Top 10 List for Newcomer to do in Wilmington, DE (Newark: insurance, hotels)

[citygirl3133]

Hello all,

In 5 weeks I will be living in Wilmington. I have a job, a place to live (Trolley Square), have Delmarva Power lined up, and have auto/renters insurance ready to transfer. So, the business is taken care of. On to fun stuff...what are the top ten things every person new to the Wilmington area must do?

Thank you,
Beth

[longnecker]

Go to the beach as soon as it warms up!!

[citygirl3133]

That one was ticked off the list many, many moons ago. As a child, I spent my summers camping at Indian River and Cape Henlopen.

[Pine to Vine]

Here area few things I'd recommend from my time in Wilmington:

- Bike from Brandywine Park to Rockford Park (then enjoy coasting home)
- Visit the Hagley Museum
- Find Delaware's 3 covered bridges, tucked quaintly away in secluded corners of New Castle County
- Spend an afternoon exploring Old New Castle and walk along the river trail
- Visit Longwood Gardens
- Have a great meal in Little Italy
- Appreciate the most important collection of Pre-Raphaelite art outside the UK at the Delaware Art Museum
- Take in the fall foliage on a trip on the Wilmington & Western Railroad
- Visit the Winterthur Museum and Gardens
- Make a day trip to Philly and be surprised at how close it is

[citygirl3133]

Thank you jm!

[Mimidae]

A lot depends on what you like, but this is what my list would look like. I'm moving out of the Wilmington area now, but I like to cheerlead for it. Wilmington has a ton of potential, and it's getting better every year.

1) Theatre N. Independent movies, the occasional critically-acclaimed big-budget movie, and foreign films. Theatre N at Nemours in Wilmington, DE / Theatre N . If you can swing it, see a 2pm matinee film and then walk the 3 blocks or so to Mikimoto's on Washington St. for sushi happy hour. Mikimoto's is Wilmington's only sushi place - they run a *bit* expensive these days, but are still cheaper than the sushi places in Philly. And the quality tends to be decent. Good restaurant vibe overall, popular date place. Of course, you can really try it for cheap if you go for sushi happy hour.

2) National touring shows (music and comedy) at the Grand Opera House (which also houses the smaller Baby Grand theatre) or the Queen Theatre (full name is World Cafe Live at the Queen Theatre - they are owned by the people who own the World Cafe Live Philly, which is associated with WXPN, University of Pennsylvania's radio station). Home / The Grand Wilmington and World Cafe Live Wilmington

3) National touring shows and good local bands at Arden Gild Hall (a really quaint community space that was a barn 100 years ago - it has a "barn dance" kind of vibe) https://www.facebook.com/#!/ardenconcertgild?fref=ts and Buzz Ware Village Center https://www.facebook.com/#!/ardenbuzz?fref=ts, in the suburbs just 10 minutes north of Trolley Square.

4) Hiking in Brandywine Creek State Park (there are multiple trails and entrances to the park - I love the trail that follows along the Brandywine Creek). You can also hire a tubing or canoing outfit there in the summer time, as long as the water is high enough. Bellevue State Park in N. Wilmington is less woodsy, but it's a nice ex-DuPont estate (they were the wealthy manufacturing family around whom Wilmington was essentially built - see Hagley Museum for the history). It has horse stables, a nice flat walking track, an outdoor amphitheatre where they hold concerts during the summer. Fox Point State Park in N. Wilmington is a small park right on the Delaware River. If you are into going to the parks at all, buy a state resident park pass - it's under $25, and will get you into any state park for free for a year.

5) Hiking or mountain biking in White Clay Creek State Park, 25 minutes south of Wilmington near Newark and Pike Creek. This is the largest state park in Delaware, comprised of tens of thousands of acres of woodlands and meadows. Too many different trails to count, so if you're really into the outdoors, it's a great place to explore. They also have an amphitheatre at one of their many entrances, with a summer concert series. While in that area, if you have a dog, take it to the bark park at Carousel Park on Limestone Rd, Pike Creek. Gorgeous, sprawling county park with a nice big duck pond at the center, horse stables (with the horse paddocks spread out so you can see a lot of the horses as you walk the circular trail), and a large dog park area.

6) Dining at the Green Room in the Hotel DuPont. Built in 1913, the hotel is one of the east coast's fanciest hotels, from the gilded age. The chefs are some of the best in the state, and everyone should dine in the Green Room one time, even if it's just brunch. The DuPont Theatre is housed in the same building, and you can see Broadway touring shows there several times a year.

7) The Arden Fair, held every Labor Day weekend in the village of Arden, in N. Wilmington. It's over 100 years old, not exactly a renaissance fair, but it has that kind of vibe. It's a fun time. There's an antique market, a book sale, a stage in the woods where good local bands perform throughout the day, a beer garden, many vendors of arts and crafts (Arden is an artists community).

8) The Clifford Brown Jazz Fest. Held for a week every June in Rodney Square, the center of downtown. Always at least a couple of big name jazz acts, and even if you're not into jazz, it's a good little social thing for Wilmington.

9) Delaware Center for Horticulture. This is off of DuPont Street, between Delaware Ave. in Trolley Square and Brandywine Park (not to be confused with Brandywine Creek State Park, Brandywine Springs Park in Pike Creek, or Brandywine Picnic Park in Chadds Ford). They have a gorgeous little garden in back of their building, and it's open to the public - take a lunch there some time. They also hold lectures and classes on gardening, and their volunteers work with local youth and keep city beautification projects going. Also check out Gibraltar Garden, off of Pennsylvania Ave, across from the U. Delaware Wilmington campus. It's kind of a well-kept secret, and a good place to go for an hour of beauty. Free to get in.

10) Longwood Gardens in Chadds Ford. Also the Brandywine River Museum, which has an extensive Andrew Wyeth art collection. They do a fun train display at Christmastime, and have good touring art exhibits like works of Edward Gorey. Also in Chadds Ford, on route 1, are many antiques stores that are worth checking out, and the Chadds Ford Winery.

11) Art Loop / First Friday / "Art on the Town" in Wilmington. Art Loop Wilmington : Art on the Town Home

Honorable mentions:

Nomad Bar on Orange Street - both jazz and rock acts, quaint little place.

Punk rock shows at the Chris White Gallery and at Space Boy Clothing (lower Market St).

1984 - barcade west of Little Italy. Big selection of craft brews, and many pinball machines and vintage video games from the 80s. They do 80s karaoke, vinyl nights - fun place.

Piccolina Toscana - good upscale Italian. Try the artichoke appetizer.

Buckley's Tavern - I haven't gone since they renovated the building, but it's a historic restaurant and bar in Centerville, a rich suburb west of Wilmington.

Two Stones Pub on Naaman's Rd in N. Wilmington, or Ulysses Gastropub off of Silverside/Marsh Rds in N. Wilmington. Great beer and food selections.

Catherine Rooney's and Kelly's Logan House, both in Trolley Square, get an annoying college crowd on weekends, but can be nice places to have a beer on other times of the week.

[Mimidae]

Originally Posted by citygirl3133

That one was ticked off the list many, many moons ago. As a child, I spent my summers camping at Indian River and Cape Henlopen.

Time for a return! Check out the town of Lewes, just north of Cape Henlopen. It has really become great since you were in the area last. Some of the best restaurants in the state are there, and in Rehoboth Beach. Very quaint town. Rehoboth has really gone upscale in recent "moons". And now at Cape Henlopen, you can take out a bike for 2 hours for free.

[rdlr]

Quite a list for Wilmington. We went up during the 40's, 50's, 60's from Kent County, but really haven't had the need or desire to go there recently. Lots to do in Kent and Sussex, too.

[KEVIN_224]

I know Wilmington has the Blue Rocks minor league baseball team. They play at Frawley Stadium. That's what I did the last time I visited the city (June 2/3, 2012).

[newmassphd]

In the, not too distant future, you could catch a Delaware 87'ers basketball game
at the Bob Carpenter Centre at UDel's campus.

The 87'ers is the NBA D-League Team recently purchased by the Philly 76ers.
They will based in Delaware and play at UDel's Basketball Arena.