Ah I can still remember it, one of our most romantic Valentine’s Day dinners to date (no). Shawn and I were sitting at our dining room table in our first home. Our small child was in the bathroom that was about two feet from the table. I’m not going to go much further than that except to say the words “can you smell that” were definitely uttered. Good times. I think that is when we realized that ‘Valentine’s Day’ was for the young, unmarried, childless people. I mean we still acknowledge it, but we’ve moved on from making it all about us as a couple (though when we DO make that happen, it’s lovely, don’t get me wrong). We’ve just accepted our current reality for the next 10-15 years.
Anyway, I’m getting away from my point- which is that there is still fun to be had, even with kids in tow.
And I want to be clear that this is not a post about kid centered activities, but rather, things to do that everyone can tolerate, and some may enjoy, at varying degrees and at different points throughout the day.
Although we are ‘thisclose’ to the city of brotherly love, we usually tend to avoid the traffic, congestion, and parking costs of the city and head in another direction for our entertainment. Lately, we have really been appreciating the Brandywine Valley and surrounding area.
In an attempt to come up with our own plan, I decided to share some of the things I’m thinking about for our day out this weekend in the Brandywine Valley.
If I had my way this would be our day:
Chadds Café + Store for a yummy scone and coffee. If it is a sunny and mild day, the outdoor seating is very inviting and kid friendly. The patio is great even if the weather is not cooperating.
Longwood Gardens for a walk around the conservatory. The children’s garden inside of the conservatory has recently been refurbished and it looks beautiful. Our kids always have a great time in that space. If the weather is cooperative, the kids can run around outside, check out the tree houses, and blow off some steam. The food at Longwood is very good, though not cheap. So if you are on a budget, I’d fill up at Chadds Café first. (Food is always forefront on my mind, and I find regularly feeding the children keeps them more agreeable and manageable as well).
On the way home I’d hit Chadds Ford Winery. Again, this is NOT FOR THE CHILDREN. It is OK to plan things that are not centered on the children, though there is also a big lawn here for them to do some more running around. This weekend in particular there are special wine and chocolate pairings, or the regular wine tastings are also available.
After some time at the winery, I’d stop at Newlin Grist Mill. If you make it there between 10a and 3p this Saturday, February 15, 2020, you can watch a demonstration on beer brewing. There is a mill (though not operating at the moment in preparation for repairs), walking trails, historical homes, and a visitor center. Plenty for the kids to see and do.
Finally, we may consider taking the kiddos to see a movie. They have been asking to see Dolittle, and we may oblige. It’s Valentine’s weekend after all. Someone should get treated to a night out.
