Delaware--The First State--The Small Wonder
Written: Jul 27 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: lots to do
Cons: very hot and humid in the summer
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| goldjay's Full Review: Delaware |
Delaware might be a small state, but there is so much to do and see! If you've driven north on I-95 towards New York, then you've probably passed through Delaware. It only takes about a half hour to pass through on I-95 through the northern part of the state. but there is much to do along the way.
The state is very diverse, basically divided into northern and southern Delaware. Northern Delaware would be New Castle County while southern Delaware would include Kent and Sussex counties. I am most familiar with northern Delaware, but will tell you a little about what there is to do in southern Delaware as well.
At the southern most part of Delaware, you will probably want to visit the beach. I have been to Rehobeth Beach several times. It is a nice family beach and there is also a small boardwalk area. All of the popular beach foods and souvenirs are sold on the boardwalk which also includes many side streets. In addition to the beach, the Rehobeth Outlets provide for wonderful shopping. There are at least two outlet centers with many popular stores. And, in Delaware, there is no state sales tax, so the price on the price tag is the price you pay!!
Moving north, you will head into Dover, the state's capitol. There is a lot to do in Dover. There are self guided walking tours where you can look at different historic buildings based on a brochure that you can pick up in town. On your tour, you will come across the State House which has it's own guided tours which is very interesting and free.
For NASCAR fans, there is Dover Down's race track. At Dover Downs, there are also casinos including slot machines. Special musical shows and great food (in huge quantities) complete this attraction.
Also, in Dover, you can visit the Dover Air Force Base where there is a very nice museum dealing with air flight. Best of all, it has free admission. Though I have never been to them, I know that there is an art museum and an agriculture museum in Dover as well that I am told are very interesting. The agricultural museum tells of Delaware's agricultural
history.
Moving further north (you can drive from the beaches to northern Delaware in about 2 1/2 hours), you will come to many towns with lots to see and do. Delaware City boasts Fort Delaware State Park which is on Pea Patch Island. To get to the island, you have to take a boat ride. In the park itself, you will see Civil War Memorabilia. This park is a great place to picnic with families and to take walks. There are some very nice nature trails here.
Newark, Delaware is the home of the University of Delaware. The University is a beautiful one with a tree lined "mall" and beautiful buildings. There are many sites to see at the University including an art museum at Old College to a geology museum. I personally love to walk the tree lined stretch of campus known as the "mall". It is really
pretty, especially in the fall when the leaves start changing colors. There are also two festivals held on the mall, one in the spring and one in the fall. Both are open to the community and are very family oriented.
Wilmington is the biggest city in Delaware though it does not compare in size to either Baltimore (to the south) or Philadelphia (to the north). Wilmingon is currently undergoing a "renewal". The areas by the waterfront are being built up with a new gallery and the new "ShipYard Shops" which feature catalogue outlet stores such as LL Bean. The
Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard and Museum is one of the new attractions as well and visitors can see a working shipyard and a recreation of one of the first European settlements. It was a very interesting place to visit.
In addition to that, there is the Wilmington and Western Railroad that provides train rides through scenic Delaware. It is a fun ride and they even have special themed rides for different holidays such as a costumed ride for Halloween and a ride with the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus on Easter and Christmas, respectively. There is a great place to picnic
before or after your ride as well.
Wilmington also has a great art museum and a museum of Natural History. When I visited the art museum, they had a display of quilts which was very interesting to me. I am not sure if this is a permanent display but it was fantastic to see. The Natural History museum features dinosaur fossils and bones and a great collection of shells and other beach items.
The Brandywine Park features a small zoo which is great for young children. Entrance into the park is free but there is a fee to get into the zoo. There are animals in a somewhat natural habitat including tigers, monkeys, and sea otters. Within the park is also a great playground area and gardens to tour.
The Hagley Museum shows the evolution of the American economy. It is situated on an estate that formerly belonged to the DuPonts. There are also gardens to see at Hagley Museum which were part of the original estate.
Rockwood Museum features a yearly ice cream festival which I have attended several years in a row. If you like ice cream, you have to see this! Additionally, you can see an estate from the 1800s that is refurbished with authentic type furniture and items. There are also several other buildings that you can tour and beautiful gardens to stroll through.
There are some beautiful state parks throughout Delaware. There is an entrance fee for state parks but there are some really nice ones. Lum's Pond State park features a beach and swimmng area as well as nature and fitness trails. Other parks feature camping, boating, fishing and more. There are also some "Recreation areas" in Delaware with great trails and play areas for children which are free.
I love to shop so I would also recommend visiting the Christiana Mall in Newark, Delaware and the Concord Mall in northern Wilmington. If you only have time for one, choose the Christiana Mall which is much bigger and features movies, a food court and 4 anchor stores (Macy's, Strawbridges, JC Penny, Lord and Taylor). Remember, it is tax
free shopping!
Delaware is a great place to live because besides tax free shopping and all of the things to do within the state, it is close to many other areas. Within close proximity is Baltimore and Philadelphia (about an hour in opposite directions from Delaware) and just a little bit further away are New York and Washington, DC.. There is so many places to visit and things to see.
Recommended:
Yes
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goldjay
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Back from our DISNEY WORLD Vacation!! Had a BLAST!!
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