West Chester

See

The entire town is rich with history. The cobblestone streets were put in the 1700s. The soldiers of the Revolutionary War walked through West Chester on those very cobblestones. Visitors along with residents marvel at the building where Abraham Lincoln started his journey towards the presidency. West Chester has more than 3,000 structures built before the colonial time which puts the entire downtown on the list of National Registered Historic Places. The town was home for the legendary African-American folk artist, Horace Pippin, Pulitzer Prize winning composer Samuel O. Barber (1910-1981) along with many other aspiring and proven artists.

See Chester County Historical Society (Museum & Library)

Definitely bigger and fancier than your average Historical Society Museum. One of the buildings was originally an opera house designed by the same architect who designed the capital dome in Washington, DC. Not as good as a Smithsonian or something, but if you're into history at all and you're in the area, it's definitely worth seeing. Genealogical and newspaper records at the library are very comprehensive.

📍 225 N. High Street🕒 Museum & Library: Tue-Sat 10AM-5PM; Museum Shop: Mon-Sat 10AM-5PM☎ +1 610 692-4800

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Do

There are so many exciting things to do in West Chester. With all of the restaurants, bars and shopping there is an activity for everyone.

West Chester University is a major attraction to the area. Many families visit the campus in hopes of sending their children to a highly accredited university. Because the school is located in the heart of the town it is mainly seen as a college town, which means the nightlife is always active and exciting. For those who enjoy golf there are more than five golf courses in West Chester.

Parking is free all weekend in the Parking Garages & Lots and on-street meters. And you never have to feed the meters after 5 pm everyday.

• Televised home shopping channel QVC's headquarters and main broadcast studios are just north of town. Studio tours, which are $7.50 ($6 for children), run several times daily, and tickets to special live-audience events are available in advance via the website. A company store selling fan ware with the QVC logo as well as a small selection of popular items is on the premises.

For those interested in the arts, downtown West Chester is home to more than 15 shops containing art gallery work.

Buy

West Chester is known for its quaint boutiques and trendy shops. Gay street is a central area for shopping. Malena's Vintage boutique, Plane Janea and Niche are just some of the fashionable shops located on Gay Street. The unique finds in Malena's Boutique range from 50s cocktail dresses to Gucci bags. This little store has everything a fashionista would want. Plain Jane sells any type of beauty product a girl could need. This affordable store has jeans and nice button-downs for men along with beautifully, colorful dresses for women. These are just a few of the shopping experiences West Chester has to offer.

One place that is frequented by the local kids during the summertime is the Brandywine River. There are plenty of rope swings and little spots to hang out. The rope swings aren't really a tourist spot, they are more like a hangout spot for residents of West Chester. The Brandywine River Park is also a popular place for companies and large groups to spend the day. There are also canoe and kayak tours during the spring and summer seasons.

Eat

Downtown West Chester is known for its bars and restaurants. The town offers a variety of over 25 restaurants. The restaurants range from coffee to sandwich shops to Italian cuisine. Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, located at 3 West Gay street, serve fresh beer, fresh food, and interesting culture. The laid-back atmosphere only adds to the appeal of this self beer brewing restaurant. Another fantastic restaurant is the Lincoln Room. It is located in one of West Chester's most historic and famous structures. This classical establishment is known for its early morning tea and luncheon menu. These restaurants represent the pinnacle of fine dining. Some local favorites include:

Being a college town there are countless places to grab a slice of pizza. Many also offer Philly Cheese Steaks. 24 in total-America's Pie, Papa John’s, Domino's Pizza, Pizza Hut, Amore Pizza, Pizza University, Culinary, Peace of Pizza, Rigtown, Rigtown Uptown, Saucey, Nino’s Pats Pizzeria, New Haven Pizza, Chris's Pizza, Benny's Pizza, Sam's Pizza Island, Tommy's Pizzeria, Empire Pizzeria and Grill, Joey's Pizza, Carmines, Jumbo Pizza, Café Fiorello’s, Brother’s Pizza, The Bistro.

Drink

Being a college town, West Chester has many bars to offer its visitors and residents, like Barnaby's of West Chester that is filled to the max every Friday and Saturday night. The Note offers live entertainment and musical performances.

Sleep

There are many hotels in and around the West Chester Area. As the suburbs expand more and more hotels are being built.

The Brandywine Valley is home to many upscale bed and breakfasts.