Take the Kids: West Chester, PA

Make a Day of It

February 23, 2015

Site Staff,

The walkable Brandywine Valley haven of West Chester merges then with now. The town credited with launching Abe Lincoln’s presidential campaign boasts an entire downtown district on the National Register of Historic Places and a picturesque landscape optimally seen from a rolling car on the West Chester Railroad (hop on the Easter Bunny Express later this month).

Soar: For one-stop chopper-communing, the American Helicopter Museum and Education Center displays dozens of helicopters, autogyros and convertiplanes in an interactive setting, with flights offered monthly. (1220 American Blvd.)

Watch: Get an off-screen look at how TV shows are produced on the popular QVC tour, which takes guests on-set and backstage. New tour times (Mon.-Sat. at 10:30am, 12noon and 2:30pm) start this month. (1200 Wilson Dr.)

Eat: The house root beer and a great kids’ menu (with gluten-free options) make the Iron Hill Brewery a lure for both grownups and kids. (3 W. Gay St.)

Time-travel: Get a taste of long-ago life by churning butter, constructing a Chippendale-style chair or donning a hoop skirt at the Chester Co. Historical Society. (225 N. High St.)

Snack: The donuts at Yori’s Bakery tend to sell out, so go early for a baker’s dozen or the equally yummy sticky buns and cinnamon rolls. (15 N. Church St.)

Craft: Paint pottery, bead a necklace or create a canvas at the Painted Plate DIY art studio. Aprons are provided, but acrylic paints stain, so dress accordingly. (104 W. Market St.)