An absolute must see! I loved the tour, old architecture. This was a great tour. I loved the…read morehistory. Mysterious and truly haunting vibes. Being apart of an investigation was a lot of fun.

Make sure you don't go on a Monday. Everything is closed!! lol…read moreBut we took a nice hike thru the woods to get there!!!

Great spot, excellent food, and friendly staff!! It's such a nice spot for a laid back evening.read more

This place was a fun visit for me, my sister and my daughter…read more The farm had so many things to do for kids and their families, including; go carts, apple shooters, sling shots, and free hay rides/wagon rides. The wagon rides take you out to the pumpkin patch where you can pick pumpkins with your family. The prices aren't too bad, so you can have an enjoyable time and not kill your pocket. The farm has a store as well where you can buy apples, apple cider, donuts and apple pie. When I came with my sister and daughter, we ended up buying the apple cider donuts, and the apple pie to take home. They also take orders for Thanksgiving dinner turkeys. We were going to place an order for our fmily's dinner but they were expensive. I would return to this farm because it was a fun time to spend with my sister and daughter.

This place is great to visit in the fall. The have go karts, apple shooters and free hay rides to…read moreand from their pumpkin patch. Prices are reasonable. In the store front you can purchase apple cider, apple cider dounts and other fall favorites like apple pie. You can also preorder a fresh turkey for Thanksgiving-which I did. The price is a little steep but its worth it for a farm fresh bird. I ordered an XL for around $125.00. I will visit next year and years to come.

This farm is beautiful anytime of the year. We went in July during the summertime and the flowers…read morewere in bloom and the bees were out, it was very pretty. Parking is a little far from the farm itself, but there is a paved walking trail to get to the farm. Once we were there, we headed to the farm. Once inside the homestead we were met with a tour guide. They were very well educated about the property and stories there. The buildings were fascinating. There is so much history, and artifacts inside. All the way down to the painting. I appreciate how they preserved alot of the original. We walked around the exterior gardens. The flowers were stunning. It was so cute to see the bees feeding on the pollen. There was a pretty good size gardens that had flowers and vegetables. The property itself was very clean and well managed. The bathrooms were also available and well maintained. I recommend dressing for the weather, and the interior can become hot. I highly recommend this as something to do when killing time or looking for something to do in the local area. It was very fun and fascinating. Takes about an hour or less depending on how many people. When we were there, there were not too many people. Maybe 1-2 other families.

Peter Wentz Farmstead has been on my list a few years now. Finally got a chance to visit this…read moreweekend. PWF is located inside a park similar to the Pennsylvania Colonial Plantation near me (Inside Ridley Creek State Park), however PWF is FREE admission while the PA Colonial Plantation charges. Two volunteers in the barn had amazing information on the oxen-in-training. The man was giving a very cool bovine lecture, and the woman was engaging as anything, especially with my child. The young man dressed as the Belsnickel brought said name Wikipedia page to life and had a very historically accurate costume. He had treats for the kids, but my kindergartener was a tad scared (not too scared to take the candy though). These cool folklore touches go deeper than anything I've seen at the PA Colonial Plantation, and I feel lucky to have been there to meet him! The volunteers in the Visitor's Center were very welcoming and informative! They even had free ginger cookies to cheer everyone up on a cold day! This Visitor's Center is much more sophisticated than the PA Colonial Plantation. They have didactics and video on the site history. It was too crowded to watch this visit, but I will catch it next time. Both Colonial historic sites have volunteers in period costumes standing by to give history lessons on farm life in that period household. Both sites have animals to visit (sheep, chickens, turkeys and oxen), although PA Colonial Plantation also has pigs and a horse or two. Both sites offer house tours, festival days, special activities, and summer camps. The quality of information and enthusiasm of the volunteers is equal at both sites; all of these historian-volunteers are amazing, with loads of fun information to teach. I know the variety and number of demonstrations is always more than a handful at PA Colonial Plantation fest days, which I expect with paid admission. What is offered free at PWF is impressive, but not as varied and prolific as PA Colonial Plantation (such as their blacksmith shop, rifle demos, beer making, pottery making, etc). Again, at the colonial plantation near me, I expect to spend a couple hours on all the demonstrations and activities. At PWF this weekend, we probably had about an hour's worth of browsing IF we had been able to brave cold winds for the long line awaiting a house tour. I know the Fall Festival and other festivals days here offer a lot more to do, but it seems to get overcrowded due to its free admission, and without a fence or natural boundary to enclose the farmstead, they can't control that flow of people very well. That would be my hesitation for future visits. Even in Jan freezing temps with fierce winds, loads of people were there, even very small toddlers. Idk if the weather made people cranky or not, but the crowd here was MISERABLE. We DelCo folks are not pushy, sullen, and crabby when we visit our plantation (which is actually also closed all winter because of the cold), but boy were these MontCo peeps rude! The volunteers are so sweet and kind but not a single visitor returned my smiles, and I got many scowls instead. One senior visitor blocked me in the hallway of the information office, preventing me from getting to my child. When I said "excuse me" to get past, she very reluctantly got out of my way, with a giant dirty look. Ten stars for the volunteers and free offerings; negative star for the local d!ckheads who visit.

It's a small fair that comes to the town of Malvern every July to benefit the local fire…read moredepartment. I've gone every year for the last 10 years. They have fun rides for the kids and some more exciting rides for adults. Mind you it's not Hersheypark or what Walt Disney World, the rides are small and a bit rickety, but it is a fun time for a small-town. The zipper, roundabout, swings, etc. The fair usually starts midweek and runs through Saturday night. On Friday each year they have a good fireworks display at about 9 PM. Like most small fairs, you can buy single tickets, books of tickets or a wristband that's good for the night. Although it's quite expensive to buy the wristband, you'll go broke trying to ride rides with tickets so just pony up for the wristband and have a good time. Plenty of food, but rides on an antique firetruck, and more. Note that this is really a kid centric event. Of course as an adult you could go and do the bigger rides, but there's no alcohol served and you will be surrounded by mobs of teenagers.

Delaware County Institute of Science is a fun and free way to spend a few very intriguing hours in…read moreMedia. Located on Vererans Square, adjacent to the DelCo courthouse, DCIS has been around to fascinate and educate for centuries. The institute was founded in 1833, and our guide told us the taxidermy bobcat was one of the original specimens in the collection. It was a wonder to me that taxidermy can last this long!!! Parents, prepare for a lot of taxidermy, and a way to explain this to kids (ahead of time). My 7yo was upset to hear our guide's stories about how to shoot the game so they weren't a bloody mess for the taxidermist. Our guide was a very kind long time DelCo senior, who meant well, and was very apt with his detailed knowledge, but today's kids watch Wild Kratts and have very different politics! I explained that many years ago we didn't respect animals as we do now, and taxidermy like this was the way to learn for most people, who didn't have TV, nor even the books to educate themselves. The most appealing part of this collection was that my son could touch a lot of it! They invite you to touch a whale rib bone, a sawtooth tusk, pangolin scales, petrified wood, and so much more! This is super exciting for kids! I love the petrified wood myself! DCIS is very proud of their minerals collection. We missed that this visit because they are renovating the first floor this summer and it will not reopen until September. I am very excited to go back and see it! My son is too! DCIS guides will proudly tell you more than once that they house the largest seashell collection in the state. It is not only a large (prolific) collection, but a varied and diverse one as well. And, some of the specimens are the largest shells I've seen (outside of some mammoth man-eating monster shell in a major city museum). I don't have a picture of the cabinet with those exact shells (looked like cowrie and welk, but I forget exact names) but they were as big as my head! The museum is three floors, and the top two floors are basically the periphery of an old 19thC theater and stage, with balcony acting as second floor. So not much floor space for this huge collection. But you can easily spend HOURS looking at everything. If you are into this stuff like we are, you could definitely visit the entire day's open hours. The volunteer guides make things come alive too! In addition to SO MANY taxidermy specimens, minerals, fossils, and shells, there is petrified wood, native tribal carvings, a collection of milk bottles from local DelCo dairies, old pharmacy bottles, and detailed collections of technology through the last 2 centuries. I never knew there were not only 4-leaf clovers, but 5-, 6-, 7-, and even 8-leafers, a bunch all pressed in a frame!!! They also have a pressed leaf piece with foliage (Holly and boxwood) from George Washington's tomb surrounding an old lithograph of him. Just so much interesting stuff! I am sure there is even more we didn't get to see. They let my son have a free shell at the end (a small one downstairs, not a display piece ;-) which he loves. This was a great afternoon treat for us, and we can't wait to return when the mineral collection reopens in September. Tips -- Only open Thursdays 10-3 (sometimes only 10-1) Free parking is available in residential streets if you're willing to walk a few blocks. There is no A/C in summer except on the first floor. Be prepared for heat! The view from the free law library at the top of the courthouse across the street is well worth the few minutes to walk over for a side trip. Just ask a guard when you enter the courthouse how to get to the law library.

A fascinating nugget of history in downtown Media. Much more of a "Natural Sciences" museum than a…read moretechnology museum, it is a place where you are not afraid to reach out and touch some of the history of Delaware County.

This is the best small museum in the area. I learned a lot, and was able to check out tools,…read morewagons, and other things related to ice. I did not take pictures, because I was interested in the tour.

This was a delightful museum, an amazing collection by the "Ice Man". a wonderful collection of all…read morethings ice, related natural ice and manmade ice. They have worked hard to create a sense of how ice and refrigeration evolved and how all of the tools of the trade have evolved over the last 200 plus years. This is a wonderful educational and historical experience not to miss if you are looking for something "Cool" to do for a couple hours. Something interesting to see for all ages. Definitely email soon to get a private tour. Thank you for the opportunity to enjoy. Beth Anne Keates, Train Lady of West Chester, author

This past weekend (Friday & Saturday), I attended the 17th Annual Greater Philadelphia Mid-Winter…read moreScottish & Irish Music Festival, held at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, PA. This was my fourth year in a row attending. I left Haymarket, VA around 11:30 pm-ish to head up. This year I took the back roads up U.S. 15 through Maryland and Pennsylvania - a longer route to get there - but a much more scenic route - as poet Robert Frost would say: "The road less traveled by..." The festival is organized by promoter Bill Reid and his organization - "East of the Hebrides Entertainments." This year, I was really focused on spending some time watching and listening to four of my favorite bands: Brother, Rathkeltair, Searson, and Scythian. Because of the way the schedule was organized this year between two stages - I only saw partial performances by Brother and Searson, but I did see full performances by Rathkeltair, Scythian, and an amazing all-girl group from Ireland - "The Screaming Orphans." A few notes: Brother: No one rocks like these guys. They have such an amazing sound - Didgeridoo, Highland Bagpipes, Drums, Electric Guitar, Whistles, throw in a guest appearance on the Saxaphone. The Didg and the Bagpipes are soooo complimentary the way Brother weaves them together! Searson: The addition of a new drummer - Mary (only two weeks with the band) and Andrew on Guitar have slowed Searson down one bit. Old man Searson (Mike Searson) retired from the group this past year - but his three daughters are going strong. Awesome performances! Rathkeltair: This is the first time I've seen Rathkeltair perform since Neil Anderson - "The Antipyper," returned from his military stint of duty in Iraq. God bless him! Rathkeltair kicked major ass. They played a number of songs from their new album: "Big White Van." Scythian: Watching Scythian always makes me smile. They somehow intuitively know how to get the crowd fired up, cheering and dancing. It's such a natural thing the way they do it! I also caught bits of performances by Five Quid, Albannach, and Hadrian's Wall. Pix are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/emeralddragon/sets/72157613880325170/ It was amazing how many folks turned out. Bill Reid told me they sold more tickets to this year's festival than any other in history. And the vendors I talked to in the vendor area - seemed to be doing well sales-wise!