We start our tour with a visit to the Tyler Arboretum, one of the oldest and largest in the northeast. Experience Tyler's extensive horticultural collections, rare specimens and ancient trees.

Next, it is onto Longwood Gardens! The world's premier horticultural display on 1,050 acres offers 40 indoor/outdoor gardens, breathtaking conservatory and spectacular illuminated fountains.

We start our day with a trip to Winterthur Museum & Country Estate featuring an outstanding American collection of antiques and a glorious garden. Winterthur was once the home of Henry Francis duPont.

Next, we visit Nemours Mansion and Gardens. This was the home of Alfred I. duPont and is a French-style chateau furnished with antique furniture, rare rugs, tapestries and outstanding works of art, set among spectacular French formal gardens.

Today it is off to Chanticleer Gardens. Known as a "pleasure garden", Chanticleer is designed to illustrate the beauty of the art of horticulture. You will see everything from vegetable gardens complemented by cut-flower gardens to woodlands surrounded by grasses and sweet-smelling herbs.

Next, we visit Jenkins Arboretum. Planted with a rainbow of azaleas and rhododendrons, this natural retreat in Devon is a husband's living memorial to his wife. As you walk along the wooded path toward the pond, sense what it must have been like when dense forest blanketed the eastern seaboard; in fact, the arboretum is located within a rare remnant of the once continuous southeastern Pennsylvania hardwood forest.

Listen to the sounds and watch for the wildlife that abounds in this complex ecosystem. For students of horticulture, the large stands of native wildflowers, mountain laurel and ferns provide enormous opportunities for learning.

The King of Prussia Mall has over 400 stores and many different restaurants. You can pre purchase meal vouchers for the various food courts, or if the group wants to pick their own some choices are Legal Seafood, Cheesecake Factory, Morton's of Chicago, Sullivan's Steakhouse or various upscale department stores have their own café's such as Nordstrom's. Christmas hours will vary depending on when you visit.

Philadelphia Premium Outlets fill your bags with holiday gifts at the region's newest discount shopping outlet. Find impressive savings at 120 name brand stores such as Geoffrey Beene, Nine West, J Crew, Liz Clairborne, Easy Spirit, Perry Ellis, and Jones of New York at a savings of 25-65 percent. Groups of 15 or more receive free VIP coupon books for extra savings. Choices for dinner or a light snack are Ruby Tuesdays, Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen, Arthur Treachers Fish & Chips or Green Leaf's.

Begin your day with a tour of the Brandywine River Museum. This museum celebrates the season with fabulous holiday displays including an extensive O-gauge model railroad, an elaborate Victorian dollhouse and thousands of whimsical "critter" ornaments on holiday trees. Exhibiting American art in a 19thcentury gristmill, this museum is internationally known for its unparalleled collection of works by three generations of Wyeth's and its fine collection of American illustration, still life and landscape painting.

Located where the Route 30 bypass crosses Route 100 there is Main Street at Exton with 13 distinctly different architectural style buildings in a town center setting. Featuring these shops: Alexander's for Men, Babies ‘R' Us, Barnes & Noble, Justice for Girls, Old Navy, Pier 1 Imports, Rack Room Shoes, and more. Restaurants include: Buca Di Beppo, Atlanta Bread, Cosi, and Longhorne Steakhouse.

Extended holiday hours on Tuesday evenings with last house tour at 7:30. Winterthur Museum's Yuletide tour will inspire and delight visitors with a glimpse of treasured traditions and holiday celebrations. It show cases rooms dressed in seasonal finery for holiday celebrations both old and new, offering visitor's inspiration for decorations and celebrations in their own homes. Special touches like whimsical topiary animals along with traditional favorites including Winterthur's famed dried flower tree and lavish holiday décor.

Begin your day with a QVC Studio Tour. QVC broadcasts live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A 1 hour, 15 minute-guided walking tour is an informative look inside the world's leading electronic retailer. Watch TV in action! Then stop by the QVC store where you can do holiday shopping.

Historic Kennett Square "The Mushroom Capitol of the World." Located just off Route 1on State Street there are fabulous shops and restaurants. Not to be missed is The Mushroom Cap! Here you will find unique gifts, regional specialties and a variety of fresh picked mushrooms delivered right to their door by local growers. Take a seat and see how mushrooms are grown and harvested. Other shops include RLD Books, The Growing Tree and The Quilt Sampler. Restaurants include: Kennett Inn, Kennett Steak & Mushroom, Newton's on State Street, Sunrise Café & Tea Room, or Talula's Table. Make reservations for "A Taste of Kennett" at the State Street Grill.

West Chester "one of the world's most perfect small towns." There are more than 3000 structures dating back to colonial times within the borough, and the entire downtown area is listed with the National Register of Historic Places. The Greek Revival style of architecture is prevalent throughout the town, seven of the downtown buildings were designed by Thomas U. Walter, the architect who also designed the dome of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Its small size means that West Chester is a walkable community, home to dozens of outstanding restaurants, art galleries and retail shops. Downtown West Chester offers a selection of more than 25 restaurants. Whether you are looking for the perfect coffee drink or micro-brew, light lunch or haute cuisine, you will find something for every taste and budget. Restaurants include: Barnaby's, Ryan's Pub, Gilmore's or make reservations for the Chef's Table at the Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant.

This free driving tour incorporates more than 180,000 gleaming lights. This year's presentation features a special section of spectacular animated lights and an enchanted forest of gingerbread men, gumdrops and candy canes. Classic favorites include oversized falling snowflakes, delightfully hung Christmas balls, a nativity scene and the famous 12-foot wreath and giant bow adorning the snack factory warehouse. Perhaps even more recognized is a Norway spruce that stands 60 feet high at the entrance to Herr's. Bearing more than 1,500 red lights, "Big Red," as the crew refers to it, serves as a beacon of holiday cheer that can be seen for miles. Make a reservation for the free guided tour of this snack factory.

Holiday happenings continue at Longwood Gardens. Celebrate the season with Longwood's spectacular holiday display. Indoor, elegantly decorated trees and thousands of poinsettias with amaryllis, narcissus, cyclamen and tulips adorn the heated Conservatory. Evening choral concerts, organ sing-along and strolling carolers share the sounds of the season. Outdoors, more than 500,000 lights transform the grounds into a festive night-blooming garden, while colorful, dancing fountains perform to holiday music. Returning for this holiday season is an intimate ice-skating rink nestled around Longwood's picturesque Chimes Tower, where skaters will perform on select evenings (Special ticket required for ice-skating performances).

We start with a visit to the Hagley Museum, where the du Pont story begins. A tour of this stunning park-like museum on the Brandywine River details both the family's and the DuPont Company founder E.I. du Pont (1771-1834), its adjoining garden, and dramatic demonstrations illustrating the manufacture of DuPont's first product, gunpowder.

Then it is on to Winterthur, one of a few surviving great American country estates. Henry Francis du Pont (1880-1969), an avid antiques collector and horticulturist, was Winterthur's fifth owner. It was his love of American craftsmanship that led him to assemble one of the world's most complete collections of antiques and Americana.

Winterthur's fields and farmland detail the workings of a great American country estate. The 60-acre naturalistic garden boasts breathtaking beauty.

Today our first stop on the itinerary is Nemours, America's Versailles in the Brandywine Valley. Alfred I. duPont (1864-1935) employed the architectural firm of Carrere and Hastings to design the 1909-1910 mansion. The 47,000 square foot house is decorated with rare rugs, antique tapestries, oil paintings, and decorative arts. Guest will enjoy a walk around the sculpture-filled, formal French gardens and a visit to the chauffeur's garage, where antique cars are displayed.

The trips grand finale is Longwood Gardens. Pierre du Pont (1870-1954) bought the property in 1906 to preserve the trees, and he built the major garden features that today are considered the world's premier horticultural display. Eleven thousand different types of plants flourish on more than 1,000 acres of formal gardens, idea gardens, meadows, and woodlands. The four-acre Conservatory shelters twenty indoor gardens, including the Orchid Display, Children's Garden, Cascade Garden and Mediterranean Garden.

Visit the Hagely Museum, the original duPont mansion. This 1803 Georgian-style residence sits amidst 230 acres of gardens. Tour the mansion, black powder mill and exhibits.

Then it is off to Winterthur! Spend time exploring an American Country Estate, which houses the richest collection of American decorative arts made in America from 1640 - 1860.

Next, it is onto the Nemours Mansion and Gardens. Built in 1909, this Louis XVI-style chateau is the former home of Alfred I. duPont.

On to the famous Brandywine River Museum. This former 19th-century gristmill has been exquisitely transformed into an outstanding museum housing an extensive collection of the Wyeth family art.

Then stroll through Longwood Gardens, one of the world's premier horticultural displays. Situated on 1,050 acres, its forty gardens and spectacular fountains await you.

Our next stop will be the Chaddsford Winery. Here you will tour the vineyards and wine cellars and learn all about the process of making wine. A wine tasting is also included.

Then it is off to Simon Pearce Glassblowing and retail store, where you can interact with the glassblowers and learn about the oldest industry in America.

Tour the American Helicopter Museum and take part in the displaying of the aircraft, technology, and the milestone contributions of rotary-wing flight to this nation's aviation heritage.

Before heading home stop and take a walking tour of the QVC Studio and overlook the broadcast area from the observation deck. Be sure to leave time to shop in the onsite store.

West Chester, PA: Start off taking the QVC Studio Tour, and save on great ideas in their gift shop after your tour. Right around the corner is the American Helicopter Museum where the origin and development of rotary-wing aircraft is chronicled, and over thirty-five helicopters, autogiros and convertiplanes are on display. Then, drive into the Borough of West Chester for lunch picking from one of many downtown restaurants. Retail shops and galleries line the main streets of West Chester suiting all budgets such as beadniks - the largest bead seller in the world or E'Clat chocolate - fine handmade chocolate. Stop in the Chester County Historical Society at High and Chestnut Streets for local area history and great buys in their gift shop, too. Just off Route 52, heading south out of the borough is Baldwin's Book Barn; peruse 300,000 used and rare books in this 1822 building. Finish your day with fine dining just outside the borough at the Dilworthtown Inn or in the borough at Gilmore's Restaurant. "Overnight it" in a B&B or hotel, both of which may be found in and around West Chester's Historic District. In addition, West Chester is Chester County's county seat!

Kennett Square, PA: Either start your day or end it with a stroll around Longwood Gardens' 1,050 acres of changing seasonal beauty, which cannot be missed if you are in the area. Breakfast, lunch and dinner can all be accommodated in the quaint historic district, preceded or followed by shopping, choosing from a fine selection of boutique shops all in downtown Kennett Square. Try lunch at the Half Moon Saloon and consider making dinner reservations at Portabello's or the Kennett Square Inn. Stop by the Mushroom Cap and learn a little about the mushroom farming industry in southern Chester County and purchase related-area memorabilia or search rare and eclectic finds at Longwood Art Gallery. Stay overnight in one of the bed and breakfasts in downtown Kennett such as the Kennett House or Stebbins-Swayne House. Most of all enjoy the small town charm of Kennett Square, which is rich with agricultural history and contemporary flair.

Phoenixville, PA: Start your day off with breakfast at one of the coffee shops or diners in Phoenixville, and then walk around the quaint, historic borough. Learn about Phoenixville's Iron and Steel history and much more, which is documented, preserved and interpreted at the Historical Society of Phoenixville. The Phoenixville Ironworks District coordinates events throughout the year, and so does the Phoenixville Main Street Program. There are plenty one-of-a-kind shops and restaurants throughout the borough. You might stop by the Philadelphia Premium Outlets and take advantage of the tax-free shopping on clothing. Stroll along the Schuylkill River and enjoy one of the rivers many heritage areas. End the evening with a movie at the Historic Colonial Theatre, and stay overnight in a first-class hotel near the King of Prussia Mall (for first-class shopping, too) minutes from historic Phoenixville.

Western Chester County: Downingtown and Coatesville are just two historic downtown areas rich in history and charm worth visiting that are in the western region of the Brandywine Valley. Stroll around the Lukens Historic District and visit the Graystone Mansion to learn about Coatesville's Steel heritage born on the banks of the Brandywine River. Stop by and see the Downingtown Log House or the Downingtown Veterans' Memorial. Downingtown's borough is lined with shops and restaurants. The Exton Square Mall and Main Street at Exton have many different dining and shopping options. Stay overnight just up the road in one of our many hotels or bed and breakfasts in the area heading back east on Business Route 30, America's oldest highway; and, have dinner at the General Warren Inn or Cedar Hollow Inn in Malvern, minutes from Downingtown.

Chester County Driving Tour: The perfect starting location is the Chester County Visitors Center adjacent to Longwood Gardens off U.S. Route 1 South in Kennett Square. Head Route 1 South and pick-up Route 82 North. Continue on Route 82 North driving straight through and seeing a large part of Chester County and its countryside. Turn right onto Route 23 East and tour the northern end of the county. Pick-up Route 113 south and head back down into the center of the county. Then, look for Pottstown Pike (formerly Route 100 South) and take that all the way to Route 926 West. Route 926 West will intersect with Route 52 South, which you can take back to the Chester County Visitors Center. Happy trails!