DAY TRIP: Peddler's Village — A Million Lights, Gingerbread & a Holiday Kickoff in Lahaska, PA

There is a village in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where the holidays arrive with a million lights, more than 100 gingerbread houses, and a 1920s carousel — and it all kicks off on Friday, November 20, 2026. Peddler's Village in Lahaska is one of the easiest festive day trips from Bergen County: no tickets, no admission fee, just brick paths, 60-plus specialty shops, and lights everywhere you look. Come for the Grand Illumination, stay for the gingerbread, and let the kids burn off energy between shops.

📍 Place

Peddler's Village, 2400 Street Road, Lahaska, PA 18931. A 42-acre colonial-style shopping village with more than 60 locally owned shops and restaurants, plus Giggleberry Fair, an indoor family entertainment center with a restored 1920s carousel. Admission and parking are free, and the village is dressed in a million colorful lights all holiday season.

🚗 Drive Time

About 1.5 hours from Bergen County (Tenafly / Fort Lee / Palisades Park) via I-287 and Route 202 south. Aim to arrive by mid-afternoon on Grand Illumination day so you can browse the shops before the lights switch on at 6:15 PM, when Santa and Mrs. Claus flip the switch.

👶 What Kids Can Do

- Watch the Grand Illumination on Friday, November 20: local music and dance performers lead up to the 6:15 PM lights-on moment with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

- Vote in the Gingerbread Competition & Display: more than 100 gingerbread creations, on display from November 20 into early January, with a People's Choice Prize — kids love picking a favorite.

- Ride the restored 1920s carousel at Giggleberry Fair, and play in the indoor arcade when little legs (or the weather) need a break.

- Meet Santa on weekends and during Holly Jolly Weekend (December 5–6), when Santa parades add extra festivity.

- Sip hot cider or cocoa from the Village Green stands on weekends, and warm up with hot soups and hot dogs between shops.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What Adults Can Do

- Start holiday shopping early in 60-plus specialty shops: handcrafted items, artwork, clothing, toys, home goods, and gourmet treats — Small Business Saturday (November 28) brings extra shopping events to the village.

- Taste your way around: Free Will Brewing, Hewn Spirits, and Nissley Vineyards all have tasting rooms in the village.

- Enjoy a proper sit-down meal at one of the village restaurants after a lap of the lights — the village glows best after dark, so plan dinner, not just lunch.

- Pick up gingerbread inspiration: the competition entries range from whimsical to fantastical, including holiday scenes and local landmarks.

🧭 Things to Do Nearby

- New Hope, PA (about 10 minutes away): stroll Main Street's galleries and cafes, and catch the New Hope Railroad's Santa's North Pole Express, a 60-minute round trip to Lahaska with Santa, Mrs. Claus, carols, cocoa, and a cookie.

- Washington Crossing Historic Park (about 25 minutes south): the site of Washington's famous 1776 crossing, with riverside paths and a visitor center.

- Doylestown, PA (about 20 minutes west): a walkable downtown and the Mercer Museum's castle-like galleries for a rainy-day backup.

🍂 Seasonal highlights: The Holiday Kickoff Weekend runs November 20–22, 2026, so a weekday visit in late November gives you the full lights with smaller crowds. Note the village is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day — plan around those dates, and check the village's own calendar before you go, since event times can shift.