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Area
Map and Index of Attractions
TAKE FIVE in Chester County and the Brandywine Valley
DAY 1 – 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. And, West Chester is Chester County's county seat!
DAY 2 – Kennett Square, PA: Either start your day or end it with a stroll around Longwood Gardens' 1,050 acres of changing seasonal beauty, which can't be missed if you're 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 State Street Grille or better yet try their brunch on the weekend, and consider making dinner reservations at the Kennett Steak and Mushroom 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 Cenzia Arts. Stay over night in one of the bed and breakfasts in downtown Kennett such as the Kennett House or Bancroft Manor. Most of all enjoy the small town charm of Kennett Square, which is rich with agricultural history and contemporary flair.
DAY 3 – 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. 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.
DAY 4 – 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, and Wegman's is just outside the borough of Downingtown where you can grab a bite to eat, maybe partake in a Chaddsford Wine tasting if you stop in on a weekend (you can do your grocery shopping, too). 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 in Malvern or Vickers Tavern in Exton, both minutes from Downingtown.
DAY 5 – Chester County Driving Tour: The perfect starting location is the Chester County Visitors Center adjacent to Longwood Gardens off of 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!
Area
Map & Index of Attractions
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For "Brandywine Valley" personal assistance, stop by the:
Chester
County Visitors Center
US Route 1, adjacent to the main driving entrance into Longwood Gardens
Kennett Square, PA 19348
Toll-Free: 800-228-9933
Phone: 610-388-2900
Fax: 610 388-6241