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🗺️ Farm Day Trips guide
Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of Honey Brook & Coatesville, Pennsylvania
Two lavender farms where Chester County meets Amish country, near Hopewell Furnace, French Creek State Park and Strasburg's railroad museum.
6 places · updated October 17, 2026
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Western Chester County rolls into Lancaster County's farm country around Honey Brook and Coatesville. Two small lavender farms sit here: Mt Airy Lavender, a family farm in Coatesville run by two sisters with a barn shop and horses, and Baron Hills Lavender Farm, planted in 2022 on Lilly Road in the middle of Amish country with about 1,000 plants of four varieties. Within a half hour you can walk the forests of French Creek State Park, see the 1771 iron-making village at Hopewell Furnace, or eat Pennsylvania Dutch cooking in Ronks and East Earl.
Summer is the season for the fields themselves. Baron Hills says June and July are when its rows are most colorful, and Mt Airy opens most Saturdays and Sundays from 11 to 3, with workshops and a holiday open house later in the year. Fall brings chrysanthemums at Longwood Gardens and good hiking weather in the state parks. Many Amish-country restaurants and shops close on Sundays, so a Saturday works best for a full loop.
The lavender farms
- Baron Hills Lavender FarmLavender farm · Honey Brook
June and July
Field viewing is free; no set public hours are posted, so check their website or contact the farm before visiting. Picnics are welcome.
- Mt Airy LavenderLavender farm · Coatesville
Open most Saturdays and Sundays, 11 AM-3 PM, plus workshops and special events; group visits and private parties by arrangement.
Best time to visit
Plan a lavender trip for June or July, when Baron Hills Lavender Farm says its fields are at their most colorful; check each farm's website for open days before you go. Mt Airy Lavender is open most Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am to 3 pm and holds its Holiday Open House on November 14 and 15, 2026. Marsh Creek State Park's office keeps hours from mid-April through mid-October, while French Creek and Marsh Creek are open sunrise to sunset all year. In fall, Longwood Gardens runs its Chrysanthemum Festival from October 16 to November 15, 2026, and Autumn's Colors through November 15, 2026.
Places to see nearby parks, trails, beaches and landmarks
- Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site🏛️ Historic site · Elverson · about 17 mi, 30 min drive
An 848-acre National Park Service site that preserves an iron-making community from 1771 to 1883, with the cast house, ironmaster's mansion, barn and a visitor center. About 17 miles north of Baron Hills.
free (no entrance fee)
- French Creek State Park🌳 State park · Elverson · about 16 mi, 30 min drive
At 7,730 acres, the park calls itself the largest block of unbroken forest between Washington, D.C., and New York City; come for hiking, fishing, disc golf, mountain biking and birding in the Pine Swamp natural area. It borders Hopewell Furnace, so the two pair easily.
Open daily, sunrise to sunset; day-use areas close at dusk
- Marsh Creek State Park🌳 State park · Downingtown · about 9 mi, 20 min drive
A 1,784-acre park built around 535-acre Marsh Creek Lake, used for sailing, fishing and watching waterfowl; most of the hiking and mountain biking trails are on the west side.
Open daily, sunrise to sunset; park office open mid-April to mid-October
- National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum🏛️ Museum · Coatesville · about 3 mi, 10 min drive
Tells the story of Rebecca Lukens and the Lukens Steel Company in downtown Coatesville; the Lukens Historic District grounds are open for free self-guided walks, and guided walking tours start at 10, 12:30 and 2:30.
Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm; grounds open sunrise to sunset
Grounds free; guided walking tours $15 to $25
- Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania🏛️ Museum · Strasburg · about 17 mi, 30 min drive
More than 100 locomotives and railroad cars on display in Strasburg, a good indoor stop for families on a hot or rainy day.
Wednesday to Saturday 10 am to 4 pm, Sunday noon to 4 pm; closed Monday and Tuesday; last entry 3:30 pm
Adults $10, seniors $9, ages 3 to 11 $8, 2 and under free (listed on the museum website, checked October 2026)
- Strasburg🏘️ Town · Strasburg · about 18 mi, 30 min drive
A historic Lancaster County town known for its train attractions, with small shops, cafes and farmland around it; walk the main street after the railroad museum.
- Longwood Gardens🌷 Garden · Kennett Square · about 14 mi, 30 min drive
More than 1,000 acres of outdoor gardens plus a 4-acre conservatory and the Main Fountain Garden, which runs illuminated fountain shows through November 1, 2026. About 14 miles southeast of Mt Airy Lavender.
Mon, Wed, Thu 10 am to 6 pm; Fri to Sun 10 am to 9 pm; closed Tuesdays (fall 2026)
Timed tickets sold online
- Brandywine Museum of Art🏛️ Museum · Chadds Ford · about 18 mi, 35 min drive
A riverside museum built around three generations of Wyeth family art, with guided tours of the Andrew Wyeth Studio, the N.C. Wyeth House and Studio and Kuerner Farm.
Wednesday to Monday, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm; closed Tuesdays
Adults $20, seniors $18, students and ages 6 to 17 $8, 5 and under free (listed on the museum website, checked October 2026)
Where to stop: farms, food and stays
- Shady MapleFarm stand · East Earl
East Earl's huge Pennsylvania Dutch smorgasbord, farm market and gift shop, open Monday through Saturday.
- Stoltzfus MeatsRestaurant · Intercourse
A family meat shop in the center of Intercourse for scrapple, smoked sausage and snack sticks, with breakfast and lunch at Amos' Place Monday to Saturday.
- Miller's SmorgasbordRestaurant · Ronks
A Ronks buffet that traces back to 1929, open seven days, with a quilt shop and a locally made food shop on site.
- Dienner's Country RestaurantRestaurant · Ronks
Home-style Pennsylvania Dutch buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner on Lincoln Highway East; closed Sundays.
- The Artist's Inn & GalleryInn or B&B · Terre Hill
An inn and art gallery in a 178-year-old building in Terre Hill, serving a four-course breakfast, about three miles from Shady Maple.
A one-day plan
- 10:00 AMNational Iron & Steel Heritage Museum
Start in Coatesville with a self-guided walk of the Lukens Historic District grounds or the 10 am guided tour; about 45 minutes.
- 11:00 AMMt Airy Lavender · about 10 min drive
About 10 minutes away. Walk the fields, say hello to the horses and browse the barn shop; allow an hour (open most Saturdays and Sundays, 11 to 3).
- 12:45 PMShady Maple Smorgasbord · about 40 min drive
About 40 minutes west through Honey Brook. Lunch at the buffet, then a look through the gift shop downstairs; about an hour (closed Sundays).
- 2:15 PMStoltzfus Meats · about 20 min drive
About 20 minutes south to Intercourse. Pick up smoked meats and baked goods for home; 20 to 30 minutes.
- 3:00 PMRailroad Museum of Pennsylvania · about 20 min drive
About 20 minutes to Strasburg. Arrive before last entry at 3:30 and spend about an hour among the locomotives.
- 4:15 PMStrasburg · about 5 min drive
Stroll the shops and cafes in town for half an hour.
- 5:15 PMMiller's Smorgasbord · about 10 min drive
About 10 minutes north to Ronks for an early dinner and a slice of pie from the on-site shop.
Tips
- Plan the loop for a Saturday: Mt Airy Lavender opens most weekends, but Shady Maple and Dienner's are closed on Sundays.
- Baron Hills Lavender Farm doesn't post set hours; check their website or contact form for open days before you drive out.
- Mt Airy Lavender workshops need advance registration and have limited seats; tickets are transferable but not refundable.
- Expect Amish buggies on the roads around Honey Brook, Intercourse and Strasburg; slow down and pass with plenty of room.
- Longwood Gardens sells timed tickets online, and fall weekends with fountain shows are busy, so book ahead.
Checked in October 2026 against official park, tourism and business websites. How we check listings
Questions
When is the lavender in bloom near Honey Brook?
Baron Hills Lavender Farm says its fields are at their most colorful in June and July.
When is Mt Airy Lavender open?
Most Saturdays and Sundays from 11 am to 3 pm, plus workshops and special events. The 2026 Holiday Open House is November 14 and 15.
Is there a fee to visit Hopewell Furnace?
No. The National Park Service charges no entrance fee at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site.
Are the state parks open year-round?
Yes. French Creek and Marsh Creek state parks are open every day from sunrise to sunset; some facilities are seasonal.
🪪 Collect a stamp at every stop
The free Lavender Passport keeps a stamp for each farm and stop you visit, in real life and in the Lavender Farm Simulator. At the farm, play Field Quest to collect plant varieties as you walk, climb the leaderboards and unlock sponsor rewards.
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