4 Reasons to Visit New Castle County, Delaware

Delaware’s Beautiful Parks

Delaware State Parks passes can be purchased here, and are $4 for an in-state vehicle and $8 out-of-state (with the exception of the seashore parks, which are $1 and $2 more). They can also be purchased at the park when you go.

Bellevue State Park, a former DuPont estate, includes Bellevue Hall, several playgrounds, lovely horses, a fishing pond, disk golf course, and a paved part of the Northern Delaware Greenway.

Just a few miles away, Auburn Valley State Park runs along the Red Clay Creek. It houses the world’s largest operating collection of Stanley Steamer cars, which offer rides on “Steamin’ Days.” A historic paper mill lies undisturbed in the middle of the park. The paved Oversee Farm Trail will get your heart rate up with its steep hill.

Fox Point State Park includes a flat walking trail, pavilions, playground, restrooms and a view of the Delaware River. Watch ships from around the world on the river side and trains speed down the tracks on the opposite side.

White Clay Creek State Park encompasses a very large area that runs into Pennsylvania, providing ample opportunity to get lost if you’re not careful! (Yes, we know from experience.)

Nearby Lums Pond State Park has Delaware’s largest freshwater pond, 17 miles of trails around the pond, a boathouse offering a variety of boats with which to explore, camping (reservations here), pavilions, a dog park, and a nature center with a few live animal exhibits. Our personal favorite activity is the Go-Ape Treetop Ropes course where you can get a workout and some awesome zipline rides across the pond.

Local (Non-State) Parks in New Castle County

Garden Valley Park in the wealthy enclave of Greenville, DE, boasts a babbling brook, rolling hills, and great old trees. In the spring, you’ll find daffodil hill in bloom, but any time of year is lovely here.

Brandywine Park is not a state park but rather a free Wilmington park near the downtown area, and it is beautiful in late March/early April when the cherry trees bloom. Formal gardens stand near the creek, and the Brandywine Zoo is just across the street.

Brandywine Springs Park is a small county park that is on the site of an old natural springs spa resort (in the 1800’s) and later an amusement park (through the early 1900’s). Photographs along the trails showing what used to be built there make the park interesting.

Access Rockford Park through a pleasant drive through some of the most wealthy, historical, and beautiful neighborhoods near Wilmington. Notable for its huge tower, the park allows visitors to climb to the top during certain limited hours. Check this website for hours.

Ashland Nature Center is a fun place to visit in late July/early August, if you’re into hummingbirds. There is a hummingbird garden where you are sure to see fledgling hummingbirds feeding and honestly, I can’t get enough of them. They’re small enough to be insects and just so cute. There are also some small trails and educational programs for kids that includes examining little creatures netted from the creek.

Some other beautiful, free county parks include Glasgow Park (with numerous, modern playgrounds) and Carousel Park (with lovely playgrounds, horses, and even a little “Western town” area where the stables are located). The Newark Reservoir has an accessible playground, and a walking path up a steep hill that leads to the reservoir. It’s a great place to catch a sunset.

Old New Castle and the Wilmington Riverfront

The historic town of Old New Castle, Delaware, is just a few miles away from Wilmington. It was established in 1651 and was the landing place of William Penn. There are tons of Colonial and Dutch historical buildings, most of which are current homes and businesses. Jessop’s Tavern is one such building that is fun to visit.

People dress up and celebrate Dutch, Swedish, and English colonial history on Old New Castle Day, held on the third Saturday in May. The First State National Historical Park includes the New Castle Courthouse Museum, the Old Sheriff’s House, and the Green (which runs along the river and has picnic spots and playgrounds.) It is free, though parking may be metered.

There is a 5.5 mile mostly-paved trail that connects Old New Castle to the Wilmington Riverfront. The waterfront includes numerous restaurants and hotels, as well as a paved nature walk with a high overlook and boardwalk. From the deck high up in the tower, you can birdwatch over a small patch of wetland. This is also where the Delaware Children’s Museum is located. It is one of the best in the region, and you can easily spend several hours inside.

The Brandywine Zoo in downtown Wilmington is small, but the space offers a good home for the animals. It is perfect for young children who may not yet have the stamina to enjoy all there is to see at a larger (and pricier) zoo.

Not far away you will find the Wilmington Western Railroad, which offers a fun local train ride. Here you can meet the Easter Bunny in the spring, and Santa in December.

DuPont Estates, Museums, and Properties

Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library in the Brandywine Valley offers various tours, exhibitions, and interactive programs for children and adults. Our favorite annual events are the fairy days that are held in May, and the Halloween days in October, when our kids dress up and enjoy the children’s garden and enchanted woods.

This area is home to the Bidens, and is beautiful to drive through, with rolling forested hills and beautiful homes. Close by the area are Longwood Gardens (in PA), the Delaware Art Museum, and the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science (look upwards to see the giant squid there!)

Nemours Estate is another DuPont property with ornate lawns, gardens, and estate. Golden statues, marble pools, immaculate pavilions and fields of heavy blooms are brilliant in spring through autumn. You will find friendly and knowledgeable docents to show you how the ultra-wealthy lived during the gilded age. Children 5 and under are free. The estate is closed Mondays.

Mt. Cuba Center is a former du Pont estate featuring formal and naturalistic gardens featuring woodlands, ponds and meadows. You can find a lot of information here about native plants. It’s a lovely place for a long walk outside. Children 5 and under are free. The Center is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Hagley Museum is located in a gorgeous area along the Brandywine, and there is quite a lot to do there. There is a museum with rotating exhibits, usually relating to the industrial age in America. You can tour the Dupont family home as well. The old powder yard displays the whole process of making the gunpowder that first earned the DuPont family their riches. You can even see/hear a demonstration of some gunpowder exploding! Children 5 and under are free.

History, Art and Science

New Castle County has some wonderful choices for families to learn about local history, art and science.

Pea Patch Island/Fort Delaware includes a fun ferry ride to visit this historic landmark in Delaware, which served as a Union prison during the civil war. Apparently we had a cannon pointed at Jersey in case they got out of hand. No hard feelings, Jersey friends. Now they have historic tours, people dressed in 19th century garb blacksmithing, laundering things by hand, etc. And to top it all off, they show you how to set off a cannon (though they don’t actually set it off, of course.) It is also a good place to see birds including ospreys, herons in the spring, and bald eagles.

Other local museums and attractions worth visiting include the Delaware Children’s Theater, where you can see wonderful local shows such as the Wizard of Oz or Peter Pan, and The Delaware Museum of Nature and Science where you can view prehistoric eggs, bones, and sea life, along with wonderful dioramas of various ecosystems.

Downtown Wilmington offers several interesting museums, such as the Delaware History Museum and Mitchell Center for African American Heritage and the Delaware Contemporary (the only contemporary art museum in DE.) It also has beautiful historic churches and a gorgeous old library, along with a beautiful theater – the Grand.

Find more to do in all of Delaware’s counties at this post.