The Brandywine River may be short — it flows for only 20 miles through southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware — but it packs a lot of American history into those few miles. It packs a lot of flash and wow, too, in the glittering estates and over-the-top gardens of one of America’s wealthiest families. Those two stories are intertwined, and there’s a lot in both to interest teens and tweens.
A good place to begin, historically and geographically, is at the Brandywine Battlefield, where George Washington’s Continental Army was outflanked by the British in his attempt to protect the then-capital of Philadelphia in 1777. The small visitors center has exhibits and a hands-on room that brings some of that era to life, and the “main character” in the story, George Washington, is a familiar one.

Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, Delaware. Photo: Stillman Rogers
Skip ahead 25 years and a few miles downstream to the Hagley Museum to hear the story of gunpowder and how it changed not just defense, but mining and railroad building, too. This giant open-air museum features the gunpowder works founded by E. I. duPont in 1802. Exhibits in the museum show detailed models and dioramas on how water power works to drive machinery, how turbines operate, how power transfers by line shafts and how that technology has changed in two centuries — fascinating even to kids not mechanically minded.
But the real fun comes at the powder works themselves. Here in a long series of stone shops (can they guess why these are all built of stone?) beside the Brandywine River they can see a 16-ton black powder roll mill in operation, an 1870s coal-fired steam engine, a giant watermill wheel and watch as a gear is created in a fully water-powered machine shop, using original equipment. But the thing all ages will remember longest is the demonstration of black powder exploding. Step into the barn at the duPonts’ original home to see the Conestoga Wagon that carried black powder from the yards to ships in Wilmington harbor.

Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, Delaware. Photo: Stillman Rogers
In the Civil War, Hagley sold 4 million barrels of powder to the federal government, and gunpowder made at Hagley enabled mining and railroad construction as America grew. Needless to say it made generations of duPonts a lot of money, and the estates they built and furnished should be the next stops on a trip.
Kids will think they’ve stepped into a European royal palace at Nemours Estate, a Gilded Age confection aglitter with gold and crystal. Along with its lavishly decorated rooms, be sure to follow the tour into the basement to see the inner workings of this huge house. The duPonts were inventors and innovators, and you can see their clever early air-conditioning system and the giant freezers and refrigerators — one just for ice cream, one for fur coats. The gardens are just as spectacular, with flowing fountains and reflecting pools.
Although Winterthur was built as a showcase for one of the finest collections of American antiques and decorative arts, it was a DuPont home as well, and a tour of its furnished rooms combines anecdotes of family history with a look at priceless examples of furniture and craft. Special exhibits are particularly engaging, often showing the craft processes and revealing glimpses into surprising customs and tastes of the past. Admission includes a ride through the extensive park and its gardens on an open trolley.
Longwood Gardens are enchanting for any age, with dancing fountains, topiary trees carved into fantastic and untree-like shapes, and the four-acre conservatory filled with a bonanza of blooming flowers and collections of fragrant orchids, Bonsai trees and roses. Inside it is a rainforest of full-sized trees, a palm house and a plantation of tropical fruit trees. Each season brings new floral displays, from spring bulbs to fall chrysanthemums and Christmas poinsettias.
We stayed in the midst of all these attractions, at the Fairville Inn in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Our suite in the Carriage House had a sitting area and a second bedroom, perfect for a family. Full breakfast each morning was cooked to order, and in the late afternoon we joined other guests for tea and an array of fresh-baked goodies that threatened to ruin all our appetites for dinner. The adjacent parlor was a welcoming place to play board games in the evening.
Read This Next
#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedDestinations / North America
Sep 21, 2023The World’s Largest Indoor Beachfront Waterpark Opened This Summer
Not quite ready to say goodbye to summer? If the weather is forcing you to head indoors, you can still take advantage of a few opportunities to splash around in the waves, without even being that far from the beach — thanks to the world’s largest indoor beachfront waterpark, which opened this summer in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Sponsored Content
United Airlines Celebrates its First Class of United Aviate Graduates
As the only major U.S. airline to own a flight school, United Airlines already hit a major milestone, and now the carrier celebrates another important — and historic — step as the inaugural class of United Aviate Academy pilots graduates, leading the next generation of aviators. The 51 students in the graduating class were majority, at 80 percent, women and people of color — another stride toward United’s goal of training 5,000 new pilots by 2030 with half women or POC.
Destinations / North America
Sep 21, 2023Spooky Haunts to Visit in Cayuga County, New York, This Halloween
Halloween is right around the corner, which means its time to start making plans for spooky and scary stops for having fun with the family this fall. New York’s Cayuga County is always a fun visit for family travelers, but if you plan on being in the area this October, you will definitely want to explore its haunted history with some choice spots along New York’s Haunted History Trail. This curated list of haunted and spooky stops throughout New York features incredible locations showcasing the perfect combination of the state’s beautiful charm and fascinating history.
Slideshow
Sep 21, 20236 Tirana, Albania, Destinations for Family Travel
It’s time to start dreaming of your next family trip. Here’s some destination inspiration for you. Take a visual journey through Tirana, Albania, with us.
Sponsored Content
Interior Upgrades Begin Rolling Out Across United Fleet
United Airlines is in the midst of a major initiative to modernize its fleet over the next several years. After first announcing the plan in 2021, planes fitted with United’s signature interior are finally beginning to appear across the airline’s narrowbody fleet of Boeing and Airbus planes. United flyers are sure to notice these enhancements from the moment they step on board: Each new or updated plane sports remodeled seats, seatback entertainment screens for everyone, Bluetooth connectivity and more, all adding up to a better experience on every journey.
Destinations / North America
Sep 21, 20234 Reasons to Head to Franklin, Tennessee, This Fall and Winter
The next two seasons see Franklin, Tennessee, come alive with festive events, fun pop-ups and colorful lights. Family travelers planning a trip to Tennessee this fall or winter must make time for Franklin, a city just south of Nashville with plenty of history and festivities awaiting.
ShareThis