Chester County generally boasts a green and gentle landscape, but then you come across this swath of scrub and sandy soil and wonder if you made a wrong turn and ended up in New Mexico. These are the largest 'serpentine barrens' – a desert-like, sun-kissed biome with its own specialized flora – in the eastern USA. The Nature Conservancy manages these 600 acres of land, cut through with biking trails, prairie fields and savannah-esque grasslands.
Nottingham Serpentine Barrens
Pennsylvania Dutch Country
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
18.49 MILES
Set over nearly 18 acres, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania has 100 gigantic mechanical marvels to climb around and admire. Combo tickets are available…
28.11 MILES
Based on an 18th-century village, this open-air museum is the best way to get an overview of early Pennsylvania Dutch culture, and Mennonite culture in…
24.9 MILES
Exhibits work of the local Brandywine School, including Edward Hopper, John Sloan and three generations of Wyeths. The museum's fantastic collection of…
23.45 MILES
Six miles northwest of Wilmington is the 175-room country estate of industrialist Henry Francis du Pont and his collection of antiques and American arts,…
21.23 MILES
Pierre du Pont, the great-grandson of the DuPont chemical company founder, began designing this property in 1906 with the grand gardens of Europe in mind …
18.69 MILES
Let's be clear: you can have never touched a toy train in your life and still love this odd little museum. The push-button interactive dioramas are so up…
24.26 MILES
The Du Pont family got its start here in 1802 making…gunpowder. In the museum, check out the exhibits about the family's early history then join a guided…
25.58 MILES
This state park is the gem of the area. A green space this size would be impressive anywhere, but is doubly so considering how close it is to prodigious…
Nearby Pennsylvania Dutch Country attractions
1. Ferncliff Wildflower & Wildlife Preserve
11.82 MILES
Bald eagles can often be spotted soaring above this forested ravine, which is intersected by Barnes Run, a tributary of the Susquehanna. As you may have…
2. Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
18.49 MILES
Set over nearly 18 acres, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania has 100 gigantic mechanical marvels to climb around and admire. Combo tickets are available…
18.69 MILES
Let's be clear: you can have never touched a toy train in your life and still love this odd little museum. The push-button interactive dioramas are so up…
21.01 MILES
The 1719 Hans Herr House is generally regarded as the oldest original Mennonite meeting house in the western hemisphere. Today, the property displays…
21.23 MILES
Pierre du Pont, the great-grandson of the DuPont chemical company founder, began designing this property in 1906 with the grand gardens of Europe in mind …
6. American Military Edged Weaponry Museum
21.43 MILES
This oddball little museum appeals to a very specific demographic: people are who are into swords and knives, particularly American swords and knives…
7. Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society
22.74 MILES
The small museum here displays beautiful glass and woodwork, along with the story of how Mennonites established themselves in this area. There's a well…
23.45 MILES
Six miles northwest of Wilmington is the 175-room country estate of industrialist Henry Francis du Pont and his collection of antiques and American arts,…