Hibernia County Park is home to a very special ChesCo tradition, the Annual Old Fiddlers' Picnic,…read morewhich has now been running 93 years straight! This 900-acre park is also home to Chambers Lake, a children's fishing pond, many acres of woods/trails, campsites, playgrounds, and the Hibernia Mansion (separate Yelp listing). Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the Fiddlers' Picnic, and it was so much fun! The part of the park chosen for this event was perfect for it. My only qualm was a lack of signage directing people to this area. I missed 15 minutes of the picnic because I was driving around trying to find some hint of a sign. You'd have no idea there was an event going on anywhere else in the park, and visitors there were clueless about it. Wouldn't you want to advertise in and around your venue site? This was unusual for events I'm used to, and a total pain as a first-timer, of which I'm sure there were many. Any online promoting for the event did not explain where in the huge park to find it. Since this is a major annual event, I hope they do better in future years. Otherwise, go straight to the park office and ask! I include this to try to help future event-goers. The park itself is beautiful, and a large number of rangers and groundskeepers were on hand doing a great job. I'd visited Hibernia once before, and will again to check out the lake. More then!

Beautiful spot. Huge park…read more Multiple play grounds. Chambers lake- public access Camping Well maintained clean bathrooms Volleyball courts Lots of trails Horse trailer parking to ride horses through the trails

Large lake and great for kayaking! Clean restrooms and plenty of parking. Boat launch area is…read moregreat!

Many memories here. Gotta love this place. I've been coming here for 2 years now and it's great. I…read morewish you were allowed to swim in the water though. They should start checking the bacteria levels. Also the boats are really expensive. Those are just minor changes. Overall 4/5 stars. Well done Marsh Creek.

Love this place! The whole playground is gated with only 1 entrance so u can let your kid run free…read moreand guard the entrance as needed. The castle itself is huge but quite cramped inside so it was alot of work following my 2.5 yo kid inside. The castle is targetted for 5yo and up. My toddler enjoyed the spiral slides. The rest of the playground is nice and clean as well. There's free parking available and the castle is a short walk from there. I went there on a Friday afternoon/evening in late august and it wasn't too crowded. I would come back again if I was in the area

2 stars solely for greenspace. My opinion is based on driving an hour to meet friends here for a…read moreplay date. If you live locally it may be worthwhile but the drive for me was such a waste of my time for what this was. Ready? It's a: Big Wooden Castle Yep, that's it, folks. A gigantic version of that swingset-clubhouse combo you bought at Costco only to rot in your backyard because spiders and rain made it so unpleasant for kids that they refuse to use it. It's that creepy clubhouse times 30! It's pretty much a regular playground with most kids swarming the swings and other play features with a few venturing into the old wood play structure. They go in once and don't go back in again. My son was cursed at by older boys who appeared beyond the age guidelines (and I was surprised to see them still interested in a playground). In the myopic darkness of the castle, my son banged his head when inside the dank structure there was suddenly an unmarked (unlit) drastic change in ceiling height. Needless to say this experience was a turn off. Most kids really preferred being out in daylight because the castle felt more like a dungeon. It was fun to see friends and we enjoyed the togetherness of the play date but unless I'm in the area and desperate for a kid distraction, I won't be back.

It's the American dream, folks. The West Goshen Community Park - this is why our forefathers…read moreditched the British shackles and bad food... so their children's children could one day pile in a minivan and run around to their heart's content enjoying spiral slides, sandpits, super swings, and the all the sublime of suburban swag... (wow, I really didn't try the alliteration until I was halfway through the sentence). Sorry, I'm rambling... yet again... So I still give this lovely park 5 stars despite lacking one of those cool splash pads like some of the surrounding parks. Each area of this particular park is so carefully attended to... the picnic tables, pavilions, play structures (oops, there I go again). And the bathrooms are so clean! A sure sign of high performance parks n' rec. It's never overcrowded which is great. And we parents with kids are all civil and nice... it's like we all watch Daniel Tiger together or something. Haven't been to any concerts or big events. Big downside for me is that the running trail is only 9/10 of a mile which leaves a dunce like me who failed the fractions test in grade school completely clueless as to how many whole miles I've run. Just kidding... I don't run. Is that the ice cream truck I hear? Gotta run.

Great park and playground with lots of options. Bathrooms too and kids sandpit. Township hosts…read moreoutdoor concerts in the summer and activities throughout the year.

This place is a neat and sort of out of the way find located off of the main drag of Route 30 in…read moreGap. There is a nice small little playground for kids to play at along with basketball courts, two picnic pavilions, and tennis courts/hockey rink/baseball field that if you make a reservation they can be rented and the fields all have lights. (Yes I believe their sewage treatment plant is located right next to the park but mercifully it doesn't smell at all and you'll never know it's there if you don't look.)

Ned to go somewhere serene?! If so this is your place!! There was dogs and people enjoying the…read morewaterfall. Amazing location for a picnic as well. There are several large rocks that you can sit down and enjoy the views. A great spot to get photos as well. Make sure you bring proper shoes as you will be in the element and it will get slippery and wet out there. I will definitely be back when it's warmer to enjoy the warm water!

Great hike for all ages and most abilities. I went hiking with my brother and his family and they…read morehave 4 kids ages 3-9. There is a Porta Potty at the beginning of the trail in the parking lot. The trail is well maintained. The are parts where the elevation is a little steep and long. If you have lunch issues then the elevated parts may be an issue. There is one part where you have to cross the river that requires some balance and walking across stones or through the water, whichever you prefer. The trail has tree roots on it in several parts, so watch your ankles so you don't roll them. There are benches along the way to sit rest on and there are benches at the end of the trail overlooking the falls. The falls has a little pool below it that is fun for the kids who like to wade in it. There are large flat stone spaces where you can sit and observe the falls.

By now, I've been to a number of Natural Lands preserves, and while all of them are naturally…read morestunning in their own unique ways, Stroud is most easy on the eyes, as one helluva photogenic preserve! 571 acres of GORGEOUSNESS!!!!!!! Sunsets are beautiful here. Many visitors were there just to hike up the hill to see the sunset. Some were even there with professional photographers, for a couple's shot in the moment. I wasn't able to hike the grassy trail with a stroller, but I got some shots of it setting behind the trees, and it was still beautiful to watch from the lowlands. This preserve features a paved trail, mowed grass meadow trails, and dirt woods trails. The terrain varies as explained, so be aware that bikes and strollers, etc. will have limited access. That said, the paved trail was quite long, and we didn't have time to finish with fading twilight, hence there is plenty of exercise to be had on each type of trail. Obviously the meadow trails leave you open to sun exposure, so be prepared in summer months. I did not feel too many bugs along the paved trail, but I would worry more about them in the meadow or woods, so consider repellent if you plan to explore those areas. Also, while I hike my local park on a daily basis with no symptoms, my allergies went nuts with the variety of grasses and trees at this preserve. There is ample free parking in the gavel lot. The East Branch Brandywine creek is very close to the parking lot, so if you plan to kayak, canoe, etc., it is not far to carry anything to a slip. There is also a smaller Taylor Run stream on the property, but it's not big enough for watersports. The Natural Lands website says some of the acreage is working farmlands, and yes, there are rolling hills of hay crop all over the place. There are some old buildings on the preserve (homes, barns, spring houses, etc.), but any I encountered were prohibited areas, and are not approachable for the public. This was unusual for other Natural Lands properties I've visited. According to their website, one of the stone homes dates to 1740, and is on the National Register of Historic Places, however it is being lived in, thus the notices not to proceed beyond designated boundaries. Also unlike other Natural Lands preserves, there is a lot of scientific study/research going on at this preserve. There is evidence of data collection in various places, and their website explains ecological projects run by the Stroud Water Research Center. Stroud is the only preserve in PA to be part of the Environmental Protection Agency's National Monitoring Program, to evaluate how human inhabitancy affects water quality. Natural Lands hosts various events at Stroud (low-cost admission, and pre-registration required). For example, in August they are hosting a splash in the creek for kids, and in September they'll have an evening Harvest Moon Hike and S'mores!

This is a perfect place for a quick-ish and relaxing hike. There are several different options and…read moremost of them loop. I did the red trail loop which is a bit longer. It's through some grass and along some private properties. I went on a Friday afternoon and there were not many people there. There are great views and clearly marked trails. Parking can be difficult.

Stunning Preserve & amazing trail to walk on that is over 300 acres. Great for kids, horseback…read moreriding...or just beautiful peaceful walks. You can see short video's on my personal youtube and get a feel for what it is like. https://youtu.be/-nRcjGKmIck https://youtu.be/u1ru5yL754s

While this preserve is members only, you may visit with a pass you can borrow for free at many…read morelocal libraries. The preserve is maintained by Brandywine Conservancy, so if you obtain the free visitor's pass for Brandywine Museum and Conservancy at the library, you may access any of their preserves and/or the museum (and the trails on the museum grounds). Because The Laurels is a private, members-only preserve, there is not major signage for it out by the road. They are down a pretty nondescript long driveway, which I'd never know was a preserve if I hadn't been looking for it, AND read all their navigation details on the website in advance. They are located in what I'd call Unionville, but their mailing address is Coatesville. The parking lot and driveway are all gravel/dirt, so you might want to note this for winter months, depending on how your vehicle handles snow. Their main trails are basically dirt roads connecting forests and meadows, with a meandering creek, and cool old covered bridge. Since they're wide as roads, the trails are very safe to keep a distance from places where ticks hang out, and allow safe distance from others (COVID), and other leashed dogs if you bring your dog(s). The scenery changes a bit, for interesting sights, and great photo opportunities. There are open spots of sun, as well as canopied forest shady areas. I didn't walk the whole preserve but did a couple miles, and did not feel anything was a challenging incline or anything too rigorous. I also pushed my toddler's stroller for him to get in and out as he pleased, and I had no problem navigating on the paths. Note: I had a hard time finding directions. I had best luck using this "address": Doe Run Rd & McCorkles Rd, West Marlborough Township, PA.

Half decent scenic route. 4/10 in terms of difficulty-…read moretrail is pretty good workout for uphill and downhill 2/10 for trail management. The trails at certain points were extremely overgrown and poorly marked. Lucky there is cell reception and I could use it to navigate correctly. But certain areas are way too overgrown resulting prime tick habitats to the point where certain grass areas I can physically SEE ticks sitting on grass overlapping the trail.

Here's the official description: "Located along a 20-mile stretch of the Maryland-Pennsylvania…read moreborder, the State Line Serpentine Barrens, the largest occurrence of Serpentine Barrens in the eastern United States, contains some of the last major remnants of serpentine grassland and savanna in eastern North America. " But what this means to you and me is that its just a fantastic; eerie; unearthly natural environment to go seek out and hike in. Of especial interest to horticulturalists and wildlife biologists; students; geologists, arborists, sylviculturalists, ecologists--sure. It is all that. But just in general --a fun and free place to roam around if you're simply an outdoors enthusiast. There is no one here; its deserted; and filled with all sorts of strange trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses, and lichens. You can really get your nature on; a really 1-on-1 experience.

beautiful views ! a great park for a nice walk. with or without pets…read more you get the greens from the beautiful park and the blues from the water. nice trail and pretty easy. quiet and not too busy. i love the lighthouse! also beautiful bird sounds and other animal encounters.

Summer time is in full swing and that means it's time to go camping. Now I'm no camping pro but I…read morerecently had the opportunity to camp with my family at Elk Neck State Park and we had a great time. The camp ground provides a few different options for your camping needs. Whether you're in the mood for the full camping experience with no electricity or if you would prefer an electrical site to plug in all your goods. The sites offer a decent amount of space for you to spread out with all of your gear. Each site has a fire pit to do some grilling and roast marshmallows and a table with benches, to hang out and enjoy your meals. A bath house with showers are also in each loop, and they're actually pretty well kept, aside from the bugs running around, which is expected. You'll occasionally see the park rangers riding around throughout the day to keep an eye on things, and they're all really friendly. If you're looking to get outside and rough it for a few days or take a much needed break from the stress of the world at trip to Elk Neck for a beautiful camping trip is the way to do it.