Swarthmore: Gardens, Parks and Art

Swarthmore developed as a college town and commuter suburb. Gardens, parks, playgrounds and art offer different ways to plan a stay. Families can focus on plants and guided tours, play opportunities or art. If you’re looking for a vacation rental in Swarthmore, it helps to first consider which of these aspects of the town matters most for your trip together.

Gardens and guided tours

Staff-led tours are regularly offered at Scott Arboretum & Gardens. A guided tour is therefore a specific way to include the arboretum in your stay. In addition, the Swarthmore Horticultural Society has created twelve small gardens in the town center. The gardens can thus be a distinct focus when planning outings. For families looking to bring together different interests, they can be weighed against the town’s other offerings; the key question is whether plants and garden culture or another type of outing matters more for activities together.

Wetlands at Little Crum Creek Park

Little Crum Creek Park offers another connection with nature through its wetlands. These wetlands were restored in 2003 by the Borough’s Environmental Advisory Council. Two access points are noted: the park can be entered from Yale Avenue or Cresson Avenue. If you’d like to include the park in your stay, you can consider one of these access points as a specific starting point for your plans. The gardens and arboretum focus on cultivated garden areas; the wetlands give a visit to the park a different landscape character.

Playgrounds with different equipment

There are also specific places to visit for families who want to include play opportunities in their outings. Thatcher Park has a fully equipped play area with swings and various climbing structures. The playground at Paulson Park includes a slide, a climbing structure, a climbing turtle, swings and a picnic table. You can choose between the facilities based on the specific features listed, without assuming a general ranking of the parks. Which differences matter for your family outing depends on your own preferences.

Art at Borough Hall

Art exhibitions at Borough Hall are part of the cultural offerings. Swarthmore Friends of the Arts updates them every two months. Art is therefore another distinct aspect to consider when planning your trip. These regular updates set the exhibitions apart from the fixed features of the gardens and parks: those interested in exhibitions will find a cultural focus here, while gardens, wetlands and playgrounds appeal to other interests.

Which vacation rental suits your stay?

Once you’ve settled on Swarthmore as your destination, you can tailor your vacation rental search to your family’s priorities.

Explore other places

If you’d also like to view other town pages: Radnor, Darby, Chester, Aldan, Glen Mills, Tinicum Township, Elwyn and Springfield.

For the broader travel overview: Delaware.