萝莉射区

Think you know Delaware? Well, think again. This tiny US state punches above its weight when it comes to things to see and do, with laid-back beach towns, historic estates and a surprisingly dynamic food scene.

It鈥檚 the kind of place where you can bike along a pristine stretch of foreshore in the morning, eat just-caught seafood for lunch, and tour an elegant du Pont mansion in the afternoon. Locals know the best spots to catch live music, sip mead made by small-batch producers and find hidden boardwalk bakeries 鈥� and now, so will you.

Beach lovers and history buffs can find loads to love here, while outdoor adventurers appreciate the state鈥檚 scenic trails, wildlife refuges and endless opportunities to get active out on the water. Whether you鈥檙e here for a weekend or a week, these are the top things to do in Delaware.

1. Explore the coastline at Cape Henlopen State Park

Where Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean meet, Cape Henlopen State Park stretches across 5000 acres of pristine beaches, maritime forests and diverse natural habitats. Outdoor enthusiasts can explore bike paths, hiking trails, and beaches facing the ocean and bay.  

There are countless ways to experience the park鈥檚 natural beauty. Covering just over 5 miles out and back, the Gordons Pond Trail is a favorite route, taking in its namesake saltwater lagoon, tumbling sand dunes and remnants of a former military base from WWII.

History buffs will appreciate , a former WWII coastal defense site that now serves as a museum. Visitors can view artillery batteries, barrack buildings, and a fire control tower that offers sweeping views. For wildlife fans, the Seaside Nature Center features a 500-gallon touch tank, five 1000-gallon exhibit tanks and a live Osprey camera feed. 

Cyclists can take advantage of the borrow-a-bike scheme 鈥� an easy way to navigate the park鈥檚 extensive trails 鈥� or go hiking among the dunes or bird spotting in the salt marshes.

Detour: Stop at Lewes Beach just outside the park entrance for a quieter stretch of sand with calm waters that are perfect for wading and kayaking. It鈥檚 one of Delaware鈥檚 best beaches for families. 

2. Stroll the boardwalk at Rehoboth Beach

Strolling the mile-long boardwalk at Rehoboth Beach is a favorite summer pastime. On warm days, visitors cover every inch of it, often with locally purchased or in hand. 

Music from the bandstand fills the air at the end of Rehoboth Ave, with free live concerts running from mid-June through August. Riding the Haunted Mansion and trying your luck at Skee-Ball at the seasonal amusement park is another rite of passage while on vacation here. 

Long-established hosts regular author signings, while sells crystals, jewelry and antiques. Venture along the storybook-like Penny Lane Mall to grab a sweet crepe or savory croissant from .

Planning tip: In summer, arrive early to grab a parking spot and plop your umbrella on the beach before sunbathers and swimmers swallow every available space. Things are slightly calmer in the cooler spring and fall seasons. 

3. Walk through history at Downtown Dover, Dover Green

Downtown Dover鈥檚 tree-filled lawn 鈥� surrounded by historic buildings and known as the Dover Green 鈥� holds most of the town鈥檚 treasures. This is the spot where suffragettes demanded the right to vote and legislators voted to ratify the US Constitution. 

At , storytellers dressed in 18th-century garb share the stories of these pivotal moments in American history during popular walking tours starting at Dover Green. Visitors can also tour the former and current homes of the Delaware General Assembly. 

Built in 1791, the Georgian-style Old State House features an exhibit on Samuel D Burris, a free Black man who was tried and convicted for helping enslaved people escape during the days of the Underground Railroad.

Planning tip: History buffs won鈥檛 want to miss the free that start from Dover Green, running daily from Wednesday to Saturday. For a taste of Kent County鈥檚 agricultural bounty, head to the many country stores dotted around Dover and surrounding townships. 

4. Treasure hunt for bargains and bites at Spence鈥檚 flea market

The Dover area is home to several Amish-run markets, but locals favor on South New St for the breadth of offerings here. Open Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, this bustling market is fantastic for food lovers and bargain hunters. 

There are two buildings, one containing stalls selling bakery treats and snacks, and the other hosting a big garage sale with multiple vendors. Bring cash, and your best bargaining skills, to purchase purses, records, dishware, jewelry, and other items in the flea market, which spills outside when the weather is favorable. 

5. Discover art, aviation and colonial history at Dover鈥檚 museums 

Dover鈥檚 museums offer a deep dive into history, art and aviation, making essential stops for curious travelers. At the Biggs Museum of American Art, visitors can admire a decorative and fine art collection featuring paintings, sculptures, and furniture from the 1600s to the present day. 

For those fascinated by military history, the Air Mobility Command Museum showcases more than 30 aircraft and wartime airlift exhibits. Soberingly, Dover Air Force Base is traditionally the first stop on native soil for the remains of American service members killed overseas.

Just south of the Dover Air Force Base, the John Dickinson Plantation provides a glimpse into the life of a US Constitution signer who, after inheriting the estate in 1785, granted freedom to the enslaved people there. Alternatively, you can step into the past at Dover鈥檚 oldest wooden-frame building, the , where Dover Green tours begin.

Finally, the brings rural history to life with a re-creation of an old-fashioned general store, farmhouse, and gristmill, and exhibits that highlight Delaware鈥檚 deep farming roots.

6. Relive the early days of recorded music at the Johnson Victrola Museum

You can hear the history of recorded sound come to life at the Johnson Victrola Museum in Dover. Displays include antique phonographs made during the early 20th century by the Victor Talking Machine Company 鈥� later taken over by RCA 鈥� highlighting the innovations in sound recording that revolutionized home entertainment.

Tour guides explain the evolution of the company, founded by Dover native Eldridge Reeves Johnson, and play records on early musical devices. The museum鈥檚 two-story collection also features photos, artifacts, and images of Nipper, the instantly recognizable fox-bull terrier company mascot, made famous by the company鈥檚 鈥淗is Master鈥檚 Voice鈥� slogan. 

Detour: After a journey into musical history, walk a few blocks to Loockerman St, Dover鈥檚 historic downtown strip, for antique shops and local caf茅s.

7. Explore boardwalks and beer gardens at Riverfront Wilmington

Once lined with thriving shipbuilding businesses, Wilmington鈥檚 Christina River continues to benefit the city as a prime spot for recreation. The revamped area features an accessible boardwalk with restaurants, museums and public parks, drawing locals and visitors in droves on warm days. 

Joggers, rowers, and cyclists buzz up and down the waterfront, while other visitors play cornhole at the seasonal beer garden or just gaze at the water from one of the Adirondack chairs. Highlights along the 1.3-mile Riverfront include the , the Frawley Stadium, the , the and Tubman Garrett Riverfront Park.

Detour: A 15-minute walk from the Riverwalk, art museum features rotating exhibitions from regional and international artists.

8. Walk through the struggles and triumphs of Black history in Wilmington 

In Wilmington, the Delaware History Museum and Mitchell Center for African American Heritage chronicle the state鈥檚 journey over hundreds of years, starting with the region鈥檚 earliest residents 鈥� the Lenni Lenape Native American tribe 鈥� and highlighting the fight for freedom for African American people. 

Permanent exhibits are displayed in an art deco building that was once a Woolworth department store, connected to the brick-fronted Old Town Hall, Delaware鈥檚 first government building, which was completed in 1799. 

The Town Hall building features temporary exhibits on the second floor, offering fresh perspectives on different periods of Delaware鈥檚 history. With its deeply immersive displays, the museum offers a powerful look at Delaware鈥檚 past and its ongoing impact on the present.

9. Climb aboard a historic ship at the Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard

For a taste of seafaring history in Wilmington, the features a replica of the Kalmar Nyckel, a Dutch tall ship that brought Swedish and Finnish settlers to Wilmington in 1638, laying the foundation for the city鈥檚 robust shipbuilding industry. 

The shipyard鈥檚 highlights the area鈥檚 first European settlement and explores the city鈥檚 maritime history with educational videos, artifacts, model ships and a replica of a historic log cabin. 

Planning tip: Check the Copeland Maritime Center schedule for free deck tours and ticketed sailings on the Kalmar Nyckel from Wilmington or New Castle. Be sure to step out onto the museum balcony for a timeless view of the river when the ship is docked. 

10. Catch a show in Wilmington

Wilmington鈥檚 vibrant arts scene offers everything from Broadway-caliber performances to world-class visual art. , a historic venue with two concert stages and a bar, keeps music alive at the heart of downtown. 

For grander productions, the ornate , built in 1871, hosts Broadway-style shows, concerts and opera across its two performance halls. Just a short walk away, the 鈥� operated by the Grand and housed within the 鈥� hosts plays and concerts in the city鈥檚 historic district.

Theater lovers can catch new and classic off-Broadway shows at the , a Riverfront Wilmington venue that also hosts a traveling improv comedy team. 

11. Wander along Milford鈥檚 charming riverfront

With attractive buildings and a scenic riverwalk, the town of Milford has old-fashioned Main St charm in spades. It straddles Kent and Sussex Counties, and a line by the riverwalk celebrates that fact. Promenaders, dog walkers and cyclists wander this waterfront path, which weaves through parks dotted with miniature painted boats to remind visitors of the town鈥檚 shipbuilding history.

From spring through fall, downtown Milford attracts a crowd with its food trucks, live music on the first Friday of the month and a popular seasonal ice cream stand, the North Pole Creamery. South Walnut St is home to art galleries, restaurants, a theater, the , and respected honey-wine producer WTF What to Ferment Meadery. 

Nearby, the highlights the town鈥檚 shipbuilding history and the fight to integrate its high school.

Planning tip: The runs on Saturdays from May to October, offering fresh produce and local crafts; there鈥檚 a bonus late-fall market in November.

12. Tour the grand estates of the Brandywine Valley 

The sprawling, French-style estates in the Brandywine Valley 鈥� known locally as 鈥淐hateau Country鈥� 鈥� are a testament to the outsized legacy of the industrialists and philanthropists of Delaware鈥檚 celebrated du Pont family. 

A 15-minute drive north of Wilmington, the elegant features an elaborate reception hall outfitted with 18th- and 19th-century paintings, wall tapestries, and du Pont family portraits. There are regular 25-minute tours of the 200-acre garden, with its statues, pool and maze of evergreen trees. 

On the northern outskirts of Wilmington, is an indoor-outdoor museum with dozens of stone structures and waterwheels and a coal-fired steam engine, exploring the history of 脡leuth猫re Ir茅n茅e du Pont鈥檚 19th-century gunpowder factory, complete with a booming demonstration of the explosive power of black powder.

Northwest of the center, the features ADA-accessible garden paths, native plants, and hiking trails, while the is home to tens of thousands of pieces of furniture, porcelain, and other decorative objects, spread throughout the former home of Henry Francis du Pont.

13. Walk through centuries of history in Lewes鈥� historic district

The picturesque town of Lewes packs five centuries of architecture into its historic district, which features a mishmash of styles from Colonial to Federal and Victorian. Dutch history takes center stage at the free-to-visit Zwaanendael Museum, whose striking red-and-white shutters were inspired by a town hall in the Netherlands. 

Explore on a with Lewes Historical Society. Engaging storytellers in period costumes take you past local landmarks, including the Ryves Holt House, Delaware鈥檚 oldest building and one of the many small museums the society operates. 

You can also pop into a series of 18th- and 19th-century buildings at the organization鈥檚 main campus on Shipcarpenter St, including a former school, doctor鈥檚 office, and a tavern that sells cocktails made to colonial-era recipes on the first Friday of each month. 

Planning tip: Several boat operators run sightseeing cruises from Lewes, visiting Cape Henlopen and other scenic locations, including .

14.  Stroll through native meadows at Delaware Botanic Gardens

The at Pepper Creek were crafted by New York High Line-designer Piet Oudolf and filled with native plants that change throughout the year. Shaped like a figure eight, the meadow is centered on an elevated grassy knoll, which provides an ideal spot to survey the entirety of the garden. 

A trail winding through 12.5-acres of gardens and woodland takes you past whimsical sculptures made from natural materials that serve a dual purpose as art installations and hotels for crawling and flying insects, bees and reptiles. 

15. Eat your way through Sussex County鈥檚 best restaurants  

Sussex County鈥檚 richly varied dining scene offers everything from farm-to-table fare to globally inspired cuisine. In Lewes, serves up seafood specials and a lively happy hour, while blends traditional and modern Indian flavors inside a 125-year-old Victorian home. 

In the far south of the state, Fenwick Island is worth a detour to eat at , run by a James Beard鈥搉ominated chef, which focuses on locally sourced meat and seafood dishes (the dune-backed beaches here are also worth a peek). 

In Reheboth Beach, seafood lovers flock to the , a no-reservations eatery known for its raw bar and fresh fish selections. brings Mediterranean flavors to the fore with dishes such as garlicky jumbo shrimp al Ajillo and ratatouille, alongside seasonal specials. 

For classic Chinese foods, is a Rehoboth favorite for shareable Hunan-style dishes such as salt-and-pepper shrimp. Rounding out the lineup in Rehoboth is , a female-owned hotel restaurant with a menu that changes daily and standout happy-hour deals. 

16. See Delaware鈥檚 most beautiful nature spots

Delaware鈥檚 coastal charm extends well beyond its beaches. At , the fragrant lavender fields take center stage, but visitors shouldn鈥檛 miss the native-plant gardens and the shop selling lavender products. 

For those drawn to the water, has 6 miles of oceanfront and 20 miles of bay-facing shoreline, making it a prime spot for all kinds of water activities. Cyclists and pedestrians can explore the Georgetown鈥揕ewes Trail, with its final leg due to open in fall 2025, completing a 17-mile multi-use route between Lewes and Georgetown. 

For birdwatchers, the provides a migratory sanctuary where visitors might spot bald eagles, ospreys or waterfowl. Marshland boardwalks link prime birdwatching locations. 

Planning tip: The Georgetown鈥揕ewes Trail is fully paved and mostly flat, making it ideal for walkers and cyclists of all ages; hire bikes from or .

This article was adapted from Lonely Planet鈥檚 guidebook, published in January 2025.