The dog days of summer are here, but I’d rather not spend them lying around the house, drooling all over the carpet. There’s still a lot to see and do right here, away from the stacked-up beach traffic. With my meager budget in mind, here's my short list of things I want to do before the end of summer.
1. Take a tube ride down the Brandywine Creek. Canoes, kayaks and rowboats are a lot of work, especially during the haziest days of summer. I’d rather float down the Brandywine in an inner-tube and, thanks to Wilderness Canoe Trips, I can. Two-hour tube rides cost $17 and transportation is provided from the Fairfax canoe store to and from the creek. Tubing is by appointment only.
Wilderness Canoe Trips, 2711 Concord Pike, 302-654-2227, wildernesscanoetrips.com.
2. Eat something for lunch that was picked after breakfast. Summer means fresh produce, and I’d rather eat something that started as a seed than something that grew up in a factory. There will be plenty of time for mass-produced foods after the first frost. My favorite veggie stop is SIW Vegetables in Chadds Ford, Pa. Take a look at their heirloom tomatoes and corn. And if you’re especially choosy, they sell 50 different fruits and veggies. The stand is open 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily through Halloween.
SIW Vegetables, 4317 S. Creek Rd., Chadds Ford, Pa., 610-388-0656, siwvegies.com
3. Hear a band play under the stars. In the spirit of Woodstock's 40-year anniversary, there are plenty of local modern music festivals the children of flower children can enjoy. Some state parks (Bellevue, Rockford, White Clay Creek and Killens Pond) have outdoor concerts on weeknights, but my favorite is the Jam on the Brandywine.
The jam will be Sept. 19 at the Myrick Conservatory near West Chester, Pa. Admission is $20/car in advance ($30/car at gate). Seven bands, including The Spinto Band, the Cameltones, Montana Wildaxe and Sin City Band, will hit the stage noon - 9 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Brandywine Valley Association, dedicated to preserving the Brandywine watershed.
Brandywine Valley Association, 1760 Unionville-Wawaset Rd., West Chester, Pa. Tickets: brandywinewatershed.org/2008/news/jam.asp.
4. Go back in time. I don’t have a time machine, so seeing the re-enactors at Fort Delaware is the closest I’ll get to reliving the Civil War. It makes for a fun day, watching the blacksmith working, checking out 150-year-old artifacts and trying not to jump when they fire the cannon. Access to the fort on Pea Patch Island is by ferry only from Delaware City and it departs Wednesdays - Sundays through Sept. 7. Ferry rates: $11/adults, $10/seniors and $6/children (tickets must be purchased in advance). There’s a concession stand on the island, but feel free to bring a picnic lunch and if you’re really into authenticity, skip the lunchables and pack up some hard tack and salt pork.
Fort Delaware State Park, Delaware City, 1-877-98-PARKS, destateparks.com/park/fort-delaware/index.asp.
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If you try any of these or go on some other great "Dollar Date," send in a photo or two, and let me know how it went. azewe@communitypub.com
