way to Lambertville past Stockton if you want, or take an hour to just cycle down to Bull's Head Island State Park which is an island accessed on the Jersey side of the river. Fish, Game & Wildlife stock the canal with trout just below the lock at the entrance to the park. You're sure to see a bunch of old cronies with stogies and spinning gear trying to snag one in the churning water under the bridge.

Okay, forget the bike stuff. Head South out of Frenchtown on Route 29 in your car. But before you leave town entirely, drop into Blue Fish -- the local international success story -- a half mile below Bridge Street. BF went public after Bill Cosby wore one of their sweaters on the BC Show (he has a residence somewhere across the river in Bucks County). Great store for hip, casual fashion types. Stop at Bull's Island anyway, or continue to Prall's Mills Falls Village just outside of Stockton to glimpse some old-time living conditions and arts and crafts.

Before you choose where you will do dinner, turn right onto Stockton's Bridge Street as soon as you are in town (across from the Stockton Inn) and stop at Phillips Fine Wines. Great spot to find what you are looking for before finding what to eat with it. Incredibly helpful people in an old house full of nooks and crannies plugged with terrific wines in every one of them. You ought to stop at Phillips, because neither of the two places which I think deserve your dinner business have a liquor license. This way you don't have to be carrying the wine around for days, either.

DINNER TIME . . . . .
I want to suggest only two places. They are not the only good spots in the area; not by a long shot -- there are plenty. But they are my favorite places to bring new friends.

ATRIA CAFE (609-397-0042) practically next door to Phillips on Bridge Street. The AC is a casual restaurant that has been around for a few years and has attracted a terrifically loyal local following. We'll all be crushed when the word finally gets out and we can no longer call up in the late afternoon to get last minute seating the same night. The menu is continually changing and very upbeat. The chef knows his herbs and spices and plays with the textures as much as with the tastes of his foods. He has a rare interest in vegetables and a steady hand with grilling -- especially fish. The service is both attentive and considerate. And the atmosphere in the multi-level dining room is boisterous and extremely friendly. I like to play "find the peppercorns" in the sauce under the lamb.

SIAM THAI RESTAURANT (609-397-0051) 61 North Main Street, Lambertville. Just down Route 29 a few miles. About as authentic as you are likely to find anywhere. The chef is Thai and he shuts down every February to return home, visit family, and bring back new ideas. This place is quintessentially about food. The dining room is very small and crowded, sparsely decorated, and just about perfect for that complex and spicy dance-in-your-mouth that Thai food promises but so rarely delivers. Absolutely everything I have ever eaten here (and I eat here at least a half dozen times a year) has been wonderful. Don't hesitate to ask for suggestions and help, and do order any special dish (especially a special dessert) if it sounds even remotely interesting. The one thing you ought to know: your reservation will only guarantee that you'll be seated, not when. We frequently face an unreasonable wait beyond our reservation time. Once you and your friends sit down and begin having your own rousing great time, you'll understand why no one was in a hurry to get up and give you their table.

AFTER DINNER . . . . .
After dinner at either place you'll want to walk across the river again. The Bridge Street Bridge in Stockton is quiet and small and can be romantic in the right moonlight -- when you get to Pennsylvania you can turn around and come back. The Bridge Street Bridge connecting Lambertville to New Hope is huge and noisy. Stroll the sidewalk alongside all the automobile traffic. Dig the night fishermen pulling glistening shad out of the river and allow yourself to be fascinated by the enormous spiders tangling up the intricate steelwork with their equally intricate webs. But then, when you get to the other side of the latter, you are in New Hope after all. And New Hope is really where you want to spend the end of your day. Of course, you may want to return to Lambertville in time for a late, quiet drink at Anton's at the Swan (on South Main Street, just below Bridge). Sit outside in the courtyard if you can. You won't see many swans, but the sky will be starry and you'll find the drinks almost as good as the company.

If you are inclined to watch fireworks up close, try to get down to New Hope or Lambertville on the 4th. The two towns share the cost and put on a pretty energetic display directly over the Delaware River itself. Starts about 9 pm, but you'd better come early if you want to watch from a good spot. It does get crowded. I'll be the bearded guy with an eight-year-old blond kid (in a Milwaukee Brewers cap) on his shoulders. Say "hello," Max.

Have a great day on the river! -- Warren

You can reach me at wcooper@celebritydeli.com

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