Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Welcome back to Exploring America. State by state after the colonial history and mountain wilderness of Virginia, today we're heading into Delaware, a state small enough to cross in an afternoon but packed with more character than its size would ever suggest.
[00:00:15] Delaware is known as the first state since it was the very first to ratify the United States Constitution, earning it the top spot on the list every single time American states are named in order to Today, the state is equally famous for something a little more modern tax free shopping grand Dupont Family Estates and a stretch of Atlantic beach towns that fill up with families every single summer. Without fail, Delaware manages to squeeze historic mansions, quiet farmland and boardwalk energy into one surprisingly compact stretch of coastline, and that makes it a genuinely fun, easy state to explore in just a few days. On the road Coastal Highway Route 1 runs the entire length of Delaware's beach towns, connecting Rehoboth Beach, Dewey beach and Bethany beach along one scenic coastal corridor. Route 9, sometimes called the Delaware Bay Scenic Byway, winds along the quieter bayside of the state, passing marshlands, wildlife refuges and small fishing villages most beachbound travelers never see on their way south and up. In the northern part of the state, Route 52, through Chateau country, curves past rolling estates and gardens once owned by the Dupont family, with stone walls and old growth trees lining nearly every mile of the drive. Cape Henlappen State park hides World War II era concrete watchtowers still standing along the dunes, silent reminders of when this coastline was actively watched for enemy submarines. Just offshore, Auburn Heights Preserve, a lesser known estate in Chateau country, lets visitors ride antique steam powered cars on select weekends, a genuinely unique experience most travelers stumble into by accident rather than planning for Trap Pond State park protects the northernmost naturally occurring bald cypress swamp in the country, with paddling trails winding beneath centuries old trees draped in Spanish moss.
[00:02:15] And Fenwick Island's historic lighthouse, tucked at the state's southern tip, offers a quieter, less crowded alternative to the busier beach towns just up the coast. Rehoboth Beach's boardwalk is the heart of Delaware's coastal identity, lined with classic beach town shops, arcades and the smell of fresh saltwater taffy drifting down the strip on any given evening winterthur. Once the Dupont family estate now operates as a museum and garden, spanning nearly a thousand acres filled with American antiques and rolling landscaped grounds worth an entire day. Neymar's estate offers a similarly grand Dupont Mansion tour, built in the style of a French chateau with formal gardens that rival anything in Europe. Dover International Speedway draws NASCAR crowds twice a year, earning the nickname the Monster Mile for its famously fast 1 mile oval track.
[00:03:09] And the Cape May Lewis Ferry connects Delaware directly across the bay to New Jersey, offering sweeping water views on a genuinely relaxing crossing. Most road trippers don't expect a few things worth Rehoboth's Boardwalk shops selling saltwater taffy and fudge often charge a noticeable premium compared to shops just a few blocks off the main strip, so a little wandering pays off in real savings.
[00:03:35] The outlet malls along Coastal highway get seriously crowded on summer weekends, so a weekday visit saves both time and parking headaches during peak season. Andouille Beach's nightlife scene can carry inflated drink and food prices during peak season, so budget accordingly if that's part of your evening plan. Delaware's small size makes it wonderfully easy RV territory, with Coastal highway and Route 13 both offering wide, wide, well maintained routes connecting the beach towns to the rest of the state. Summer weekend Traffic along Route 1 heading toward the beaches can back up significantly, so traveling on a weekday or early in the morning makes for a much smoother drive down the coast once you're off the main coastal corridor. Delaware's rural roads are quiet and comfortable for larger rigs of any size. For paid camping, Cape Henlaupen State park offers oceanfront and wooded sites within walking distance of the beach and those historic World War II watchtowers. Trap pond State park offers a quieter shaded campground surrounded by the bald cypress swamp, a genuinely peaceful alternative to the busier coastal sites for free or low cost. Camping options are more limited given the state's small size, though. Redden State Forest offers a handful of primitive, low cost sites for travelers willing to go without hookups, so check current availability before planning your route around it. Rehoboth beach offers everything from classic boardwalk hotels to quieter bed and breakfasts just a few blocks off the main strip and the crowds. Bethany beach has built a reputation as a calmer, more family oriented alternative with resort style properties that lean toward a quieter pace than its busier neighbors. Up the coast and up in Wilmington's chateau country, a scattering of historic inns lets you stay surrounded by the same rolling estate landscape the Dupont family once called home. The Cape May Lewis Ferry offers a scenic, practical way to cross the Delaware Bay, carrying both vehicles and foot passengers on a genuinely enjoyable ride across the water. DART First State runs bus service connecting the beach towns and larger cities across the state for travelers who want to leave the car parked for a day and Amtrak's Wilmington Station sits directly on the Northeast corridor, making the state easy to reach by rail from Philadelphia, New York or Washington, D.C. without much trouble at all. Delaware's food identity blends coastal seafood with genuine Mid Atlantic comfort food. Scrapple, a savory pork and cornmeal loaf fried crispy is a beloved breakfast staple across the state, especially down in Sussex county, where it originated. Blue crabs and crab cakes pulled from the same bay waters shared with neighboring Maryland show up on menus at nearly every coastal restaurant along the shore. Dali's saltwater taffy has been a boardwalk tradition in Rehoboth for generations, sold fresh and pulled right in the storefront window for passersby to watch. And Delaware's Sussex county is widely credited as the birthplace of the modern broiler chicken industry, so a proper fried chicken dinner here carries some genuine local pride behind it. Take advantage of Delaware's tax free shopping at the outlet malls along Coastal Highway, a genuinely practical perk that draws visitors from neighboring states specifically. For that reason alone.
[00:06:59] Go bird watching at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, where migrating flocks numbering in the tens of thousands pass through during peak season each year. Bike the Junction and Breakwater Trail connecting Rehoboth and Lewis through quiet forest and farmland at an easy, relaxed pace, and tour the Dupont Estates at Winterthur or Nemours for a genuine glimpse into Gilded Age American wealth and design that few other states can match.
[00:07:27] Summer is absolutely peak season for Delaware's beach towns, with Rehoboth, Dewey and Bethany all filling up from Memorial Day through Labor Day each year. Book beach town accommodations well ahead of July and August, since rooms disappear quickly during the busiest weekends of the season and visiting midweek rather than on a weekend will save you both money and crowds at nearly every attraction along the coast. Delaware's beach towns run higher in summer, especially for lodging, but the state's complete lack of a sales tax helps offset shopping and dining costs in a way few other states can match. Inland areas and Sussex county farmland are noticeably more affordable, with camping often running 25 to $40 a night at most parks. Balancing a coastal stretch with an inland stretch keeps your overall Delaware trip surprisingly budget friendly from start to finish. Cell coverage is strong along coastal highway, the beach towns and the Wilmington corridor up north, with reliable signal for navigation and streaming in most populated areas of the state. Coverage drops a bit in the more rural farmland stretches of Sussex county, so download offline maps if you're exploring those quieter back roads inland. That's Delaware, a small state holding grand estates, quiet swamps and boardwalk beach towns all inside one wonderfully easy to cross stretch of coastline.
[00:08:50] Next time we're heading into West Virginia, a state of dramatic mountain gorges, whitewater rivers, and small coal country towns tucked deep into the Appalachian highlands. Pack the cooler and I'll see you there.
