Explore the Area
Hidden Acres sits at the heart of some of the most historically rich and naturally beautiful countryside in the mid-Atlantic. Here's what's worth seeing within 50 miles — from Philadelphia and Valley Forge to Amish country to the Brandywine Valley.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
Liberty Bell & Independence Hall
Two of the most important addresses in American history sit just steps apart on Chestnut Street. Independence Hall is where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed, and the Liberty Bell hangs in a glass pavilion right next door. Admission to both is free, and timed tickets for Independence Hall are just $1 and easy to reserve in advance.
Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia Museum of Art
The museum's 72 stone steps immortalized in Rocky draw millions of visitors a year, and the view from the top down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway is worth every one of them. Inside you'll find one of the country's largest art collections, from European Old Masters to complete period rooms moved stone by stone from Europe and Asia. On the first Sunday of each month, admission is pay-what-you-wish.
Philadelphia, PA
Reading Terminal Market
Open since 1893 and still going strong, this indoor market under the old Reading Railroad train shed packs more than 80 vendors into one city block. You can grab a hand-rolled soft pretzel, a DiNic's roast pork sandwich, fresh Amish pastries, or a cheesesteak — sometimes within 50 feet of each other. Two vendors are descendants of the original 1893 stall holders.
Philadelphia, PA
Eastern State Penitentiary
When it opened in 1829, this was the largest and most expensive building in the United States, and its wagon-wheel design was copied by more than 300 prisons worldwide. Al Capone did time here, and the crumbling cellblocks make for one of the most atmospheric museum experiences in the city. The annual Halloween Terror Behind the Walls event books up months in advance.
Philadelphia, PA
The Franklin Institute
Named for Philadelphia's own Benjamin Franklin, this science museum has been packing in curious visitors since 1934. Highlights include a walk-through giant heart that has been a Philly icon for 70 years, a real Baldwin steam locomotive rolled into the building before the walls went up, and a full-dome planetarium. It's genuinely hands-on in ways that hold a ten-year-old's attention for a full day.
Philadelphia, PA
Penn's Landing
Philadelphia's Delaware River waterfront is where William Penn first stepped ashore in 1682, and today it's a stretch of parks, piers, and seasonal attractions with views of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. In summer, Spruce Street Harbor Park fills with hammocks, floating barges, and food vendors. The Independence Seaport Museum sits right on the water with a WWII-era submarine you can actually board.
Book your campsite now — Hidden Acres is the perfect base for exploring all of this.
Reserve Your SpotAmish Country
Bird-in-Hand, PA
Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market
A genuine working indoor market open Fridays and Saturdays year-round, with Amish and Mennonite vendors selling fresh meats, homemade cheese, baked goods, bulk spices, and soft pretzels rolled to order. Locals shop here alongside tourists, and the variety under one roof makes it easy to stock up on authentic Lancaster County food in a single stop. Get there before noon on Saturdays for the best selection.
Bird-in-Hand, PA
Aaron & Jessica's Buggy Rides
Family-owned and operated by drivers whose families have farmed this land since 1757, these rides take you through working non-commercial farmland — not a staged attraction. The 50-minute tour includes a stop at a real operating Amish farm where you meet animals and see how the farm works. No reservations needed for standard rides; just show up.
Intercourse, PA
Kitchen Kettle Village
A village of 40+ independent shops in the middle of Amish country, anchored by watching Amish women make jams and jellies on-site — you can see the process, then buy the results. Also here: hand-rolled soft pretzels made to order, a solid cheese shop, and The Harvest Cafe. The annual Rhubarb Festival each spring draws a big local crowd.
Bird-in-Hand, PA
The Amish Experience at Plain & Fancy Farm
A 10-acre destination that bundles three experiences: a guided tour through a nine-room Amish farmhouse designated a Heritage Site, Amish Farmland Bus Tours down back roads to working farms and cottage industries, and Aaron & Jessica's Buggy Rides all in one stop. A good choice for families who want structured context before exploring the countryside on their own.
Lancaster, PA
Amish Farm and House
Built in 1805, this 15-acre working farm was once owned by an Amish family and now offers conversational, unscripted tours that guides tailor to what visitors actually ask. The Classic Amish Bus Tour covers back-road farmland before returning to the property, and seasonal sheep-shearing demonstrations add a hands-on element. A solid starting point for first-time visitors to Amish Country.
Book your campsite now — Hidden Acres is the perfect base for exploring all of this.
Reserve Your SpotHistory & Culture
King of Prussia, PA
Valley Forge National Historical Park
Washington's Continental Army survived the brutal winter of 1777-78 here. An auto tour, Washington's Headquarters, and miles of walking and biking trails make it one of the most accessible Revolutionary War sites in America.
Chadds Ford, PA
Brandywine Battlefield Park
The largest engagement of the Revolutionary War was fought here on September 11, 1777. Two restored colonial houses served as headquarters for Washington and Lafayette, and living history demonstrations run on select weekends.
Elverson, PA
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site
A remarkably preserved 19th-century iron plantation right in our backyard. Fourteen restored structures include the blast furnace, ironmaster's house, and workers' cottages — all nestled inside French Creek State Park.
Chadds Ford, PA
Brandywine River Museum of Art
Housed in a converted 19th-century grist mill on the Brandywine River, this museum holds the world's largest collection of Andrew Wyeth works alongside paintings by N.C. and Jamie Wyeth.
Strasburg, PA
Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
More than 100 full-size restored locomotives and cars from the steam era to the mid-20th century — one of the finest railroad collections in the world, right next door to the Strasburg Rail Road.
Wilmington, DE
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
Henry du Pont's 175-room mansion holds the premier collection of American decorative arts from 1640 to 1860, surrounded by 60 acres of stunning naturalistic gardens. The enchanted woodland section is especially popular with kids.
Lititz, PA
Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery
America's oldest commercial pretzel bakery has been hand-twisting pretzels since 1861. Tours are short, cheap, and completely fun — kids learn to twist their own and take them home.
Book your campsite now — Hidden Acres is the perfect base for exploring all of this.
Reserve Your SpotNature & Outdoors
Elverson, PA
French Creek State Park
Nearly 40 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails, two lakes for fishing and swimming, disc golf, and year-round camping — all within 10 miles of the campground. One of the best state parks in southeastern PA.
Eagle, PA
Marsh Creek State Park
The 535-acre Marsh Creek Lake draws sailors, kayakers, and anglers, while the surrounding trails make it a reliable spot for birding during spring and fall migration. Easy half-day trip from Hidden Acres.
Coatesville, PA
Hibernia County Park
Chester County's own 900-acre gem borders Brandywine Creek. Trails suit every fitness level, fishing spots are plentiful, and the restored iron furnace and mansion add a dose of history.
Kennett Square, PA
Longwood Gardens
Longwood is 1,100 acres of meticulously maintained outdoor and indoor gardens and genuinely earns its reputation as one of the world's great public gardens. The Main Fountain Garden runs May through October with 1,700+ jets reaching 175 feet, choreographed to music with evening light shows. A $250 million expansion completed in late 2024 added a striking new glass conservatory that floats over a reflecting pool and a Mediterranean garden with 600+ species. Buy timed tickets online before you go — spring weekends and the Christmas season sell out weeks in advance — and note the gardens are closed on Tuesdays.
Coatesville, PA
ChesLen Preserve
The largest privately owned nature preserve open to the public in Chester County at over 1,200 acres. Free to visit, quiet, and excellent for spotting grassland birds, wildflowers, and wide-open sky.
Media, PA
Ridley Creek State Park
Twelve miles of walking and biking trails through hardwood forest along Ridley Creek. The Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation inside the park offers living-history programming on weekends.
Wilmington, DE
Brandywine Creek State Park
Fourteen miles of trails along the Brandywine, with spectacular wildflower meadows in spring and some of the best hawk-watching in the mid-Atlantic during fall migration.
Book your campsite now — Hidden Acres is the perfect base for exploring all of this.
Reserve Your SpotFamily Fun
Lancaster, PA
Dutch Wonderland
A 48-acre theme park built specifically for younger families — 30+ rides, a water play area, puppet shows, and dive shows. It's the rare amusement park where little kids are the priority.
Strasburg, PA
Strasburg Rail Road
America's oldest short-line railroad runs a 9-mile steam-powered excursion through Amish farmland. Seasonal events like Day Out with Thomas are perennial family favorites.
Ronks, PA
Cherry Crest Adventure Farm
Fifty farm activities on one property: a nationally recognized corn maze, baby animals, wagon rides, zip lines, a bounce pillow, and a petting zoo. The Amazing Maize Maze is one of the most elaborate in the country.
Norristown, PA
Elmwood Park Zoo
A compact, well-regarded zoo focused on North American species — red pandas, bald eagles, river otters, and a popular Big Cat Falls exhibit. The manageable size means families can see everything without a marathon day.
Strasburg, PA
National Toy Train Museum
Five operating model train layouts and one of the world's largest toy train collections spanning more than a century. Kids who have never cared about trains often leave completely converted.
Media, PA
Linvilla Orchards Fall Festival
Pumpkin picking, train rides, a corn maze, and the popular evening Hayrides to the Witch's House run September through November. One of Delaware County's most beloved fall family traditions.
Book your campsite now — Hidden Acres is the perfect base for exploring all of this.
Reserve Your SpotFarms, Orchards & Wineries
West Chester, PA
Highland Orchards
An 80-year-old, 200-acre family farm with pick-your-own strawberries, peaches, apples, and pumpkins in season, plus a farm market and fall events including hayrides and a corn maze.
Morgantown, PA
Weaver's Orchard
Three-generation family orchard at the corner of Berks, Chester, and Lancaster counties. Pick-your-own runs June through October, with an award-winning year-round farm market and fresh-pressed cider.
Chadds Ford, PA
Chaddsford Winery
Pennsylvania's oldest and most recognized winery, operating since 1982 in a converted 17th-century dairy barn in the Brandywine Valley. The family-friendly grounds welcome all ages.
Sadsburyville, PA
Black Walnut Winery
A low-key winery just up the road from Hidden Acres. Tastings, a pastoral setting, and a short drive make it an easy addition to any evening.
Landenberg, PA
Paradocx Vineyard
A 100-acre estate producing 15 wine varieties plus local beer, spirits, and coffee with a full food menu. The sprawling outdoor seating areas make it genuinely relaxed for families.
Lancaster, PA
Cherry Hill Orchards
The largest pick-your-own fruit farm in Lancaster County, with 60+ varieties of peaches and 50 varieties of apples. Fall hayrides and a well-stocked farm market round out the visit.
Book your campsite now — Hidden Acres is the perfect base for exploring all of this.
Reserve Your SpotTowns Worth Visiting
West Chester, PA
West Chester, PA
The Chester County seat has one of the best downtowns in the Philadelphia suburbs — brick sidewalks, excellent independent dining, a busy farmers market, and the Chester County Historical Society.
Phoenixville, PA
Phoenixville, PA
Once a steel town, now a genuinely cool small city with craft breweries, the beloved art-house Colonial Theatre, a First Fridays street festival, and great food at every price point.
Kennett Square, PA
Kennett Square, PA
The Mushroom Capital of the World punches way above its size — great restaurants, boutiques, an art gallery district, and three miles from Longwood Gardens.
Lancaster, PA
Lancaster City, PA
Central Market (one of the oldest continuously operating farmers markets in the US), a thriving arts scene, and a walkable downtown packed with galleries and restaurants. Market runs Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday.
Lititz, PA
Lititz, PA
Winner of Budget Travel's Coolest Small Town in America. A spring-fed park, a Moravian Main Street, the oldest commercial pretzel bakery in the country, and a genuinely unhurried pace.
Strasburg, PA
Strasburg, PA
A compact village where trains are everything — the Strasburg Rail Road, the Railroad Museum, the Choo Choo Barn, and the National Toy Train Museum are all within walking distance of each other.
Book your campsite now — Hidden Acres is the perfect base for exploring all of this.
Reserve Your SpotFestivals & Events
Kennett Square, PA
Kennett Square Mushroom Festival
Held every September, this two-day street festival celebrates the Mushroom Capital of the World with chef demos, a fried-mushroom-eating contest, a classic car show, live music, and a kids' area with bounce zones. One of Chester County's biggest annual events.
Phoenixville, PA
Phoenixville First Friday
Every first Friday of the month, Bridge Street closes to traffic and fills with live music, local artisans, food vendors, and a street festival vibe. Free to attend and a fun evening out after a day on the trails.
Lititz, PA
Lititz Fire & Ice Festival
A 10-day February festival featuring elaborate ice sculptures carved throughout the historic downtown, fire demonstrations, food trucks, a makers market, and family activities. Free admission.
West Chester, PA
Highland Orchards Fall Harvest Weekends
Late September through early November: hayrides through the orchard, pick-your-own apples and pumpkins, pony rides, a corn maze, and face painting. An 80-year Chester County tradition.
Kennett Square, PA
Longwood Gardens Festival of Fountains
Running May through October, the Main Fountain Garden's 1,700+ jets reach 175 feet and are choreographed to music. Friday and Saturday evenings add colored light displays that run after dark, making it worth timing your visit for an evening show. Tickets are timed and required — book online a few days ahead for weekend evenings.
Kennett Square, PA
A Longwood Christmas
From mid-November through early January, Longwood strings more than 550,000 lights along the outdoor Flower Garden Drive while the conservatories go full holiday inside. It's one of the most elaborate Christmas displays in the mid-Atlantic and routinely sells out weeks in advance. Plan well ahead — this is not a walk-up event.
Book your campsite now — Hidden Acres is the perfect base for exploring all of this.
Reserve Your SpotBase camp for all of it.
Hidden Acres puts you within an hour of all of this — and you come home to a fire ring and a quiet site under the trees.