After Dark at Washington Crossing: Lantern Tours Run Through Nov. 7
Bucks Co. & Beyond Daily
Bucks Co. & Beyond Daily
by Nick Rau
On Christmas night in 1776, George Washington's army crossed an icy Delaware River in the dark. This fall, you can stand on that same ground at that same hour. Washington Crossing Historic Park is running Fall Lantern Tours on Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 7, 2026, with tours at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.
The park says the tours are timed for the very time of day the Crossing happened. That's the hook. You aren't reading about the night. You're walking through it, by lantern light, as twilight settles over the river.
“Experience the suspense and determination of the night that changed history.”
Washington Crossing Historic Park
Each tour runs about one hour. It makes three stops: the soldier encampment, the boat barn and the battle map. Interpreters in period dress bring each stop to life.
You'll hear about the hard winter conditions Washington's troops faced. You'll also hear how their courage set up the victories at Trenton and Princeton that followed. The boat barn stop has a story of its own. The park keeps replica Durham boats at its dock, like the ones in the photo above. They're the big wooden river boats used in the Crossing.
Tickets are $15 per person, and the park says space is limited. Book ahead.
Public tour nights left this season, all at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.:
Saturday, Oct. 24 is a free members-only night for the Friends of Washington Crossing Park. Tours start at the Visitor Center and Historic Village, 1112 River Road, Washington Crossing, PA 18977. Questions go to the park at (215) 493-4076.
Go early and climb. On tour nights, Bowman's Hill Tower stays open an extra hour, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with last entry at 5:30. Tower tickets are required. Catch the fall color from the top, then head over for your tour.
Dress for the weather. These are evening tours outside in late fall, and the river air gets cold fast.
When are the Washington Crossing lantern tours in 2026?
Fridays and Saturdays from Sept. 25 through Nov. 7, 2026, at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 is a free members-only night for the Friends of Washington Crossing Park.
How much are lantern tour tickets at Washington Crossing Historic Park?
$15 per person, according to the park. Space is limited, so reserve ahead.
Where do Washington Crossing lantern tours start?
At the Visitor Center and Historic Village, 1112 River Road, Washington Crossing, PA 18977.
Thinking about living near the river? My Washington Crossing neighborhood guide is a good place to start, and the rest of Bucks County is one click away.
Washington Crossing is history you can stand in. Seeing it by lantern light is a fall night worth planning. I'm Nick Rau, President of Sales with the Rarity Real Estate Team, ranked in the Top 1% of agents nationally (RealTrends 2025, individual), with more than 135 Google reviews, and I live in Bucks County.
Rarity Real Estate Team, 1100 N Delaware Ave Suite A, Philadelphia, PA 19125 · (215) 593-7498 · [email protected]
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Featured photo: Durham boats at the dock, Washington Crossing Historic Park. Photo (cropped): Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources: Washington Crossing Historic Park, Fall Lantern Tours (dates, times, $15 tickets, tour stops, Oct. 24 members-only night, Bowman's Hill Tower hours, address and phone; checked Oct. 15, 2026); Washington Crossing Historic Park, Tickets.
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