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The staff at Otels hope you enjoy the following Travel Ideas
from travel writer (and enthusiastic naturalist) Mark Kolakowski
Best wishes on your next trip!
Big Surprises in a Small State
By Mark
Kolakowski
Copyright © 2003 by the author
Despite its
compact size, Delaware has a number of remarkably fine attractions
that appeal to adults and kids alike. Here’s a sampling worth
considering either as destinations in their own right or as places to
stop by while you are passing through the state.
For those who
enjoy traveling back in time, New Castle has an extensive tract of 18th
century buildings in its center, with a very attractive village green.
This is not a museum village, but a living town that has remained
remarkably well preserved. It is located in the northeastern corner of
the state, just south of the Delaware Memorial Bridge that spans
Delaware Bay. Despite its proximity to Wilmington and Philadelphia,
New Castle is amazingly quiet, uncrowded and unhurried.
Farther to the
south, the state capital, Dover, deserves equal renown for its efforts
in historic preservation. At the town center is a charming
neighborhood of 18th and early 19th century
homes around a quiet town green. The current statehouse was built in
the 1930s when the state government outgrew its predecessor. The new
one is open weekdays from 9 to 5, and visitors may either join a
guided tour or walk through the building by themselves. Its
architecture harmonizes with older neighborhood adjacent to it. The
old one is accessible only by tours that leave the state museum.
Also in Dover,
near the town green and the statehouses (both new and old), is one of
the outstanding small art museums in the U.S., the Biggs Museum of
American Art. Sewell C. Biggs was from a prominent Delaware family,
and he had a passion for collecting the works of talented artists from
his home state. He bought a historic home near the state capitol,
installed his collection there and gave it all to the people and state
of Delaware. He died in February 2003, while traveling to an art
auction in New York. The collection is a mixture of paintings,
furniture and decorative arts. It is modestly sized, and you can see
it all in under an hour without rushing through. Children who have at
least a passing interest in art will find it enjoyable and not
overwhelming. It is also ideal for adults who prefer to take museums
in small doses.
For kids with
even greater interest in architecture or the decorative arts, consider
a visit to the Winterthur Museum. Located just northwest of
Wilmington, this is one of the greatest museums in America, as well as
one of the most unique. Until his death in 1969, Henry Francis DuPont
was an avid collector of American decorative arts. He also worked
feverishly to preserve architectural details (windows, doors,
staircases, woodwork, etc.) from fine old American homes that faced
demolition. From these elements he created over 175 period rooms in a
massive addition to his home that he opened to the public in 1951. The
sum of his efforts is breathtaking and monumental. The grounds of
Winterthur also boast extensive gardens that are superb in the spring.
Pea Patch Island,
on the northern coast, is the location of Fort Delaware. Completed in
1859 to guard the shipping lanes northward to Wilmington and
Philadelphia, it held Confederate prisoners during the Civil War.
Costumed interpreters run living history programs there today. Getting
there is a mini-adventure itself, via a half-mile ferry ride from
Delaware City. The ferry also stops at Fort Mott State Park and Finn’s
Point National Cemetery in New Jersey. The latter holds the graves of
2,400 Confederate prisoners who died at Fort Delaware.
For lovers of
animals and the outdoors, the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge is
a must. It is an important wintering ground for many species of
waterfowl, including the majestic tundra swan. During the fall and
spring, Bombay Hook is a major stopover point for migrating birds.
Summer is generally quiet, and may be a bit uncomfortable due to
abundant flying insects. The landscape includes several large pools of
water, and bald eagles may be seen in the area.
The DiscoverSea
Shipwreck Museum in the town of Fenwick Island in southern Delaware
holds a variety of artifacts salvaged from the sea. Most notable are
treasures from the Spanish ship Atocha, located off Florida by
underwater adventurer Mel Fisher in 1985.
From the New York
area, the primary route to Delaware is the New Jersey Turnpike. For at
least one leg of your roundtrip journey, consider taking the ferry
that sails across Delaware Bay between Cape May, New Jersey (near the
southern terminus of the Garden State Parkway) and Lewes, Delaware.
The 17-mile, 70-minute crossing is a great fun, especially if you and
your kids are on the lookout for seabirds and dolphins.
The Scoop:
Winterthur
Museum, Route 52, Winterthur, DE 19735.
(800) 448-3883 or
www.winterthur.org Open daily 10-5.
Closed Christmas, New Year’s Day and Thanksgiving. $10 (kids under 5
free) for 2-day pass to gardens and grounds. Additional fees
to see the collections. Call or log on to review the tour options,
some of which are not advisable for children under 12. Advance
reservations are recommended.
Biggs Art Museum
of American Art, 406 Federal St, Dover, DE 19903.
(302) 674-2111 or
www.biggsmuseum.org Open Wed-Sat
10-4, Sun 1:30-4:30. Free.
Fort Delaware
State Park, PO Box 170, Delaware City, DE 19706.
(302) 834-7941 or
www.destateparks.com/fdsp/fdsp.htm Open Sat-Sun and
holidays April-Sept. Also open Wed-Fri, mid June to Labor Day. Passenger ferry
fees: $6 adults, $4 ages 2-12.
Bombay Hook
National Wildlife Refuge, 2591 Whitehall Neck Rd., Smyrna, DE 19977.
(302) 653-6872 or
http://bombayhook.fws.gov Open
sunrise-sunset daily. Entry fee: $4 per car.
DiscoverSea
Shipwreck Museum, 708 Ocean Highway, Fenwick Island, DE 19944.
(302)
539-9366, (888) 743-5524 or
www.discoversea.com Sept thru May,
Sat-Sun 11-4. June thru August 10-9 daily. Free.
Cape May-Lewes
Ferry, 43 Henlopen Dr., Lewes, DE 19958.
(800) 64 FERRY or
www.capemaylewesferry.com
Reservations
strongly advised for cars, especially in the summer. The ferry is a
popular day trip for those who leave their cars at either terminal.
Call or log on to review the various fare options.
We welcome your comments or suggestions about the above
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