Delaware Attractions Guide

Rehoboth Beach

Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk — A classic 1-mile oceanfront boardwalk lined with saltwater taffy shops, arcades, and restaurants; the social center of Delaware's most popular beach town.

Rehoboth Beach — A wide, clean, family-friendly Atlantic beach with gentle surf, lifeguards in season, and a relaxed, walkable downtown just steps from the sand.

Funland — The beloved family-owned amusement park on the Boardwalk, operating since 1962, with rides, games, and the famous Haunted Mansion.

Cape Henlopen State Park — Just north of town, with beaches, nature trails, a WWII-era observation tower you can climb, and some of the best birdwatching on the mid-Atlantic coast.

Dewey Beach — The livelier neighbor to the south, known for its nightlife, watersports, and a younger crowd.

Wilmington

Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library — The former du Pont estate with 175 room-period displays of American decorative arts and 60 acres of naturalistic gardens; the Yuletide tour at Christmas is a regional tradition.

Hagley Museum and Library — The site of the original du Pont gunpowder mills on the Brandywine River, with restored mills, workers' homes, and the first du Pont family estate in America.

Brandywine Park — Wilmington's largest park along the Brandywine River, with the Brandywine Zoo, walking trails, and the historic Josephine Fountain.

Delaware Art Museum — Known for its pre-Raphaelite collection, the largest outside the United Kingdom, plus American illustration art.

Nemours Estate — The 77-room du Pont mansion with 200 acres of formal French gardens, open seasonally for tours.

Dover

Delaware Legislative Hall — The state capitol in Dover, a Georgian-style building offering free guided tours of the House and Senate chambers.

Air Mobility Command Museum — Located at Dover Air Force Base, with a large collection of restored military cargo and refueling aircraft you can walk through, including a C-5 Galaxy.

First State Heritage Park — A collection of historic sites in downtown Dover, including the Old State House and the Johnson Victrola Museum, linked by guided walking tours.

Delaware State Museum complex — Small museums around The Green covering Delaware history, archaeology, and culture, most with free admission.

Tax-Free Shopping

Christiana Mall — Delaware's largest shopping mall near Newark, with Apple, Nordstrom, and more than 130 stores — all sales-tax free.

Tanger Outlets Rehoboth Beach — Three open-air outlet centers along Route 1 with brand-name outlets at discount prices, no sales tax added.

Delaware beaches outlets corridor — Route 1 between Rehoboth and the Maryland line is lined with tax-free furniture, clothing, and home-goods stores that draw shoppers from across the region.

Practical Tips

• Best season: June through September for the beaches; hotel rates in Rehoboth Beach peak in July and August. The Brandywine Valley gardens are spectacular in spring (azaleas, tulips) and fall foliage is lovely in late October.
• Getting around: A car is essential — Delaware has limited public transit outside Wilmington. The resort towns are walkable once you arrive, and the Jolly Trolley connects Rehoboth and Dewey Beach in summer.
• No sales tax: Delaware is one of five states with no statewide sales tax, so big-ticket shopping at Christiana Mall or the outlets genuinely saves money — factor it into the trip budget.
• Book beach lodging early: Summer weekends in Rehoboth sell out months ahead; consider shoulder-season visits in May or September for lower rates and thinner crowds.
• Dover Air Force Base access: The Air Mobility Command Museum is outside the base security perimeter and open to the public, but bring photo ID.

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