Official Delaware State Travel Guide - Delaware Official State Travel Guide 2026/2027

Smyrna

Leaf-Peeping and Other Outdoor Delights

A scenic way to explore fall color is to drive the Delaware Bayshore Byway, a two-lane route that runs about 110 miles from New Castle in the north to Lewes in the south. Along the way, you’ll pass major natural areas including Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, known for tidal salt marshes and fall waterfowl such as snow geese, wood ducks, and buffleheads.

Wyoming

Fall is prime picking season at Fifer’s Farm Store and Kitchen. Pick your own apples and pumpkins, shop for local produce, jams, and pickles, or grab lunch at the Farm Kitchen. Afterward, play mini golf and try ice cream flavors like cold-brewed caramocha at Tre Sorelle Dolce, or use the drive-through for ice cream to go.

Milford

For more outdoor time, visit Milford’s DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Harbor on Delaware Bay, then explore the nearby tidal marsh on a guided or self-guided walk. For biking, hiking, or disc golf, head to Killens Pond State Park in Felton, centered around a 66-acre millpond with pedal boats, fishing, and a seasonal water park.

For an overnight option nearby, G and R Campground in Houston offers cabins plus RV and tent camping and hosts October’s Delmarva Folk Festival.

Marydel

For a slower pace, visit Harvest Ridge Winery for a vineyard tour, wine tasting, and daily food-truck fare. While there, look for the original Mason–Dixon Line witness stone on the property. If you prefer spirits, head back toward Smyrna to visit Painted Stave Distilling, where local ingredients are used to create small-batch vodka, gin, and other spirits in a former 1940s cinema.

Milford

Charm on Display in Milford

Milford is a historic shipbuilding center with inviting small-town energy. One standout landmark is The Towers Bed and Breakfast. For local history, visit the Milford Museum, with exhibits on shipyards and white oak harvesting, the town’s Black cultural history, and local veterans who have served since the American Revolution.

Dover

The Past Comes Alive in Dover

Founded in 1683, Delaware’s capital offers plenty for history lovers. At First State Heritage Park, tour Legislative Hall and the Old State House (built in 1791). Nearby, visit the Biggs Museum of American Art to explore Delaware’s past through decorative arts, craftsmanship, and artists including illustrator Frank Schoonover.

Explore downtown by walking the Mispillion Riverwalk, the city’s largest municipal park. Browse books at The Crafty Reader, explore music and photography at Shock Vinyl, or stop by fondue. for a cheesy or chocolatey treat. For local goods, visit Farmacy Market. For cocktails and charcuterie in a speakeasy-style setting, try The Cured Plate.

For music history, visit the Johnson Victrola Museum and learn about Nipper the dog and “His Master’s Voice,” plus the legacy of early record players and gramophones.

More history awaits at the Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village, which explores rural life in the 1890s, and at the John Dickinson Plantation, where interpretation includes the lives of indentured and enslaved workers. For aviation enthusiasts, the Air Mobility Command Museum features historic aircraft such as the C-5A Galaxy.

For modern thrills, visit Dover Motor Speedway for NASCAR events and nearby Bally’s Dover Casino Resort. Farther south, Harrington Raceway and Casino offers harness racing and gaming.