Hit The Road: Four Philadelphia Region Drives Full of Fall Colors

PHILADELPHIA, August 14, 2020 – In 2020, road trips have returned in a major way. The best reason to hop in the car and hit the road this fall? Autumn’s colors. They beckon couples, nature enthusiasts and history buffs to the Philadelphia region — situated within a 10-hour drive of one-third of the U.S. population — for relaxed days of dining, shopping and outdoor exploration.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania has a longer and more varied fall foliage season than any other state in the nation. With Center City as the starting point, visitors can hop in the car and spend four days exploring each of the city’s distinct and lush countryside regions: Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties.

To book overnight accommodations, including the popular Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package, go to visitphilly.com. The package includes free hotel parking for many Center City hotels; most regional hotels offer free parking as well. The site also features road trips focused on the American Revolution, family-friendly attractions and free or almost-free to-dos.

(Note: Advance tickets and reservations are required for many of the activities listed below.)

Bucks County:

One of America’s most noted drives for leaf-peeping, Route 32 (or River Road) clings to the Delaware River along the eastern border of Bucks County while paving the way for stops at antique shops, art galleries, major historic sites and upscale restaurants.

To begin your journey, take I-95 North out of Philadelphia to Exit #10 (New Hope), where you’ll follow signs to Route 32 (River Road) North. Your first stop will be Washington Crossing Historic Park, where General George Washington and his troops made their famous crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas night in 1776. Here, you’ll have the advantage of admiring leaves on both the Pennsylvania and New Jersey sides of the river. You’ll also pass the Thompson Neely Barn, one of many beautiful old stone barns on Visit Bucks County’s Barn Voyage self-guided barn driving tour.

If you’re driving through on a Sunday, indulge in a decadent brunch at Washington Crossing Inn. If not, preserve your appetite for lunch: You’ll have plenty of options in New Hope, after walking through glorious Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve (north on Route 32 about five minutes), a treat for nature lovers. Make a left out of Bowman’s Hill and proceed up River Road until you hit New Hope. You can’t miss it — it’s bursting with art galleries and boutiques comfortably situated next to shops geared toward mystics and motorcycle riders. Eat an early lunch at The Deck Restaurant & Bar, located behind the famous Bucks County Playhouse, on the patio at The Landing Restaurant or at Jose Garces’ Stella, overlooking the Delaware River, then spend some time shopping and people-watching in town.

When you’re ready to surround yourself with autumn-colored trees, water and eclectic riverfront homes once again, get back on River Road going north and soak in the sights until you reach Lumberville, where you’ll want to enjoy some tea or toss back a pint at the Black Bass Hotel, a 250-year-old inn, tavern and fine dining establishment (with a water view) that’s chock full of memorabilia of the British royal class. If you’d prefer a quick grab-and-go bite to eat, duck into the Lumberville General Store instead. Once you’re finished here, keep going north on scenic River Road.

When you get to Erwinna, feel free to detour off the path to drive under the adorable covered bridges scattered in the vicinity, stop for a glass of wine at the architectural delight that is Sand Castle Winery or keep navigating toward Ringing Rocks Park, seven acres of rocks that literally ring like bells when you gently hit them. (You’ll need to bring a hammer if you want to partake in this phenomenon.) The park is located in a 120-acre forest that will be resplendent when the leaves are at their peak.

Alas, it’s time to call it a night. Head an hour back to New Hope, known for its charming B&Bs (Wedgwood Inn, Logan Inn, Inn at Bowman’s Hill and Fox & Hound Inn). Before leaving town in the morning, get your last submersion in fall by taking a ride on the New Hope & Ivyland Railroad.

Chester County:

It’s hard to beat the vistas of horse and wine country when they’re ensconced in the brilliant yellows, oranges and reds of fall. But in Chester County’s Brandywine Valley, it gets even better than that. With its generous helping of lively towns and pre-19^th century wood and stone structures added to the visual beauty, Chester County has all the makings of an idyllic fall drive and overnight stay.

Head out of Philadelphia on I-95 South, to Route 322 West, to Route 1 South, into Kennett Square, the mushroom capital of the world. Visit The Mushroom Cap and The Woodlands at Phillips to learn about the mushroom industry, or just grab coffee and some breakfast at Philter before setting out for the open road. But first, don’t leave Kennett without packing a cooler full of treats from Talula’s Table.

Once you have your provisions, meander north on Route 82 through Coatesville, a newly re-energized former steel stronghold. On the way there, drive by Speakman Covered Bridge, a 75-foot-long bridge with a distinctive Burr arch truss design. Stretch your legs in the Lukens Historic District along the Brandywine River or continue northbound on Route 82, where you can admire the trees, farmland and (possibly) deer. Eat your lunch by the lake at Hibernia County Park, decked out in fall colors, or detour farther north to French Creek State Park, site of Hopewell Village National Historic Site, where a preserved “iron plantation” tells the story of America’s early industrialization efforts. Make your way back to Routes 82/345 and Route 401 East: You’re on your way to Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show and Country Fair, where several Underground Railroad routes are said to have crossed. It’s also the site of Citadel Country Spirit USA, a three-day country music festival taking place in August 2021.

Turn southbound onto Route 100, which leads to multi-hued hiking trails at Marsh Creek State Park, or bypass the park and drive straight to West Chester, the post-Colonial and current seat of county government. On your way, check out another Burr arch truss covered bridge: Harmony Hill (also known as Gibson’s Bridge), a 78-foot bridge that crosses the east branch of the Brandywine Creek. Shopping opportunities abound in bustling, yet quaint downtown West Chester, home to fantastic shops and boutiques like Jane Chalfont Kiki Boutique, Kaly, Green Eyed Lady, Tish and Eclat, an internationally recognized chocolatier.

Before dinner, check into your hotel: The Hotel Warner or historic Faunbrook Bed & Breakfast Inn. Dining options include Limoncello, Teca or Iron Hill Brewery. Tomorrow, cruise down Route 842 West, then Route 82 South and Route 926 East for a visit to the magnificent Longwood Gardens, one of the world’s most renowned public gardens. Situated on 1,077 acres, Longwood features 20 indoor gardens, as well as 20 outdoor gardens and a breathtaking conservatory.

Delaware County:

For this scenic drive, you’ll travel through leafy suburban neighborhoods and picturesque seats of higher learning to the gently sloping countryside that famed Brandywine School painter Andrew Wyeth employed as his artistic muse. After tasting from some of Pennsylvania’s sweetest grape-growing vines, you’ll return eastward to dine and doze in charming Media.

Your first stop after leaving Philadelphia following a quick jaunt up Route 476 is Swarthmore College, home of The Scott Arboretum. Use this opportunity to get out of the car and explore the arboretum, which bursts with color in the fall, or simply drive through the 357-acre campus to admire the rolling lawns, creek, wooded hills and hiking trails. Hop back on Route 476 South until you come to Knowlton Road. Follow Knowlton Road to Linvilla Orchards, a farming fantasyland that hosts apple and pumpkin picking. Be sure to hit the farm market for fresh fruit, vegetables, honey, milk, cheese, bread, pies and fudge — all grown or made right on the premises. But hold on, it’s not time to eat yet! There are picnicking opportunities galore at nearby Rose Tree Park and Ridley Creek State Park, which houses Tyler Arboretum, home to 650 acres of horticultural collections, ideal for viewing this time of year.

After lunch, you’re on your way to “Wyeth Country,” a picture-perfect landscape portrayed in many of N.C., Andrew and Jamie Wyeth’s paintings. Perched on a small cliff overlooking the wooded Brandywine Creek, the Brandywine River Museum of Art displays hundreds of their works at any given time. But the beauty here is not just on the inside: Be sure to make time to explore the wildflower and native plant gardens, along with the River Trail. Wine lovers will want to stop at Penns Woods Winery to take in the picturesque views of the vineyard and sample one of their wines before heading back for an overnight stay at Hamanassett, a B&B and carriage house, or the Inn at Grace Winery in nearby Glen Mills. Refuel with dinner and dessert on Media’s State Street, home to a wide variety of restaurants sure to please any palate. Options include: Azie, offering Asian-fusion fare; Pinocchio’s, a casual pizzeria and beer garden; or Dos Gringos Mexican Kitchen, serving up classic Mexican. Before heading out in the morning, hit up Hank’s Place, where Andrew Wyeth often ate, for a comfort food breakfast.

Montgomery County:

Montgomery County is home to a cornucopia of well-preserved and decoratively foliated historic mansions and farmsteads; inns and battlefields that can proudly claim “Washington slept here;” and an intricate pattern of scenic, fall-friendly roads just made for a Sunday drive.

Eat breakfast in the city before heading out of town on a scenic route that begins on Kelly Drive and eventually leads to Church Road/Route 73. Follow Route 73 for about five to seven minutes until you get to Fort Washington State Park, where you can digest that morning meal on the observation deck — located on or near the spot where General George Washington built his fort during a 1777 encampment — while gazing at the magnificent colors found in the park’s 493 acres of forest. From there, take a quick drive on Route 73 to The Highlands Mansion & Gardens, a Georgian mansion dating back to 1796. Here, formal gardens are surrounded by grandiose trees. Proceed onto colorful and tree-lined Route 73 West to Peter Wentz Farmstead, a preserved historic farm where Washington stayed while planning the battle of Germantown.

At this point, you’re probably getting hungry, and luckily, Skippack Village is just five minutes away. In this shopping village where stores are tucked into restored original 18^th– and 19^th-century buildings, you can choose from many restaurants for lunch. Among them: Brothers Kershner Brewing Co., Cabbage Vegetarian Cafe and Carisma Restaurante (Mexican and Latin American). Consider doing some shopping for “dessert” at The Wooden Duck gift shop, Le Butlers Pantry for kitchen wares and Accent on the Rocks for jewelry and accessories. Continue west on camera-worthy Route 73 until you reach Schwenksville. For those craving still more history, there’s Pennypacker Mills, the Victorian country estate of Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker.

If you’re up for more driving, take an excursion farther north on Route 73, then 29, to Upper Perkiomen Valley County Park, where wooded hills provide brilliantly hued and sweeping vistas of two bodies of water. When you’re ready to leave, follow Perkiomenville and Fagleysville Roads south to Ridge Pike until you reach Trooper, where you will take Park Avenue going south to conclude the leaf-peeping part of your day in an extremely appropriate place: Mill Grove, home of the late naturalist John James Audubon, who lent the Audubon Society its name.

After a long day feasting your eyes on nature’s beauty, you’ll be ready to check into your hotel. The Crowne Plaza Philadelphia – Valley Forge and the Embassy Suites by Hilton Philadelphia Valley Forge are both nearby, as are dining options such as Chadwicks’s Restaurant & Bar, Creed’s Seafood & Steaks and Peppers Italian Restaurant and Bar. Get a good night’s rest because you’ll want to spend time tomorrow driving, walking or biking through Valley Forge National Historical Park, where fall colors are blazing.

VISIT PHILADELPHIA^® is our name and our mission. As the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy.

On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets. 6^th & Market Streets, (800) 537-7676