14 Best Sights in Brandywine Valley, Pennsylvania

The 3,500-acre park is the location of the 1777–78 winter encampment of General George Washington and the Continental Army, where winter tested and proved the army's perseverance. Begin at the excellent Valley Forge Visitor Center for touring information and to explore displays of historical objects and immersive modern exhibits about the encampment and the men and women of all kinds who spent the winter here. The center also has an area with regional visitor information, an orientation film, and the Encampment Store. Take a nine-stop, 10-mile driving tour (free cell phone guide) or buy the audio guide ($8.95); or take a narrated trolley tour (limited times other than summer; reserve ahead) for $22. Call ahead if you want to hire a private tour guide. Stops include reconstructed log huts of the Muhlenberg Brigade and the National Memorial Arch, which pay tribute to the soldiers, and Washington's headquarters.

In 1777 the army had just lost the nearby battles of Brandywine, White Horse, and Germantown, but Washington and his troops were actually encouraged (although exhausted), because they had fought the British well. While the British occupied Philadelphia, Washington's soldiers endured horrid conditions—blizzards, inadequate food and clothing, and disease. Although no battle was fought at Valley Forge, 2,000 soldiers (of about 12,000) died here. The troops did win the war of will, regaining strength under the leadership of Prussian drillmaster Friedrich von Steuben. In June 1778 Washington led his troops away from Valley Forge in search of the British.

The park contains more than 35 miles of jogging and bicycling paths (bike rentals available in summer; call ahead) and hiking trails, and you can picnic in designated areas. A leisurely visit takes about half a day.

In a beautifully converted Civil War–era gristmill, the museum presents the art of Chadds Ford native Andrew Wyeth (1917–2009), a major American realist painter, as well as works by his father, N. C. Wyeth, illustrator of many children's classics; and Jamie Wyeth, Andrew's son. The collection also emphasizes still lifes, landscape paintings, and American illustration, with works by such artists as Howard Pyle and Horace Pippin. A glass-wall lobby on each of the three floors overlooks the river and countryside that inspired artists. Seasonal guided tours (advance reservations suggested) of three other buildings enhance the museum experience; children under age seven are not permitted on these. The N. C. Wyeth House and Studio, set on a hill, holds props N. C. used in creating his illustrations. His daughter, Carolyn Wyeth, lived and painted here until 1994. Andrew Wyeth's Studio, where the artist produced many notable works, is on view, too. You can also tour the Kuerner Farm, which Andrew painted in many of his best-known paintings. A shuttle takes you from the museum to the buildings for an hour-long guided tour. Several trails on (or that pass through) the property, a gift shop, and the Millstone Café, all acessible without paying admission, round out the offerings.

Today it's a public garden with an international reputation for its immaculate, colorful gardens and conservatories full of plants from around the world, but the Longwood Gardens story began in 1906, when Pierre S. du Pont (1870–1945) bought part of a Quaker farm and turned it into his home and the ultimate early-20th-century estate garden, complete with magnificent fountains. Seasonal attractions on the nearly 400 acres of the 1,100-acre property open to the public include tulips and azaleas in spring; floral borders in summer; chrysanthemums in fall; and extremely popular decorated spaces and light displays in the winter holiday season. Late spring through fall, illuminated evening fountain shows (some with fireworks, requiring a separate ticket) in the 1,719-jet main fountain garden are a highlight. Bad weather is no problem, as cacti, orchids, and floral displays fill acres of heated conservatories. The outdoor Waterlily Court has undergone a major expansion (completed in 2025), and a new West Conservatory dedicated to Mediterranean-type landscapes, a Cascade Garden in a new glasshouse, and an outdoor Bonsai Courtyard opened in 2024. Besides children's gardens outside and in the conservatories, kids can explore three tree houses on the grounds. Concerts and other performances (some requiring separate tickets) take place year-round. There's a cafeteria, and the seasonal Beer Garden is a fun dining option. The elegant 1906 restaurant (reservations recommended) serves sophisticated modern American fare in a room that overlooks the main fountain garden.  A new Gardens by Day & Night Ticket (allowing one readmission certain summer days for an extra $6 per ticket) and a Two-Day Pass (10% discount off price of two tickets) are special ticket options with limited quantities available. 

Ever since Philadelphian Harold Pitcairn made the first rotorcraft flight in 1928, southeastern Pennsylvania has been considered the birthplace of the helicopter industry, and the impressive aircraft filling this museum in a business park near Brandywine Regional Airport reflect this heritage. A number of leading manufacturers remain in the region. About three dozen vintage and modern aircraft, a room of models, and information boards and short videos reflect the copter's historic roles in war and rescue missions, agriculture, and police surveillance. Docents provide context, and visitors can climb aboard a few aircraft and try the (nonmoving) flight simulator to get a sense of the helicopter experience. The museum is packed with information, but older children will appreciate it. 

One person's wide-ranging, entertaining collections of pop culture Americana from as far back as 1870 fill 100,000 square feet of a former tire factory, stuffed with delights such as a Chuck E. Cheese animatronic band, a hundred-foot-long Slinky surrounded by stuffed animals and circus posters, a giant Walkman, a Christmas village from Philly's long-closed Lit Brothers department store. A guided 45-minute tram ride through the Toy Box area provides endless visual stimulation (and auditory; you hear a few of the museum's many Wurlitzers in action). The arrangement is eccentric but amusing: a Hooters sign rises above a vintage Corvette. Visitors can see the classic cars section and the Music Room on their own. Even these are quirky: why are dolls propped on the radios and automatic pianos? All but the most anti-nostalgia types will find something that sparks memories—or amazed laughter from those too young to remember much of this stuff—in this cultural jumble.

The quiet park is near the site of the Battle of Brandywine, where British general William Howe and his troops defeated George Washington on September 11, 1777, after which the Continental Army fled to Chester, leaving Philadelphia vulnerable to British troops. The battle covered 10 square miles, involved almost 30,000 soldiers, and played an important role in the larger war. The small visitor center has an introductory film and displays about the battle. On the site are two restored Quaker farmhouses, one of which once sheltered Washington and General Lafayette; guided tours of these are offered Friday and Saturday. The 50-acre park is a fine place for a picnic. Ask for info about driving to see key battlefield sights like the Birmingham Friends Meeting house, where soldiers lie in a common grave.

Chanticleer, the onetime estate of the owner of a local pharmaceutical company, is now a 30-acre garden that bursts with color in the spring when 10,000 bulbs bloom. The grounds offer a range of settings, including lush woodlands with rare Asian specimens, a formal house garden, and a serpentine-shaped "avenue" lined with young junipers, wheat and barley, and gingko trees.

Becoming Chester County, the center's excellent permanent exhibition, uses its collection of 70,000 historical objects and modern interactive displays to tell compelling stories of the challenges and opportunities Delaware Valley inhabitants faced from the late 1600s to today. Galleries address the Lenape people, the American Revolution, slavery, industrialization, women's suffrage, immigration, and other issues, often using the examples of local residents. The collections are gorgeous, including furniture, quilts, period clothing, tall-case clocks, and cross-stitch samplers. A hands-on history lab lets kids try some old-style tools and dress up in a hoop skirt, and the center's library has extensive records and photographs. The society's two-building complex includes a former horticultural hall that was the site of the first women's rights convention in Pennsylvania.

A small but lively museum, on a site that holds the first American home of Haitian-born artist and naturalist John James Audubon (1785–1851), captures the wonders of the avian world and the need to protect it, as well as Audubon's mission to paint North America's birds. Kid-friendly interactive exhibits explore nests, birdsongs, feathers, and more; exhibits about Audubon's artistic process (with a copy of his massive Birds of America) will appeal to older children and adults. Outside, there's a bird-themed outdoor play space. Admission includes a tour (sign up at center for the one tour, at 1 pm) of Mill Grove, Audubon's stone farmhouse, built in 1762 and filled with displays relating to Audubon. Managed by the National Audubon Society, this site 2 miles north of Valley Forge National Historical Park is within the 200-acre Mill Grove estate and has 5 miles of marked walking trails. The center also offers birding sessions and other outdoor programs.

Proximity to the Mason-Dixon Line helped make Kennett Square particularly active in the Underground Railroad: slavery was legal in nearby Delaware, so Pennsylvania was the first free state encountered by many escaping enslavement. Among the area's abolitionists were Quakers and members of the local African American community. The Kennett Underground Railroad Center, based in one room in the Kennett Heritage Center, preserves this history, offering a two-hour guided bus tour of related sites on one Sunday a month most of the year. The tours are family-friendly and stop at historic houses, Quaker meetinghouses, and documented Underground Railroad sites. The Kennett Heritage Center ( kennettheritagecenter.org), located downtown in a 1901 house, presents town history with modern, information-packed panels and also has some photographs and artifacts. The focus is on the Battle of Brandywine in 1777, the Underground Railroad, and agricultural history. 

One of the nation's largest shopping complexes is a tourist destination in itself, with some 400 stores and more than 50 restaurants and fast food spots. From department stores such as Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus to chain retailers both upscale (Jimmy Choo and Cartier) and more accessible (Club Monaco and Zara), there's plenty for all shoppers. Dining and drinking options include Morton's The Steakhouse, Eataly, and a Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar. There's also the store and children's play area CAMP, and Netflix House, an \"experiential entertainment venue\" in a former department store space, that opened in 2025. 

This 33,000-square-foot space, one of 14 Discovery Centers in the United States, is chock-full of all things LEGO, including a kid-sized race car that was made with more than 100,000 LEGO bricks. Miniland Philadelphia contains 50 of the city’s iconic landmarks brought to life with nearly 1½ million LEGO bricks—Independence Hall, Boathouse Row (with crew boats you can race), the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Lincoln Financial Field, just to name a few. Other highlights include the interactive LEGO Ninjago Training Camp; a LEGO 4-D Cinema; a LEGO-themed pirate ship play area called Pirate Adventure Island; the LEGO Meet & Greet in the Build Challenge area, where kids can “meet” their favorite characters (weekends only); and Imagination Express, an interactive ride through a LEGO world.  Note that adults must be accompanied by a child 17 or under to visit the attractions except on occasional adult nights (check website). 

A family-run business founded in 2001, this winery produces award-winning wines from Pennsylvania-grown grapes that range from sweet and floral Moscato to bold Bordeaux-style wines. It's one of the state's more than 400 wineries, and part of a cluster around the Brandywine Valley. The 30-acre property is a great place to bring a picnic, a dog, and the family, but dogs and those under 21 cannot enter the tasting room and pavilion, and outside food is not permitted in those areas. About 100 outdoor tables on the pretty grounds overlook the vineyard, and you can also bring your own chairs and blanket. An outdoor wine bar is open on weekends April through October. A short menu of cheeses, crackers, and charcuterie is offered.  Check the website, as there's live music and other events many weekends.

The museum preserves the fascinating, unique former hillside home and studio created by the \"Dean of American Craftsmen,\" who was best known for sculptural wooden furniture that influenced artists and designers. Wharton Esherick (1887–1970) shaped a new, organic aesthetic in decorative arts by bridging art with furniture. The site, a National Historic Landmark for Architecture, houses 200 examples of his work—paintings, woodcuts, wooden furniture, and sculptures. The compact studio-home, in which everything from the light switches to the spiral staircase is hand-carved from wood, is one of his monumental achievements. You can see it only by booking a small-group tour in advance. A campus architecture tour, including a separate workshop, is offered occasionally. Although you can see the tiny visitor center and part of the 12-acre grounds when the site is open, there's not much to experience without a tour. The building is not fully accessible to people with mobility issues.