Brandywine Valley Travel Review
A visit to the Brandywine Valley region should please all those who enjoy a wide variety of great food and wine, travel, historical and cultural options, while allowing a step back in time to view the founding of our country.
History
Nestled in the corner where Pennsylvania and Delaware join together, the Brandywine Valley surrounds the Brandywine River, which travels south from the Welsh Mountains in Chester County and empties into the Delaware River. Although best known for the artists N.C. Wyeth and his son Andrew Wyeth, a major historical event occurred on September 11, 1777 near Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. The biggest single day conflict of the Revolutionary War involving twenty six thousand soldiers had been fought and General George Washington suffered his first major defeat. The town of Chadds Ford was named for John Chad, who owned a tract of land adjacent to the Brandywine River and provided navigation services across the water. From the battle, gunpowder would play an important role in the growth of the Brandywine Valley with the duPont family beginning production of gunpowder as the first product of DuPont. As their business thrived, the duPonts built mansions, now museums at Winterthur, Longwood Gardens, Nemours and Hagley Museum.
Today the Brandywine Valley has beautiful rolling green hills dotted with historic stone homes, farms, taverns and walls from the 1700s - 1800s. Now an upscale suburb of Philadelphia known for its rustic 'period', yet elegant atmosphere, one can visit it's numerous shops, antique stores and historical sites.
Restaurants
Lovers of fine dining will rejoice in the outstanding selection of establishments, including The Gables, The Orchard, The Dilworthtown Inn, Simon Pearce Glassblowing and Restaurant , Mendenhall Inn, Pace One Country Inn and Buckley's Tavern, as well as other fine eating establishments in the nearby Kennett Square area including The Half Moon, The Farmhouse Restaurant at Loch Nairn Golf Course, the Red Rose Inn in Jennersville and Wyncote Golf Course and Restaurant. Further up the Brandywine River is the town of Marshalton which has the historic Marshalton Inn from the 1700s and the Four Dogs Tavern located next door. Also nearby is West Chester, established in the 1600s with many fine restaurants, outdoor seating and nightspots for Jazz and Piano music. In the Wilmington area, try the Hotel duPont Green Room or Harry's Seafood Grille. More Restaurants...
Area Attractions
Chadds Ford, Pa offers several fine museums and places of historical intersect. The Brandywine River Museum offers visitors close-up views of Andrew Wyeth's studio, as well as retrospectives of many other fine artists from the region, such as Howard Pyle and Frank Schoonover. Visit the restored historic homes and buildings of the 1725 John Chad House, Chadds Ford Historical Society and the 1711 Barns Brinton House. Nearby Winterthur and Longwood Gardens - the legendary du Pont estates- showcase beautiful landscaping and superbly designed horticultural wonders along with a snapshot of life near Philadelphia in the late 1800's- early 1900's in the romantic opulence of one of America's best-known families.
Wine enthusiasts will enjoy quality offerings from the Chadds Ford Winery, Kreutz Creek Vineyards, Va-La Vineyards, Folly Hill Vineyards and several others. Travel buffs will enjoy the beautiful Pennsylvania countryside through quaint towns like Unionville, Marshalton, Centreville and Kennett Square, as well as the closeness to cultural centers like Philadelphia and Baltimore. and Historic Lancaster County- home of the Pennsylvania Dutch, is an easy and beautiful drive.
Book lovers will enjoy Baldwin's Book Barn- where you can buy wonderful first editions of classics and up-to-date issues situated on five floors in a charming 200-year old barn. Nature enthusiasts will find themselves engulfed in a wide variety of flora and fauna, with hundreds of migrating birds, fox, deer and other wildlife- best viewed while paddling a canoe down the historic Brandywine or hiking at the Brandywine Valley National Park. We've take the Northbrook Canoe Company trips which can range from all day to 1 hour trips. Students of history will appreciate the numerous historical landmarks and sites, including the Brandywine Battlefield National Park, as well as the proximity to the spots where our nation's most important events occurred- which shaped the destiny of our country. More Attractions...