Not as amazing as some of the other battlefields we've been to other surrounding areas and states…read morebut a cool visit nonetheless. The visitors center had a mini museum and someone in period clothing of said war time also giving a your as well that you would pay extra for.

Just nice to visit and walk remember those who served our country would be better if they had more…read moresites to visit and houses weren't built on !

Very interesting place to find out about local historical figures, and the facts of life back then…read more Though we've seen lot's of historic houses, but still discovered for ourselves something we didn't know before. Too bad not much of information about this place on the internet, but we were very glad to discover it and recommend it to everyone loving the history of this country.

This place never disappoints! You need to go back each season to appreciate the changing landscape…read moreand step back in time!

We took a wonderful stroll on a brisk winter evening while the lights were still up in January…read more Highly recommend. we will definitely come back. Sorry we didn't take any pictures.

My family and I had such a great time on our northeast trip. We spent a little bit of time in…read moreDelaware and one of the favorite things we did in Delaware was the riverfront Riverwalk. It was very fun we walked up and down the bridge in the river and saw the sights and took pictures and just had a great time it is definitely worth visiting

We visited Old Swedes Historic Site last Saturday when we visited Wilmington and New Castle on a…read moreday trip to Delaware. We're visiting Sweden at the end of the month, and I was keen to learn some Swedish American history. And - to be honest - until I started researching for our day trip (after learning about the replica of the Kalmar Nyckel and its sails down the Christina River) - I didn't know much at all about New Sweden! Old Swedes Historic Site was not only very informative - but interesting! Old Swedes Historic Site is a place where you can learn about New Sweden - a Swedish colony in North America (in what is now Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) from 1638-1655 (it was incorporated into New Netherland in 1655 after it was conquered by Peter Stuyvesant). For a time, Fort Christina (in what is now Delaware, and just down the street from Old Swedes) was the first settlement of New Sweden. At Old Swedes Historic Site, you visit three different sites in one spot and on one guided tour: the Hendrickson House (an example of a home built by Swedish colonists) that was moved to the site); the 1638 Burial Ground; and the Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church (built in 1698). The church was particularly interesting - with its brick floor, oldest pulpit in America, beautiful stained glass, and carved into wooden doors! Our tour guide was very nice, and the tour was only about 45 minutes (you can stay and explore more of the burial ground if you choose after the tour). In a single day, you can visit the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation and Museum (and sail on the Kalmar Nyckel), visit the park and monument now at the former site of Fort Christina, and Old Swedes Historic Site. These three stops were interesting and really gave us a much better understanding of this part of American colonial history that I was quite ignorant of. Definitely worth including in a day of exploring the area!

Oldest active church in the US…read more.. You can also stop for a National Park cancellation stamp here. Very cool grounds to walk. 5 stars for that!

I visited Winterthur for the first time with my mom on Christmas Eve for their Yuletide exhibit…read more I'd been mildly curious about the mansion over the years, and it seemed like a fun thing to do on my day off from work. The mansion is ornate, truly massive, and opulent. It's a true peek into the lifestyles of the rich. The Yuletide theme this past year was centered around Christmas and children's books, like Alice and Wonderland, Twas the Night Before Christmas, etc. When we arrived, we were a bit confused on where to park, as my mom has a handicap sticker. We ended up parking right at the visitor's center where the tram retrieves guests. We didn't have a long wait. On the tram, the driver recommended starting at the house and then walking down to the galleries. She didn't mention the enchanted woods/garden, so I didn't even realize they were there until I got home later that night -- bummer. Some of the folks working the rooms were pleasant, others felt like security guards. One chided my mom for leaning her hand against a wall at one point. Some were knowledgeable, and others clearly didn't want to be there. I appreciated the girl in the garden entry room who snapped our photo with the decorated trees before we stepped into the house! I took many pictures while in the house, and then we traipsed over to the galleries. The gallery building had a doll house, a really well-done gingerbread train station, furniture and other exhibits on the ground floor, and a rotating, very interesting exhibit on African American history on the second floor. After the galleries, we stopped by the museum store, and while most everything was dramatically overpriced, I did find a few cool items in my price range. We were on the grounds for roughly 2-3 hours I'd say before having lunch nearby. Arriving early was a good choice. They do offer reciprocal garden access with other garden memberships (I have one at home in Richmond, VA), so perhaps one day I'll use that access to see the gardens that I missed!

Wilmington, DE - the Winterthur estate is another grand property in the Brandywine Valley area that…read morewas built by generations of the du Pont family, with a 175-room mansion, landscaped gardens on its thousand-acre grounds (a delight to roam), a research library, and a museum that houses a large and impressive collection of American decorative arts, fine art, furniture, and other objects. Of particular charm are the Enchanted Woods, a magical fairy garden with whimsical structures, faerie homes, hidden nooks & crannies and unexpected discoveries. It really brings back the magic & nostalgia of childhood, when I used to love exploring in nature and playing make-believe in forests and meadows. The gardens are designed by Henry Francis du Pont and showcases fine examples of landscaping and horticultural design, but the Enchanted Woods are an absolute treasure. The on-campus cafe, while airy and spacious, didn't have too many options and the food, if I may be honest, was pretty terrible, but it ties you over. ======= TIP: If you love museums and historic homes & gardens and plan to visit at least a couple, the best thing you can do is purchase a Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport ($49 for individuals, or $99 for family including 2 adults & 3 children 17yo and under), which grants you admission to 12 area attractions that you can visit once any time between May 24-October 31. (This year is almost over but you can still buy the 2025 pass or wait for 2026 to be released.) There were many enterprising du Pont descendants/cousins, and the multiple grand estates in this area were built/owned by different branches of the family: in addition to Winterthur there is also the Hagley Museum & Library, Nemours Estate, Mt. Cuba Center, and Longwood Gardens - all of which are included in the passport. I find these properties to be more impressive than the Newport RI mansions, and highly recommend visiting as many as you can!

Visited on school trip. When we arrived, staff were waiting outside and grabbed our attention by…read moretheir traditional 1700's Quaker attire. Our tour consisted of the Blacksmith, Pond Life, Mill Tour, Miller's House and Hearth Cooking. I must admit I think the adults were a bit more intrigued by the program than the children. I specifically loved the Blacksmith demonstration. The gentleman showed us how tedious it was just to make a simple spoon and the amount of work that went into making items out of iron during this time frame. He explained that during this time 8-9 year olds would have been working on making nails and how important the Blacksmith was to the community. I would love to visit again and participate in learning more about the process. I not a bug lover so the Pond while the children thought it was cool to play in, I would pass. The Mill tour.. amazing the process of milling flour and the Miller's house displayed how the home would have been set up during the time period, including the brick oven. I also enjoyed the Hearth cooking.. the children learned how to make and "cook" cookies outside in a Hearth; the cookies actually tasted pretty good. Overall, I really enjoyed my time on the grounds. I look forward to returning and participating in another programs.

this place is HUGE! there are so many different trails to walk, beautiful waterfalls and a lovely…read morepicnic area. there are signs throughout showing the map of all the trails. I only wish there were signs telling you which trail you're starting because I struggle to read the map.

Wilmington, DE - we visited several du Pont estates during our stay in the beautiful Brandywine…read moreValley area, starting with the Hagley Museum, which is the place of the first du Pont family home, built by the French immigrant ancestor who started it all, Éleuthère Irénée du Pont. We toured the house (Eleutherian Mills) and garden, powder yard, saw a small antique car exhibit, a gunpowder demonstration, and strolled around the grounds, which are very walkable and well-shaded in parts, but there is also a shuttle that travels between the main areas (visitor center/museum, house, powder yards) which runs every 20 minutes. The property is impeccably maintained and gorgeous to walk around, bordered by the Brandywine River where we saw some kayakers row by (for paddlers & outdoor enthusiasts: you can do this as an activity in the area). Everything was SO well-organized, and the tour guides & staff could not have been more lovely or helpful. They helped us time-manage our tours (as we arrived late in the day and were in a bit of a rush) and were generous with answering questions and sharing information about the history of the place and of the du Pont family. ======= TIP: If you love museums and historic homes & gardens and plan to visit at least a couple, the best thing you can do is purchase a Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport ($49 for individuals, or $99 for family including 2 adults & 3 children 17yo and under), which grants you admission to 12 area attractions that you can visit once any time between May 24-October 31. (This year is almost over but you can still buy the 2025 pass or wait for 2026 to be released.) There were many enterprising du Pont descendants/cousins, and the multiple grand estates in this area were built/owned by different branches of the family: in addition to Hagley there is also Winterthur, Nemours, Mt. Cuba Center, and Longwood Gardens - all of which are included in the passport. I find these properties to be more impressive than the Newport RI mansions, and highly recommend visiting as many as you can!

We thoroughly enjoyed visiting the different areas on this 225 acre Estate and gunpowder mill. So…read moremuch history and great demonstrations that really helped me understand how things worked during the time the mill was operational. I was amazed that everything works and looks great and was used from 1803 to 1958. We did a walking tour with Susan (who was great) which included the powder yards. So much interesting information and it was great being able to ask questions. Take the tour. The docents in the house were all so helpful and friendly. We were there 4 hours so you know we really liked our visit to Hagley.

Paper Mill House (ca.1770) is a township museum located in the same building as the Newtown Square…read moreHistorical Society's offices, but note that they are separate entities. The Paper Mill House allows visitation to its display rooms during open hours, while the Historical Society is by appointment, and is another part of the building. The Paper Mill House Museum is only open Sundays 1-4 PM in July and August. Admission to the museum is free, although donations are appreciated. There is a rep from the Historical Society there to answer questions, but you tour the display yourself. Paper Mill House was originally a residence for local mill workers. The building was restored in the '80s and is now set up as Colonial-era rooms, such as a colonial kitchen, parlor, bedroom, and 19th century general store. On the 2nd floor there are local history exhibits. The rest of the museum is offices and conference room for the Historical Society. There are 4.5 acres of grounds, including a neat wood plank bridge over a stream. The museum building itself is close on the corner of Paper Mill Rd. and St. Davids Rd., but, though the address is Paper Mill Rd., note that the gravel parking lot is off of St. Davids Rd.

While this preserve is technically members only, it is also a national landmark, as the site of a…read moreRevolutionary War battle. Luckily, anyone may visit with a pass from many local 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). Birmingham Hill Preserve is largely a wide open field, once the battlefield. It's hallowed ground, and it felt hallowed to me. There are paths mowed in the field, nice and wide, to keep you from the longer tick grass. Birmingham Friends (Quaker) Meeting is just across the street (with their cemetery right there next to the parking lot of the preserve), so it is another historic site nearby. Didactics explain info about the battle, and the positions of the armies. I am not a huge history buff, so while this was interesting to me, I didn't have time to read them while chasing and holding the interest of a toddler, but I imagine that if you have detailed background knowledge about the battle, it would come alive and be a great stop on a tour of Washington's path. They offer dog waste stations and have posted rules about dogs needing to be leashed in the preserve, however their website states that dogs are not allowed at this preserve out of respect for the fallen during the Battle of Brandywine, Sept 11, 1777. I felt okay about taking my leashed dogs around the perimeter walk, but I felt a little uncomfortable walking them through the battlefield itself.