brandywine valley – Just Get in the Car

Family Fun in the Brandywine: Valentine’s Weekend 2020

Just Get in the Car — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 17:42:19 +0000

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.

-Kristin

Getting to know Bri Brant, Chadds Ford Aficionado

Just Get in the Car — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 17:47:32 +0000

We are trying something new here at Just Get in the Car. It’s been so great checking out new places and meeting new people, we thought we’d give our readers the chance to learn more about them! First up is Bri Brant – a dynamic business owner and community member from Chaddsford, PA.

Tell our readers a little bit about yourself and what you do.

My name is Bri Brant – I’m a handbag designer / maker [Check out Bri’s craftsmanship at Arden + James]. Just by coincidence, our family loves to create meaningful community spaces so we are the owners of the Chadds Ford Barn Shops and Chadds Cafe. All separate businesses that happen to work very well together.

What is your favorite thing about Chaddsford, PA?

Chaddsford is a magical place that has always been true to itself – it’s people, history, landscape, it’s artists, it’s quirkiness…we are never trying to be something else.

How would you spend the perfect day in Chaddsford? Is there a hidden gem you want our readers to know about?

The Brandywine River Museum and Brandywine Conservancy surround the Barn Shops area. If you haven’t been- it’s what Chadds Ford is all about!

What is your favorite thing to grab at the Chadds Café + Store?

[A] Blueberry lemon scone and a vanilla latte.

From Kristin: The Blueberry lemon scone is to die for! You must try it, and all the yummy offerings at Chadds Café + Store as soon as you can! Afterward, head over to Longwood Gardens for a beautiful afternoon in nature.

Thank you to Bri Brant for humoring us with our questions. Don’t hesitate to plan your afternoon at the Chadds Ford Barn Shops, where you can check out all of the unique shops, particularly Arden + James.

-Kristin

Longwood Gardens: A local treasure

Just Get in the Car — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 16:10:04 +0000

Several years ago, we were traveling to Raleigh, North Carolina to visit family. On our way down, we needed an activity to fill an afternoon in Richmond, Virginia. The first time Shawn and I were in Richmond, on our way to the beaches of North Carolina, I was pregnant. It was hot. We were staying in the part of town that clears out at night, and I can’t say that I was overly impressed. It could have been the pregnant and hot thing that ruined it, of course. That is why I gave the area a second chance. This time, we were with our two young kids, and I found the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. Shawn was less than thrilled. The kids were young enough that they didn’t know to complain.

Welp, much to Shawn’s surprise, it was one of our best family days to date. We had such a wonderful time there, and we still talk about how unexpected the experience had been. Of course, I have fond memories of visiting this type of place with my parents, but it was hard to explain to Shawn. Sometimes if an experience is outside of your wheelhouse, you just have to go with it and see what happens. It won’t always be a success, of course, but this was. If you are ever in the Richmond area, you should absolutely plan to spend a few hours checking out the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. It is especially great for children, though you should keep in mind that there is a children’s area with sand and water features, so you’ll want a change of clothes. But definitely go. Here are some pictures from our trip.

Here in the Philadelphia area, we are lucky enough to be surrounded by all kinds of cultural, environmental, and plain fun spaces and experiences. Not the least of which is Longwood Gardens, a well known botanical garden in the Brandywine Valley. Although I had been to Longwood several times as a child, I didn’t really appreciate it until after our trip to the garden in Richmond. I sort of had a light bulb moment that we had something just as amazing in our own backyard.

Lots of people have preconceived notions about Longwood Gardens, or botanical gardens in general (ahem, Shawn): It’s for old people. It’s for people who are into flowers. It’s only for Christmas (Longwood’s Christmas display is quite extensive and probably its biggest crowd drawing event), it’s only for the warm weather, it’s only for adults. The list goes on, and it’s all incorrect.

The meticulously manicured gardens themselves are enough to entice many visitors. But over the years more and more features have been added to appeal to the masses, all while maintaining the beauty of the property.

Have children? Great! There is both an indoor and outdoor children’s area, three tree house structures, a wide open lawn to run around on, a bell tower to climb, waterfalls to see, trails to explore, etc. In the warmer months, the fountains get turned way up, and children can run through the spray and get quite wet. Bring a change of clothes, and you can sit back while they entertain themselves getting soaked.There are even special kid focused events.

Engineering enthusiast? How about those fountains and the behind the scenes exhibit highlighting how it all works. Interested in photography? No shortage of images to snap – flowers, trees, fountains, interesting structures and displays.

Do you love food? Guess what, the Longwood dining options are superb. Even the counter service food is quite delicious. They also have a sit down restaurant for special occasions.

How about ice cream and beer? Do you enjoy those? Stop by one of the carts that are stationed around to enjoy some refreshments while you take in the scenery.

Christmas time boasts an elaborate light display, as well as an outdoor train garden.

All of this before you even consider the conservatory. On a recent trip, we asked how many employees it took to maintain all of the displays throughout the gardens, inside and out. 1200. 1200 people working together to create something visually stunning around every turn.

Last Black Friday we grabbed a deal on a membership, and I am so glad that we did. Though our children fuss every time before we go, they always enjoy themselves. I sort of think fussing is just a thing that kids have to do when an adult suggests an activity … right? Even Shawn seems to want to hold onto his preconceived notions, but he also always enjoys himself when we go.

There are lots of special events and performances. And recently they have created a beer garden atmosphere for the weekends, complete with outdoor food and drink stands, and musicians.

The only drawback I can see is that people are catching on that it is cool to go to the garden, and when people catch on, crowds grow. Regardless, it is worth it! And in general, the garden pathways and outdoor spaces never seem to be overrun with people. There are timed tickets, but members can usually go in without a reservation. However, I feel like that may change as more and more people continue to come to experience this treasure in our backyard.

Have you visited Longwood Gardens? Do you have a favorite botanical garden or arboretum that we should check out? We’d love to hear your thoughts!