By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
This is the time of year when many of the Brandywine Valley’s most popular outdoor events fill the calendar.Chester County Day (locations around Chester County, 610-431-5301, www.chestercountyday.com) is one of the oldest annual events in the Brandywine Valley.
On October 4, the 2025 Chester County Day, which will be held in and around West Chester, is celebrating its 84th anniversary.
Chester County Day will be held on Saturday from 10 am-5 pm. As the longest-running historic home tour in the country, Chester County Day has so much to offer by way of history, architecture, landscape, and interior design.
A project of the Women’s Auxiliary to Chester County Hospital, “The Day,” as it is affectionately called, has raised more than five million dollars for the hospital. This year’s tour proceeds will benefit the Women’s Auxiliary’s pledge toward a state-of-the-art Women’s Breast Center at Chester County Hospital.
The 2025 tour will feature some of Chester County’s most beautiful homes and restored barns in the Southwest quadrant: East Bradford, West Bradford, Westtown, Birmingham, Pocopson, Pennsbury, Kennett (and Kennett Borough), East Marlborough, Newlin, Londonderry, West Fallowfield, part of Highland, Upper Oxford, New Garden, Unionville, and London Grove.
It is suggested that you choose what area interests you most and use our map to plan your day. Rest stops, picnicking opportunities, and boxed lunch pick-up locations are available along the tour route.
When an area event has been around for more than two decades, it definitely qualifies as a Chester County tradition. The Kennett Brewfest has reached that plateau.
The Kennett Brewfest, which will be held on October 4 in downtown Kennett Square, has been around since before the turn of the century.Scheduled to run from 1:30-5 p.m., the Kennett Brewfest provides visitors with the opportunity to sample some of the best regional and national craft beers accompanied by great food, great music, and a lively crowd.
Participants can enjoy samples from more than 80 local, regional and national breweries which will be serving more than 175 different beers.
All attendees have access to food and merchandise vendors, live bands, sponsor tables, and more during the entire event. Doors open at noon for the “Connoisseur Tasting” and the regular fest begins at 1:30 pm. All taps will close at 5 p.m.
The food truck court will feature Bacon on a Stick, Claymont Steaks, Dia Dolce Cupcakes, All Things Lobster and Seafood, La Cocina de Mari, Dough Sweet, Madis on a Roll, Mayday Coffee, Nothing Bundt Cakes and State Street Pizza.
Live music will be performed by Carl Filipiak.
Tickets will be scanned at the entrance, where participants will receive their collectible Brewfest tasting cups. No one under the age of 21 will be admitted. General admission tickets are $65.
“West Chester Fall Gallery Walk 2025” (www.downtownwestchester.com) is scheduled for October 3.The event, which will run from 4-8 p.m., will be held on High Street in downtown West Chester – rain or shine.
Guests are invited to explore the vibrant art scene in Downtown West Chester during the fall walk.
This self-guided art tour celebrates the thriving community of artists and galleries that make greater West Chester their home.
Throughout the downtown business area, multiple galleries combine with additional “one-night-only” show hosts to showcase some great local Chester County artists. Attendees can discover stunning artwork, connect with fellow creatives, and find the perfect piece for their home.
This event is free and open to the public with free, on-street metered parking starting at 4 p.m. Participants can pick up a brochure on the night of the walk at any of the participating locations to follow along the route. Many stops will have refreshments and light appetizers available.
The Chester County History Center (225 North High Street, West Chester, http://www.chestercohistorical.org/) is presenting “Chilling West Chester: A Dark History Walking Tour” on October 8 at 6 p.m.
From the horrors of the Chester County Prison to the cold-blooded killers tried at the courthouse, to explosions and other disasters that have wrought havoc in the borough, West Chester’s streets and alleys have witnessed two hundred years of spine-chilling history. The historians and educators at the Chester County History Center will share these stories–and more–with visitors on this 90-minute walking tour. These are not ghost stories; these are true tales of terror pulled from our own archives.
Tour is entirely outdoors; sidewalks and terrain may be uneven. Event is rain or shine, so please dress for the weather. Service dogs are welcome; pets are not permitted on our public walking tours.
Tickets are $18 per person
The Annual Downingtown FallFest (Green Street and East Pennsylvania Avenue, downingtownfallfest.com), which is presented by the Downingtown-Thorndale Regional Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Victory Brewing Company and the Borough of Downingtown, will be held October 5 from 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.
FallFest brings thousands of visitors to the borough in search of great food, crafts, music and the Victory Brewing Beer Garden.
Live entertainment will be provided by Harrisons Dance Studios, Lupo Taekwondo, Shannon Cooper’s Dance Academy, Chester Valley Dance Academy, Dtown Force Cheer, Touch of Class Dance, Russells Dance and Baton Studio and Sschhol of Rock Houseband.
Now through October 5, the Garden Bros Nuclear Circus will visit the area for a eight-performance run at the Delaware Park Casino Lot (777 Delaware Park Boulevard, Wilmington, Delaware, www.gardenbroscircus.com).The 2025 tour features an all-new Garden Bros Circus show, which is billed as “The World’s Largest Circus Under The Biggest Big Top On Earth.”
This year’s show has blasted into the next generation of showbiz with breathtaking special effects, concert style sound and lighting and three rings bursting with excitement, laughter and memories that families will always cherish.
The very best performers from over more than 22 countries make up this action jammed, fast paced 100-minute performance in a theatrical European five-ring setting featuring the Crazy Cossacks Riderz, Human Slingshot, Wheel of Death, Human Cannonball, Motorcycles in the Sphere of Fear, Showgirls Hanging from their Hair, Olympic Gymnasts, the Funniest Clowns and Back Flipping Dogs as seen on America’s Got Talent.
Ticket prices start at $30.75.
October has arrived and that means the weekly calendars are beginning to fill up with Halloween events.
There are many “spooky” and “not so spooky” events already underway with a slew to follow in the next four weeks.
Chaddsford Winery (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, www.chaddsford.com) is presenting its “Adult Trick or Treat” event every Saturday and Sunday through November 2 from noon-7 p.m.
Visitors will be able to “Trick or Treat” for wine and seasonal snacks at Chaddsford’s wildly popular, adults-only Halloween program as they visit a variety of Halloween-themed pairing stations located throughout the Winery grounds.
The “Pairing Menu” features Greeting Wine – Fall Sangria Spritz
Station 1 – The White Standard with Kernel Clark’s Old Bay Kettle Corn
Station 2 – Dry Rosé with Calkins Creamery Hop & Spicy Cheese Curds
Station 3 – Harbinger with Churro Cinnamon and Chocolate Cookie from Oso Sweet Bakery
Station 4 – Good Vibes Only with Éclat Chocolate Hazelnut Mondiant
Station 5 – Spiced Apple with a Pumpkin Spice Cake Pop.
Tickets are $42.
Penns Woods Winery (124 Beaver Valley Rd, Chadds Ford, 610-459-0808, www.pennswoodswinery.com) will host its “Harvest Celebration” every weekend in October.
The event will feature live music, food trucks and artisan vendors. There will also be a free hay maze, apple cider donuts and the winery’s signature Pumpkin Spice Sangria.
Parking passes are required – get yours HERE.
The outdoor space is family and dog friendly. Seating on the lawn is first-come, first-serve for groups of 10 or less.
On October 5, Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org) will present “Fall Fun Day” from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Children of all ages and caregivers are invited to a family-friendly day of outdoor autumn festivities.
The free event will feature a cemetery scavenger hunt, mini-tours, games, prizes, story times, and fall crafts. Costumes encouraged!
Fall Fun Day is all about community, connection, and giving back. As you plan your family’s visit, please consider bringing an item (or two!) to help our neighbors in need.
What to Bring:
Outerwear: New or gently-used jackets and coats (all sizes needed)
Essentials: New socks and new underwear (in packaging – all sizes needed)
Toiletries: Unopened, full-sized or travel-sized shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and deodorant
A drop-off donation area will be set up near the event entrance.
“Elmwood Park Zoo” (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) is presenting “Boo at the Zoo” on weekends now through October 26.
“Boo at the Zoo” features live entertainment, costume contests, costume parades, trick-or-treat stations with candy, prizes, crafts and educational pieces.
Children are encouraged to bring their own treat bags for trick-or-treating. The zoo will not be providing any bags.
“Boo at the Zoo” is free with zoo admission, which starts at $14.95.
A popular event in Delaware this weekend is “Steamin’ Days” at Auburn Heights Preserve (3000 Creek Road, Yorklyn, Delaware, 302-239-2385, http://auburnheights.org) on October 5.
“Steamin’ Days,” which is held on the first Sunday of the month through November, focuses on steam power.
During “Steamin’ Days at Auburn Heights,” the site is bustling with activity. Visitors are encouraged to climb into an antique automobile or board one of the trains and experience what it was like to travel at the turn of the 20th century. They can also tour the magnificent 1897 mansion that was home to three generations of the Marshall family.
Also included is entry to the Marshall Steam Museum, which features the world’s largest operating collection of Stanley steam cars along with a 1930s working Lionel electric train display, a hands-on engine display, kids’ activities and exhibits and the Museum Gift Shop.
Activities run from 12:30-4:30 p.m. each time.
Tickets are $15 (13 and older) and $10 (age 12 and under).
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (5105 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) is presenting a special attraction on October 4 – “Truck & Tractor Day.”
Kids big and small are invited to celebrate the season at Winterthur during a day of farm-style fun.
Visitors will be able to get up close to trucks and tractors, check out other vehicles and equipment, suit up in firefighter gear, take a hayride, and even milk a mechanical cow.
The event, which runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., is included with admission. Members free. This is a rain or shine, drop-in event, although you may register in advance.
Admission to Winterthur is $26 for adults, $24 for seniors and students and $9 for children.
India will be celebrated at a special festival on October 4 — “India Fest 2025” (www.iaadelaware.org).
The festive annual event is scheduled to run from noon until 8 p.m. at St. Mark’s High School (2501 Pike Creek Road, wilmington, Delaware).
It will feature classical and modern Indian dance performances, cultural exhibitions, vendors with a large array of Indian items and mouth-watering Indian food items such as tandoori chicken, nan (bread) and an assortment of curry dishes.
Special workshops will be presented throughout the day featuring a variety of topics. Other activities include a beauty pageant, karaoke singing, a special evening cultural program, demonstrations on the use of spices, and live music throughout the day.
Admission to the festival, which is presented by the Indo American Association of Delaware, is $10.
The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Avenue, Oaks, 484-754-EXPO, http://www.phillyexpocenter.com) is hosting “Animate! Philadelphia” now through October 5.
It’s an animation celebration when GalaxyCon presents “Animate! Philadelphia,” an event featuring three days of anime, animation, cosplay, and more.
The event features live entertainment, Q&As, video and tabletop gaming, panels, costume contests, cosplay wrestling, and so much more fandom for visitors to explore.
The event will run from 2 p.m.-1 a.m. on Friday, 10 a.m-1 a.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sunday.
Ticket prices start at $35.
It’s time to welcome autumn and one of the best ways to do this is by checking out the corn mazes at Ramsey’s Farm (Ramsey Road, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-477-1499, www.ramseysfarm.com).
Corn mazes, along with hayrides, a pumpkin patch and scarecrows, will be featured at Ramsey’s Farm, which is located in northern Delaware on Route 92 just south of the Pennsylvania-Delaware state line. The new season runs on weekends now through October.
Ramsey’s “Pumpkin Patch” has been in operation since 1995 and the farm’s varied mazes have been delighting and baffling visitors who return each year for the popular annual event. The owners of Ramsey’s Farm raise pumpkins, gourds, ornamental corn, popcorn, feed corn and hay.
The farm’s pumpkin field stretches over 12 acres and yields approximately 20,000 pumpkins each season. Hayrides around the farm will be offered from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. each day. Visitors will be able to shop for pumpkins and other items at the farm store. There will also be hot food and beverages available for purchase.
This is the time of the year when farms in the area become a bustle activity — a time for harvest.
But it is not harvest matters that are causing a bustle of activity at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm in Ronks (150 Cherry Hill Road, Ronks, 717-687-6843, www.cherrycrestfarm.com).
The farm’s popular annual “Flashlight Maze” is now underway and will continue every Friday and Saturday night through November 2. Cherry Crest Adventure Farm has reserved several weekends during the autumn months for Flashlight Maze.
This special activity allows visitors to experience the Amazing Maize Maze in total darkness. All you need are flashlights and a few friends.
The Flashlight Maze is a nice, non-scary, Halloween alternative that has appeal for people of all ages. The Flashlight Maze, which has a $12 admission fee, is open from 6:30-10 p.m. with the last entrance into the Maze at 9 p.m.
The main attraction is Cherry Crest’s “Amazing Maize Maze,” which is billed as “the world’s most dynamic and interactive corn maze.” It is a five-acre corn maze with over two-and-one-half miles of paths, scenic bridges, and clues.
Participants can walk at their own pace as they encounter the “Kernels of Knowledge” along with a variety of clues, tunnel slides, and watering stations. They can also check out a bird’s eye view from the two bridges and watch everyone’s flags waving high above the corn.
The average time to complete the “Amazing Maize Maze” course is one hour. Ticket prices start at $19.
On weekends now through October 25, the Kalmar Nyckel will be offering public sails from the Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard (Copeland Maritime Center, 1124 E. 7th St. Wilmington, Delaware, http://kalmarnyckel.org).
For two decades, the Kalmar Nyckel, which has its home base in Wilmington, has been hosting riders all over the world – especially in Delaware.
A ride on the Kalmar Nyckel is totally different from most tourist water rides.
The ship is a beautiful recreation of the original Kalmar Nyckel, which was built in Holland in the 1620s. Her mainmast is taller than a 10-story building and she carries 7,600 square feet of sail area and six miles of rigging.
The original Kalmar Nyckel was a Swedish-owned, three-masted armed pinnace that sailed from Goteborg, Sweden in November of 1637 and brought the first permanent European settlers to the Delaware Valley.
Carrying 24 settlers from four countries (Sweden, Finland, Holland, and Germany), she landed on the banks of the Christina River. The site, which became known as “The Rocks”, can be visited at Fort Christina Park off Wilmington’s East Seventh Street.
The Kalmar Nyckel made four documented round-trip crossings of the Atlantic, more than any other “settlers’ ship” of the era. The original ship was lost in the late 1600s.
In 1986 a group of citizens established the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation to design, build and launch a replica of the Kalmar Nyckel at a shipyard adjacent to the original landing site.
The new Kalmar Nyckel was constructed there and was launched on September 28, 1997. She was commissioned on May 9, 1998, and now serves as Delaware’s sea-going Ambassador of Good Will. She is a fully functional sail training vessel and has represented Delaware all over the country.
Tickets are $45 for adults and $25 for youth (ages 17 and under).
Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be presenting a “Guided Mansion Tours” on October 5.
Hope Lodge was built between 1743 and 1748 by Samuel Morris, a prosperous Quaker entrepreneur. Morris acted as a farmer, shipowner, miller, iron master, shop owner, and owner of the mill now known as Mather Mill. Hope Lodge is an excellent example of early Georgian architecture, and it is possible that Edmund Woolley, architect of Independence Hall, offered advice in building. Samuel Morris owned the estate until his death in 1770.
The site opens at 12:30 p.m. with self-guided tours starting at 1 and 2:30 p.m. The site closes at 4 p.m.
Tour admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors (age 65+) and for youth ages 6-17, and free for children under 5.
On October 4, the Revolutionary Germantown Festival will be held from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Cliveden (6400 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-329-7312, http://www.revolutionarygermantown.org).
The festival features costumed characters, live music, food and drink culminating with a reenactment of the Battle of Germantown, the only military battle ever fought within the borders of Philadelphia.
The majority of the festival’s events are centered at Cliveden, the summer home of the Chew family and the location of General George Washington’s failed attempt to liberate Philadelphia from British control in 1777.
Cliveden of the National Trust will commemorate the 246th anniversary of the Battle of Germantown, educate both the local and regional community about Germantown’s role in our nation’s struggle for independence, and foster dialogue about gun violence and the role guns have played in our nation’s history.
A tradition since the 1970s, the Revolutionary Germantown Festival takes visitors on a journey to the fall of 1777 when Philadelphia—then the nation’s capital—and Germantown were occupied by British forces. The Battle of Germantown was a surprise attack planned by Washington in an attempt to force the British out of Philadelphia.
Each September, “Pumpkinland” returns to Linvilla Orchards (137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com). “Pumpkinland,” which runs through November 2, features fairy tale characters from nursery rhymes along with a huge scarecrow and a really tall storybook.
Other activities include train rides, a straw bale maze, hayrides, pick-your-own apples and pony rides.
There will also be “Harvest Hayrides” and “Autumn Moon Hayrides” starting later in September along with “Straw Bale Maze,” “Train Rides,” “Corn Maze” and “Pony Rides.”
Pumpkinland is open from mid-September through early November and takes center stage at Linvilla Orchards.
Larger-than-life figures and scarecrows illustrate the legends and lore of the harvest season, featuring local history and some of the many stories of pumpkins and apples.
Linvilla Orchards will have piles of pumpkins in all colors, shapes and sizes — more than 100 tons on display.
A popular venue where you can get close to nature is Tyler Arboretum (515 Painter Road, Media, 610-566-9134, www.tylerarboretum.org).
The arboretum’s schedule for this weekend features the “Wildflower Walk: Early Fall Edition” on October 4 from 1-3 p.m.
At the “Saturday Wildflower Walk,” wildflower expert Dick Cloud will lead an informative two-hour hike that will take visitors through meadows, woods, and occasionally streamside.
These walks are for those who have a love of plants, their role in ecology, or for those who want to learn more.
Tickets, which include admission to the arboretum’s grounds, are $18 for adults (ages 18-64) and $10 for teens (ages 12-17) and Military with valid ID.
The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire (Mount Hope Estate and Winery grounds, Route 72, Cornwall, www.parenfaire.com) is running now through October 26.
This year’s 45th annual staging of the event, which bills itself as “the most wondrous event in all the Knowne World”, is running now through October 26.
The festive annual event features authentic Elizabethan food and drink, traditional crafts from the guildsmen of yore and old-time games of skill — and a cast of hundreds of colorfully costumed re-enactors.
Every summer, the Faire, which takes place at Mount Hope Estate and Winery’s authentic 35-acre recreation of a 16th-century village in Olde England, features a new story from a different year of England’s past. This year’s Faire will take you back in time to the year 1590.
More than 70 shows are scheduled throughout each day on the Faire’s numerous stages.
Without a doubt, the most popular attraction is the Jousting Arena. Visitors to the Faire flock to Bosworth Field whenever it’s time for the Ultimate Joust. Peasants lead cheers for their favorite knights while musicians pound out a heart-thumping beat. The Master of the List announces the combatants and soon an encounter of royal proportions ensues.
The Faire offers a wide variety of activities for visitors, including listening to bagpipe music, checking out handsome Lords in their colorful silks, watching a jester’s acrobatics, learning how to juggle, being the recipient of a gypsy woman’s flirtations and watching the march of Beefeater Guards.
uildsmen’s Way is the area that features a large variety of merchants and artisans, including jewelers, candle makers, potters, herbalists, leather smiths, clothiers, and pewter makers — all offering for sale and demonstrating their ancient wares.
And there are more than 20 Royal Kitchens located around the faire with menus featuring a wide variety of food and beverages.
Single-day tickets are available at the gate for $38.95. For children (age 5-11) single-day tickets are available at the gate and online for $20.95.
This weekend, it’s time once again for the Annual Scarecrow Festival at Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, 215-794-4000, www.peddlersvillage.com). The festival, which is celebrating its 46th anniversary this year, will run now through October 26.
It is the perfect time to visit and take in the bright, brilliant hues of fall and admire the more than 100 spectacular scarecrows on display. These larger-than-life, colorful, creative scarecrows will line the red brick paths throughout the village’s 42 picturesque acres.
Peddler’s Village’s Scarecrow Making Workshops on the Street Road Green have been a family favorite for decades. The workshop fee of $35 (maximum group of 4 people) includes step-by-step instructions and building materials.
Participants can choose from a variety of clothing decorations and use plenty of straw to construct their very own life-size scarecrow to take home.
For “Count’s Halloween Spooktacular at Sesame Place” (100 Sesame Place, Langhorne, 215-752-7070, www.sesameplace.com), which runs now through November 2, the popular amusement park has been converted into a Halloween-themed safe venue for kids with trick or treating, pumpkin decorating, hayrides and a hay maze.
Guests will enjoy trick-or-treating around the park, Halloween-themed shows, participating in our interactive Scarecrow Scavenger Hunt, and unique photo opportunities with everyone’s favorite furry friends dressed up in costume on their Halloween-themed floats!
Featured attractions, which will continue until November 6, are “Neighborhood Street Party Halloween Parade,” “Halloween Light Show,” and “The Not-Too-Spooky Howl-O-ween Radio Show.”
Admission to the park starts at $44.99.
The Brandywine Valley has quite a few museums and tourist sites that provide residents and tourists with ideal opportunities to spend leisure time — and you can maximize your effort if you take advantage of the 2025 Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport.
The cost is $49 for an individual pass and $99 for a family pass (for up to five family members).
The Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport is good for one-time admission to Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley’s top attractions now through October 31.
A family pass, which includes one-day admission to each of 12 sites, can bring a savings of over $200 for the holders — especially since many of the participating institutions have regular admission fees in double figures.
The list of locations covered by the Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport includes Longwood Gardens, Delaware Museum of Nature and Science, Brandywine River Museum, Delaware Art Museum, Delaware History Museum, Hagley Museum and Library, Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, Nemours Mansion & Gardens, Read House and Garden, Mt. Cuba Center, Rockwood Museum and Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library.
For more information, visit www.visitwilmingtonde.com/bmga/.
Hagley Museum and Library (Buck Road East entrance via Route 100, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org) is presenting a special walking tour on October 6.
The theme for this tour es “Trees of Hagley.”
Participants can enjoy the natural beauty of the Hagley Museum property as we observe the many trees grown here and the history behind them.
This tour will highlight a variety of trees across the property and the importance of nature’s bounty to the du Pont family and their black powder business, the DuPont Company. Tour involves walking on uneven ground and is approximately 90 minutes long.
Tours begin promptly at 11 a.m. at Hagley’s Visitor Center.
$25 for adults, $15 for children 6-14, free for children 5 and under (includes museum admission). $5 for Hagley Members.
The 2025 season is winding down at Nemours Estate (1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, Delaware, nemoursestate.org). The entrance is located on the campus of Nemours Children’s Health, follow signs for Nemours Estate.
Originally constructed in 1910, Nemours Estate is one of Delaware’s grandest buildings and includes the largest formal French garden in North America.
Nemours Estate comprises an exquisite, 77-room mansion, the largest formal French gardens in North America, a Chauffeur’s Garage housing a collection of vintage automobiles, and 200 acres of scenic woodlands, meadows and lawns.
The Gardens are one of the estate’s prime attractions. The 157 jets at the center of the one-acre pool shoot water 12 feet into the air; when they are turned off, the entire “Long Walk” is reflected in the pool.
Admission to Nemours is $23 for adults, $21 for seniors and $10 for children.
Historic Odessa (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, www.historicodessa.org) is both a scenic and an historic site in Delaware.
Odessa is one of Delaware’s most historic sites.
Known in the 18th-century as Cantwell’s Bridge, Odessa played a vital role in commercial life along the Delaware River as a busy grain shipping port.
Today, visitors can stroll along tree-lined streets and admire examples of 18th- and 19th-century architecture in one of the best-preserved towns in Delaware. They can also tour a remarkable collection of antiques and Americana preserved in period room settings and quaint exhibits.
Historic Odessa is open to the public from March through December, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. The site is also open on Monday by reservation. General Admission: Adults, $10; Groups, Seniors, Students, $8; and Children under six are free.
Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden (1829 East County Line Road, Villanova, stoneleighgarden.org/garden/home/) will present a “Home and Garden Tour” on September 27 at 10:30 a.m.
Formerly a Main Line country estate, Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden opened to the public in 2018.
Dazzling displays of native plants, ancient trees, landscape designs by the Olmsted Brothers, and myriad habitats are highlighted on this guided exploration of Stoneleigh.
This tour will highlight the transition from beloved family home to public garden through a guided exploration of breathtaking historical landscapes, majestic trees, and the more than 2,000 varieties of native plants.
Guests can learn how the staff created gardens that are beautiful, biodiverse, and beneficial to wildlife.
Tickets for the tour are $15.
The Chanticleer estate (786 Church Street, Wayne, www.chanticleergarden.org) dates from the early 20th-century, when land along the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad was developed for summer homes to escape the heat of Philadelphia.
Adolph Rosengarten, Sr., and his wife Christine chose the Wayne-St. Davids area to build their country retreat. The family’s pharmaceutical firm would become part of Merck & Company in the 1920s.
The Rosengartens hired architect and former classmate Charles L. Borie to design the house, which was completed in 1913. Landscape architect Thomas Sears designed the terraces as extensions of the house. A 1924 addition converted the summer home into a year-round residence and the family moved here permanently.
Admission to Chanticleer is $15 for adults and free for pre-teen children (12 years and under).
Andalusia Historic House, Gardens and Arboretum (1237 State Road, Andalusia, www.andalusiapa.org) is located on a wooded promontory overlooking the Delaware River.
It has been a stately presence on this stretch of water, just north of Philadelphia, for more than 200 years.
The ancestral home of the Biddle family, Andalusia is also a natural paradise of native woodlands and spectacular gardens that have evolved over time.
Placed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks in 1966, the Big House — one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States — provides an unparalleled look into our nation’s past, while also offering a glimpse into the life of a family that helped to shape its future.
Its surrounding gardens delight the senses all through the year, from the tumbling, brightly colored leaves of fall to the floral extravaganza of spring and the abundance and scent of summer.
Self-Guided Garden Tours will be available Mondays through Wednesdays through November 4 (excluding holidays) at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m.
The West Chester Railroad (Market Street Station, West Chester, 610-430-2233,www.wcrailroad.com) is running its special “Fall Foliage Express” trains on October 5, 12, 19 and 26 and November2 and 9. Trains depart at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.
The round-trip train ride travels to the village of Glen Mills and back and lasts for 90 minutes. During the brief layover in Glen Mills, riders can explore the historic Pennsylvania Railroad station and have a snack in the railroad’s picnic grove along Chester Creek.
Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for children ages 2-12 and free for kids under two.
The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (Reading Outer Station, Reading, www.rbmnrr-passenger.com) is running its 2025 Fall Foliage Trains on weekends throughout October.
Passengers can enjoy a train ride to experience the fantastic fall colors that Pennsylvania has to offer.
They will travel over the rails to Historic Jim Thorpe after boarding the train at Reading Outer Station or Port Clinton Station.
Passengers will have time to explore historic Downtown Jim Thorpe during the layover.
Tickets for the all-day excursion start at $99.
The New Hope Railroad (32 Bridge Street, New Hope, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Grapevine Express,” which features “Wine & Cheese Tasting” on October 4 and 5 at 4 p.m. each night.
Riders are invited to take part in a romantic “Wine and Cheese Excursion” and enjoy fine gourmet cheese, artisan crackers, meats, fruit, and our featured local wines. Additional Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic beverages are also available onboard.
Wine and cheese will be served to passengers as they travel along the same railroad line passengers did when it was built in 1891 connecting New Hope with Philadelphia. The journey travels through the beautiful hills and valleys of
Bucks County, along once vital waterways and streams and across numerous trestle bridges.
The excursions will take place aboard one of the railroads lavishly appointed first-class parlor cars.
Tickets are $99 (ages 21 and older only).
The Strasburg Railroad (Route 741, Strasburg, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running its “Wine & Cheese Train” on October 3, 4 and 5 p.m.
Passengers can enjoy the luxurious, climate-controlled first-class accommodations and a tasting of select wine, cheese, and crackers as they travel in style down the tracks from Strasburg to Paradise and back. The total trip time is 45 minutes.
“Wine & Cheese Train” boarding is 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. Riders must be 21 or older and have their photo ID ready when they board.
Featured wines are carefully selected from Waltz Vineyards, and cheeses are paired accordingly. Beer and select non-alcoholic beverages are also available for purchase upon request. Riders can purchase a souvenir wine glass on board the train if desired. Glasses are $7 each.
In accordance with Pennsylvania law, alcohol is only served during the train ride. The rail line is not permitted to serve alcoholic beverages while the train is berthed in the station.
This popular train is available on select Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the season. Tickets are $79.
On October 4, the Colebrookdale Railroad (South Washington Street, Boyertown, www.colebrookdalerailroad.com) is running its “Autumn Cider and Donuts Express” at 10 a.m.
Departing from Boyertown, the train travels through vibrant fall foliage. Everyone gets a donut and cider while enjoying the bliss of the Secret Valley.
T
his is a one-hour excursion with ticket prices starting at $47.
There will also be a 90-minute excursion – “Fall Foliage Tour” – on Sunday.
The train will depart Boyertown at 2 p.m. Ticket prices start at $37.
If you like to look at model railroad layouts in addition to experiencing live trains, then you should definitely check out the Garden Railway Display at the Morris Arboretum & Garden (100 Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, www.morrisarboretum.org).
The ultra-popular Garden Railway Display has become a major summer attraction at The Gardens at Morris Arboretum. The 26th annual edition of the display will remain open until September 30.
This summer, Morris Arboretum will unveil a brand-new exhibition in its popular Garden Railway – “Garden Railway: Dinos!”
With more than 15 different rail lines running along a third of a mile of track, visitors will enjoy a spectacular display of dinosaurs including Triceratops, and Velociraptor, as well as other Mesozoic creatures—all made out of natural materials such as bark, leaves, and twigs.
As one of the largest outdoor miniature train displays in the United States, the Garden Railway will delight and amaze visitors of all ages.
The railway has a quarter mile of track featuring seven loops and tunnels with 15 different rail lines and two cable cars, nine bridges (including a trestle bridge you can walk under) and bustling model trains.
The buildings and the display are all made of natural materials – bark, leaves, twigs, hollow logs, mosses, acorns, dried flowers, seeds and stones – to form a perfectly proportioned miniature landscape complete with miniature rivers.
Philadelphia-area landmarks are all meticulously decorated for the holidays with lights that twinkle. There is even a masterpiece replica of Independence Hall which was made using pinecone seeds for shingles, acorns as finials and twigs as downspouts.
Visitors will be able to see miniature replicas of iconic structures at some of America’s most famous public gardens including the Climatron at Missouri Botanical Garden, Torii Gate and Pavilion at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Science Pyramid at Denver Botanic Gardens, and so much more.
Admission is $20 for adults; $18 for seniors (65 and older); $10 for students (ages 13-17 or with ID), active military and retired military; and free for children (under 3).
Treetop Quest Philly (51 Chamounix Drive, Philadelphia, www.treetopquest.com) is an aerial adventure park that will challenge you physically and mentally as you maneuver from tree to tree through obstacles and zip-lines. Once you’re equipped, they will teach you how to operate your equipment and you’ll be able to swing through each course as many times as you want for 2.5 hours.
Each participant is outfitted with a harness and gloves. Each course has a continuous belay system — a lifeline that is impossible to detach without a staff member. The activity is self-guided, and the staff is ready to assist when needed.
Gloves are required for our activity. During this time, we encourage participants to bring their own gloves to use while up in the trees, gardening gloves are perfect for this activity.
Ticket prices start at $47.
“TreeTrails Adventures Trevose” (301 West Bristol Pike, Trevose, treetrails.com/trevose-pa) is an adventure park full of fun challenges for outdoor adventurers of all ages.
Participants can experience the rush of TreeTrails Adventures as they swing through the trees of the new adventure park. They will be able to discover the excitement of climbing and zip lining above the forest floor with family, friends, co-workers, or teammates.
The park, which is based at Phoenix Sport Club in Bucks County, offers two ways to experience climbing – TreeTrails Adventure Park and KidTrails Park. Young explorers can enjoy miniaturized courses in the adjacent KidTrails Park.
General Park Admission price is $69.
Ghost Tour of Philadelphia (215-413-1997, www.ghosttour.com), Ghost Tour of Lancaster (717-687-6687, www.ghosttour.com) and Ghost Tour of Strasburg (717-687-6687, www.ghosttour.com) operate throughout the winter and offer an eerily entertaining evening of true ghost stories and real haunted houses.
The Ghost Tour of Philadelphia, which is based on the book, “Ghost Stories of Philadelphia, PA.,” is a candlelight walking tour along the back streets and secret gardens of Independence Park, Society Hill, and Old City, where ghostly spirits, haunted houses, and eerie graveyards abound.
Participants can discover the ghost lore of America’s most historic and most haunted city with stories from the founding of William Penn’s colony to present-day hauntings.
The activity is open year-round – weekends, December-February; every night, March-November. Tickets are $24.
The Ghost Tour of Lancaster and the Ghost Tour of Strasburg are based on the book, “Ghost Stories of Lancaster, PA.”
Participants in the Ghost Tour of Lancaster explore the long-forgotten mysteries of one of America’s oldest cities, with haunting tales of otherworldly vigils, fatal curses, and star-crossed lovers. The tour provides the opportunity to experience 300 years of haunted history from the Red Rose City’s thorny past. Tickets are $20.
The Ghost Tour of Strasburg is a candlelight walking tour of the quaint and historic town of Strasburg in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Visitors will experience an entertaining evening with a costumed tour guide spinning tales of haunted mansions, eerie graveyards, and spirits that roam the night … in a town lost in time. Tickets are $20.
The annual “Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride at Arasapha Farm” (1835 N. Middletown Rd., Gradyville, 610-459-0647, www.thebatesmotel.com) will be scaring visitors through November 2.
The haunted hayride through the woods features monsters, special effects and actors. The Bates Motel has haunted rooms with special effects and computerized lighting.
One of the most popular attractions is the “Haunted Hayride.”
Another attraction is the “Revenge of the Scarecrows Haunted Trail.” A haunted trail is cut through a cornfield inhabited by monsters.
Another popular attraction this year is “Double Edge Axe Throwing.”
Admission prices start at $45.
Pennhurst Asylum (100 Commonwealth Drive, Spring City, 484-866-8964, www.pennhurstasylum.com), which is open through November 2, is on the site of a former mental asylum which has been shuttered for over a quarter of a century.
It has been transformed into a haunted attraction with huge sets, detailed rooms and live actors. Visitors can also explore the labyrinth of underground tunnels.
Tickets are $55 for a combo pass valid for all three Haunted Attractions at Pennhurst: Pennhurst Asylum, The Morgue & The Tunnels.
