9 Most Relaxing Delaware Towns
No need to beware, Delaware. This admirable and adorable little state that ratified the US Constitution in 1787 is home to some of the most relaxing Delaware towns worth visiting in the last month of the year or the first month of the next year. Where settlers from Sweden and Finland built the first log cabins in the Delmarva Peninsula in the 1600s, many of the small, relaxing towns in Delaware have prospered into quaint and beautiful resort towns like Bethany Beach and Lewes. On the other hand, they also developed into prospering historic locations like Delaware City and New Castle. But ultimately, these towns in Delaware are some of the most relaxing spots you will cherish on your long and winding trip through the state.
Delaware City
On the banks of the Delaware River lies the mesmerizing small town of Delaware City. Where battles from the American Civil War raged long ago, Delaware City houses the remnants of a Union fortress from 1859 known as Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island. This fort was infamous for imprisoning hundreds of POWs captured from the Confederate armies. Elsewhere in Delaware City, visitors can take leisurely strolls through Fort DuPont State Park and take photographs of a dragon sculpture at the photogenic Dragon Run Park. The most important time to visit Delaware City is in the month of September, when the locals celebrate the Canal Fest at the Delaware City Riverfront Park. This particular celebration honors the creation of the Delaware Marina, the original eastern terminus of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. Only 20 miles south of the city of Wilmington, have a merry and memorable experience in Delaware City.
Wyoming
There is a state called Wyoming, and then there is a small town called Wyoming, just about eight minutes away from Delaware’s city of Dover. A man named Reverend John J. Pierce, who once lived in Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania, inspired the townsfolk to rename their town from West Camden to Wyoming. For decades, Wyoming has been hailed as “the best little town in Delaware” as well as the “Peach Center” or “Peach State” of Delaware, as it is one of the finest and ripest destinations—specifically the Fifer Orchards—where you can purchase and acquire delicious peaches year-round. Furthermore, there is the yearly Peach Festival to enjoy on the first Saturday of August, whose produce you can readily savor when strolling beside Wyoming Pond in Wyoming Park. There are plenty more distinguishable and desirable activities to cherish in Wyoming and around Wyoming.
Milton
Milton, a small town beside the Broadkill River known as “the Head of the Broadkill,” was named after the English poet John Milton. Since its conception in the 18th century, Milton has been a major docking and shipbuilding center for much of Delaware’s ferries and fleets, which you can learn all about at the Town Dock, Town Park, and the town’s Marina. Additionally, Milton is also dubbed the “Holly Capital of the World” due to the abundance of holly wreaths and other Christmas decorations you can find in town. Whether you are heading to Delaware Bay, where the largest gathering of horseshoe crabs in the world can be admired, or seeing other Delaware organisms at the Edward H. McCabe Preserve, you ought to first book a room at either the Charleston of Milton Inn LLC or the Governor’s Bed & Breakfast for a merry stay in Milton.
Lewes
Lewes is not the kind of town you easily forget or dismiss on your adventures throughout Delaware. With its impeccable beaches beside the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay, such as Cape Henlopen State Park, one will be soaking in the sun and having fun in Lewes’ beautiful amenities. In this small corner beside Delaware Bay, you will come across the well-known "walking" sand dunes, which you can traverse. From Savannah Beach all the way to the Beach Plum Island Nature Preserve, one can savor more of the beachside attractions one can expect in Lewes. More importantly, history enthusiasts can gawk at the old forts and barracks at the Fort Miles Historic Area, which was established in preparation for a possible Axis invasion when the Second World War raged. More opportunities for excitement abound in Lewes, even in accommodating hostels such as the Red Mill Inn, Hotel Rodney, or The Inn at Canal Square.
Bethany Beach
Bethany Beach, about 30 minutes away from Lewes, exudes an air and atmosphere of amicability on the eastern side of Delaware. Between watching local wildlife grazing about in James Farm Ecological Preserve and gallivanting through both Fenwick Island State Park and the Delaware Seashore State Park, you will be hard-pressed to choose which activities and locations to visit first. For those with an affinity for music, you might want to visit the Bandstand, Bethany Beach’s best venue, where cultural and musical performances transpire every Thursday night in the summer and Friday and Saturday nights in the months of September and October. And for those who want to spend a longer time in Bethany Beach, you can certainly book a room in places like the Addy Sea Historic Oceanfront Inn, Bethany Beach Ocean Suites Residence Inn, or Hotel Bethany Beach.
Clayton
In the Delmarva Peninsula, travelers may come across many remarkable and relaxing small towns, among them the pivotal town of Clayton. As exhilarating as it might be to go traipsing through scenic areas like the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Blackbird State Forest, and Blackiston Wildlife Area, there is much history to learn from this small town known as Clayton. For instance, within the period of the 1850s to the 1950s, Clayton was a major transportation hub between towns and cities in the state of Delaware and in the Delmarva Peninsula. The Smyrna Station, more commonly known as the Clayton Station, continues to load and unload passengers to various destinations that you can certainly visit, among them Dover, Newark, and Wilmington. The Smyrna Museum contextualizes much of Clayton’s role in the railroad and locomotive industries that allowed the town to prosper. Much of Delaware’s past will be open to all in the riveting and relaxing town of Clayton.
Odessa
Odessa, only about 18 minutes away from Delaware City, is one of the oldest small towns in the state. Dutch settlers established a lasting community on the strands of the Appoquinimink River in the year 1660, and since then, many 18th- and 19th-century Dutch edifices have retained their images throughout the epochs and eras. Travelers can tour domiciles like the Corbit-Sharp House, the Fieldstone Stable, and Cantwell's Tavern.
At the Corbit-Sharp House, in particular, you can learn how this National Historic Landmark was once part of the Network to Freedom, which the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad utilized to liberate and transport enslaved African-Americans safely from the harm of the American Civil War. Aside from history, Odessa hosts the magnificent Middletown Old Tyme Peach Festival each year in August. More importantly, many of the town’s quaint lodgings, like the Miller-Dunham House Bed & Breakfast, will swaddle you in the comforts of homely accommodations while you relish your vacation in Odessa.
New Castle
Similar to Odessa, the town of New Castle is also one of the oldest towns in the Delaware Valley, where early settlers built homes along the Delaware River in the year 1651. When it was first established, New Castle was originally called Santhoeck or Fort Casimir. A handful of years after its beginnings, the name changed to New Amstel. Finally, the townsfolk agreed to permanently name the place New Castle. Among the many historic buildings you can explore are the Old Dutch House and the New Castle Court House. Likewise, places like the Amstel House Museum and the Immanuel Episcopal Church give you a comprehensive look into the past. At Battery Park, you can find a number of 1600s waterfront and colonial houses to tour. And naturally, in fine lodgings like the Terry House Bed & Breakfast, you can find all sorts of accommodations that will keep you satisfied and safe in New Castle.
Laurel
Approximately 24 miles from Milton, the lovable and luscious town of Laurel sits at the terminus of Broad Creek, which is a tributary of the Nanticoke River. There are plenty of water-based attractions and activities worth recreating in Laurel, whether you are sojourning through panoramic regions like Trap Pond State Park, Janosik Park, and the Roger C. Fisher Laurel River Park. At the Cook House Museum and Laurel Heritage Museum, you can learn all about the various Delaware soldiers who fought and gave their lives in battles in Europe and elsewhere during World War II. Furthermore, the Rosemont, the oldest building in Laurel, dating well back to 1769, is open to everyone eager and curious to see what life was like back in the day. Additionally, the Rosemont also hosts the annual Yuletide for those interested in participating. So consider booking a room in resplendent abodes like the Lakeside Motel for a jolly time in Laurel.
Between the states of Virginia and Maryland, the peninsula-shaped state of Delaware has some of the most relaxing small towns suitable for those wanting an easy and simplistic vacation. Even horseshoe crabs gather in humungous throngs in Delaware Bay just to soak in the sunny warmth and laidback disposition of Delaware. There is much history to be gleaned and much merriment to revel in the most relaxing Delaware towns you can journey towards. Whether you are coming from the Big Apple of New York City just to take a break or from anywhere else in the big wide world, you will feel at ease and tranquil in the small and adorable state of Delaware.
