Last weekend my mother, sister and I took an impromptu trip to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pa. We had never been to the botanical garden before, so we decided to make a day of it. Luckily, we had perfect weather — a bit overcast with a cool breeze — so we easily walked for a couple of hours exploring the grounds.

The sprawling landscape seemed to go on forever with hidden woods, hiking trails and endless gardens. The estate sits on more than 1,000 acres of expertly manicured gardens, meadows, woodlands and architectural structures — so there’s a lot to see.

The Conservatory was my personal favorite. Originally designed and built in 1919, the incredible greenhouse boasts impeccable design and interesting plant life. We walked for quite a while and still didn’t see even close to everything, but we made a point to watch the fountain show and enjoy some Prosecco and macarons.

Overall the gardens were beautiful — there is a lot of walking to be done. I would definitely go again and maybe even head out in the woodlands for a hike and explore the more rugged terrain. Although a little expensive, the botanical gardens are definitely worth a trip.

— Angelique Platas, assistant editor