Explore Wilmington From A New Perspective

Walk the streets of downtown Wilmington where modern office towers coexist with historic buildings representing centuries of American architectural style. Discover a vibrant scene of restaurants, bars and shops mixed with historic sites and attractions such as the Old Swedes Church and Delaware History Museum. Enjoy live jazz music at the Nomad Bar and the festivals in Rodney Square.

Walk or jog along the beautiful 1.3-mile riverfront path that leads to Wilmington's best outdoor attractions. Stroll the banks of the Delaware River to the Constitution Yards Beer Garden, Delaware Children's Museum, Penn Cinema IMAX and the Delaware Contemporary Art Museum. Catch a Wilmington Blue Rocks minor league baseball game or sample beer at Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant. Find your serenity at the 212-acre Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge.

Built in 1871, this magnificent concert hall in Downtown Wilmington entertains and engages with exceptional and diverse live performances and educational outreach. The Grand Opera presents more than 100 shows a year, including symphony orchestras, opera performances, dance, stand-up comedians, and concerts.

The Playhouse on Rodney Square is a magnificent and historic theater at the HOTEL DU PONT. Run by the Grand Opera House, this illustrious and luxurious theater in downtown Wilmington presents Broadway shows and musicals, stand-up comedy acts, and concerts by touring artists. After 100 years, The Playhouse remains the oldest continuously running theater (pre-Covid) while  showcasing Broadway productions.

Featuring a stunning music hall in a fully restored historical theater with modern touches, The Queen is a live music venue, bringing the best, most-diverse music to downtown Wilmington. 

Wilma's is the newest hangout and dining destination in Downtown Wilmington, DE, where boisterous games and dangerously good times are celebrated. The restaurant features a full-service bar and dining room with New Orleans-inspired dishes, in addition to Wilmington's first and only duckpin bowling alley.

A state-of-the-art sports facility, Chase Fieldhouse has something for everyone. With expert coaches and advanced equipment, there are opportunities for both children and adults to take part in top-tier programs. Whether you're watching an NBA game, utilizing services by Nemours Sports Medicine, or participating as an athlete in a tournament, Chase Fieldhouse offers you an unforgettable experience.

Once the grand home and estate of Henry Francis du Pont, Winterthur is a 1000-acre wonderland near the Brandywine Creek. Discover this magnificent Wilmington landmark and 19th-century mansion with an amazing collection of rooms, antiques, artwork, and exhibits. Explore the estate's beautiful gardens, woodlands, and meadows. Walk through the 175-room mansion and museum galleries with the largest and most significant collection of Americana and American decorative arts in the world, Winterthur Museum, Garden, & Library offers guided and self-guided tours, events, performances, and seasonal attractions.

Discover the history of the du Pont family and company. Tour this beautiful estate and see how E.I. duPont used the Brandywine River to produce gunpowder and began DuPont. Spanning 235 acres along the river, the museum and grounds feature the first duPont family home and garden in the United States, the powder yards, and a 19th-century machine shop.

Museum exhibits and library documents highlight the connection between early industrial technology and American history, focusing on duPont innovation. Hagley Museum offers year-round tours of the gardens, mansion, powder yards, and exhibits.

This museum in Wilmington is the primary arts and cultural institution in Delaware. Created in 1912 to honor the city's renowned illustrator, Howard Pyle, the Delaware Art Museum features over 12,000 works of art in the building and sculpture garden. The collection is home to the most comprehensive Pre-Raphaelite art outside of the United Kingdom, and a collection of significant contemporary art. The museum also offers exhibitions, programs, and concert performances.

Formerly the Delaware Museum of Natural History, the museum completed a major metamorphosis to its galleries and public spaces and reopened in May 2022.  Here you will discover how nature connects us all through exhibits featuring dynamic and diverse ecosystems. Explore the exciting impact nature and science have in our daily lives and inspire connections to the natural world through equitable, respectful interactions that meet the unique needs of each guest.

 

Located in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania on the banks of the Brandywine Creek, this museum of regional and American art showcases the renowned works of Andrew Wyeth, a major American realist painter, and his family. The reimagined Brandywine River Museum offers an outstanding Heritage Collection of American art, with a focus on the 19th- and 20th-century landscape paintings of the picturesque Brandywine Valley. Portraits, still life paintings, and notable holdings in American illustration add diversity to this amazing collection. The renovated museum reopens in June 2021.

Explore Delaware's only contemporary art museum that infuses creativity into the Wilmington community. Founded in 1979 by artists, The Delaware Contemporary showcases the works of local, regional, national, and international artists through compelling exhibitions and dynamic educational experiences. Museum galleries and exhibits illuminate contemporary art and social trends and give space to local and emerging artists.

Discover the magical beauty of this expansive botanical garden in the Brandywine Creek Valley. Longwood Gardens is one of the most incredible horticultural display gardens in the country with native and exotic plants and acres of woodland trails. Explore outdoor gardens, from formal to naturalistic in design, and 20 indoor gardens and greenhouses with 4,600 types of plants and trees.

The magnificent estate, with its stunning landscape and ornate fountains, presents performing arts and events, from flower shows and gardening demos to concerts, musical theatre, fountain shows, and fireworks displays. Longwood Gardens hosts a breathtaking Christmas light display during the holiday season.

The magnificent home and estate of Alfred I. DuPont and his second wife, Nemours Estate was designed in 18th-century French-style architecture and incorporated the modern technology of the times and his own inventions. Tour the exquisite 77-room mansion, the expansive formal French gardens, a garage showcasing a collection of vintage automobiles, and 200 acres of verdant woodlands, meadows, and lawns. Explore the Long Walk, with its grand fountain, Art Nouveau sculptures and reflecting pool edged by oaks and chestnut trees. Roam the idyllic gardens and enjoy a picnic at this historic estate in Wilmington, Delaware.

Take a day trip to the gorgeous Delaware coast and Cape Henlopen State Park, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Discover beautiful beaches for ocean swimming, boating, fishing, kayaking, clamming, paddle-boarding, and windsurfing. Explore scenic hiking and biking trails, including the Loop trail to experience maritime forests, dunes, beach, and the rich history of the park. See the Fort Miles Historic Area and the Henlopen Lighthouse. See stingrays, horseshoe crabs and native marine life at the Seaside Nature Center or hike through the Beach Plum Island Nature Preserve. Cast your lines from the fishing pier or play disc golf.

Walk, run, and bike along this 6-mile rail trail that connects the Wilmington Riverfront to New Castle Battery Park. The paved path cuts through downtown Wilmington, with overlooks of the Christina River, scenic bridges, and a boardwalk over the marsh of the Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge.

The trail meets the Wilmington Riverwalk along the riverbank. Stop at the Delaware Nature Society's visitor center and learn about the ecosystems in the wetlands. The trail ends just north of Battery Park on the Delaware River in New Castle. The trail connects to many city destinations and the East Coast Greenway, from Maine to Florida.

Located between Wilmington and Newark, Christiana Mall is the largest shopping center in Delaware. Enjoy tax-free shopping and dining at this large indoor mall with department stores that include Macy's, Nordstrom and JC Penny, and a mix of shops and designer boutiques, such as the Gap, American Eagle, Banana Republic, Coach and Tesla. Enjoy dining in the huge food court and at restaurants like Brio Italian Grille and Ruby Thai Kitchen.

Surrounding the magnificent DuPont estates, the Brandywine Valley boasts beautiful wineries and vineyards. The rich soil of Chester County, PA, grows many varieties of grapes, including merlot, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, and award-winning chardonnays.

Enjoy wine tasting at the Chaddsford Winery, named one of America's Top 25 Tasting Rooms by Wine Enthusiast, and sip and buy incredible wines in a historically picturesque landscape. The winery offers a lovely outdoor patio for tastings and hosts concerts and events, including the Labor Day Weekend Jazz Festival.

The Brandywine Valley offers high-shopping districts, infused with charm and style, including Greenville Crossing and Greenville Center. Browse the upscale shops and stores with clothing, jewelry, accessories, flowers and gifts, home furnishings, wines, books, and art. The village of Centreville, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a popular shopping area with local specialty shops, art galleries and a summer farmer's market on Thursdays.

The oldest sports franchise in Delaware, the Wilmington Blue Rocks are an award-winning source of affordable, family themed entertainment in the First State.  Bring the family out to Frawley Stadium at the Wilmington Riverfront to catch the next wave of Major League players and cheer on the baseball stars of tomorrow. 

Discover the magic of a fairy-tale garden with a visit to Enchanted Woods at Winterthur Museums, Gardens and Library.  Designed to look as though it were created by fairies, this three-acre plot covered by majestic oak tress has several play areas to climb in, on, and over, including a Faerie Cottage with thatched roof, a giant Bird's Nest, and an Acorn Tearoom for make-believe tea parties. 

Right in the heart of Wilmington lies the Brandywine Zoo, which connects humans with exotic and endangered animals. Explore the zoo's new Madagascar exhibit which gives visitors an up-close view of the charismatic lemurs. Visit the world's smallest deer, the pudu, and don't miss the world's largest bird of prey, the Andean condors. The zoo also offers opportunities to interact with animals through its Barnyard with goats, chickens and ambassador animals that help teach the public about their species.

Located at the Wilmington Roverfront, the Delaware Children's Museum inspires with its hand-on exhibits and play areas. The Delaware Children's Museum teaches math, science, and technology through fun and interactive educational activities for kids, from tots to tweens.

The indoor children's garden at Longwood Gardens is an imaginative and child-sized space filled with hands-on water features, handcrafted sculptures, secret stairways, and engaging plant displays. The garden inspires wide-eyed wonderment, infectious laughter and smiles from ear to ear - oh, and the kids like it too!

What started in 1867 as a for-profit transportation route for freight and passengers, has become one of Delaware's leading tourist attractions. Delight in the historic trains, friendly crew and beautiful scenery along the route. Now in its 56th year of tourist service, the Wilmington & Western Railroad continues to thrill children of all ages. Ride the rails and see for yourself just how much fun an old-fashioned train ride can be.

The Delaware Children's Theatre has been entertaining audiences of all ages for over forty seasons. The DCT mission and goals have remained constant: to enrich our Children's cultural life, to help young talent find its way to the stage, to continue a tradition of affordable quality theatre, to entertain families with exceptional theatrical experiences, and to preserve the historic theatre house for generations to come.