Things to do in the western outlying areas of Philadelphia

We are considering a few days stay in the outlying area west of Philadelphia - somewhere maybe near Valley Forge, West Chester, Malvern. We will visit the VF Ntl Park, KOP Mall, and Longwood Gardens. We do not want to venture into the city. Can you suggest other don%26#39;t miss attractions in this outlying area? Also suggestions on lodging %26amp; restaurants would be appreciated. The group includes some kids ages 12 - 18. Thanks.

Things to do in the western outlying areas of Philadelphia

OK, here are a few places to check out, but there literally are dozens. I don%26#39;t know the interests of your group, the dates when you will be in the area or even how many people there will be. Still, this will help get you started in the research.

You said that you don%26#39;t want to venture into the city, so I did not include any places in Philadelphia, though there are hundreds. If you are going to Longwood Gardens, Winterthur (www.winterthur.org) is very close and might be worth checking out as well.

Also in that same area is the Brandywine Battlefield. It is the Revolutionary War site of a major American defeat that was followed eventually by the British occupation of Philadelphia and the famous winter encampment at Valley Forge, so linking these events during your visit would give your group an excellent and often overlooked perspective. There were battles also at Paoli and Germantown; Paoli being closer to where you are planning to stay. The Brandywine River Museum is maybe 1/2 mile away from the battlefield (www.brandywinemuseum.org) and would make an interesting visit as well.

A short drive up Baltimore Pike towards Media, you could take a break at the Newlin Grist Mill (www.newlingristmill.org) and catch trout in their pond. All fish must be kept; no catch and release.

Continuing on a few miles in that same direction, you will come to PA 352, just past Granite Run Mall. Take it west about 2 miles to the Tyler Arboretum (www.tylerarboretum.org); or a bit farther on, to Ridley Creek State Park. Each would be excellent places for hiking, walking and getting back to nature.

The Arboretum (650 acres) really is quite different from Longwood. It has a few historic buildings, a butterfly house and garden, a giant Sequoia tree planted before the Civil War (now with some of its progeny) plus lots of incredible specimens of other trees and bushes, some of which are of sizes rarely seen. Until September 28, the Arboretum also is featuring an unusual exhibit of 16 tree houses; Longwood also has what appears to be a smaller tree house exhibit.

Ridley Creek State Park (Googling will take you to the website) is practically adjacent to the Arboretum. It is 2,600 acres and the Park%26#39;s Colonial PA Plantation--a working farm restored to late 1700s appearance and staffed with people in period dress--is worth a visit on week-ends. Hiking, fishing, biking and horseback riding also are among the park activities.

Things to do in the western outlying areas of Philadelphia

Off of Route 422 is the Audubon homestead/museum, if you are into birds and drawings of birds http://pa.audubon.org/centers_mill_grove.html . About 5-10 minutes from K of P.

tylerarb - I googled the Colonial PA Plantation and it looks interesting; however, there isn%26#39;t a lot of information on their website. Do you know what sort of activities they have and how much time we should allow for a visit? Thanks for all your other ideas as well, we may be doing some of those also.

FlyEagle,

I have been there twice, several years apart. Basically, the volunteers dress in period costumes, talk with visitors as though they were still living in the late 18th century and do whatever needs to be done at the farm at that time of year, answering visitors questions as they work. They might be cooking a meal on the hearth, working with the crops (planting, tending, harvesting), taking care of animals, doing repairs, woodworking, spinning, maybe a little blacksmith work. The idea is that you have been taken back in time and are just visiting and interested in what is going on.

An hour probably will be sufficient for most people, unless they have a particular interest or there is a special event underway. Some people who have no interest or are easily bored will just walk through in a few minutes, so time to allot really will vary by the individual. I do recommend asking questions, as engaging the staff in discussion will result in a more interesting visit. I think that this is a volunteer staff, so some are more experienced, knowledgeable and personable than others. We enjoyed both visits.

Hope this helps.

Just found these two sources that explain a little more.

(1) www.fieldtrip.com/pa/05661725.htm

(2) Google ';Gardens of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley'; and the entire book is displayed. Page 34 has some useful expanded descriptions.

My relatives were recently in that area and had a great time at the QVC tour

http://www.qvc.com/cp/st_tour.html

Right near the QVC headquarters is the American Helicopter Museum -- very interesting. http://www.helicoptermuseum.org/