Welcome to Doylestown
Bucks County seat with a historic downtown and many local attractions
Doylestown is Bucks County’s historic county seat. Founded in 1745, the borough boasts many gorgeous historic landmarks. The Fountain House has been Doylestown’s centerpiece since it opened as a tavern in 1758. Other landmarks include the three spectacular concrete castles of the Mercer Mile. Doylestown is also home to many quaint restaurants, unique specialty shops, and cultural attractions.
Doylestown’s housing options include spacious, single-family homes on peaceful, residential streets close to all the attractions and amenities of the historic downtown area. There are also larger country residences on generously sized lots just outside of town.
What to Love
- The vibrant, historic downtown area
- The wide array of fine restaurants
- Mercer Mile concrete castles
- SEPTA rail station
People & Lifestyle
Doylestown is one of Bucks County’s most captivating destinations. The community is packed with things to see and do, including three museums housed within the grand castles built by Henry Chapman Mercer. Doylestown is also a convenient location for commuters, with a SEPTA rail station offering a direct train to Central City Philadelphia - which takes less than one hour.
Dining, Entertainment & Shopping
Doylestown’s vibrant downtown area is packed with diverse dining choices and independent retailers. A local favorite, 86 West serves excellent steaks, sushi rolls, and sashimi alongside gourmet burgers and an eclectic selection of inventive small plates. Ooka Sushi is another fine choice for top-notch sushi and grilled Japanese teppanyaki cuisine. Jules Thin Crust offers delicious, thin-crust pizzas with a wide variety of organic toppings, including seasonal specialties and gluten-free varieties.
Maxwell’s on Main pairs Southern-style pub grub with an extensive array of wines, whiskies, cocktails, and craft beers. The Fountain House is one of Doylestown’s most striking historic structures. Originally a tavern, this four-story 1750s building now houses a Starbucks. The Doylestown Inn is another longtime fixture of Doylestown, which was constructed as three separate buildings in 1871 before being connected and turned into a hotel in the early 1900s.
The Hattery Stove & Still is the inn’s enchantingly old-world dining space. The Hattery opens from breakfast through dinner, pairing thoughtful cuisine with rotating beer taps, cutting-edge cocktails, and artisan wines.
Things to Do
Doylestown is the county seat of Bucks County, and its downtown area has been home to the Bucks County Courthouse since 1813. The courthouse has been replaced several times over the centuries to keep up with the growth of Doylestown and Bucks County. The current courthouse building opened in the 1960s as an opulent example of modernist architecture.
The Mercer Mile is lined with other architectural marvels built for famed Doylestown resident Henry Chapman Mercer in the early 20th Century. The Mercer Museum is an imposing six-story concrete castle containing a collection of more than 50,000 artifacts that capture everyday life in the pre-industrial age. The grand Fonthill Castle is packed with unique items Mercer sourced during his travels worldwide, including cuneiform tablets dating back to 2300 BCE.
Moravian Pottery and Tile Works operated as Mercer’s pottery factory until the 1930s and is now a working history museum with workshops creating ornate tiles and mosaics. Doylestown’s 155-acre Central Park is home to another unique castle that pays tribute to Mercer’s three concrete masterpieces. Kids’ Castle is an eight-story, wooden play structure with lots of fun things for children to discover. Central Park also has miles of walking trails, beautiful plant gardens, open fields for kite flying, and many sports fields and courts.
Schools
Public schools in Doylestown are operated by the Central Bucks School District.
- Kutz Elementary School, Public, K-6.
- Linden Elementary School, Public, K-6.
- Holicong Middle School, Public, 7-9.
- Tohickon Middle School, Public, 7-9.
- Central Bucks High School East, Public, 10-12.
