{"id":46691,"date":"2014-04-04T17:07:49","date_gmt":"2014-04-04T21:07:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/?p=46691"},"modified":"2025-09-01T21:37:34","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T01:37:34","slug":"things-to-do-in-wilmington-de","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/46691\/things-to-do-in-wilmington-de\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Things to Do in Wilmington, DE"},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve caught a glimpse of Wilmington from the train window, speeding by en route to Washington, D.C. What\u2019s the truth behind this mysterious Amtrak hub? Inquiring minds will be pleased to note that Wilmington is worth getting off the train. It\u2019s not New York, it\u2019s not Philly or Baltimore, but there are plenty of sights and stories to satisfy the curious traveler.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve been to Wilmington in the distant past, it may be time to revisit. Once a thriving shipyard before falling into neglect, the Riverfront development has recently revitalized this city, adding attractions that should appeal to a variety of visitors, from nature lovers to art appreciators. The Lower Market or LOMA district is another urban asset, anchored by a new restaurant capturing the culinary crowd\u2019s attention. Venture outside the city limits and you will be rewarded with splendid gardens and stately mansions peppering the pastoral Brandywine Valley.<\/p>\n

Wilmington is all business Monday- Friday, but the suits go home on weekends, leaving bargains for the leisure traveler. If you\u2019re in need of a little pampering, the Hotel Du Pont is an American Grande Dame with surprisingly modest weekend rates. Shopping, dining and entertainment are tax-free in Delaware, so fans of the frugal will have a field day. If this doesn\u2019t entice you, Wilmington\u2019s agenda is packed with special occasions, from music festivals to epicurean events. It\u2019s a painless two-hour train ride from New York.<\/p>\n

Here are our picks for the best that Wilmington has to offer.<\/p>\n

The Must-Do Experiences<\/h2>\n

\"Russell

The paved Riverfront trail is ideal for a stroll or pedal and is lined with a dozen or so whimsical bird feeders. Follow it for just over a mile and you will arrive at the DuPont Environmental Education Center<\/a>, known as DEEC. Located on the edge of the Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge, the 212 acres of serene tidal marsh are Wilmington\u2019s natural oasis.\u00a0 The wooden boardwalk extends into the marsh, and the indoor education center provides panoramic views. It is home to many types of birds, beavers,\u00a0dragonflies, turtles, butterflies and wild flowers. \u00a0If you\u2019re visiting with kids, borrow a net and try your hand at dip netting.\u00a0 You may catch tadpoles, fish or other critters before you release them back into their habitat.\u00a0 Canoe trips are offered periodically, allowing you to further explore the urban marshlands and the Christina River.<\/p>\n

\"art

The Delaware Art Museum<\/a> boasts exceptional collections of Pre-Raphaelite Art and American Illustrations.\u00a0 The outdoor sculpture park is a treat thanks to works by Tom Otterness and Robert Stackhouse. The brilliant colors and gentle cascade of the Dale Chihuly Persian Window are eye-catching.<\/p>\n

The Eats<\/h2>\n

\"la

His food philosophy is simple: rustic cooking methods that hold seasonal ingredients in the highest esteem. Essential Sikora elements like bread and pasta are produced in-house. This is mushroom country, so the menu is dappled with them. Wild mushroom lasagna is a best dish contender, but the competition for this title is wonderfully fierce. Spaghetti alla carbonara tastes so authentic, you may think an Italian matriarch is in the kitchen saut\u00e9ing the smoky pancetta. The cheese groupings are composed works of art, served alongside cured meats, homemade breads and enhancing chutneys. Desserts are luscious, but you may choose to head straight to the Whiskey Menu. A finely curated selection of single malt and blended Scotch, American bourbon, Rye and Irish whiskey are potent nightcaps. The ambiance is big city, the prices, while not quite small town, are still reasonable for the quality of the dining experience. Reservations are a must.<\/p>\n

The Digs<\/h2>\n

\"hotel

The Events<\/h2>\n

\"events

The Insider Tip<\/h2>\n

\"Winterthur

How to get to Wilmington<\/h2>\n

Amtrak services Wilmington with scores of trains stopping here daily. The station is located right next to the Riverfront. The town is compact, so you could walk from the Riverfront to SOMA to downtown, but foot traffic tends to be light. The inexpensive DART<\/a> trolley runs with efficiency, so hop on.<\/p>\n

For more information, go to VisitWilmingtonDE<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Photos: TCD<\/a>, Mandy<\/a>, La Fia, Hotel du Pont, Allison Tibaldi<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve caught a glimpse of Wilmington from the train window, speeding by en route to Washington, D.C. What\u2019s the truth behind this mysterious Amtrak hub? Inquiring minds will be pleased to note that Wilmington is worth getting off the train. It\u2019s not New York, it\u2019s not Philly or Baltimore, but there are plenty of sights […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50,"featured_media":46762,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[316,1508,1150,1869,748],"tags":[238,116,40,381,293,145,120,142,125,212,110,20,133,282,84,58],"class_list":{"0":"post-46691","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-weekend-getaways","8":"category-amtrak-getaways","9":"category-delaware","10":"category-editors-picks","11":"category-train-2","12":"tag-adventure","13":"tag-amtrak","14":"tag-art","15":"tag-biking","16":"tag-budget-friendly","17":"tag-dining","18":"tag-family-fun","19":"tag-festival","20":"tag-food","21":"tag-hiking","22":"tag-historical-sites","23":"tag-music","24":"tag-outdoors","25":"tag-romantic","26":"tag-shopping","27":"tag-wine"},"acf":[],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":46762,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/7698170916_00be0fed71_b-e1473871731968-350x197.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46691","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/50"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46691"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46691\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46762"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}