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Faunbrook Area Attractions
You may want to first explore the town of West Chester, a charming university town filled with antique shops, boutiques, art galleries, cafes and fine restaurants. Outside of West Chester, the Brandywine Valley offers a treasure trove of historic attractions and recreational activities to excite many different tastes:
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West Chester University - Faunbrook is just three blocks to the Sykes Student Union, located in the center of West Chester University's campus and just half mile from Asplundh Hall with many University events and within a mile to South Campus and the sports stadium. Longwood Gardens, only 20 minutes from Faunbrook, sprawls over 1,050 acres and offers 11,000 types of plants. A legacy of the duPont family, it is known as the world's premier horticultural display garden. In addition to the gardens, you will enjoy a beautiful conservatory, fountains, topiaries, and special seasonal exhibits such as the world-renown outdoor Christmas light show. Longwood also hosts a Learning Program, offering classes in horticulture, bonsai, orchids, lawn care, plant pests, floral arrangements, etc. Check their website for further information. Winterthur Museum and Gardens, about 35 minutes south of Faunbrook, is a wonderful sprawling American country estate - the former home to Henry Francis duPont (1880-1969). It is internationally known as perhaps the best collection of fine classic American furniture antiques and Americana in the country, with 85,000 objects made and used in America between 1640 and 1860. Be sure to leave time to explore and enjoy the beautifully-landscaped, 982-acre gardens. Nemours Mansion and Gardens, built between 1909 and 1910 by philanthropist Alfred I. duPont, is a French chateau of the Louis XVI style. The 47,000-sq-ft. mansion contains a priceless collection of French and American antiques and art, and is surrounded by exquisitely-beautiful French-style gardens. Extensive renovations/restoration will be carried out at Nemours starting January 1, 2005 and will take approximately two years to complete. In the meantime, enjoy their on-line "visual tour". Hagley Museum and Library, dedicated to the history of American enterprise, is located on the site of the 1802 gunpowder works founded by E. I. duPont. Today the museum consists of a workers' community, restored mill, and the ancestral home of the duPont family, built in 1803. The home re-opened on March 15, 2005 after the completion of a series of upgrades. The beautiful and serene Brandywine River Museum, located in a former grist mill on the banks of the Brandywine River, is probably best known for, but hardly limited to, its internationally-renown collection of three generations of Wyeths; grandfather, N.C. Wyeth; son, Andrew Wyeth; and Andrew's son, James Wyeth. The Museum exhibits include American art primarily from the Brandywine Valley, American landscape and still life painting, and illustration. Only a quarter mile from Faunbrook is Baldwin's Book Barn, a long-time cherished destination for book lovers set in a five-story 1822 enormous antiquarian barn. Featured in the N.Y. Times and numerous other national articles, the barn is warmed by an antique pot-bellied stove and old worn wood floors and boasts over 300,000 volumes. Besides used books, it carries old manuscripts, maps, and other collectibles and lists its wares with Sotheby's and other e-vendors. The Christian C. Sanderson Museum can best be described as "quirky" and is not to be missed! Mr. Sanderson was a school teacher, an actor, a musician, a lecturer, and a voracious collector - or some might say, an eccentric pack rat who collected fabulously interesting stuff. A good friend of the Wyeth's, you will find several Wyeth paintings in the 8 rooms overflowing with memorabilia and other collectables representative of over 200 years of history. Just to prepare you, a few items in the collection are: melted "iceberg" water from the South Pole in a small vial, a penny run over in the Lincoln funeral procession, a piece of tile from Eva Braun's bathroom, and sand from the excavation of the Panama Canal. More info The American Helicopter Museum and Education Center displays historic aircraft, helicopters, and autogiros and convertaplanes. Exhibitions record the origins and development of rotary-wing aircraft. Chester County Historical Society brings history alive in their History Lab, a hands-on experience for all ages. Learn about the regional past through the permanent collections and changing exhibits. The Media Theatre for the Performing Arts' season runs from September through May. If you missed it on Broadway, be sure to see it here! Tuesday and Thursday nights enjoy a "Broadway Buffet" on the balcony level before the performance. Only one half hour from Faunbrook. Visit QVC Studios, while at Faunbrook. Take a guided-walking tour through their state-of-the art broadcasting studios, see how products are tested, and watch the behind-the-scenes break down and recreation of sets at world's largest electronic retailer. Observe the broadcast area from a raised platform and watch QVC programs in progress. The Chaddsford Winery has always been a popular destination for visitors to the Brandywine Valley. Housed in a 17th century restored barn, the Winery today produces 30,000 cases of wines annually. Enjoy wine tastings and dinners, festivals and concerts, and wine education. For the Sports/Nature minded, beautiful Marsh Creek State Park, only 15 miles from Faunbrook, offers fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and birding. Hot-air ballooning, run by Air Ventures Hot Air Balloon Flights, Inc., is also an experience you don't want to miss. Whether you choose a traditional flight over the beautiful Brandywine Valley or special package flights, such as the Champagne Flight, Romantic Flight for Two, or Champagne and Dinner Flight, you will certainly take home beautiful memories. Flights launches are from Marsh Creek State Park. Call 800-826-6361 for more information or visit their website. The Broad Run Golf Club's 18-hole, championship course is recognized as one of the finest on the East Coast and is located right in our hometown of West Chester. Washington Golf Monthly describes it as "One of the top 100 places to play in the Mid-Atlantic." Call (610) 738-4410 or visit their website Wyncote Golf Club, 25 miles from Faunbrook, has been awarded the "Highest Score Ranking in Mid-Atlantic" in 2003, 2004, 2005 by Zagat's Golf Survey, and has consistently ranked among the best in the country. Call 610-932-8900 for more information or visit their website. Faunbrook is a member of or recognized by the following organizations, many of which can provide extensive information about the unique destinations in the local area: Brandywine Valley Guide Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau Brandywine Conference and Visitors Bureau National Network Bed and Breakfasts-quality inspected Brandywine Valley Bed and Breakfast Association Chamber of Commerce of Greater West Chester Additionally, all guests of Faunbrook may request complimentary passes to the local YMCA gym and outdoor pool passes. |
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