With brick row homes and tree-lined streets, downtown West Chester features some of the most authentic small-town vibes on the East Coast. Nearly 20,000 residents live in this city founded 226 years ago in 1799, and with them come a myriad of brilliant boutiques for window shopping, cafés for mid-afternoon munching, hundreds of years of history and restaurants for fine dining.
If you’re looking for a day away this spring or summer that’s not too far from home, the borough of West Chester offers the kind of staycation to make foodies and shoppers fall in love with the region all over again.
9 a.m. – Find your morning sweet tooth at Roots Cafe
133 E Gay St., West Chester
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This rustic-upbeat cafe in the heart of downtown West Chester is the perfect place to start your day. Known for its exquisite French toast, Roots offers it in the form of cinnamon sugar bites or strawberry-rhubarb- or tiramisu-flavored. (You’re can’t go wrong with any option.) For more savory numbers, try the Moroccan eggs or pork belly Benedict. To add some extra pizzazz to your morning, order one of the bloody Marys served in a mason jar.
10:30 a.m. – Learn about the region at the American Helicopter Museum or Chester County History Center
1220 American Blvd., West Chester;Â 225 N High St., West Chester
If you’re bringing the kiddos along, the American Helicopter Museum is a great family-friendly day outing. Try out flight simulators and view aircraft spanning nearly a century of aviation history.
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For a more low-key museum experience, the Chester County History Center showcases amazing artifacts with fascinating insight into the region’s history spanning back beyond the Revolutionary period. Check out core museum programs that focus on the birth of Chester County and interactions with Indigenous peoples in the 17th century. While there, look for special exhibits like “A Different Engle: West Chester Then and Now,” a candid photography exhibit from the 1880s, as well.
12 p.m. – Indulge at Pizza or Steaks West Chester for lunch
136 E Market St., West Chester
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If you’re talking lunchtime comfort food, it doesn’t really get better than restaurateur Speer Madanat’s two West Chester eateries. In the business for nearly three decades and the former co-owner of Joey’s Pizza in Thorndale until 2022, Madanat burst onto the scene with Pizza West Chester in 2021 and Steaks West Chester in 2023. Gooey cheese and crispy pepperoni compliment a buttery dough at Pizza, while the fresh rolls at Steaks are perhaps better than any you’ll find downtown. The cheese is melted exquisitely on the meat, which packs a punch with huge flavor. It’s hard to go wrong with either stop.
12:45 p.m. – Window shop and stroll the streets in downtown West Chester
Downtown West Chester
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It’s hard to find places around the western suburbs with better shopping options than downtown West Chester. The area boasts over 100 independently owned small businesses all within a few city blocks. Be sure to stop at favorites like Green Eyed Lady, Hop Fidelity, Jawn Supply, Pine + Quill, The G Spot Vintage and so many more. Plus, stops like Church Street Gallery, Sunset Hill Fine Art Gallery and Visual Expansion are great stops to break up the shopping. It’s like visiting a mini museum packed with local art!
3 p.m. – Breathe in the fresh spring air at Stroud Preserve
454 N Creek Rd., West Chester
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The rolling hills, grasslands and woods of Stroud Preserve make for a bucolic escape from the stresses of everyday life. View the spring blooms while smelling the flowers and fresh air of spring in Chester County at 571 acres of protected land just two miles west of downtown. Natural Lands’ careful stewardship of this park has led to a resurgence of life in local wetlands and streams that carry water from the region to the Delaware River.
If you take any pictures on your trip to Stroud Preserve, be sure to tag @mainlinetoday when you post them on Instagram!
5 p.m. – Check in and clean up at the Bookhouse at Faunbrook
699 W Rosedale Ave., West Chester
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Built in the 1860s, the Bookhouse at Faunbrook has strong ties to the Darlington family, who hosted legendary Fourth of July celebrations there. Today, the revamped Faunbrook is finally open for booking, but the official grand opening is Sunday, April 13, after several years of renovations. The revamped rooms at this hotel provide style and comfort, with many themed after classic authors and literary characters. Plus, the property is so new that you might be able to get cheaper deals before prices rise and stays become more popular.
6:30 p.m. – Settle in for a fine meal at 9 Prime
9 N High St., West Chester
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The multi-level 9 Prime steakhouse is built inside the 19th-century neoclassic First National Bank in the heart of downtown on High Street. Towering ceilings, ornate chandeliers and mid-century furnishings bring a nostalgic revival to local fine dining. Choose from 10 different steaks or indulge in seafood and lobster after elevated hors d’oeuvres. The cocktail menu features a bevy of intricate creations as well as several seasonal specialties and a host of unique espresso martinis.
9 p.m. – Sip on a nightcap at Slow Hand
30 N Church St., West Chester
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This intimate cocktail bar often features live music in addition to its award-winning drinks. In fact, it was awarded Best Cocktails in our 2024 Best of the Main Line & Western Suburbs Awards. Try as many as 12 elegant, handmade cocktails, from the Naughty List and Snap Dragon to the Many Times Many Ways and Sleepless in Suburbia.
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