101 THINGS TO DO IN THE BRANDYWINE VALLEY IN THE WINTER.  Recently updated 1-17-12 with nos. 8 & 9.

I’ve just started compiling this list so it is no where near complete.  We’ll see if I can get to the 101st item by the end of winter.  Point is, the Brandywine Valley has lots to do in the winter months and you won’t have to contend with all the crowds.

Think there is nothing to do in January, February, and March in southeast Pennsylvania?  Well, think again.  Here are just a few of the fun things going on and I’ll add more during the coming weeks.  Want to brave the outdoors?  How about horse back riding on the magnificent Icelandic horses at Viking  Horse Stables in West Chester, Pa.  They offer a variety of year round treks through the country side of Chester County, Pa.  Each guided trek is customized for you and is offered for as few as one person or up to four people at a time.  For more information 610-517-7980 or click here.

1.

Enjoy the bucolic countryside of Chester County on an Icelandic horse at Viking Stables.

2.  If horseback riding isn’t for you, there are plenty of trails nearby for hiking and cross country skiing.  Enjoy going over the hills and through the woods  not to grandmother’s house but past historic buildings in Ridley Creek State Park and Tyler Arboretum which are only a 10 minute drive from Hamanassett Bed and Breakfast.  For more information on Tyler Arboretum click here or call 610-566-9134.  And for more information on Ridley Creek State park click here.

Ridley Creek Park

3.  For a slower pace grab your binoculars and head over to John Heinz Wildlife Refuge at the Tinicum Wildlife Refuge.  The refuge is about a 15-20 minutes from us.  For more info click here.

Bird watching at John Heinz Wildlife Refuge.

You can still enjoy visiting Longwood Gardens.  Even though the outside gardens are resting for the winter there is the spectacular indoor gardens in the conservatory.  Did you know it is 4 1/2 acres under glass and includes 20 indoor gardens and 5500 varieties of plants?  It takes about an hour and a half to stroll through the entire conservatory.  The Orchid Extravaganza begins January 20, 2012 and runs through March 25. For more information

Orchids at Longwood Gardens

5..   February 11-18 – National Curling Championships at IceWorks Skating Complex.  For tickets:  610-497-2200

6.    January and February  Winter bird walks held every Wednesday at Tyler Arboretum 8:15 – 10:15 a.m.  610-566-9134×212.

7  .  March 11 – Brandywine Battlefield Charter Day:  honors charter between King Charles II and William Penn.

8.  Celebrate Chinese New Year – Chinese New Year (also called the Lunar New Year) occurs in the early months of our calendar year, typically January or February and this year falls on January 23rd.  This is the first of 15 days of celebration and the start of the Year of the Dragon.  For more information on things to do click here.

9.  The Hedgerow Theatre
  For more info click here.

Educating Rita by Willy Russell 2/9-3/6

Shirley Valentine by Willie Russell  2/25-3/10

And, of course, we won’t mind if you come just to enjoy relaxing in front of the fireplace and enjoying a good book and good conversation.  We are open all winter and look forward to seeing you.

To all our friends and guests who helped make 2011 such a success, thank you so much.  We enjoyed having you stay with us and will look forward to seeing you and your friends next year.  I’ve uploaded many pictures of Hamanassett decked out for Christmas on our face book page.  Tried to upload pictures here but word press is acting persnickity.  All the attractions with Christmas decorations such as Longwood Gardens, Winterthur, Hagley Museum, and the Brandywine River Museum keeps their decorations in place through the first week of the New Year so you still have time to visit us.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/Hamanassett.  And while you are there would appreciate your “Liking” us.

Visit Hagley during the holiday season and enjoy a variety of exhibitions, activities, choral performances, crafts, and more!   Children 14 and under are admitted free during December.  You are sure to be inspired by their Christmas and Twelth Night decorations at the first DuPont home in America.  First bus departs from the Visitor Center at 10 AM and the last at 3 PM.  You can get on and off at various sites throughout the estate.  Hamanassett is a short 20-25 minutes drive.

Hours are 9:30-4:30.  For more information call 302-658-2400 or click here for more information.

CHADDSFORD AT CHESTER COUNTY BOOK COMPANY
Winemaker Eric Miller will be at local gem Chester County Book Store www.ccbmc.com
on Paoli Pike in West Chester on Thursday, December 15th
at 7 p.m. for a book signing and wine tasting. Eric will be signing his
book The Vintner’s Apprentice and pouring samples of Chaddsford Naked
Chardonnay, Merlot, Spiced Apple and Sunset Blush. Stop out and purchase a book,
and have a chat with Eric while he signs your book and pours you a taste of
wine. Wouldn’t a signed copy of The Vintner’s Apprentice be a perfect
gift for the wine lover on your list?  Even if you are not into wine you should pay a visit to the Chester County Book Store.  Along with Baldwin’s Book Barn, we in the Brandywine Valley are blessed with two locally owned fantastic book stores.  You can easily spend hours in each store.  Hamanassett Bed and Breakfast is within 15 minutes of each book store and 10 minutes from the Chaddsford Winery.

Celebrate the Season with the
Chester Heights Historical Society
Sunday, December 11, 2011  1-4  PM
Wine and cheese plus tour of the beautiful
Hamanassett Bed & Breakfast
725 Darlington Road, Media PA 19063   Hamanassett is located just off Route 1, 5 miles south of Media, Pa. and 4 miles north of the itersection of Routes 202 and 1.   See web site for driving directions
www.hamanassett.com
$10.00 donation requested per person
All proceeds benefit the Chester Heights Historical Society

.

Lots to do in Media, Pa. which is a short 10 minute drive from Hamanassett Bed and Breakfast.  Here is a short list of what to look for:

www.visitmediapa.com for details and other great events!

We were honored at Hamanassett Bed and Breakfast to take part in the Bed and Breakfasts for Veterans program.  Started last year in West Virginia, the program is now part of the Better Way to Stay program at the Professional Association of International Innkeepers.   As a result, hundreds of bed and breakfasts across the United States offered free rooms to our veterans on 11-10-11 to thank them for their service to our country.  This year we had the Army, Navy, and Air Force represented. 

  In addition to the rooms offered by Hamanassett, the good people at the Delaware County’s Brandywine Valley Conference and  Visitor’s Bureau secured donations from many of the attractions and local businesses in the area.    Included were  items like a WALK FOR THE WOUNDED T-shirt (a major fundraising event that draws thousands of people to Delaware County each year to honor soldiers who have been wounded overseas), plus a bottle of Chadds Ford wine, a box of Fudge made by a local candymaker – and a variety of free admission passes to places like Longwood Gardens, the Simeone Car Museum, the American Helicopter Museum, the Brandywine River Museum and more!   There was also a $20-25 gift certificate to a local restaurant in each bag.  

B&Bs for Vets Couple

Retired Army Veteran and his wife

Brandywine Prime is looking for a butcher or butchers!   No, not a butcher of meat, but a butcher (carver) of pumpkins. This job is one night only, Thursday,  October 27^th, beginning at 5pm. You (and your team) will check in at Brandywine Prime before 5 and then head down to the Chadds Ford Historical Society to carve their sponsored pumpkin. After the carving is complete, hang around to see the judges decision or head back to Brandywine Prime and join them for the after-carve party.  

For those of you interested in the party and not the job opportunity visit,  http://www.brandywineprime.com

 Those wishing to apply for the job must meet the following criteria;  at least 21 years old,  possess carving tools and be able to use creatively, friendly, don’t mind having a beer or two after a hard day’s carve, must use the term CHOP! CHOP! when speaking to your team. 

Please respond to Michael@brandywineprime.com, if you are interested. Include your idea of how the pumpkin will look.  Compensation $100 gift certificate to Brandywine Prime for you; $50 for each of your teammates; snacks and drinks at the after carve party for you and your team; hopefully lots of fun. 

Looking for spooks and things that go bump in the night?  Is getting a chill and a thrill your idea of fun for Halloween?  I just learned about the PennHurst Haunted Asylum which is about a 50 minute drive from Hamanassett. If their web site is any indication, this is definitely a place to check out if you like being scared out of your wits The Assylum was a state school that only closed down in 1986 after many allegations of abuse. The new attraction there is a combination of high tech animatronices, digital sound and actors. Even if you don’t plan on going, I suggest reading their web site for interesting information. Fair warning: this web site is scary and noisy so if you are at work, turn the sound down before clicking here.

Another creepy attraction only 10 minutes from Hamanassett is the Haunted Hayride at the Bates Motel. For over 20 years this attraction has been scaring visitors with amazing props and great actors. Click here for more information