Explore the miles of trails in Delaware’s State Parks
With acres and acres of State Park there’s bound to be a trail you have yet to discover. Lace up those hiking boots and strike out along Brandywine Creek State Park’s gorgeous stone walls, the looping Boardwalk Trail at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, or Cape Henlopen State Park’s trails that wind in and out of dunes.
Visit all of the DuPont estates
Take a tour of one (or all) of the beautiful DuPont estates found in Northern Delaware and wonder through grand gardens and amazing architecture. Hagley Museum and Library highlights the history of the DuPont family and the gunpowder works they established along the Brandywine River, while Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library, surrounded by it’s carefully orchestrated gardens, holds an amazing collection of Americana art. Mt. Cuba Center is an endless discovery, a botanical garden with lush natural gardens and spectacular displays of wildflowers, and Nemours Estate, with its French neoclassical inspirations, stands like a reminder of Old World European royalty complete with reflecting pool and a long garden walk leading to the mansion.
Discover (or rediscover) Wilmington
With the spotlight shining on the city of Wilmington thanks to President-elect and Delaware darling Joe Biden, it’s time you got to know the city better. Wilmington has all the makings of a major metropolis with museums, entertainment, and dining, but with all of the country and coastal comfort and charm of Central and Southern Delaware. You’ll spend your days in museums, like The Delaware Contemporary, Delaware Art Museum, and Delaware Children’s Museum, and your evenings enjoying fine dining, at restaurants like James Beard nominated Bardea and the recently renovated Green Room, now Le Cavalier, at Hotel DuPont.
Tap into your DE on Tap checklist
Visit a new-to-you brewery or check in on your favorite craft locale to see what’s pouring. Delaware’s constantly expanding craft beverage scene has something for everyone. Complete your checklist, whether you’re into wineries, like Harvest Ridge (who also has ciders), distilleries, The Painted Stave in Smyrna has you covered, or meaderies, Delaware has a few including Brimming Horn and Liquid Alchemy. Or if you’re a hop head, you’ll find no shortage of new and innovative breweries like Crooked Hammock, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, and Autumn Arch Beer Project.
Discover your roots
Stop and smell the flowers at Lavender Fields Farm at Warrington Manor, where you can stroll through rows and rows of fragrant flowering lavender. Be sure to stop at their store to bring home lavender soaps, sprays, and teas. And what trip through Delaware wouldn’t be complete without a stop in Camden-Wyoming for apple cider and apple cider donuts from Fifer Orchards’ Farm and Country Store.
Expand your palette
The Delaware dining scene is not only diverse but is beginning to be nationally recognized. Looking for fine dining? You’ll find James Beard nominated Bardea serving up neo-Italian dishes in Wilmington or elevated farm-to-table fare in the Lewes local favorite, Heirloom. Or maybe you’re after some BBQ? Maverick Texas BBQ and Bethany Blues will stoke your pit flames. WIth so many great options and styles, you’ll find yourself dining out and discovering something new for years to come.
Treat yourself
Start the year by focusing on you. Enjoy a soothing spa day at Inn at Montchanin Village and Spa or The Bellmoor Inn and Spa, commit to eating healthy with a juice from Nectar Cafe in Lewes, or go shopping to treat yourself at Tanger Outlets.
Bike… everywhere
Bike trails are growing in Delaware making it possible to bike further than ever before. Take the Junction Breakwater Trail out of Lewes and up along Route 9 on this expanding rails to trails project or take in Riverfront Wilmington and pedal along the Jack A. Markell Trail all the way down into historic New Castle.
Eat crabs, like a lot of them, and oysters and fish too
Take advantage of Delaware’s location in the mid-Atlantic and eat the freshest seafood sourced from local waters. Watch your lunch come in fresh off the boat at JP’s Wharf in Frederica, enjoy Smoke in the Water oysters from Dogfish Head’s Chesapeake & Maine, or enjoy a whole bushel of steaming hot crabs at the seasonally run Sambo’s Tavern in Leipsic.
History awaits
Uncover the lessons of history's past to better understand now. Learn about Delaware’s journey to statehood and what that meant for the United States by taking a tour of the state’s historic moments from New Castle to The Green in Dover.
