The Brandywine Valley’s unsullied green hillsides appear out the window within two hours of leaving New York City. It is a countryside not taken for granted with its centuries old trees, stone cottages, and small, unpaved dirt roads. No new commercial developments will wake you up here with their screeching cranes.
Before pumpkins and candy apple red leaves are replaced with bread bowls and snowballs, consider strolling through vineyards, historic towns, and world famous gardens in the Brandywine Valley for your next quick getaway.
Traditionally known for its place in the history books, the piece of land straddling southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware stakes its claim to Revolutionary fame according to a battle between George Washington’s troops and the redcoats in 1777. History junkies can visit the Brandywine Battlefield Wednesday through Sunday until 4pm for a tour of the hallowed grounds.
The valley is a living museum, worth visiting as much for its deep historical roots as for its diverse acres of wineries. The Brandywine Valley Wine Trail website is a great resource that keeps tabs on a wide variety of year round events on the vineyards, like yoga classes, bon fires and outdoor movies, and ugly sweater parties. You can always find deals and half-off tasting specials going on around the valley.
A visit during the fall season means lower prices than chain hotels (rates can range from $70-$345), homemade meals, and a vintage experience in a locally run guest house. Peruse the Brandywine Valley bed & breakfast directory for a list of charming B&B’s like Sweetwater Farm and Kennett House, which is a short walk from great shops and sustainable eats—Talula’s Table is a must try—in historic Kennett Square. In addition to last minute specials starting at $126, the Kennett House has a Brandywine Wine Trail for Two package that includes overnight accommodations, wine glasses, and a wine passport for two to enjoy free tastings at the area’s top wineries.
If you don’t opt for a vineyard passport, you’ll want to sample the family-owned and operated Va La Vineyards. Wine is casked on premises and for $10, you can taste three vinos accompanied by locally produced snacks, ranging from artisan cheese to coins of dark chocolate.
More widely known is Chaddsford Winery. In contrast to Va La, where all the wine’s grapes are grown in the family’s vineyards, Chaddsford imports the grapes for its extensive wine list. The much larger property has a picnic area, greater selection of wines and accessories on sale, and frequently hosts festivals and concerts. The wine tasting package—sample 10 wines paired with 10 candies—is $20.
For those seeking a taste of local culture, explore nearby Brandywine River Museum, a four-story 19th century gristmill that hugs the river and holds thousands of landscapes, stills, and portraits by 19th and 20th century American artists, all part of the Wyeth family art collection.
Gateway Stables offers everything from hour long trail rides ($40/person) through the fields and woods to 60 minute group lessons. The owner’s daughter, Laurie Jakubauskas, is an international professional jumper with an equestrian facility a few miles away. Longwood Gardens is something you might expect to find in the backyard of Versailles. More than 1,050 acres of greenhouses, fountains, conservatories, and naturally, gardens, it is every horticulturist’s fantasy and your best bet for finding a few sobering hours (though you could spend half a day) that will awaken all your senses. Check the schedule for a complete list of upcoming events, like the Chrysanthemum Festival (October 27-November 18).`
How to get there: You can take the Amtrak Northeast regional train or the high-speed Acela from Penn Station to the Wilmington, DE station and arrive in 1 hour and 26 minutes. The roundtrip Acela ticket costs $118. The station is a 33-minute drive to Kennett House. Budget has a rental car location at the station. While it is possible to get to the area via public transportation, it will be difficult to visit all the destinations without a car. Use our hybrid rental car guide to leave directly from Manhattan.
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Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram