The Bucks County Playhouse is New Hope's signature cultural stop, set in a former mill right on the river. Even if you are not seeing a show, the building anchors the town visually: stone walls, water, bridge traffic, and the sense that the Delaware Valley has been repurposing old industry into art for generations.
Check the schedule before you come. The programme changes through the year, and a matinee or evening performance is the most satisfying way to turn a New Hope day trip into something more than shopping and lunch.