The 16 best things to do in Delaware
The tiny US state of Delaware punches above its weight, with relaxed beach towns, historic estates and a buzzing food scene. Here are the top things to do.
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’s 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 – and now, so will you.
Beach lovers and history buffs can find loads to love here, while outdoor adventurers appreciate the state’s scenic trails, wildlife refuges and endless opportunities to get active out on the water. Whether you’re 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’s 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 Fort Miles, 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 – an easy way to navigate the park’s extensive trails – 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’s one of Delaware’s 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 Thrasher’s French Fries or Kohr Bros Frozen Custard 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 Funland amusement park is another rite of passage while on vacation here.
Long-established Browseabout Books hosts regular author signings, while Buddhas and Beads sells crystals, jewelry and antiques. Venture along the storybook-like Penny Lane Mall to grab a sweet crepe or savory croissant from Cafe Papillon.
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’s tree-filled lawn – surrounded by historic buildings and known as the Dover Green – holds most of the town’s treasures. This is the spot where suffragettes demanded the right to vote and legislators voted to ratify the US Constitution.
At First State Heritage Park, 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’t want to miss the free walking tours that start from Dover Green, running daily from Wednesday to Saturday. For a taste of Kent County’s agricultural bounty, head to the many country stores dotted around Dover and surrounding townships.
4. Treasure hunt for bargains and bites at Spence’s flea market
The Dover area is home to several Amish-run markets, but locals favor Spence’s Bazaar, Auction and Flea Market 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’s museums
Dover’s 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’s oldest wooden-frame building, the John Bell House, where Dover Green tours begin.
Finally, the Delaware Agricultural Museum brings rural history to life with a re-creation of an old-fashioned general store, farmhouse, and gristmill, and exhibits that highlight Delaware’s 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 – later taken over by RCA – 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’s two-story collection also features photos, artifacts, and images of Nipper, the instantly recognizable fox-bull terrier company mascot, made famous by the company’s “His Master’s Voice” slogan.
Detour: After a journey into musical history, walk a few blocks to Loockerman St, Dover’s historic downtown strip, for antique shops and local cafés.
7. Explore boardwalks and beer gardens at Riverfront Wilmington
Once lined with thriving shipbuilding businesses, Wilmington’s Christina River continues to benefit the city as a prime spot for recreation. The revamped Riverfront Wilmington 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 DuPont Environmental Education Center, the Frawley Stadium, the Delaware Children’s Museum, the Riverfront Market and Tubman Garrett Riverfront Park.
Detour: A 15-minute walk from the Riverwalk, The Delaware Contemporary 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’s journey over hundreds of years, starting with the region’s earliest residents – the Lenni Lenape Native American tribe – 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’s 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’s history. With its deeply immersive displays, the museum offers a powerful look at Delaware’s 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 Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard 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’s robust shipbuilding industry.
The shipyard’s Copeland Maritime Center highlights the area’s first European settlement and explores the city’s 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’s vibrant arts scene offers everything from Broadway-caliber performances to world-class visual art. The Queen, a historic venue with two concert stages and a bar, keeps music alive at the heart of downtown.
For grander productions, the ornate Grand Opera House, built in 1871, hosts Broadway-style shows, concerts and opera across its two performance halls. Just a short walk away, the Playhouse on Rodney Square – operated by the Grand and housed within the Hotel du Pont – hosts plays and concerts in the city’s historic district.
Theater lovers can catch new and classic off-Broadway shows at the Delaware Theatre Company, a Riverfront Wilmington venue that also hosts a traveling improv comedy team. 
11. Wander along Milford’s 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’s 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 Farmacy Market, and respected honey-wine producer WTF What to Ferment Meadery.
Nearby, the Milford Museum highlights the town’s shipbuilding history and the fight to integrate its high school.
Planning tip: The Milford Riverwalk Farmers Market runs on Saturdays from May to October, offering fresh produce and local crafts; there’s 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 – known locally as “Chateau Country” – are a testament to the outsized legacy of the industrialists and philanthropists of Delaware’s celebrated du Pont family.
A 15-minute drive north of Wilmington, the elegant Nemours Estate 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, Hagley Museum & Library is an indoor-outdoor museum with dozens of stone structures and waterwheels and a coal-fired steam engine, exploring the history of Éleuthère Irénée du Pont’s 19th-century gunpowder factory, complete with a booming demonstration of the explosive power of black powder.
Northwest of the center, the Mt Cuba Center features ADA-accessible garden paths, native plants, and hiking trails, while the Winterthur Museum 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’ 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 walking tour with Lewes Historical Society. Engaging storytellers in period costumes take you past local landmarks, including the Ryves Holt House, Delaware’s 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’s main campus on Shipcarpenter St, including a former school, doctor’s 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 Cape Water Tours.
14. Stroll through native meadows at Delaware Botanic Gardens
The Delaware Botanic Gardens 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’s best restaurants
Sussex County’s richly varied dining scene offers everything from farm-to-table fare to globally inspired cuisine. In Lewes, Fish On Seafood Bar and Grill serves up seafood specials and a lively happy hour, while Raas 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 One Coastal, run by a James Beard–nominated 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 Henlopen City Oyster House, a no-reservations eatery known for its raw bar and fresh fish selections. Cafe Azafran brings Mediterranean flavors to the fore with dishes such as garlicky jumbo shrimp al Ajillo and ratatouille, alongside seasonal specials.
For classic Chinese foods, Confucius Chinese Cuisine is a Rehoboth favorite for shareable Hunan-style dishes such as salt-and-pepper shrimp. Rounding out the lineup in Rehoboth is The Blue Hen, a female-owned hotel restaurant with a menu that changes daily and standout happy-hour deals.
16. See Delaware’s most beautiful nature spots
Delaware’s coastal charm extends well beyond its beaches. At Lavender Fields at Warrington Manor, the fragrant lavender fields take center stage, but visitors shouldn’t miss the native-plant gardens and the shop selling lavender products.
For those drawn to the water, Delaware Seashore State Park 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–Lewes 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 Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge provides a migratory sanctuary where visitors might spot bald eagles, ospreys or waterfowl. Marshland boardwalks link prime birdwatching locations.
Planning tip: The Georgetown–Lewes Trail is fully paved and mostly flat, making it ideal for walkers and cyclists of all ages; hire bikes from Lewes Cycle Sports or Seagreen Bicycle.
This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s New York & the Mid-Atlantic guidebook, published in January 2025.
