22 Hours in a Car with a Toddler…
Enough said for anyone who has traveled with a toddler in a car. Our trip out east was 11 hours there and back with 2 kids, 3 adults, and the toddler who hates her car seat and stroller. Fun times. But we survived and had a wonderful time!
We visited another du Pont garden and property called Winterthur which was completely different from the other formal gardens that we visited called Longwood (another du Pont property). Both are amazing but in different ways. As Winterthur is more natural landscapes, enchanting structures, and miles (25 miles) of trails.
Henry Francis du Ponts’ home on the property is open for touring and there are numerous exhibit spaces with amazing decorative arts Henry was a famous connoisseur of decorative arts which is why Jackie Kennedy sought him out to be on her White House Restoration Committee. She even traveled to Winterthur to meet with him and tour his home/gardens when she was First Lady.
Longwood gardens does not have a formal home on the property (there are some smaller but grand homes there) but consist of a large glass conservatory that is being massively remolded and formal fountains that are set to music. More popular with tourists, it is busier with foot traffic.
The color, the landscape, the flowers, were stunning, and watching the kids have fun in the kid’s gardens, the enchanted forest, and tree houses (Longwood has treehouses throughout the property) was a lot of fun (and with a toddler, a lot of up and down stairs).
But like all good things, it came to an end. We left and drove home through a blizzard, sunshine, fall leaves, and pretty much all seasons. We survived with a toddler in the car and numerous meltdowns and little naps. But we made it there and back. Hope that your fall break was relaxing and that you got to enjoy some time with family, and friends and enjoy the fall leaves.
Here are the links to both:
https://www.winterthur.org/
https://longwoodgardens.org/
rosemary-lemons.com 