Pennsylvania: Valley Forge, Family Vacation Fun - Valley Forge Historical Park, General George Washington, and Shopping. 
Every 10-year-old makes the
connection between Valley Forge and George Washington so visiting Valley Forge
is a bonus for families because there is no need to explain why the place is
important. Kids love to feel the power of knowing and sharing important
stuff.
What is less well known is that the area surrounding this patriotic place
offers many vacation activities for families. From living history vignettes or
live theatre to milking a cow or petting a goat, days can be filled with easy
paced fun, long lines and traffic jams not included.
Located
only about 18 miles from Philadelphia, Valley Forge offers a small town
atmosphere surrounded by rolling hills and pastoral landscapes. While a day
excursion to the big city (Philadelphia) is an option it is not essential to
make your vacation complete. The most likely starting point is Valley Forge
National Historical Park.
Where did George sleep?
As every 10-year-old knows General George Washington and his Continental Army
spent the (terrible) winter of 1777-78 at Valley Forge. Their struggles against
severe cold, hunger, disease, fatigue and depression have been described in
history books and retold in American history classes. Today the 3,600-acre
Valley Forge National Historical Park welcomes visitors amid a backdrop of
rolling hillsides and tree lined meadows. Pathways and roadways divide the park
grounds and lead to significant statues and monuments. Visit Washington's
original fieldstone headquarters; see reconstructed log huts once used by
soldiers. The starting point is the Visitors Center which contains related
exhibits, artifacts, and offers an 18-minute introductory film which will serve
as a history refresher course. Bonus points: Each day park rangers lead
"Following in their footsteps" created to explain the life of everyday soldiers
at Valley Forge in 1777. Free to all, the walk route is about one quarter mile
and strollers are welcome. Need to know: Bus tours are available on
weekends in September and October as well as during Thanksgiving weekend and
during the days following Christmas. To check costs, times or to reserve a spot
on a bus tour call 1(610) 783-7503.
(Valley Forge National Historic Park Visitors Center is at the junction of Route
23 and N. Gulph Road. (610) 783-1077 or
www.nps.gov/vafo)
Talk to the birds.
The Mill Grove Mansion House was built in 1762, and became the home of John
James Audubon artist, author and naturalist. It was at this site that he gained
his first impressions of American birds and wildlife during his free time. Today
visitors to Mill Grove, located within the 175-acre Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary,
can walk the various trails and observe a variety of birds and other wildlife in
natural settings. Bonus points:
While families are welcome anytime, various events are held to maximize the
natural beauty of the property. In addition to bird talks and walks they also
conduct flower hunts and night walks.
Need to know:
Mill Grove is designated a National Historic Landmark.
(John James Audubon Center
at Mill Grove 1201 Pawlings Road, Audubon, PA 19403. (610) 666-5593)
Visit
a manor house.
Once a sizable plantation, today the original Pottsgrove Manor house is open to
the public showcasing the lifestyle of
English gentry during
the mid-18th century in America. Built in 1752 for John Potts,
ironmaster and founder of Pottstown, the elegance of the era remains today.
Bonus points:
While traipsing through old houses may not work for ever family, there are
educational demonstrations in the "Hands–on-Room", a comfortable
space where touching and talking is encouraged. (Pottsgrove Manor,
100 West King Street, Pottstown, PA 19464-6318.(610) 326-4014.)
Visit
a castle.
The Mercer Museum, a
remarkable American castle constructed in 1916,
has oodles of to share with young children. See an original Conestoga wagon and
a whaling boat. Inspect 19th carriages and be amazed at the antique
fire engine suspended mid air. With more than 40,000 tools from American crafts
and trades on display "Antique Tool Discover Day" the hands-on activities are a
blast for all ages. Throughout the year interesting activities are provided to
enhance each visit. From scavenger hunts and Victorian tea parties to story
telling and theater, no two visits will ever be the same. Bonus points:
Create your own plates, platters and cups out of clay during in one of artist
Khara Flint’s lessons at the Mercer Museum. (The Mercer Museum,
84 South Pine
Street Doylestown, PA 18901. (215) 345-0210
or www.Mercermuseum.org)
Shop,
shop, shop!
Imagine one location
with eight major department stores, and more than 400 shops and restaurants.
King of Prussia Mall, the nation’s largest shopping mall, makes it
possible to create your own shopping marathon in one location. Shopping choices
include: Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Sears,
Strawbridge's, and JCPenney and all of the popular specialty names as well.
Bonus points: There is no sales tax on clothing and shoes. Three Customer
Service Centers at the mall provide complimentary services, such as wheelchair
usage, coat and baggage check, and stroller rentals. Need to know: Print
the Tourist Voucher
form from the website and redeem it at one of the locations to receive King of
Prussia Travel Rewards Guide. (King of Prussia Mall,
160 North Gulph Road King of Prussia, PA 19406. (610) 265-5727 or www.KingofPrussiaMall.com)
Enjoy the
park.
Green Lane Park is where the action is all year long. In addition to being the
home of the Montgomery County Environmental Education Center, the park hosts
countless family friendly free events. The park itself spans more than 3400
acres and includes three bodies of water adding even more acreage. Camp over
night, play tennis, practice volleyball, rent a boat, or try fishing. This is
the location of the annual Scottish Irish Festival & Highland Games. Bonus
points: Miles of nature trails weave throughout the park and provide hikers,
mountain bikers and equestrians countless options everyday of the year. During
the snowy months visitors may enjoy ice skating, cross-country skiing, sledding
or ice fishing. Need to know: Pets are welcome in many areas of the park
but check with the park office about specifics.(Green Lane Park Routes 29 & 6. (215) 234-4528 or
www.montcopa.org/parks)
Find a place of work and hope.
Introducing children to different ways of thinking has obvious benefits and the
Mennonite Heritage Center does just that. In 1683, the first Mennonite couple
helped to settle the village of Germantown near Philadelphia, the oldest
continuing Mennonite community in the New World. The story told with an
interpretive video presented in a room which resembles an early meetinghouse. A
permanent exhibit “Work and Hope” tells the story of the local Mennonites' first
arrival in Penn's Woods and continues through three centuries of their work and
hope. Bonus points: Most remarkable is the extensive display of the 18th
century folk art form known as Fraktur. These colorful illuminated drawings are
found in the Fraktur Room along with a depiction of a one-room schoolhouse. (Mennonite Heritage Center 565
Yoder Road, Harleysville, PA 19438. (215) 256-3020 or
www.mhep.org/heritage.html)
Ride
a pony and pet a goat.
For more than two decades the folks at Sandy Hill Farm, a 10-acre spot not far
from Valley Forge, have been offering families with children ages two to 10
close encounters of the friendly kind. Youngsters are encouraged to brush
a pony, ride a pony and give the pony a treat. A visit to the farm also
provides the chance to see rabbits, Nubian goats, pot belly pigs, sheep, bantam
hens with chicks and ducks and ducklings. Need to know: As visitors
quickly learn, a pony is not a baby horse it is a breed of horse. (Sandy Hill Farm, Plymouth Meeting, PA. (610) 275-7551 or www.sandyhillfarm.org)
Pick
your own fruit. At
Linvilla Farm and Orchards, not far from Valley Forge, doing and tasting is all
part of the fun. This is the place to show your children that apples and peaches
grow on trees. Pick strawberries in the summer season and pumpkins in the fall.
Taste just off the vine tomatoes or husk your very own sweet corn. See horses,
chickens and pigs; meet costumed characters like Dora, Elmo and Shrek. During
September and October each year Pumpkinland remains a popular fall tradition for
families with young children. Bonus points: The Farm Market in the
octagonal barn is not-t-be-missed for jams, jellies, pies and ice cream sundaes.
Need to know: Throughout the year special events are created to celebrate
the season. Celebrate National Pie Day, join the annual fishing derby, cheer a
tractor pull, commemorate Johnny Appleseed, cut-your-own Christmas tree or visit
Bunnyland in the spring.
(Linvilla Farm and Orchards, 137 W. Knowlton Rd. Media, PA 19063. (610) 876-7116 or
www.linvilla.com)
Remember the scouts.
Anyone with a young scout in the family will feel a special connection to World
of Scouting Museum. The large rustic log cabin on the campus of the Washington
Memorial Chapel, within the boundary of the Valley Forge National Historical
Park, has one-of-a-kind items scouting items which chronicle the growth of both
Boy Scout & Girl Scout movements worldwide. You will see things like a bugle
belonging to Daniel Carter Beard, one of the founders of the American Boy Scouts
and several of the first Girl Scout cookie containers. (World of Scouting Museum. 2 Mark Bird Lane Elverson, PA
19520. (610) 783-5311 or
www.worldofscoutingmuseum.org)
Valley Forge
Convention and Visitors Bureau.
600 West
Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462. To see the bigger picture, make
plans for a family getaway and to take advantage of website (only) discounts
look at
www.ValleyForge.com
Make it happen.
Valley forge CVB 600 West
Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 or www.valleyforge.org
Books for the
Trip
When Washington
Crossed the Delaware: A Wintertime Story for Young Patriots. By Lynne Cheney, Simon & Schuster
Children's Publishing (October 12, 2004) (Ages 4-8)
America: A Patriotic Primer. By Lynne Cheney,
illustrated by Robin Preiss
Glasser,
Simon & Schuster Books. Young an alphabet book intended for elementary school
children and their families. (Ages 7)
The Winter
of the Red Snow: The Revolutionary War Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart.
By Christina Gregory, Scholastic Parade, 1996. (Ages 9-12)
Valley
Forge
(Places in American History). By Libby Hughes, Dillon Press, 1993. (Ages 9-12)
Paul
Revere, Valley Forge, Molly Pitcher, Nathanial Hale
(Living Adventures from American History). Volume II Audio Cassette, Independent
Publishers Marketing, 1995. (Ages 9-12)
Valley
Forge
(Cornerstones of Freedom). By Richard Conrad Stein,
Children’s Press, 1997. (Ages 9-12)
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Content researched and created by Travel Communications Inc. Images provided by Valley Forge
CVB. Copyright 2009.
