The Brandywine Museum has a special place in my heart. Intimate and welcoming, it is set in a…read morebeautiful natural environment, a wall of windows overlooking the river and green foliage. The focus on nature is a fitting homage to the special place the Wyeth family holds for the museum. This family of painters made their home in the area, and Andrew Wyeth - in partnership with his wife Betsy - took the local landscape, architecture and people as his life's work. However, the family produced three generations of artists, and there is usually at least one, carefully curated, Wyeth exhibit on display at the museum at any given time. Each time I come I learn about a different aspect of their art, and fall in love a little bit more. You can also take a tour of the artists' home and studio, as well as the newly installed N.C. Wyeth mural in the Round Barn, constructed just for this purpose. These tours need a reservation and cost extra, but worth it if you are able to splurge.

The Brandywine Museum is a treasured spot we've visited several times this year. Permanent exhibits…read moreare wonderful, and the rotating exhibits are especially interesting. A beautiful spot in scenic Chadds Ford.

I just visited this place today (11/16/22) from out of state(NY). I was absolutely amazed by all…read morethe exhibits and super fun trails they had to hike. The staff was very warming, helpful and knowledgeable. A perfect 5/5 and a must visit!!! - Jeffrey Roberts

A 2 1/2 hour sailing trip on the Delaware on Labor Day afternoon sounded wonderful, peaceful and…read morecalming. I imagined sails unfurled taking us in the replica sailing vessel under the Delaware Memorial Bridge towards Philadelphia or perhaps southward towards the merge with the ocean. Two and one half hours sailing ... 150 minutes of sails billowing perhaps music playing and history being shared. Casual entertainment on the Delaware. We pulled out of New Castle under the ships motors at 3pm and were back unloading at 5pm. By my calculations that was exactly TWO HOURS not the promised 2 1/2 hours and no sailor, the seas were not rough nor the skies stormy. Two hours ... shortchanged by 30 full minutes of "sailing" time. Oh wait, we actually did not sail but several of us were called to duty to pull up the sails only to watch them billow for a couple of minutes before they were brought back down. And, those of us who helped really had to put our muscles and our backs to work to pull those sails upwards. We we're motorized for these 2 hours and actually we sat almost still for about 15 minutes. We never reached the Delaware Memorial Bridge (we headed north for this trip) and actually we did not cover much of the Delaware River on this 2-hour experience. The ship itself is awesome but perhaps some music or entertainment other than having to help the amazing volunteer crew with the sails would have made the cost/trip more worthwhile. We were handed a sheet with a scavenger hunt hinting that we and our shipmates should start searching for the answers but they never provided the answers to the scavenger hunt and there were no winners nor losers. It was as if it was an afterthought. The history narration was interesting but most on board either missed the announcement or couldn't find the docent providing us with insight on the Kalmar Nyckel. The extremely excessively large American flag kept hitting people on the foredeck wrapping itself around them, which was not a pleasant experience (You would think by now they would have purchased a smaller flag ). I felt worse for people with children because there was no energy in this TWO HOUR cruise ... it was calm and peaceful and I burned a few calories pulling ropes. Yelp asks ... "What could improve?" ... MUSIC, MORE INTERACTION by crew leaders, being truthful about how long the trip is, actually using the sails to move the boat, and travelling up or down more of the Delaware, which might lead the trip to last the advertised 2 1/2 hours.

We visited the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation Museum and Shipyard yesterday, and it exceeded my pretty…read morehigh expectations. We are visiting Sweden later this month on vacation, and (somehow - I don't remember how), I learned about the Kalmar Nyckel and thought: "Now that is the perfect thing to do leading out to our vacation in Sweden!" So off we went. We booked a sail on the boat - 9:30 a.m. on their opening day of the season. We arrived a few minutes before 9:00 to check in (as instructed when we purchased the tickets). That was great, because the Foundation's building is also home to a surprisingly great museum. The museum is on the upper floor of the building, and you can learn about navigation, sailing, the original Kalmar Nyckel, the replica of the Kalmar Nyckel, the colony of New Sweden (founded just a few minutes walk away from where you stand), and more. I knew nothing about the Kalmar Nyckel (had never even heard of it) and almost nothing about the colony of New Sweden. I got so much out of my visit. The Kalmar Nyckel was built in 1625 and eventually came to be owned by the Swedish city of Kalmar. When Sweden decided to establish a trading colony in the New World, the Kalmar Nyckel was one of two vessels selected to make the journey. The colony of New Sweden was founded in what is now Wilmington when the Kalmar Nyckel and the ship that accompanied it landed at the rocks just next to where the Kalmar Nyckel is docked now in 1638. The ship was sunk in 1652 off the coast of Scotland, but it made three more journeys to New Sweden and so was instrumental in the founding of the colony. In 1986, a group of Wilmington citizens established the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation, which designed, built, and launched the replica that you can see or sail on if you visit. After learning as much as we could in half an hour, we boarded the Kalmar Nyckel with around 50 others (lots of children and families) and went out for a sail on the Christina River on the ship. The ship is beautiful, and I spent a lot of time taking in the details (see my many pictures). The sail was lots of fun. The staff volunteers were amazing, answering lots of questions and providing lots of information throughout (there was a pirate story for the kids and a history talk for everyone during our 1 1/2 hour sail). There are opportunities to help the volunteer staff pull some ropes (sorry I can't provide technical language for what we did; not a sailor!). Important info: The Kalmar's sailing season is May-October, but it docks at some other East Coast locations throughout the season. So definitely take a look at their schedule on the website to ensure you're visiting on a day you can see and sail on the Kalmar! This was a wonderful experience. I learned a lot and had tons of fun. And it just felt so unique to this region and to Wilmington. Where else can you go for a sail on a 17th century replica of a Swedish vessel?! Definitely an activity to add to your to do list if you live in or are planning a visit to Wilmington. I was really glad we made this day trip up for our sail.

Living part time in NYC where I'm reliant on public transportation, it's kind of a treat to ride in…read morethe car when I'm back in PA. I was game when my husband suggested visiting Hagley Museum in Wilmington, DE. Hagley is the DuPont family's first U.S. "home," though I'd describe it more as an estate. The property encompasses 235 acres along the banks of the Brandywine with historic buildings, a research library and black powder mills. The gardens and grounds are spectacular. There's shuttle service between the visitors' center, powder yard and DuPont residence. What particularly impressed me are the friendly and knowledgeable docents leading tours at key sites. Demonstrations are pretty cool, including a blast -- a literal blast! -- at the black powder mill. (As I learned, gunpowder is made from black powder, so not exactly synonymous.) Wear comfortable shoes. Some paths are rocky. And if you can, avoid visiting on a broiling hot day. (I should've taken my own advice!)

Hagley is a little hard to describe, but I spent hours there this past weekend, so I'll do my best!…read moreHagley is one of many properties in the area associated with the du Pont family. Hagley is where Éleuthère Irénée du Pont founded his black powder mills in 1802. For more than 100 years (the factory was the largest in the world but then closed in 1921), it was the center of the du Pont family's work, wealth, and success. The reason it's hard to explain? Hagley has multiple areas and attractions - it's not just one place or one thing. There's the Powder Yard, Workers' Hill, the historic home and gardens, and the Nation of Inventors (a museum/exhibit exploring inventors/patents in 19th century America). When you arrive at the visitor center, a friendly staff members hands over a map, which you'll need during your visit. You can walk around most of the property, but you do have to take their shuttle to get to and from the historic home and gardens. Since I was already at the visitors center, I explored the Nation of Inventors first and found it interesting and fun (with some interactive aspects). Then I walked along the Brandywine River and the mill race to the Powder Yard. There, I visited the Powder Yard Orientation Gallery (for some context), explored the roll mills (historic structures where the black powder was produced), and visited the millwright shop. At the millwright shop, the friendly staff turned on some of the 19th century machines in the machine room, explained about the work that happened at the factory, and demonstrated a small, contained black powder explosion. From there, I took the shuttle to the historic home and gardens. I visited the barn (where you can see carriages and antique vehicles), the pollinator garden, and the restored French kitchen garden, before taking a tour of the house and the First Office (a structure next to the house that served as DuPont Company headquarters). After all this, I looked at my phone to realize I had spent about 2 hours longer than I had intended to at Hagley and I was starving. It says a lot that I had intended to spend about 2 hours at the museum and then go grab lunch in Wilmington and instead spent at least 4 hours at the museum. And I didn't even make it to Workers' Hill (where you can visit another house, the Sunday school, a picnic pavilion, and the workers' garden)! There is so much to do at Hagley. I learned a ton (big thanks to the docents that helped me to learn at Hagley - Pete, John, and Jonathan), and I had a great time. Visiting Hagley is easy - most sites have tours or demonstrations on the half hour, so you're never waiting for long for something new to begin. The shuttle makes it easy to get around, but the property was also beautiful to walk around. Hagley would be great for anyone interested in history, science, or the Brandywine region. Definitely plan to spend a long time here to fully experience what it has to offer!

Last minute rain cancellation. Said rain or shine on the website, drove 45 minutes each way to…read morefind out it was cancelled.

The Brandywine Festival of the Arts is a must for art lovers of all kinds. All over the park…read morevendors are stretched out in tented rows offering jewelry, paintings, carvings, you name it. All of the vendors I've encountered we're welcoming and eager to discuss their craft. One vendor I really enjoyed talking with was David Souza. His wood turnings, a medium I passionately adore, were utterly beautiful. There are some bowls there that I would love to have. For now I scooped up the cutest spinning top that was among an array displayed in all sorts of colors and patterns. The $5.00 admission is good for both days and entry to the zoo. So if you go home and decide you simply can't live without that exquisite hand turned wood bowl with lid well you can go back and get it (note to self). There is a food court were all the food trucks are set up and a large tented seating area or you could sit down by the creek and enjoy the view. The festival also has live music and a kids activity corner. The festival is dog friendly and vendors set out bowls of water in case Fido gets thirsty. Also noteworthy is the fact that they have shuttle buses. I just found this out after coming here three years. As a matter of fact people were boarding one as I was leaving. I don't know why I didn't inquire because there is quite a steep and long hill you MUST travel down to get to the grounds. By the time I scaled the hill back to my car I was a hot, exhausted, sweaty mess but overall an excellent experience.

I understand Jeff's anger, but really, it's a church festival. And as far as comparing it to the…read moreGreek fest, that's not really fair since they're nothing alike. And I definitely prefer St. Anthony's. 1. There are nightly concerts of classic and Italian music in the church. This year the Fralinger String Band played just outside the Antonion on the first Sunday. They were pretty fantastic as well. 2. Come early in the evening (I'm talking 5:30 when they open!) for the people watching-- you get little old couples dancing and listening to the music, versus 9:30 when you have tattoos and wifebeaters making drunk passes at hooker heels and push up bras. 3. It's a carnival-- of course they have the requisite funnel cake and hot dogs. Stay away from the stretch across from the midway if you want authentic. The Antonian has my personal favorite food (must get a porkette sandwich!), but go to the cage (The Piazza) as a second choice, and Nona Strada as a last resort (everyone seems to line up for the pizza there). I think the nice thing about the Italian fest is there's something for everyone. At Greek fest, food is only done by church volunteers, and the lines stretch on FOREVER, but at St. Anthony's you have restaurants vending as well. Some people are happy with their "baked ziti" and panzarotti. 4. Charging to enter was one of the greatest decisions they made. It keeps the riff raff out. At least there are multiple entrances, so lines never get too backed up. If you truly want the authentic St. Anthony's experience, go on the final Sunday. Take part in the 12:00 mass (remember, this is a CHURCH), watch the procession and give dollars to the saints to get bread, or prayer cards, or flowers, and then head into the festival for some food, music, and lemon ice with vodka.

Everything! The ambiance was beautiful, good crowd control, and the food was absolutely delicious!read more

Such a special place! How had I never heard of this museum?…read moreIt's magic! As others have said, they are not open every day, festival days are held the first Sunday of every month (June-Nov). It is quick and easy to buy tickets online in advance. You can choose admission to the grounds with house tour, admission with rides, or the full package. This was really helpful because though I'd love to someday see the house, it's much easier to just do rides for young kids. With general admission, you do get to see the museum located behind the house, with antique cars, and Lionel trains. The model trains are set up and running, which the kids love. You also get free popcorn from the antique steam-powered popcorn machine. It was really good! Around the grounds, there is a train theme play structure, a pond with fountain and bridge, picnic tables, and a corn hole game. They also had era-appropriate live music, and an ice cream food truck! The Steamin' Days events are from 12:30pm-4:30pm, and if you choose rides, you get 4 with your ticket. They punch the ticket each ride. There is a ride-on steam train, ride-on diesel train, a steam bus, and two convertible cars from which to choose. You can ride 4 times on the same thing, or any combo you like! My son had a blast on everything, but my favorite was the convertible car. The day was all for my son, and I did not think I'd enjoy myself as much as I did, which is always a happy surprise! I can't wait to go to another! Also as others have mentioned, the volunteers were really knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, and engaging. They really put their all into creating a spectacular day for everyone. Every detail was covered, from the crossing guard at the entrance making sure everyone was safe, to the "purse parking" table at the train boarding, to the exciting train conductors' uniforms. This place is immaculate looking, and the experience is 1000% streamlined to care for everyone's needs. It was like a VIP event, but my ticket was only $12, and my son's was $4!!! If you have an ACCESS Delaware pass, you get $2pp admission for up to 4 people. The experience is worth so much more! *One caveat was a woman helping with boarding the train; she randomly, and very unnecessarily and harshly, warned my son to keep his hands inside the car--BEFORE he even sat down--with a threat of ejecting him from the ride, and did not give the same misery to any other passenger. You don't speak that way to a 2yo! But overall, I cannot recommend this place enough! It should be all over the brochures of the Brandywine Valley. Such an exciting, fun, amazing place!

Awesome house and grounds - be sure to go to a Steaming Sunday and take a ride on the scale model…read moresteam train - visit the beautiful Victorian manor house and walk through the Stanley Steam Car Museum - plenty of volunteers on hand to answer questions.

We just had an amazing experience at the paint and sip at flickerwood! We loved our "teacher" Kate…read morewho was patient and talkative! She was great help! The design was a little difficult with so many lines but we enjoyed it! Enjoyed painting with assistances for very beginner levels!

Gina M. And I bought a Livingsocial deal for a BYOB painting class at Kennett Design. At first, I…read morewas skeptical since my artistic abilities are pretty much non-existant. But I'm happy to report we had a blast and cannot wait to go back! A two hour painting class, which includes all art supplies, costs $39. Not bad when you consider the fact that you get two hours worth of entertainment and a lovely piece of art to take home. Gina and I signed up for "sailing through the tropics" night, so we were given step by step instructions on how to paint a sailboat/ocean scene. The artist tasked with teaching us was absolutely wonderful and so patient. I could not believe how nice my artwork actually turned out...I might even hang it on the wall! Kennett Design is a fun, unique way to spend a night out. They have lots of different theme nights like Van Gogh, peacock feathers, beach scenes, etc. so you can choose to paint whatever appeals to you. I highly recommend Kennett Design and am looking forward to creating my next masterpiece!