Peddler’s Village: A Year-Round Destination

Peddler’s Village is a place that I have visited numerous times since middle school. It is a shopping and dining destination in Pennsylvania that always has something interesting going on throughout the year. Read this to find out things that I have loved about it throughout the year. 

One thing that I have noticed is that there are certain times of the year where there are lots of activities everywhere. Then there are other times where it feels like there is nothing going on. In Peddler’s Village this is never the case. There are always interesting things to see around the village, events going on or things to check out in stores each time that I have visited.

Another great aspect of visiting is that it does not have to be expensive. We often pack a lunch and have a great time eating outdoors in the middle of the village. There are lots of food options there as well such as the Cock ‘n Bull Restaurant. There is no fee to visit the village. If you are going to a specific event some of them have an admission fee and you may need to purchase tickets beforehand.

Cock ‘n Bull Restaurant

I partner with Stay 22 and Travel Payouts. I earn a small commission when you book from some of my links at no cost to you. This helps support my site.

Middle School: Visiting Peddler’s Village in the Winter

In middle school a friend of mine loved Peddler’s Village. She was nice enough to take me and a couple other friends with her there for her birthday on a few different years. We had fun perusing the different shops and having lunch in the Village. Fantasy was one of my favorite genres of books so I was excited to purchase some fairies one year. Another year I purchased some small glass peacocks.

College: Visiting Peddler’s Village close to Christmas

In college I went to visit Peddler’s Village with a couple friends around Christmas. It was nice to see all the evergreens and Christmas decor throughout the village. Our favorite part was seeing all of the gingerbread houses in their annual Gingerbread House competition. We saw some really cool designs such as Hagrid’s Hut and the set of Friends. One of my friends went on to even win some gingerbread competitions when she got older! I tried baking it myself at home and gingerbread was very tough to make. I think I will stick to being amazed at other people’s gingerbread creations.

Oh no! The Grinch is stealing all of the Christmas decorations!

Having Young Kids: Visiting Peddler’s Village Throughout the Year

One year I went with the kids to Peddler’s Village to meet our friends there. My friend and I had fun having a picnic with the kids and doing crafts with them under the gazebo. The kids liked wandering around the village and the big water wheel. They loved doing lots of carousel rides together at Giggleberry Fair. They also enjoyed looking at all of the Scarecrows around the paths in their Scarecrow competition.

It looks like Hook should have kept his ears open for the ticking clock.

Quaranteen Wolf

“My buttons, my buttons. My four groovy buttons.”

Another year we met up with multiple other friends and their kids at Peddler’s Village during the summertime. The kids had fun at an outdoor story time with songs. There were also lots of giant sand sculptures set up. There were also multiple large sandboxes with sand and toys for the kids. Now the kids were a little older so they also liked going into different shops along with their friends.

Last year our family went to Peddler’s Village in the winter. We visited not too long after Christmas in January. It was close to when they had Fire and Frost Fun at the Village so we were able to see ice sculptures around the village as well as lots of Christmas decor that was still up. It was nice to see the village with so few people there.

This shows everything that can be found at Peddler’s Village.

My Favorite Places to Check out in Peddler’s Village

Peddler’s Village Visitors and Events Center

This is usually the place I head first to see what things are happening at Peddler’s Village that day. It is also a great place to pick up merchandise with the Peddler’s Village name. Many of the displays throughout the year can be seen here as well.

Giggleberry Fair

If you have young kids this place is a must. When the kids were younger I would often take them to Giggleberry Fair by myself on a weekday. It was usually not crowded. Our favorite pass to get was the Giggles Pass for $8.99. This included Giggles Discovers as well as unlimited carousel rides. We would usually head there on a Monday since it was then half price for the Giggles Pass.

Giggles Discovers is a small play area with things like a giant fire truck, water play area, mini carousel and more. It is the perfect size for when your kids are really small. I liked that it was designated only for kids six and under. We would spend a few hours there where we would also intermittently do carousel rides. The carousel is large, brightly colored and well maintained. Kids love doing numerous carousel rides.

When my daughter was older she also had fun trying Giggleberry Mountain with her friend. This is a giant play area that is fun for kids to go through. It has three stories! It is for kids ages 12 and under and adults have to pay for an adult pass if their child is six or older.

Carousel at Giggleberry Fair

Giggles Discovers

Arcade Games at Giggleberry Fair

Jazams

This is a toy store that we like to visit. It can be found in Princeton and Peddler’s Village. This is a great place to find unique gift ideas for kids. The kids love it since they usually have toys out for them to play with such as a train table or Lego.

Fehrenbach Black Forest Cuckoo Clocks

This store reminds me of being back in a store in Germany. They have lots of German treats. The things I love the most there are their handcrafted cuckoo clocks and authentic German Christmas pyramids. They have a whole section of products that you would find at a German Christmas Village.

What’s In a Name: Historical Research Center

I love history and researching topics so this store is always a place I have to visit. There are so many cool maps! The last time we went I spent twenty minutes just looking at an old map of our county. They also can help you map your family name as well. The Village Name Store also often has maps outside their store to peruse as well on warmer days. These are truly unique gifts.

The Cloak and Wand

If you are a fan of things like Dungeons and Dragons or Harry Potter then this is the store for you to visit. With its dim lighting, castle-like decor, and room full of wands this is a place you will not want to miss. It even has a potions bar where you can purchase your own to drink. If you have younger kids just avoid taking them to the very back of the store since they may be scared of a couple of the things with animatronics.

The Lahaska Bookshop

Reading is a favorite pastime of mine so it is hard to pass a bookstore without stopping in. This bookstore is large and well lit. There are often authors stopping in for book signings and readings. This past year we had gone to the bookstore to pick up a Find Waldo passport when they were doing that event.

The Jewelry Nest Boutique

My kids loved stopping in this store with a friend of theirs to check out all the different headbands, hair pieces and sunglasses. They have a lot of cute and fairly inexpensive things to look at that would make great gifts.

Sticky Situations

If you love bees or honey then this is the store for you. Just be sure to not bring Pooh bear with you. Taste some different types of honey to see which one you want to take home. Some types we have tried are lavender honey and wildflower honey. They also sell different kinds of olive oil and vinegar as well.

If Pooh recommends it then you know it must be good.

“A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.” - Winnie the Pooh

Fox & Holly

This store has brands many people associate with outdoor lifestyles such as Patagonia and Yeti.

Free Things Happening at Peddler’s Village

Here are upcoming free events at Peddler’s Village:

Gingerbread Competition & Display

This is an annual competition that has been held since 1984. This year the entries will be displayed from November 15th to January 19th. There is no fee to see the entries. People can visit them and vote for their favorites. Here are some entries that I have seen in the past:

Enchanted Evenings at Peddler’s Village

During these evenings shops are open until late and there are a multitude of lights that brighten the village in the darkness. Be sure to walk through the tunnel of lights as well. There will also be entertainment on different days such as strolling carolers. To learn more about the specific dates this year go here: Enchanted Evenings.

Holly Jolly Weekend

This is on December 7th and 8th in Peddler’s Village. There will be Santa parades, live music and more!

Fire & Frost Fun

These are fun annual weekends with ice sculptures throughout the village as well as other entertainment such as fire artists. This year they will be on January 10th & 11th as well as January 17th & 18th. The kids had fun taking pictures with lots of ice sculptures this year.

Where to Stay when Visiting the Village

We often drive there for a day trip but I have heard that the Golden Plough Inn at the Village is an amazing place to stay. This is right in the village so it would be easy to walk everywhere. If you need other ideas of places to stay check out this map below:

Other Towns to Visit Nearby

If you are here for enough time and want to check out a nearby town head to New Hope or Doylestown. I will be writing articles about each of these in the future.