Touring Delaware

We have arrived in the small Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Delaware. It is located on a peninsula with beaches that border the Atlantic Ocean, Delaware River, and Delaware Bay.

Wilmington lies on the Christina and Delaware Rivers.

Old Swedes Church and Graveyard is a historic site. You can get tours and see the historic Hendrickson House Museum. You can find out what life was like in the New Sweden Colony under the Swedish, Dutch, English, and American flags. Enjoy walking the labyrinth and churchyard paths and discover gravestones that relate to four hundred years of American history.

The Hagley Museum and Library is part of the site of the original du Pont gunpowder mills. Eleutherian Mills was the first du Pont family home in 1803. It overlooks the French-style garden created by E. I. du Pont. You can find out information about this family and estate in the visitor center and the library. In the barn, you can see a collection of vintage vehicles among them a Conestoga Wagon, used to transport black powder to the port of Wilmington.

Nemours Mansion was built in the early 1900s. It was a gift from Alfred du Pont to his wife. This lovely 77-room house has the largest formal French gardens in North America. There are almost 200 acres of lawns, meadows and woodlands. You can go along the Long Walk to the Reflecting Pool where streams of water shoot up into the air. In the Chauffer’s Garage is a collection of vintage automobiles.

The Delaware Art Museum offers an art collection that highlights American Art of the 19th century through the 21st century and English Pre-Raphaelite Art of the mid-19th century. It is especially known for its collection of the works and papers of American artist Howard Pyle, who illustrated books written by Mark Twain and Robert Louis Stevenson. You will also enjoy posters from American poster designers and jewelry and metalwork made by English craftsmen. When you get to the museum you’ll see the Dale Chihuly arrangement of brilliant glass flowers that is displayed in front of the large window.

Outside you’ll find the Copeland Sculpture Garden displaying nine artworks that are highlighted by Tom Otterness’ 13-foot Crying Giant and Three Rectangles Horizontal Jointed Gyratory III by George Rickey.

Brandywine Creek State Park is a special place for birds and other wildlife. The park has walking trails, a playground, and the Brandywine Zoo among other attractions. The two most popular trails are the Rocky Run Trail and the Greenways Trail. Brandywine Creek is a popular fishing spot with plenty of bass and trout.

Brandywine Creek Nature Center is an educational site for natural history and environmental features and offers programs, literature, and interactive exhibits.

The Brandywine Zoo is home to more than 150 species and is divided into three sections – the main zoo, the exotic animal house, and a petting zoo. Among the residents are red pandas, two-toed sloths, and a capybara.

The Grand Opera House is an 1871 Victorian theater with a cast-iron façade. It has hosted a variety of shows including vaudeville. Today you can hear classical concerts and see dance shows as well as other kinds of entertainment.

The original Wilmington & Western Route stretched through downtown Wilmington in the 1870s. In the 1960s this became a tourist attraction and has become a great way to tour the surrounding area. The train hosts seasonal events and exhibits all year round and is available for personal rides, parties, and gatherings.

Russell W. Peterson Wildlife Refuge is an environmental and visitor recreation center. It is located on Wilmington’s Riverfront and is one of the few urban wildlife zones in the country. The landscape provides both fish and other wildlife habitats along the waterfront and in the surrounding wetland marsh. There are raised wooden walkways, trails, and viewing platforms.

Taking a Look at Delaware

Winterthur Museum and Gardens in Winterthur. This museum was built as a showcase for the collections of Henry Francis du Pont. There are priceless antiques and artwork. The 175 rooms have been designed historically accurately with antique furniture, needlework, textiles, silver, glass, paintings, prints, and ceramics all pertaining to certain periods. This is considered to be America’s finest museum of decorative arts.

Surrounding the house is a 1,000-acre park with a botanical garden of plants and trees from all over the world. There are fern-bounded woodland paths, grand lawns, and flower beds. The Enchanted Woods is a three-acre children’s garden.

There are many white-sand beaches along Delaware’s Atlantic coastline. Rehobeth is a major resort with boutiques, restaurants, and a wide stretch of white sand.

To the south is Dewey Beach, then the Delaware Seashore State Park which gives water access on the ocean side and the bay side. For families, there is Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island. North of Rehobeth you’ll find Cape Henlopen State Park and old-fashioned Lewes.

In Lewes, Delaware the Cape Henlopen State Park stretches along the Delaware shore.

To learn about the diverse wildlife and ecosystems visit the Seaside Nature Center. You can sign up for guided tours and dolphin and seal-watching programs. There is a 300-gallon touch tank. There is also a swimming beach with lifeguards.