Skip to site content
Group Travel Leader Group Travel Leader Group Travel Leader

Declare Your Independence with a Pennsylvania Tour

Day 4

Southeast of Lancaster is the scenic and wooded region of Brandywine Valley, where travelers will discover a colorful variety of local eateries, historic estates and charming downtown areas.

The small town of Kennett Square claims the title of Mushroom Capital of the World, making it a great spot to grab a bite to eat or pick up a fresh mushroom-based sauce or soup for the road. The surrounding farmland produces more than a million pounds of mushrooms per week, nearly half of all the mushrooms grown in the United States. In September each year, thousands of visitors flock into town for the two-day Kennett Square Mushroom Festival.

Nestled along the banks of the Brandywine River in a former gristmill, the Brandywine River Museum of Art promotes the work of regional artists from the 19th and 20th centuries. Included in the collection are more than 250 works of art by eight members of the Wyeth family, who spent many years in the region and made vast contributions to different artistic mediums. 

One of the most beloved attractions in the region is Longwood Gardens, a stunning 1,077-acre property that showcases Italian water gardens, sweeping flowerbeds, wooded trails and ornate, full-scale treehouses. The colossal Conservatory offers a welcome respite from the elements during the colder months where visitors can enjoy an arresting array of orchids, palms and winter camellias. From January to March, Longwood Gardens displays over 4,500 vibrant orchids as part of its annual Orchid Extravaganza.

www.visitpa.com