Good things come in small packages, and our second-smallest state definitely delivers plenty for planners to consider for a Mid-Atlantic meeting. From marvelous mansions to gorgeous gardens to seductive stretches of sand, here’s a roundup of 10 quintessential Delaware delights.
WINTERTHUR, WILMINGTON
www.winterthur.org
An exhilarating one-stop wonder of art, nature and education, the Winterthur (actually pronounced “winter tour”) estate elegantly showcases Delaware’s yesteryear on a 1,000-acre setting ripe for group exploration.
Among the numerous highlights is a museum of decorative and fine arts heralded as one of the best on the continent. Galleries include everything from collections of wooden duck decoys to antique furniture to ceramics and glass and even soup tureens. The mansion itself is a work of art as well, an opulent 175-room gem built as the estate home of Henry Francis du Pont.
The superb 60-acre gardens are not to be missed, and groups with children in tow will treasure the three-acre Enchanted Woods children’s garden. Educational programming also abounds, from workshops that provide the substantial history behind the estate’s collections to design conferences to conservation clinics. Various tours are also available, including a seasonal Garden Tram outing, or groups can choose to explore the elegant enclave on their own.
“Magic abounds at Winterthur,” says Lyn Lewis, director of communications for the Greater Wilmington CVB.
The estate also showcases countless event spaces available for lease, including lecture halls, a conservatory, historic rooms, and a visitor pavilion with space for up to 400.
DOVER DOWNS, DOVER
www.doverdowns.com
“Delaware was the place to go for slots, horse racing and other gaming excitement long before casinos began going up in neighboring states, and it continues to dominate the market by drawing visitors throughout the region,” says Linda Parkowski, tourism director of the Delaware Tourism Office.
The most vital and vibrant of today’s First State gaming options is at the sprawling Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, a bastion of evening excitement that includes harness racing, slot machines, poker and much more. For attendees seeking other diversions, Dover Downs is the site of numerous live concerts, several restaurants and night-spots, and a popular full-service spa. In 2013, the resort adds to the excitement by bringing in live boxing on Friday nights.
And for those wanting to plan an event of their own, the property shows off more than 35,000 square feet of function space that includes an 18,000-square-foot, column-free ballroom. PageBreak
HAGLEY MUSEUM AND LIBRARY, WILMINGTON
www.hagley.org
Like Winterthur a splendidly impressive, former du Pont family home, Hagley resides along the Brandywine River amid some of the most eye-pleasing landscapes in the entire region.
“Today, visitors can take a tram ride through the beautiful 235-acre property, see 19th-century technology in action and tour the ancestral home that housed five generations of du Ponts,” says the Greater Wilmington CVB’s Lewis. “E. I. du Pont’s garden has been lovingly restored with painstaking attention to historical detail and is replete with carefully manicured shrubs, espalier dwarf fruit trees and flowers artfully arranged in parterres and intersecting paths.”
In addition, groups can lunch at an organic cafe, visit the famed Eleutherian Mills mansion, take in old-time artifacts at a restored 1837 company office and barn, and try out an interactive exhibit showing how simple tools like pulleys, levers and gears actually function.
A variety of tours are available, including a seasonal holiday shopping excursion enhanced by about 50 talented artisans displaying and selling everything from hand-woven blankets to intricate jewelry.
REHOBOTH BEACH BOARDWALK
www.beach-fun.com
With its setting on the state’s southern shores amid quintessential coastline and attractions, Rehoboth Beach has long laid claim to the status of “The Nation’s Summer Capital.” And while Rehoboth and neighboring Dewey Beach certainly make exceptional warm-weather locales, the area is tempting in any season—particularly Rehoboth’s iconic boardwalk.
“The mile-long boardwalk is popular year-round and has the old-style wooden planks,” says Carol Everhart, president and CEO of the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce, adding that the wonderful walkway has actually been heralded with a number of awards.
“Visiting Downtown Rehoboth and its boardwalk is a cherished vacation tradition for Delaware residents and tourists alike,” says the Delaware Tourism Office’s Parkowski. “As far as the tastes, the smells and the views, you won’t find anything like this anywhere but in the First State.”
Groups looking to explore a bit more will be rewarded with a delightful downtown enhanced by more than 100 dining spots. (Everhart suggests the Rusty Rudder or Boardwalk Plaza for a waterside setting). Watersports also abound in warm weather, and nearby Cape Henlopen State Park showcases unspoiled outdoors in addition to leftover relics and ruins from World War II. PageBreak
AIR MOBILITY COMMAND MUSEUM, DOVER
www.amcmuseum.org
When it comes to a free attraction that can lift the spirits of any group, Cindy Small— executive director of the Kent County and Greater Dover CVB—has the perfect suggestion.
“The Air Mobility Command Museum features more than 30 restored military aircraft, including its most recent acquisition, Air Force Two, plane of Presidents, Vice Presidents and First Ladies,” Small remarks. “The AMC Museum is one of Delaware’s most visited free attractions, featuring exhibits, airplanes and engines of military history from World War II to today.”
Small adds that last year the AMC hosted visitors from every state and more than 30 foreign nations. Guided tours are available, though the museum prefers being contacted in advance for groups of 10 or larger, and self-guided tours of some of the amazing aircraft are also offered.
While the AMC is officially located on the grounds of the Dover Air Force Base, it is inaccessible via the base itself; a separate entrance exists on Route 9.
DOVER INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
www.doverspeedway.com
For a group seeking some high-speed excitement, either spectator-style or behind the wheel of a powerful racecar, the Dover International Speedway, adjacent to Dover Downs casino, can get their motor running.
“Dover International Speedway is NASCAR’s home of the Monster Mile, named so because of the fierce banking on the one-mile concrete oval,” says the Kent County and Greater Dover CVB’s Small. “NASCAR races are held here twice annually in the spring and fall, and there are weekly track tours available where visitors can get the inside scoop on NASCAR history including Victory Lane, pit road and the infield media center.”
Or take it to the next level of excitement with on-site company Monster Racing, where attendees can get behind the wheel of an authentic stock car and put the pedal to the metal without any fear of police sirens. For the fainter of heart who still want a bit of adventure, “ride-alongs” are also available.
Small adds that the Speedway, with seating for 135,000, is one of NASCAR’s largest tracks—and is also home to the new Firefly Music Festival, which will take place every June in the neighboring wooded camping areas.
FIRST STATE HERITAGE PARK, DOVER
www.destateparks.com/park/first-state-heritage
“The First State Heritage Park is Delaware’s first state park without boundaries,” says the Kent County and Greater Dover CVB’s Small. “It represents a collection of historic sites, changing exhibits, programs, walking tours and special events.”
She adds that some of the more popular sites include the Old State House, which was built in 1791 and is one of the oldest original state houses in the country, and the John Bell House. Both are located on The Green, where Delaware voted to ratify the U.S. Constitution, making Delaware the First State. Admission is free to all sites, and most walking tours are held daily.
Other stops on the itinerary include the Johnson Victrola Museum, Legislative Hall and the Old State House. It’s worth noting that on the first Saturday of each month, special events and experiences are arranged at various sites along the way that add to the experience, from lectures to storytelling to behind-the-scenes tours. PageBreak
WORLD CAFE LIVE AT THE QUEEN, WILMINGTON
www.worldcafelive.com
When construction workers were making progress on the Queen Theatre’s massive renovation a few years back, they were pleasantly surprised to stumble upon the ornate original ceiling of the early 20th century structure. That was just the beginning of the classic venue’s return to its full glory—and then some.
“Before the reopening of The Queen, Wilmington already boasted a world-class venue in The Grand,” says Delaware Tourism’s Parkowski. “Now the city has two classic-style theaters offering some of the music industry’s top performers and other shows as well.”
The Queen today—now officially known as World Cafe Live at The Queen—serves up nationally known music acts, kids shows, special beer and wine events, and other entertainment. Offbeat offerings like Open Mic Night and Board Game Night add to the funky feel.
Planners seeking a venue for an event of their own will have the option of the captivating Olympia Room, with spacious windows providing vistas of fashionable Market Street below, and with room for groups up to 100 seated or 175 standing. The spectacular theater, meanwhile, showcases a trio of marvelous murals and comfortably seats 200. It will expand to accommodate a standing group of 500.
THE SEA WITCH HALLOWEEN AND FIDDLER’S FESTIVAL, REHOBOTH BEACH
www.beach-fun.com/sea-witch-halloween-fiddlers-festival
Delaware is host to a number of fine fairs and celebrations, and the fun and funky Sea Witch Festival is a can’t-miss cavalcade of live tunes, crazy contests and colorful parades. The shindig draws 175,000 to watch and partake in Costumed Dog parades, Witch “cackling” contests and live performances ranging from string bands to magic shows, and along with the state’s World Champion Punkin Chunkin contest and Apple-Scrapple Festival (both in Bridgeville) makes up a sort of holy trinity of Delaware’s fall festivals.
“These three fall events give Delaware an identity that goes far beyond beaches,” says Delaware Tourism’s Parkowski. “Publications have rated them among the best on the East Coast, and the numbers don’t lie; hundreds of thousands of residents and tourists pack Rehoboth and tiny Bridgeville for weekends at a time.”
MT. CUBA CENTER, HOCKESSIN
www.mtcubacenter.org
It’s hard to believe that this spectacular horticultural oasis was once a mere cornfield. The Mt. Cuba Center today is a 600-acre bastion of captivating outdoors, focused on the native plants of the Appalachian Piedmont Region. Planners will be hard-pressed to find a more serenely enchanting setting anywhere for a group seeking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
“In addition to the beautiful formal gardens designed by Thomas Sears and Marian Coffin, Mt. Cuba Center’s rolling landscape features winding woodland paths through canopies of towering tulip trees, tranquil ponds surrounded by wildflowers and a vibrant meadow,” says Greater Wilmington’s Lyn Lewis.
Guided tours last about two hours, but are not physically demanding as the total distance walked is only about a half-mile. Group tours of 10 or more must be arranged in advance, and free strolling is not permitted on the estate.
For groups with a green thumb or just interested in learning more about the plants of the region, numerous gardening seminars are presented throughout the year by seasoned horticultural experts.
