Delaware Bucket List: 100 Things to do in Delaware

When I first moved to Delaware, someone literally said to me: “There is nothing in Delaware”.

I’ve lived in Delaware for 3 years now, and that person couldn’t have been more wrong! There is SO much to do in this little state.

I polled my Instagram followers on their must-do Delaware bucket list items, and combined those suggestions with my own to create the ultimate Delaware Bucket List. Here are 100 of what I believe to be the best adventures in all of Delaware.

1. Watch a sunset from The Point at Cape Henlopen State Park.
2. See the Cherry Blossoms at Brandywine Park in Wilmington.
3. Hike the Walking Dunes Trail at Cape Henlopen State Park.

   Walking Dunes Trail at Cape Henlopen State Park.

4. Pick your own fruit at Fifer’s Orchard.
5. Experience horseshoe crab spawning season on a Bay beach.
6. Go birding at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge or Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge.
7. Visit the Air Mobility Command Museum in Dover, especially in the summer when they have open cockpit days.
8. Go to the Wilmington Flower Market Festival in Rockford Park.
9. Attend the Delaware Goes to War reenactment event at Fort Miles.
10. Visit Fort Delaware.

    Living history at Fort Delaware State Park.

11. Take the Cape May Lewes Ferry across the Bay to Cape May.
12. Watch 4th of July fireworks from the beach in Rehoboth or the Green in Dover.
13. Tour Dogfish Head Brewery.
14. Hike through Blackbird State Forest, especially at sunrise.

    Blackbird State Forest in Smyrna, Delaware

15. Take a walk on the Rehoboth boardwalk.
16. Catch a sunrise over the ocean.
17. Bike the Gordons Pond trail at Cape Henlopen State Park.
18. Kayak through the baldcypress trees at Trap Pond State Park.

    Kayaking at Trap Pond State Park.

19. Go hiking and mountain biking at White Clay Creek State Park.
20. Try rock climbing at Alapocas Run State Park.
21. Go zip-lining at Go Ape Treetop Adventure in Lums Pond State Park.
22. Tour the Nemours Estate.
23. Spend a day at Firefly music festival.
24. Go to Steamin’ Days at Auburn Valley State Park to experience the magic age of steam.

    Tour the mansion at Auburn Valley State Park.

25. Visit the Brandywine Zoo.
26. Check out the Delaware Natural History Museum.
27. Tour the historic Indian River Life-Saving Station at Delaware Seashore State Park.
28. Take a boat ride on the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal.
29. Watch a movie on the beach during the summer in Dewey or Bethany.
30. Go to the annual Great Delaware Kite Festival on Good Friday at Cape Henlopen State Park.
31. Hike the Burton Island Trail at Delaware Seashore State Park.
32. Stroll through downtown Lewes.
33. Go to the Sea Witch Festival in Rehoboth.
34. Spend a day at the Delaware State Fair.

    Carnival Rides at the Delaware State Fair.

35. Visit the Jazz Festival in Wilmington.
36. Take a ride on the Wilmington & Western Railroad.
37. Walk through the mansion and gardens at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library.
38. Shop at the Lewes or Rehoboth farmer’s markets.
39. Take part in an archeology program with the Delaware State Parks Time Travelers program.
40. See a Nascar Race at the Dover International Speedway
41. Go to the Apple Scrapple Festival in Bridgeville.
42. Take a free tour of the John Dickinson Plantation in Dover.

    Take a free tour of the John Dickinson Plantation in Dover.

43. Kayak Killens Pond.
44. Walk down Milford’s riverwalk.
45. Go ice skating at the outdoor rink in Wilmington or Lewes (during the holidays).
46. Hike across the Indian River Inlet Bridge.
47. Climb the WWII observation tower at Cape Henlopen State Park.
48. Take a free walking tour of Dover’s First State Heritage Park.
49. Walk through Old New Castle.
50. Take a tour of Bellevue Hall at Bellevue State Park.
51. Go camping at Cape Henlopen, Trap Pond, or Killens Pond.
52. See the gardens at Mt. Cuba Center.
53. Walk around Port Mahon.

    Walk on the pier at Port Mahon in Kent County.

54. Visit the nature center at Cape Henlopen State Park to see fish tanks and a touch tank.
55. Go tubing down the Brandywine River.
56. Kayak at Lums Pond State Park.
57. Visit the Hagley Museum.
58. Go to Dover’s annual Dover Days festival.
59. Hike around Abbott’s Mill Nature Center.
60. See a concert at Bottle and Cork in Dewey.
61. Go to the peach festival in Camden-Wyoming.
62. Hike/bike the C&D Canal Trail.
63. Bike the Junction Breakwater Trail in Lewes/Rehoboth.
64. Walk down the boardwalk in Bethany Beach.
65. Hike Blackbird Creek Reserve.
66. Kayak the inland bays at Delaware Seashore State Park.
67. Hike the Hidden Pond Trail at Brandywine Creek State Park.
68. Visit the Delaware Art Museum.
69. See Big Stone Beach, Kitts Hummock, and Cape Henlopen State Park at low tide.

    Low tide at Kitts Hummock Beach in Dover.

70. Go on the bayside of Cape Henlopen State Park at night and look for ghost crabs.
71. See fall foliage at Killens Pond, Lums Pond, or Trap Pond state parks.
72. Spend a day at the beach and go swimming in the ocean.
73. Drive out in rural areas of Delaware during the winter and look for huge flocks of snow geese.
74. Tour Legislative Hall in Dover.
75. Walk through the University of Delaware in Newark.
76. Kayak on the Delaware Bay at Cape Henlopen State Park.
77. Visit the Johnson Victrola Museum in Dover.
78. Take a Battery 519 Tour at Fort Miles.
79. Visit Lewes during the Tulip Celebration.
80. See the Newark Reservoir.
81. Go out on a boat, whether that’s with Cape Water Taxi, a charter boat, or with Delmarva Birding Weekends.
82. Hike the entirety of The Point at Cape Henlopen State Park in the winter.
83. Go to the sandcastle contest at Delaware Seashore State Park or Rehoboth.

    Sandcastle contest at Delaware Seashore State Park.

84. Climb Rockford Tower at Rockford Park.
85. See the Indian River Inlet Bridge lit up blue at night.
86. Tour the Lightship Overfalls in Lewes.
87. Take a ride on the Kalmar Nyckel.
88. Visit the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes.
89. See the Fenwick Island Lighthouse.
90. Visit Rockwood Park.
91. Visit the Discoversea Shipwreck Museum in Fenwick Island.
92. Hike the Prickly Pear Trail in the Fresh Pond area of Delaware Seashore State Park
93. Visit the DuPont Nature Center.
94. Attend one of the First Day Hikes offered by Delaware State Parks on January 1 every year.
95. Drive on the beach with someone who has a surf fishing permit!
96. Look for seals on the beach during the winter. You can also take a birding cruise with Delmarva Birding Weekends where you will likely see seals.
97. Go to the Killens Pond Waterpark.
98. Visit the DuPont Environmental Education Center.
99. Go to the Biggs Museum of American Art in Dover.
100. Attend the 18th Century Market Day Fair at First State Heritage Park in Dover.

18th Century Market Fair at First State heritage Park in Dover.

What are your favorite bucket list adventures in Delaware?