Places to Visit Around Philadelphia- Valley Forge National Historical Park

Updated: Aug 17, 2021

There are so many local activities and places to visit around Philadelphia. One place that is worth checking out and has so much history is Valley Forge National Historical Park located in Montgomery County.

It had been years since I visited Valley Forge- probably since I was a child. I was close by and thought it would be cool to check it out again as an adult. I really enjoy learning about history and visiting local and historic places.

The park is located about 18 miles west of center city Philadelphia. It is also easily accessible from New York City and Washington DC via toll roads. This park was created to preserve our nation's history and tell the story of when George Washington led the Continental Army into Valley Forge in December 1777. This location would serve as the army's base for 6 months. The picture above is a reconstructed hut to show what life was like in the encampment. Each bunk housed twelve men. Walking into the bunker/hut, I couldn't even imagine 12 men living in there all winter. These huts are not exactly the Ritz or a luxury accommodation. There is not a lot of room inside at all. It was crowded with just a few people reading about the history.

Valley Forge is a free park that is open year round. It consists of about 3,500 acres, where you can walk and ride bikes. In addition, the historical park offers annual events and group tours. The best bet is to check out their website to see what is currently open due to Covid-19 restrictions (Washington's Headquarters and Trolley Tours are currently closed). https://www.valleyforge.org/

I enjoyed just walking the trails/paths and looking at the scenery. I've posted a few pictures below of some of the monuments. The National Memorial Arch is pretty cool to check out too. It was built to commemorate General George Washington and the Continental Army.