Three of the four major attractions (Longwood Gardens, Winterthur and the Hagley Museum) are large properties, each almost 1000 acres in size; it is difficult to spend less than a half day at each of these attractions, easy to spend an entire day and feel that was not enough. There are numerous smaller attractions that can be visited in one to three hours.

Most of the area attractions open about 9-9:30 each morning and close about 4:30-6:00 PM. Listed below are some examples of how you might organize your visit; what you do each day will vary, depending on your arrival time (e.g., a mid day vs. late day arrival). Of course, your innkeeper will be pleased to help you with setting up a visit to take best advantage of what the Brandywine Valley has to offer.

DAY 1 Longwood Gardens - open 365 days per year, usually 9:00-6:00. From Memorial Day to Labor Day open evenings until 10:15; most of these days, tickets include a one hour concert in the open air theater at 7:30PM and the lighted fountain show at 9:15. Include a visit to the Brandywine River Museum; approximately 1.5 hours from November to April. From April to November, include the supplemental tour of N.C. Wyeth's studio and home - about one hour; special reservation and ticket are required. DAY 2 Winterthur Museum with nine optional tours to visit some of its 200 rooms. Take a tram through the grounds, walk the enchanted woods, visit the many galleries and see the interesting Campbell soup toureen collection. It's easy to spend a day at Winterthur. Tickets are also good for the following day so you can take an additional special tour. Spend about 15 minutes to visit historic Smith Bridge, a newly restored ca. 1839 covered bridge that crosses the Brandywine only 3 miles from Winterthur. DAY 3 The Hagley Museum - site of where it all began, the DuPont powder mill. There are four parts to Hagley plus one special. First is the operating part of the mill with its stone mixing areas and Machinery; guides to explain what the machines did and demonstrate how they worked. On high ground overlooking the mill is E. I. DuPont's lovely, fully furnighed home. Next to the home is the original office of the Company. Near the home is a DuPont automobile - once the most expensive car in the world. Not to be missed. Blacksmith's Hill, the site of the DuPont Irish worker's village, located on the edge of the mill property. The Museum of Industry traces the industrial development of this part of the Delaware Valley in the early to mid 1800's. It is easy to get interested in Hagley and spend a full day here. Time permitting you might consider a stop on the way back to your B&B at the Chaddsford Winery for a tour and to enjoy some their prize winning offerings. DAY 4 Visit Alfred DuPont's home, "Nemours", patterned after the ancestral home in France. This is not a museum, but a fine home that recently underwent a $30 million renovation. Alfred was quite creative and invented many interesting things for his home. Formal French garden, garage with five vintage cars. Allow about 2.5 hours at Nemours Historic New Castle, original capital of Delaware. Many restored buildings and homes. Allow 2-3 hours for a visit. DAY 5 Visit the Delaware Art Museum with its foremost collection of pre-Raphaelite art. Allow about two hours. The Delaware Museum of Natural History. An amazing collection of sea shells, bird eggs and many special exhibits. Allow about 1.5 to 2 hours. There are many other activities and attractions that you can insert into your daily travels, such as antique shops, Baldwin's Book Barn, the American Helicopter Museum, QVC Studios, canoeing down the Brandywine, biking and hiking. Your B&B host will be pleased to help you plan an itinerary that best suits your interests and time available.