Chester County 10
10 places to explore in Chester County, Pennsylvania — part of the Philadelphia & The Countryside region.
Public Gardens 2
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Jenkins Arboretum & Gardens
Woodland paths wind past rhododendrons, azaleas and native wildflowers around a pond in this naturalistic garden, which reaches its peak in late spring.
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Longwood Gardens
Pierre S. du Pont's garden masterpiece: a vast conservatory, dancing fountains, meadow and woodland walks, and a famous holiday light display.
Museums 2
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Chester County History Center
The county's history museum and research library, with tall-case clocks, early furniture, quilts and historic clothing, and exhibits on three centuries of local stories.
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Wharton Esherick Museum
The hand-built hillside studio and home of craftsman Wharton Esherick, filled with his sculptural furniture and a spiraling staircase, shown on guided tours.
Small Towns 2
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Kennett Square
A walkable small town that calls itself the Mushroom Capital of the World, with restaurants and galleries along State Street and Longwood Gardens just outside.
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West Chester
The Chester County seat, a handsome college town of brick and green serpentine stone, with a Greek Revival courthouse and a lively downtown of restaurants and shops.
Public Parks 4
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Marsh Creek State Park
Sailboats and kayaks share a big reservoir that covers the old village of Milford Mills, while trails wind through the surrounding hills and a swimming pool cools summer crowds.
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White Clay Creek Preserve
A quiet valley along a federally designated Wild and Scenic River, with trails that continue across the state line into Delaware and an 18th-century Baptist meetinghouse.
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Big Elk Creek State Park
Rolling old farm fields and woods along a clean, high-quality creek near the Maryland line, crossed by trails for hikers, cyclists and riders and alive with birds.
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William Penn State Forest
Small, scattered tracts in the southeast corner of the state, the best known being Goat Hill, a rare serpentine barren of rocky grassland and plants found almost nowhere else in Pennsylvania.
