There’s no shortage of fun for families in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Our historic county offers a wealth of opportunities for family-friendly fun that is hard to pass up.
With our list of top family activities in Chester County, MyChesCo can help to make sure you don’t miss any of the best, most memorable things to do.
We’ve included well-known favorites from the Longwood Gardens to the American Helicopter Museum, but within this list of not-to-be-missed, kid-friendly activities, there are likely several even native Chester County residents haven’t done.
Below is our list of 12 fun things to things to do with kids in Chester County.
Wharton Esherick Museum
1520 Horse Shoe Trl, Malvern · (610) 644-5822
whartonesherickmuseum.org
The Wharton Esherick Museum celebrates and preserves the legacy of artist Wharton Esherick (1887–1970), who worked primarily in wood to create furniture, furnishings, utensils, interiors, buildings and more. Wharton Esherick Studio, now housing the Wharton Esherick Museum, was the craftsman-artist’s studio in Malvern, Pennsylvania. The Studio reflects Esherick’s evolving sculptural style—from Arts and Crafts, through German Expressionism, ending with the free form Modernist curves that marked his later work. The studio was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1993.
American Helicopter Museum
1220 American Blvd, West Chester · (610) 436-9600
americanhelicopter.museum
The American Helicopter Museum & Education Center is a transport museum focusing on the history, science and technology of rotary wing aviation. Their collection contains over 40 civilian and military autogyros, convertiplanes and helicopters, including some early generation models. The museum also has an extensive research library, the Renzo Pierpaoli Memorial Library, which contains documents, artifacts, films, and memoirs that museum members can use.
The Woodlands at Phillips
1020 Kaolin Rd, Kennett Square · (610) 444-2192
www.thewoodlandsatphillips.com
The Woodlands at Phillips is a fully restored 1828 family farm home, which the Phillips Family acquired in 1890. Visitors are invited to learn about the growing process, health benefits, medicinal uses, and dietary benefits of mushrooms as well as learn about the Phillips Family. Their free self-guided tour is a fun activity and a great way to discover “Why Kennett Square is the Mushroom capital of the world”. Visitors will experience the wonder of mushrooms and actually see them growing in The Woodlands’ special growing room.
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site
2 Mark Bird Ln, Elverson · (610) 582-8773
www.nps.gov/hofu/
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in southeastern Berks County, near Elverson, Pennsylvania, is an example of an American 19th-century rural “iron plantation,” based a charcoal-fired cold-blast iron blast furnace. The significantly restored structures include the furnace group, ironmaster’s house, company store, blacksmith’s shop, barn and several worker’s houses. Hopewell Furnace showcases an early American industrial landscape from natural resource extraction to enlightened conservation.
Downingtown Playdium
3949 W Lincoln Hwy, Downingtown · (610) 624-1294
www.downingtownplaydium.com
Downingtown Playdium is a Family Entertainment Center conceived and beautifully designed to provide children, tweens, teens and their parents a place where families and friends can have fun and interact in an environment that is healthy, safe, challenging and fun, making celebrated events for children extra special and memorable. Whether your child wants to come for an open playtime any day of the week or to celebrate special occasions such as birthdays, Playdium offers a mix of attractions and services that will make your experience very enjoyable and memorable.
Marsh Creek State Park
675 Park Rd, Downingtown · (610) 458-5119
www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/marshcreek/
Marsh Creek State Park is a 1,705 acres Pennsylvania state park in Upper Uwchlan and Wallace Townships, Chester County. The park is the location of the 535-acre man-made Marsh Creek Lake, which is ideal for fishing, sailing, and migrating waterfowl. The park is open every day of the year, sunrise to sunset. Additionally, through hands-on activities, guided walks, and evening programs, visitors can gain appreciation, understanding, and develop a sense of stewardship toward natural and cultural resources.
Pinball Gallery
81 Lancaster Ave Ste 20, Malvern · (484) 693-0693
www.pinballgallery.net
The Pinball Gallery was created out of a desire to spark a revival of interest in pinball. In today’s world, it is almost impossible to find a local place that has pinball machines for play, and a whole generation of young people are growing up without having ever seen or played a pinball machine. The Pinball Gallery addresses this situation by providing a clean, spacious, family-oriented location to browse and play a wide variety of classic pinball machines. They have over 50 machines set on “free-play” with low-cost admission rates that allow you to play your favorite games over and over again. No quarters needed!
Grand Slam USA
11 E Lancaster Ave, Malvern · (610) 647-6622
www.grandslammalvern.com
Grand Slam U.S.A. is over 30,000 square feet of indoor family fun, with activities and sports for all ages. Grand Slam is all about staying active. Attractions include Laser Tag, Batting Cages, Glow In The Dark Mini Golf, Ninja Obstacle Course, Basketball Court, and much, much more. Moreover, they offer exceptional training for young athletes, including instruction for baseball, softball, basketball, tumbling, cheerleading, basketball and fitness.
Treehouse World
1442 Phoenixville Pike, West Chester · (484) 329-7853
treehouseworld.com
Treehouse World Adventure Park is a place to explore the newest and coolest treehouses around and to challenge yourself with unique high adventure activities, including Tree Climbing, Walk the Plank, Buccaneer Zipline, Archery Tag, and Tomahawk Toss. Most of the fun outdoor activities are self-guided, so you can move at your own pace and linger as long as you like. Other adventure activities are staff supervised for your safety.
Longwood Gardens
1001 Longwood Rd, Kennett Square · (610) 388-1000
longwoodgardens.org
Longwood Gardens is one of the premier horticultural display gardens in the United States, consisting of over 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. It is open to visitors year-round to enjoy native and exotic plants and horticulture, events and performances, seasonal and themed attractions, as well as educational lectures, courses, and workshops. From the intricate fountain systems to the meticulous gardens to the architectural grandeur, awe-inspiring discoveries await at every turn.
Milky Way Farm
521 E Uwchlan Ave, Chester Springs · (610) 827-1484
milkywayfarm.com
Milky Way Farm is a historic dairy farm located in beautiful Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. The 103 acres has been home to the Matthews family for four generations. Their family is passionate about growing, creating, and selling high-quality farm-fresh products and providing memorable educational agricultural experiences through their various programs. Milky Way Farm offers private tours to groups and families of all ages, emphasizing the close interaction with their farm animals, farm crops, and machinery while promoting an understanding of farming as a way of life.
Highland Orchards
1000 Marshallton Thorndale Rd, West Chester · (610) 269-3494
www.highlandorchards.net
Highland Orchards is a great place for those looking for family-oriented fun. The beautiful farm provides the Chester County community with fresh local produce and opportunities to experience the great outdoors, with pick-your-own fruit directly from their fields and orchards during the May-November harvest season. The Highland Orchards’ bakery offers their famous fruit pies and made fresh daily apple cider donuts. Moreover, adults can enjoy their wine and beer garden, which sports a family-friendly atmosphere with a free playground and animal viewing area.
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