What to do in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
The Muhlenberg’s Brigade huts at Valley Forge National Historical Park . All photos by John O’Boyle / The Empty Nest Explorers
Valley Forge National Historical Park is a short 45-minute drive from Philadelphia and southern New Jersey so it’s an easy day trip that combines significant American history, great outdoor activities, and good food nearby.
General George Washington’s Continental Army spent the frigid winter of 1777 - 1778 encamped at Valley Forge. While there was no battle fought at Valley Forge it was one of the American Army's most harrowing periods with disease, supply problems, and weather taking its toll.
The 12,000-man army lost approximately 2,000 members.
Today the park’s 3,600 acres and miles of hiking and biking trails make Valley Forge a great spot for bicyclists, and runners as well as history buffs.
You’ll see many area residents using the park for exercise. On one of our visits we brought our bicycles and cycling is a very popular way of seeing the park.
Touring Valley Forge National Historic Park
The Visitors Center
Our most recent trip to Valley Forge was our first since the visitor center underwent a $12 million renovation and it looks great.
You can pick up a map (highly recommended), chat with National Park Service staff, and pick up some gifts in the store. There is also a very large display depicting life at Valley Forge as well as Revolutionary War military gear.
Encampment Tour Route
The Encampment Tour route is a 10-mile driving loop comprised of 9 major tour stops.
We would highly recommend downloading the National Park Service App. The app provides up-to-date info on what to see, an event calendar, a list of what to see, and most importantly directions to the self-guided tour.
Muhlenberg’s Brigade
This is the site of the encampment of troops led by General Peter Muhlenberg. Today you can visit nine recreated huts. Be sure to walk inside some since they also feature exhibits inside.
A short walk from the huts you can see a recreated earthen redoubt. These simple structures helped in the fortification of Valley Forge.
National Memorial Arch
The United States National Memorial Arch was designed by Paul Philippe Cret as a version of the Arch of Titus in Rome. It sits on the road where soldiers marched into Valley Forge on December 19, 1777, and commemorates the sacrifices of the Continental Army.
Wayne Statue
The 18-foot-long statue depicts Brigadier General Anthony Wayne on horseback. Wayne served in many roles during the country’s early history including being part of the Pennsylvania Convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution.
Historic Valley Forge Station
The train station was built in 1911 to welcome visitors arriving at Valley Forge State Park by rail. While the train tracks are still active the building now houses exhibits instead of serving as a train station.
Washington Headquarters building
Washington's Headquarters
General George Washington used the Isaac Potts house during the 1777-1778 encampment. At the time the house was being used by a relative of Potts who rented the building to Washington. Among the aides who lived in the house with Washington was Alexander Hamilton.
Unfortunately, our most recent visit was in the winter so the building was not open.
Guided Walks
Ranger-led walks are scheduled daily from June through August at 10:20 AM. 40-minute walks depart from the Visitors Center and follow the paved trail to the soldier huts at Muhlenberg's Brigade.
If you are a history buff then you might enjoy a visit to the town of Gettysburg and the Civil War battlefield. Gettysburg is only two hours west of Valley Forge and features many places to stay overnight.
You can read all about Gettysburg in our post: What to do in Gettysburg; planning your visit
Fall Campfire Programs
These programs are held on select Saturdays in the fall at 7 PM.
A park ranger discusses stories of Valley Forge and the American Revolution. The hour-long programs are held at Conway’s Brigade.
The Parks Service suggests calling 610-783-1099 before 5 PM to check on the program's status.
What to do nearby
John James Audubon Center
The John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove was James Audubon’s home and is now run by the National Audubon Society.
The museum features all types of bird exhibits and costs $14 to enter. During your visit, you can see resident birds including numerous owls.
The trails and grounds around the house are free and open during daylight hours.
Explore Downtown Phoenixville
Phoenixville is located about 10 minutes from Valley Forge National Park.
It has a small but lovely downtown with numerous restaurants. We ate lunch at Bistro on Bridge, a fun and very large bar/restaurant with good food.
The Colonial Theater hosted Harry Houdini freeing himself from a safe in 1917 and was featured in the movie “The Blob”.
Bike the Schuylkill River Trail
The Schuylkill River Trail is a 60-mile network of trails from Philadelphia to the suburbs along the Schuylkill River. A portion of the trail passes through Valley Forge National Park and Phoenixville.
The trip from the park to Phoenixville is about 12 miles roundtrip but there are numerous other access points for shorter or longer rides.
Visit Longwood Gardens
The stunning Longwood Garden is about a 45 minute drive from Valley Forge. The gardens draw visitors from throughout the Northeast and make a great addition to a half-day trip to Valley Forge.
You can read a full blog post we have about visiting Longwood Gardens here.
This post was researched and written by John of the Empty Nest Explorers. You can learn more about the Empty Nest Explorers here.
Some well-reviewed nearby tours:
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