Bountiful shopping malls, eye-catching university campuses, and historical parks compose Montgomery Countys sidewalk-lined Main Line suburbs. Named one of the best places to raise a family by Forbes magazine, suburban Montgomery County borders Philadelphia to the north. One of the most-frequented places in the county is Valley Forge. Daily tours are available of Valley Forge’s historical buildings, re-created encampment, and museum that all tell the story of the Continental Army’s winter stay here during the years
1777-1778 of the American Revolutionary War. The 3,600-acre park also boasts several miles of hiking and biking trails, fishing and boating on the Schuylkill River, and walking amongst diverse wildlife. In addition to Mount Vernon, Montgomery County is most famous for the King of Prussia Mall , which is distinguished as both the largest shopping mall on the East Coast and the largest retail shopping complex in the United States. Department stores like Neiman-Marcus and Nordstrom and several restaurants, such as California Café and Cheesecake Factory, are some of the most frequented.
Montgomery County’s richly intellectual institutions of higher learning house historical landmarks and beautiful campuses. Arcadia University, located in Glenside, houses the prominent Grey Towers Castle. A National Historic landmark, the castle boasts French-Renaissance rooms, a fresco-style ceiling painting, golden chandelier, a royal-Red carpeted staircase, and gargoyle-adorned towers. The castle was designed by Horace Trumbauer, the same architect who designed the Philadelphia Museum of Art (along with others), the Free Library of Philadelphia, and The Elms and Miramar Gilded Age mansions in Newport, Rhode Island. In addition, Trumbauer designed the Keswick Theatre, also located in Glenside. The Keswick Theatre is nationally-recognized for its exceptional, multi-genre music concerts in an intimate setting. Eleven miles west of Philadelphia is the brilliantly aesthetic Bryn Mawr College where collegiate Gothic architecture graces the 135-acre campus. Haverford College, although not Ivy League, is a prestigious university recognized as one of the most difficult schools for acceptance. The campus, located in Montgomery County, is a national arboretum on over two-hundred acres. Quaker and Colonial architecture also graces the campus known for its highly-regarded medical research facilities. Montgomery County’s universities and colleges host year-round cultural events and artistic exhibits on their campuses.
Less than thirty minutes from Philadelphia, in some spots only ten, Montgomery County offers several travel options, including bus, train, and car. Some must-see attractions in the "City of Brotherly Love" include: the Philadelphia Art Museum (one of the largest art museums in the United States), the avant-garde shops and restaurants on South Street, the historic Independence Hall and Liberty Bell, the Gallery at Market East, and Lincoln Financial Field (home field of the Philadelphia Eagles). Remember to enjoy a famous Philly cheese steak while in the city.
