Follow the Brandywine Treasure Trail to an Unforgettable Getaway

Prepare for unforgettable spring, summer and fall seasons in Wilmington & the Brandywine Valley. 

Located just over two hours from New York City, and just a bit less from Washington D.C., Wilmington & the Brandywine Valley is a treasure trove of incredible attractions. You’ll enjoy lush gardens, sprawling mansions and estates, museums rich with art and history, a nationally recognized dining scene, and so much more. In fact, it’s been named one of Condé Nast Traveler’s “23 Best Places to Go in the U.S. in 2023.” 

Whether you’re planning a couple’s retreat, a group getaway or a weekend of family fun, Wilmington & the Brandywine Valley offers unforgettable delights for every taste. There’s no time like right now to experience the area in all its glory. When spring arrives, this region truly comes alive in a fireworks display of flowers and foliage at some of the nation’s most renowned gardens and natural attractions.  

One of which, is the incomparable crown jewel of a botanical garden, Longwood Gardens. Spread over more than one thousand acres – larger than New York’s Central Park - Longwood Gardens is host to exquisitely manicured gardens, magnificent horticultural displays featuring native and exotic plants, majestic fountain displays that rival Vegas’ Bellagio, live musical performances and more. 

Experience unforgettable moments like Longwood Gardens, across twelve of the region’s top attractions for one incredibly low price with the Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport—your key to Greater Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley. This collection of the region’s best is ready and waiting for you to enjoy not only in the spring, but through October 31, 2023.  

"The 23 Best Places to Go in the U.S
in 2023 (Wilmington, Delaware)"

- Condé Nast Traveler

12 Passport Attractions to Explore...

Explore Nemours Estate. The formal French garden, regal mansion, fountains, incredible artwork and even a collection of vintage automobiles are ready for you to enjoy. 

Take in the scenic and natural beauty of the Mt. Cuba Center—a home for conservation and preservation since the 1930s. Also, a former winner of the USA Today Reader’s Choice Best Botanical Gardens Award. 

Get a taste of America’s early industrial history at Hagley Museum and Library—backdropped by the scenic Brandywine River. Be sure to explore Hagley’s latest exhibition, Nation of Inventors. 

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library boasts a premier collection of American decorative arts. Plus, you’ll enjoy acres of gardens, shopping, dining, and special exhibitions, like Anne Lowe: American Couturier. 

Go from natural beauty to natural history at the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science—featuring the only permanent dinosaur collection in Delaware. A must-visit for groups with kids! 

Check out one of the most fascinating educational attractions in all of Delaware: the Delaware History Museum and Mitchell Center for African American Heritage.

See the works of three generations of the famed Wyeth family of artists at the Brandywine Museum of Art, including Andrew Wyeth: Home Places through July 13, 2023. 

Witness the latest in art, design and technology at The Delaware Contemporary. 

Transport yourself in time to an earlier era at Rockwood Park & Museum. Featuring an extensive collection of 20th-century furnishings and photographs. 

Explore the Read House & Gardens, a 14,000-square-foot mansion built for George Read II and his family in the historic Colonial town of New Castle, Delaware.

Built to house the works of the father of American illustration, Howard Pyle, the Delaware Art Museum today also offers the largest collection of British Pre-Raphaelites outside of the United Kingdom.

And of course, Longwood Gardens, one of the world's great gardens. A vision created by Wilmington born Pierre S. du Pont.

Sounds like a lot, right? Well, it is. And that’s the beauty of it.  

The Brandywine Treasure Trail Passport is valid from Memorial Day through October 31, 2023. So, you can fill a day with one or two attractions, or a weekend with all your favorites, then return to finish the entire trail. You are certain to make even more unforgettable memories in Wilmington & the Brandywine Valley this Passport season.  

Get your Treasure Trail Passport starting at just $49 at VisitWilmingtonDE.com/Passport.