|
 |
|
Chester County
Brandywine Valley and Beyond
Englishman, Quaker and explorer William Penn established Chester County in 1682. It was one of the three original Pennsylvania counties, along with Philadelphia and Bucks. In 1799, the population of Turk’s Head was 374. Renamed to West Chester, it was and still is the county seat, but its population is in the thousands, today, with so much to see and do in the quaint, inviting historic district.
Other Chester County historic districts – Coatesville and Phoenixville – boast America’s earliest iron and steel forges. And, in Kennett Square, it was in 1885 that two local florist began growing mushrooms – the agriculture industry that Chester County is famous for. Chester County was also the first stop on the “freedom train” for freed slaves, and home to battles such as the Battle of the Brandywine and the Paoli Massacre.
Very few countryside destinations can claim such a strong concentration of world-class museum within minutes of each other. The Brandywine Valley contains many exquisite museums and gardens rivaling major metropolitan areas. The philanthropy of the du Pont family has left the legacies of Hagley, Nemours Mansion and Gardens, Winterthur, and of course, Longwood Gardens.
Other museums in Chester County, the Brandywine Valley and Beyond include The American Helicopter Museum, the largest museum in North America dedicated to rotary wing flight, the Chester County Historical Society, and the Wharton Esherick Museum – Wharton Esherick being widely considered as the Dean of American Craftsmen. And, not to forget, The Brandywine River Museum, often referred to the Wyeth Museum, features paintings by three generations of Wyeths and much more.
There are a wide variety of upscale or casual restaurants to choose from in the Brandywine Valley. Freshly prepared meals, intimate atmospheres, attentive service and an exciting nightlife are just a few reasons to experience our local eateries.
Specials are prepared daily by local chefs with some involving the local mushrooms the area has to offer including shiitake, portabella and button mushrooms. With so many restaurants to choose from, don’t miss out on lunch or dinner in a historic building by a cozy fireside or outside underneath a terrace.
Make your first stop the Chester County Visitors Center, built circa 1865, located in front of the entrance to Longwood Gardens off US 1. Personal assistance waits to help you with lodging reservations and information on places to see and restaurants at which to dine.
Find out about current events or off-the-beaten path shops. See the free exhibit inside, which documents the Visitors Center involvement in the Underground Railroad. Don’t forget to pick-up free literature on hundreds of area businesses.
There are over 7,000 hotel and B&B rooms offering accommodations for all types of budgets. We hope you stay overnight and lengthen your visit, seeing as much as you can of what the area has to offer. Dine in one of our many restaurants (try the local mushrooms!), and taste the authentic flavors dished-up daily. Indulge in a glass of regionally grown Chester County wine, visit one of our wineries, or stop at one of the local breweries for a hand-crafted beer.
Chester County offers so many options. For starters, you could spend your day visiting Longwood Gardens, crossing the Brandywine River and seeing the paintings inside the Brandywine River Museum and having lunch at Simon Pearce, watching their in-house glass blowing (their glass is also offered for sale in their gift shop).
After a relaxing lunch, you could head into the historic district of Kennett Square or West Chester and enjoy a rich, small –town atmosphere offering shops galore. Not only are there many sights to see in the boroughs of Kennett or West Chester, but also there are many restaurants to choose from. Enjoy dinner at the State Street Grill or Kennett Steak and Mushroom restaurant in Kennett Square or the Iron Hill Brewery or Baxter’s in West Chester.
Another day could be spent at QVC taking the Studio Tour, afterwards visiting The American Helicopter Museum. Minutes from Exton Square or King of Prussia Mall, you can stop in between and have lunch at the Ship Inn, Vickers Tavern or the White Horse at the Sheraton Great Valley. An evening could follow in the historic district of Phoenixville with a movie at the Colonial Theatre or dinner theatre at Lily Langtry’s in the Radisson Valley Forge.
Just beyond the borders of Chester County you can stroll through Winterthur and its mansion, see the Delaware Art Museum, have lunch at Buckley’s Tavern and dinner at the Green Room in the Hotel DuPont.
It is our natural beauty as well as the hospitality, culture and arts of the area that bring people back again for memorable overnight visit. Dinner theatre, other cultural indoor and outdoor exhibits, holiday house tours or summer village walks are just a few of the year-round activities to do during your stay. Large-scale equestrian events like the Devon Horse Show or the Laurels at Landhope, agri-tourism events like the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival and the Unionville Community Fair are large annual events that can’t be missed.
Chester County is accessible by air, train or car. All major airlines fly into Philadelphia International Airport, and taxi, limousine or shuttle service is available. Amtrak provides service to 30th Street Station in Philadelphia and Wilmington, DE. SEPTA is the regional local carrier providing bus routes into West Chester and around Philadelphia. The Brandywine Valley is easily accessible by car via major routes I-95, I-76, I-276 the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Turnpikes, US Routes 30, 202 and 322.
|