Visiting Longwood Gardens is a magical experience, especially if you stay for the dazzling Festival of Fountains that lights up the evening during summer.

Since exploring these spectacular gardens and their stunning displays usually takes around four to five hours, why not extend your adventure?

The region around Longwood Gardens offers a wealth of activities and sights that can easily fill a day—or even justify an overnight stay. From exploring historic Kennett Square to immersing yourself in nearby gardens and museums, there’s plenty to do once you’ve soaked in the beauty of Longwood.

Ready to discover what else Chester County and the Brandywine Valley has to offer?

Let’s dive into 15 fabulous activities and attractions that await you beyond Longwood Garden’s gates.

Historic Kennett Square

Since you are already going to be in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, to see Longwood Gardens, you may as well check out the historic section of Kennett Square nearby.

Here, you will find local shopping, dining, and overnight accommodations to enjoy. It’s a nice place to visit if you want to get a feel for the area, especially if you are big on supporting small businesses.

In fact, in 2019, Philadelphia Magazine named it the Best Suburban Shopping Destination.

Depending on the day of the week and time of year you stop by, you can also experience the farmers’ market, parades, and even a haunted history tour.

You can reach Kennett Square from Longwood Garden in about 5 minutes, going southwest on Route 1. From 9 to 5 weekdays, street parking adheres to meters but is free outside of those times.

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library

Another interesting destination 10 minutes from Longwood Gardens keeps with the garden theme but also boasts a museum and library for you to examine as well.

The Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library is quite the collection, featuring close to 100,000 pieces of art to marvel at. The library not only features a plethora of rare writings but is totally free and open to the public.

However, if you are worried the garden might not live up to Longwood, be reassured that it not only is around 1,000 acres in size but was also created by Henry Francis du Pont.

And seeing how well his relative Pierre S. du Pont did in establishing Longwood Gardens, it seems safe to say the family knows something about art.

Winterthur, located 10 minutes south of Longwood Gardens, is open year-round from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Tuesday through Sunday. Check Winterthur’s Admission Packages page for more information.

Nemours Estate & Gardens

Do you want to turn your visit to Longwood Gardens into a tour of the impressive gardens nearby? If so, you have some good options, including the 200-acre estate Nemours Estate and Gardens.

Here, you will find even more of what you enjoyed at Longwoods, including incredible fountains, plants, and carefully crafted architecture inspired by other countries,

However, what makes the Nemours Estate a bit more unique is that you will also be able to tour the mansion itself, a home built by Alfred du Pont—yes, as in a relation to the genius behind Longwood Gardens, Pierre S. du Pont.

Nemours Estate and Gardens, located at 1600 Rockland Road in Wilmington, DE, is closed Mondays but open 10 AM to 5 PM, Tuesday through Sunday.

The 47,000-square-foot Mansion, Chauffeur’s Garage, and 200 acres of gardens and grounds are open to visitors. Day, Garden and Estate passes are available for families, adults, seniors, and children.

Brandywine Battlefield Park

Seeing as you will be in Pennsylvania, you, of course, know the area saw a good amount of activity during the Revolution and Civil Wars. If the American Revolution intrigues you, you will want to make time to visit Brandywine Battlefield Park, just 10 minutes east of Longwood Gardens.

The Battle of Brandywine is significant for seeing combat between 30,000 soldiers in one day, making it the largest battle over one day to have taken place during the Revolutionary War.

Here, you can learn a great deal about the conversations, strategies, and conflicts that played out over that day, ultimately leading to George Washington’s army being forced to retreat to Valley Forge.

However, even in defeat, this battle sufficiently demonstrated American tenacity to the point that it convinced more leaders to commit themselves to the cause.

The Brandywine Battlefield Park is open for passive grounds visitation Monday-Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm.  Public parking is adjacent to the picnic areas just past the visitor center.  Walking access to the site is welcome.

The visitor center is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10-4, offering exhibits, a museum store, and an orientation film. 

Hours are subject to change. Visitors should call the park at (610)459-3342 to confirm the hours.

Editor’s Note: Watch the Brandywine Battlefield Park Orientation video below for a better understanding of the Battle of Brandywine, one of the largest and deadliest battles in America’s fight for independence.

Brandywine Museum of Art

If you are looking for a relaxing time not far from Longwood Gardens, you can’t beat the Brandywine Museum of Art, just a ten-minute drive north on Route 1 from Longwood Gardens.

This museum showcases the work of an American realist painter by the name of Andrew Wyeth, as well as the art of his family.

You can even enjoy a guided tour of the studios that Wyeth worked in and the part of the building his family called home.

As the name suggests, the museum overlooks the tranquil Brandywine River, which you can marvel at from the site’s overlooks. When you have had your fill of art, satisfy your hunger at the café on site.

The Brandywine Museum of Art at 1 Hoffman’s Mill Road in Chadds Ford, currently operates every day except Tuesdays, with admittance allowed from 9:30 AM until 4:30 PM.

Delaware Art Museum

You saw the outdoor beauty of nature, so maybe now you want to balance it out with the artistic beauty made by human hands. If so, the Delaware Art Museum is only about thirty minutes from Longwood Gardens.

Here, you can see over 12,000 pieces of art, including their 9-acre sculpture park. Depending on when you go, the museum even has artistic performances you can watch and all sorts of workshops you can attend to develop your art skills!

Check their schedule for classes teaching everything from ordinary painting and drawing classes to metalsmithing, photography, and writing. Classes are available for both kids and adults.

The museum at 2301 Kentmere Parkway in Wilmington can be reached in less than 30 minutes by driving south of Longwood Gardens. Admission is $18 for adults, $7 for students with a valid student ID, and $6 for youth ages 7 to 18.

The Delaware Art Museum is open from 10 AM to 4 PM, Wednesday through Sunday. The museum is closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Va La Vineyards

Longwood Gardens has its beer garden, as well as its own selection of wines, but if you really want a taste of something unusual and as fresh as can be, consider visiting one of several nearby vineyards.

Fortunately, Va La Vineyards, one of America’s top vineyards, is only about fifteen minutes away, so you can easily pencil in some time after your garden visit to partake in some of the fresh local offerings.

In terms of taste, the farms of this vineyard produce dry wines of Italian and French varieties for your pleasure. You can even order bottles in advance for pick up if you are short on time.

The Va La Vineyards recommends calling in advance to verify their current schedule, as holidays and poor weather could have an impact.

To make your reservation request, you can text ‘reservation’ to 484.548.1681 between 12 PM and 5 PM. On Fridays through Sundays, you also have the option to call 610.268.2702 during the same hours.

Baldwin’s Book Barn

Baldwin’s Book Barn isn’t just any bookstore; it’s a treasure trove tucked away on a country road between Longwood Gardens and West Chester.

Since its start in 1934, this gem has been all about antiquarian, new, used, and rare books. Oh, and it doesn’t stop there—they’ve also got antiques, manuscripts, and maps.

The place itself? It’s a 200-year-old stone barn that’s as charming as it sounds, filled to the brim with over 300,000 titles, making it Pennsylvania’s largest used book store by far.

Every nook and cranny of this historic setting tells a story, making it a haven for book lovers and collectors looking for that special find.

It’s more than just a bookstore—it’s a cornerstone of the West Chester community, offering a unique atmosphere and a collection of books that are as rare as they are fascinating.

Baldwin’s Book Barn is open daily, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, from 10 AM to 6 PM. Whether you’re a bibliophile or just curious, this place is worth a visit.

Northbrook Canoe

Nestled in the heart of the Brandywine Valley, Northbrook Canoe Co. has been a family affair for over four decades, crafting unforgettable river adventures on the picturesque Brandywine. Whether you’re paddling a canoe, kayaking, or just lazily tubing down the river, they’ve got something for everyone.

If you’re in the mood to kick back, their tubing trips are a perfect choice. Float down the Brandywine for two to three hours, with tube rentals at $25 to $30. It’s relaxation at its finest—just you and the gentle currents.

For canoe enthusiasts, there are four trip lengths to choose from, lasting from a quick hour’s escape to a leisurely 3.5-hour journey, with fees ranging from $60 to $90. These trips invite you to meander through the lush landscapes of the Brandywine Valley at your own pace.

For a more relaxing experience, you can float down the “lazy river” in an inner tube on either a 2-hour ($25 per tube) or a 3-hour ($30 per tube) tubing trip.

Getting from Longwood Gardens to Northbrook Canoe, about a 7-mile trip, should take 15 to 20 minutes.

Brandywine River Antiques Market

Located on Route in Chadds Ford, halfway between Longwood Gardens and the Brandywine River Art Museum, the Brandywine River Antiques Market is a haven for antique lovers.

It’s well-known, even drawing crowds from New York City, thanks to its vast and diverse selection of high-quality antiques, estate furniture, accessories, and collectibles.

Whether you’re hunting for antique lamps, estate furniture, glassware, china, jewelry, collectibles, paintings, prints, books, or unique accessories, this market has it all.

With more than 50 dealers, it offers an extensive inventory that spans various styles and periods, making it a must-visit for both collectors and enthusiasts.

This multi-dealer co-op welcomes visitors from Wednesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Herr’s Snack Factory Tour

While the gardens, museums, and vineyards around Longwood Gardens are all great, don’t let the cultured side of the region make you think the locals are too elitist to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, like good snacks.

If you love Herr’s potato chips, maybe you have always been curious about how the chips are made. If so, within a 30-minute drive of Longwood Gardens is the Herr’s Snack Factory tour for you to see how real factory workers make each chip.

A tour guide and videos throughout will quickly make you feel like an expert in creating salty snacks. And yes, you will be able to buy the snacks thereafter the tour to sample your favorites with a newfound appreciation!

You can reach the factory in 30 minutes south of Longwood Gardens.

Herr’s Snack Factory Tours are available from Monday to Wednesday between 9:30 AM and 3:30 PM at 20 Herr Drive, Nottingham, just outside of Oxford. Tour pricing is $8.00 for adults (18 & over), $4.00 for students (4-17 years), and free for children 3 years and under.

For more details or to schedule a tour, call 800.284.7488 or Schedule Online

King of Prussia Mall

If you have never been to the King of Prussia Mall, you might wonder why a shopping mall is something worth going out of your way for.

But we’re not just talking about a handful of ordinary clothing stores. At King of Prussia, you have a selection of over 450 stores to browse.

This is a mall that caters to fashion lovers, so here, you will be able to shop from top-name brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci to really flaunt your style.

But that certainly doesn’t mean you need to break the bank to shop at KOP. You can still enjoy everyday snacks like soft pretzels from Auntie Anne’s or look for bargains at Five Below. It’s just nice to have the option for higher-end products if you’re in the mood to splurge and treat yourself a little. It never hurts to check out what your options are and see if something special catches your eye.

You can reach the King of Prussia Mall in about 45 minutes by going northeast on Route 1 from Longwoods. The Mall operates on a standard schedule with hours extending from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM from Monday through Thursday.

On Fridays and Saturdays, the mall remains open an hour longer, closing at 9:00 PM. Sundays see shorter operating hours from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Valley Forge National Historical Park

If learning about Pierre du Pont at Longwood Gardens and visiting Brandywine Battlefield wasn’t enough to scratch your history itch, you can continue on to Valley Forge National Historical Park afterward.

Here, you can visit the location where George Washington and his army camped in 1777 into 1778 as they were devising a way to strike against the British who were occupying Philadelphia at the time.

You can walk in the footsteps of our first president and learn about the immense hardship the army faced here. Over 12,000 Continental Army troops under George Washington’s command built a huge camp here to stay in for six months as they waited out the cold seasons.

However, the camp suffered from low supplies and spreading disease, resulting in the deaths of more than 2,000 of the occupants. Valley Forge always has an allure for history buffs in the area, eager to learn more about the moments that established the United States’ enduring independence.

Valley Forge National Historical Park is free to enter—no entrance fees whatsoever. It’s open every day from about 7 AM until dusk, and parking won’t cost you a dime. While there are fees for certain activities like guided tours, roaming around the vast 3,500-acre park is free.

John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge

You will certainly find the occasional animal visitor crossing your path during a trip to Longwood Gardens, but the plants remain the Garden’s primary attraction. So, if you are looking to focus more on creatures, it might be worth heading to the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge.

You can start by getting a guided tour of the area to get an education on what species are local to the region. Then you can take to the water with a kayak or canoe trip down the creek.

If you are looking for a spot to get into some game and wildlife fun, the refuge offers both fishing and archery deer hunting. The refuge will even provide you with rods for fishing free of charge.

It’s especially a great spot for kids interested in such things so they can receive professional instruction as they start out using the equipment.

Reaching the refuge will take a little over an hour from Longwood Gardens, depending on traffic. Heinz National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center welcomes you from Wednesday to Sunday, 9 am to 4 pm. You can explore the trails any day from dawn until dusk.

Parking is free, whether you enter from Lindbergh Blvd. or Rt. 420. If you need a restroom or a drink of water, there are facilities near the trailhead and observation tower.

Contact their main office at 215.365.3118 or email johnheinznwr@fws.gov for more information on any of their activities.

Conclusion

So, as you can see, there is a ton to do in the area once you have finished your Longwood Gardens visit.

There is something fun for everyone, and there are absolutely more great spots that we didn’t have the time to mention here.

So use this as your jumping-off point to experience some fantastic destinations, and then see what other interesting finds you uncover as you continue to explore!