Welcome Travel Writers! 

Thousands fill the outdoor Amphitheater at Rose Tree Park's Free Summer Concert Series, made possible by Delaware County Council.
Pull up a blanket or a folding chair and chat with neighbors and friends before sharing a summer night of  great music under the stars.
concerts feature String Bands, Military Bands, Rock n Roll, Irish Music, Symphonies, Choirs and much more.

Below you will find: 
An Overview of the 5 unique experiences Delco offers to visitors
Descriptions of “Tours & Guides” to browse on our website for story inspiration 
Trip Planning & Contact Information

OVERVIEW:
Delaware County, which rubs shoulders with both Philly and the State of Delaware, is a very historic, cool, and exciting place.
With one of the smallest County foot-prints in the state, our half million+ population exceeds that of major cities like Fresno or Tucson. Yet our rolling hills, gardens, golf courses and other green spaces are among the most beautiful and famous in the east.

Brandywine Battlefield re-enactment...
Delco is perfect for both families and couples to spend a weekend, and has long been one of the most popular side-trips for people visiting Philly.

You’ll be charmed by our friendliness, our love of history, our passion for golf & gardens, our spirit of adventure and our total lack of stuffiness. Whether in jodhpurs, jeans, a designer gown, a Villanova T-shirt or a 3-piece suit, Delco offers adventures for everyone and every budget.

Corporate giants include the North American headquarters of software giant, SAP - Aerospace leader Boeing - and the Philadelphia Airport which straddles both Delco and Philadelphia Counties. Local theaters draw hundreds of thousands of people each year and our Sun Center Film Studio has worked on box office hits like Silver Linings Playbook with Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Nero as well as project work under the direction of icons like M. Knight Shyamalan.

And since we're talking movies:
Unlike the film "The Three Faces of Eve," Delco actually has five faces:


Talen Energy Stadium is the home of the Philadelphia Union Soccer Team.
The Delaware River can be seen from almost every seat!
1) Our RIVERSIDE stretches from our Philly border to Marcus Hook, once America's boom-town for oil refining and ship building. Now it features America's first Urban Wildlife Refuge, a state-of-the-art Soccer Stadium where the Philadelphia Union play, and Harrah's Casino and Race Track, where one of the fastest 5/8 mile horse racing surfaces in the country features a miracle turn that extends over the Delaware River.

2) Our BRANDYWINE experience comes from being located in the heart of the Brandywine Valley,  between Wilmington, DE and Chester County.  Tour award winning Vineyards, the famous Brandywine Battlefield, The Brandywine River Museum of Art (home to the art of 3 generations of Wyeths) and we're a stone's throw from Longwood Gardens, an historic Grist Mill and the coolest Collectibles Museum you've ever seen.  (Christian C. Sanderson, a neighbor and longtime friend of Andrew Wyeth, collected a host of historic items so extensive that upon his death Wyeth helped subsidize the turning of his home into a museum!)

Everybody loves a parade in Delco! This one heralded
Santa's Arrival in Media...
3) Our MAIN STREETS are on fire these days!  Following Route 1 through the center of the County, it boasts many hip, family-friendly and university towns where almost a dozen Community Parades mark holidays, including Santa's Arrival.  Our County-seat town of Media hosts an annual Film Festival, Blues Stroll, Jazz Fest and Dining Under the Stars where State Street closes to traffic every Wednesday night in the summer – replacing cars with dinner service.

There are famous Arboretums along the route, and a State Park boasting hiking, fishing, and an authentic Colonial Plantation with a working farm, period demonstrations, and more.

Plus it never gets too hot here because our famous IceWorks Skating Complex draws 4 million people a year for ice hockey tournaments, Olympic Curling Team qualifier events, figure skating competitions, ice shows and of course, daily hours for public skating!

4) Our CROSSROADS encompass towns that border Philly, like Drexel Hill, Havertown, and Upper Darby (home of the  iconic Tower Theater). A new music center is coming soon, along with a new hotel that will adjoin the renowned Drexelbrook Corporate Event Center. The food scene is  colorful, warm and multi-cultural - like a handmade quilt of global cuisine! Restaurants representing literally dozens of countries serve authentic fare, and their Annual International Restaurant Week (each April) invites people from all over the region to share food and cultural awareness in a tasty way.
Dressage at Devon, also home of the nationally renowned Devon Horse Show

5) Finally, our MAIN LINE  is famous for horse shows, art galleries and home decor designer shops, spas, dining, and Chanticleer Gardens: the only original Main Line Estate still open to the public and named one of  North America’s most beautiful Secret Gardens by National Geographic Traveler Magazine.  Our Sports Legends Museum in Radnor showcases more than 200 local athletes that achieved greatness from the major leagues to the Olympics - as well as in world class rinks & rings and on every playing field imaginable.

In fact, Delco does sports like NYC does fashion or Nashville does music.  
We go all-in for our local high school and college teams as well as our #1 Villanova Wildcats, the Olympic Curling Championships at IceWorks and -  yes, we DO doop-it-up for our Philadelphia Union Soccer Team. 


But Delco is not about the wins or winning.
...it’s about the work ethic, the ‘team-first’ culture of Jay Wright and the passion that sports and teamwork bring to everyday life in this County. 

From the cutting edge technology of SAP…to the 30+ nights of FREE Summer Concerts at Rose Tree Park that our County Council provides each year… to the hundreds who line the streets at our Veteran’s Day Parades…and the thousands who come from all over the east coast for our Annual Walk for the Wounded & Warriors 5K Run event that this bureau helped create 11 year ago, and supports to this day…

...this is life in Delco.  Feisty, fun, crazy, beautiful, patriotic, and very tasty.  We value character - and characters.  
So plan a visit soon. We think you’ll find lots to write about in your columns, blogs and features.

TOURS & GUIDES FOR STORY INSPIRATION
On www.DestinationDelco.com

Under the large rotating picture on our homepage you’ll find blocks representing all kinds of Tours and Guides to what’s happening in Delaware County.
There are two Pirate Festivals each summer!  

Historic Attractions: Features sites like The Plank House in Marcus Hook, currently in the midst of an Archaeological Dig and believed to have been the house of the Pirate Blackbeard's mistress when he was 'laying low' on the Delaware River.

Wedding Venues: Explore some of the most beautiful and unique wedding venues from elegant classics, to rustic barns, theaters, a yacht club, a concert hall, outdoor parks and vineyards.

Colleges & Universities: We offer a wide variety collegiate opportunities from the Valley Forge Military Academy to top-rated private schools like Swarthmore and Haverford, plus Community Colleges, Trade Schools, and Religious based Colleges like Villanova and Neumann Universities. Under each college listing are links to nearby hotels. 

Art & Entertainment: Our Guide to the Arts includes concert venues, theater stages, museums, art galleries, and also introduces you to our ballet companies and orchestras.

The Delaware County Symphony is outstanding and conducts
important student competitions that encourage young musicians
throughout the region to pursue their dreams.
Delco's Monthly TOP TEN Things to See & Do: Each month 10 fabulous, cool and sometimes crazy events are highlighted with humor in a fun blog format that features beautiful pictures, dates, times and weblinks to read more about each event.

Fun Driving Tours:  This guide features tours of all types from a Couples Tour that includes wine tastings, galleries and gardens to a Family Fun Tour that features budget-friendly hotels, restaurants, and attractions.

The Gardens & Greens Tour: We love our golf!  And with so many great courses, we had to break this into 2 separate tours... East and West Delco. Each highlights it's public and private golf courses and gardens  -  and offers a list of nearby hotels.

Many of our courses have hosted PGA and Amateur events, including the recent U.S. Open at Merion and the upcoming 2018 BMW Championship in September!

The 2018 BMW Championship at Aronimink Golf Course: this blog contains a hole-by-hole guide to the course, interviews with event managers, and is updated regularly with ticket, hotel and event information.

Historic Register Sites:  Explore 86 places where history was made!

Celebrated People:  From Nobel Prize winners, to rocker Joan Jett, WC Fields, Lee Iaccoa, Jim Croce and "All My Children Creator, Agnes Nixon - you'll be shocked to see our list of famous (and infamous) residents.

Farm to Table:  Like sirens calling out to sailors in the night, our produce stands, orchards and local farmers will lure you to their locations with some of the best produce in the region. Plus you'll read about several of our farm-to-table restaurants.
Every summer State Street in Media closes to traffic on Wednesday nights
so that more than a dozen restaurants can take their tables outdoors,
under the stars... And yes, it IS this busy every week!

Restaurant Guide:  Tabs along the top of the page highlight the different types of cuisine...simply click on the ones that suit your taste.

Classic Delaware County: These are the things Delconians know and love!  From the Simeone race car museum to BoneDaddy's Tattoos, and Jimmie John's Pippin' Hot Sandwiches (featured on the Food Channel's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives!) - these are the cool joints and hot spots we think you'll love as well!

Gardens & Arboretums: Delco lies at the heart of what is called the Garden Capital of the Nation...30 Gardens within 30 Miles.  Read about 10 gardens that are in the County or just minutes away.


This event was featured in our March TOP TEN Things to do in Delco Guide.
Longwood Gardens invited people to 'get in the mood' for Spring by
visiting during their floral and musical 'Blues' month...
Hiking & Biking Trails: To our knowledge this is the ONLY COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE to the hiking, biking and walking trails in the county!  Each listing includes a map, nearby attractions, and special notes on hours, whether they are dog friendly, offer picnic tables and other facts.

Hotels & B&Bs:  This guide spans the entire county and features photos, descriptions and contact information.


TRIP PLANNING & CONTACT INFO
Send an email or call to let us know what type of story you have in mind.  We can brainstorm ideas and then I will send you an itinerary that fits within your anticipated schedule.

We can make any adjustments you like, and I'll follow up, contacting all of the sites, and making  interview arrangements as well as your restaurant and hotel reservations.  The Bureau will cover all or most of the hotel and restaurant expenses, and if you require air travel, we have a budget to assist with that, as well.
One of the oldest family owned farms in the tri-state area,
Linvilla Orchards offers 'pick your own' fruit & veggies, and presents
dozens of weekend festivals, pie-eating contests and more.
They are famous for their month-long celebrations of hayrides,
games and activities during spring's
"BunnyLand"  and fall's "PumpkinLand" extravaganzas!

Photos:
We have a strong photo collection and can likely provide many options to accompany your story.  If you take your own shots, we’d love the chance to use some of them online and will always credit you and your blog or publication.

Story Promotion and Marketing Assistance:

  • With an email database of more than 9,000 people, we will notify them when your story appears and include a link to your blog or publication to help grow readership.
  • With your permission we can also spotlight it in our Press Room, where our 200,000 annual website visitors could see it, as well.

Credentials:
If you are interested in doing a story on Delaware County, we ask that you email us a couple of sample articles or a link to your blog to view a few past travel stories.  This also helps me learn more about you, so that I can recommend a place or experience that would hold special appeal for you.
I hope you’ll visit soon!

Contact Information:
Barbara Lehman
Email: blehman@destinationdelco.com
Phone: OFC 610-565-3679   CELL 215-872-1308