100 Things to Do in Delaware Before You Die

by Dan Shortridge, Rachel Kipp

Overview

There’s no place quite like Delaware. Where else can you drive the length of the state in three hours, bump into a US Senator at the grocery store, and see the preserved hull of a 1798 shipwreck—all in the same day? It may be one of the smallest states in the Union, but Delaware has countless hidden gems to offer visitors and residents alike.
100 Things to Do in Delaware Before You Die is your handbook to discovering these diamonds in the Diamond State, from the warm ocean beaches to bucolic farm country, complete with family-friendly listings and must-do itineraries. Try the best beach popcorn and the unique creation known as scrapple. Get ready for outdoor adventure like paddling into primeval forests or watching birds from all over the Atlantic flyway. Tour a Civil War island prison, watch a movie in a classic single-screen theatre, and find the best antique shopping around.
Delaware experts Rachel Kipp and Dan Shortridge will escort you around the First State’s best-kept secrets. From horseshoe crabs to Colonial architecture, their detailed inside scoops will fascinate visitors and locals alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681062679
Publisher:	Reedy press, LLC.
Publication date:	10/01/2020
Series:	100 Things to Do Before You Die
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Rachel Kipp and Dan Shortridge are a husband and wife writing team with nearly four decades of combined experience in journalism and public relations. They have lived in Delaware for a total of 40 years, living or working in all three counties. As reporters for Delaware’s largest newspaper, they covered the state from top to bottom, writing about education, the arts, politics, government, business and more. They have also worked in communications, marketing, and content leadership for universities, state agencies, and local schools in Delaware and Pennsylvania. Rachel and Dan live in central Delaware with their three children, and are always on the hunt for new things to do and places to go. Follow them at @100thingsinde on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Table of Contents

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xv

Food and Drink

1 Get a Farm-Fresh Taste of Delaware Ice Cream 2

2 Try Scrapple, a Food with "Everything but the Squeal" 4

3 Fill Your Belly and Satisfy Your Taste Buds at Two Stones Pub 6

4 Feel like a Kid Again at Bing's Bakery 7

5 Enjoy the Quintessential Beach Treat at Dolle's Candyland 8

6 Pick Up Your Favorite Italian Treat and Some Tomato Pie for Later at Serpe's 10

7 Wander Food Halls Old and New at DECO Wilmington 12

8 Nosh on the Best Bagels in the State, Just Minutes from the Beach at Surf Bagel 13

9 Enjoy Fish & Chips Surrounded by British Atmosphere at go fish! and go brit! 14

10 Don't Miss the Milk Shakes or the Burgers at the Charcoal Pit 15

11 Have Some Sass with Your Breakfast at Lucky's 16

12 Meet Your Local Farmers at Community Farmers Markets 17

13 Eat Sausage Made by "The King" at Maiale Deli & Salumeria 18

14 Relax with a Dinner of Classic Comfort Seafood at Mart's Fish Camp 20

15 Pick Your Own Fruits and Veggies Right Off the Vine 22

16 Eat the Lunch that a Vice President Made Famous at Capriotti's 23

17 Enhance Your First State Palate with Delaware-Made Wines 24

18 Reap the Rewards of Being an Early Riser at Helen's Sausage House 26

19 Grab a Meal on the Go at Old World Breads 27

20 Sample 100 Different Flavors of Ice Cream at the Beach 28

21 Try "Unapologetically Vegan" Food at Drop Squad Kitchen 29

22 Pick Your Side in the Great Pizza Debate 30

23 Dine at a Place with a Number in the Name 32

24 Eat with a View of the Governor's Mansion at Governor's Cafe 33

25 Eat Food Made for Every Diet at Home Grown Cafe 34

26 Follow in me Footsteps of Washington and Poe at Deer Park Tavern 35

27 Have a Pleasantly Off-Centered Experience at Dogfish Head 36

28 Dine in the First Jewish Deli in Delaware at Rosenfeld's 38

29 Enjoy a View of the Beach and the Bridge at Big Chili Beach Club 39

Music and Entertainment

30 Catch a Movie in an Old-Fashioned One-Screen Cinema at Clayton Theatre 42

31 Live the Sights, Sounds, and Smells of the State Fair 43

32 Take a Relaxing Ride on an Old-Fashioned Railway 44

33 Check Out Independent Films from around the Globe at Wilmington's Only Art House Cinema 46

34 Ride an Old-Fashioned Merry-Go-Round at Funland 48

35 Experience the "Monster Mile" with Top NASCAR Drivers at Dover International Speedway 50

36 Be Entertained at Middletown's Century-Old Hub for the Arts in the Everett Theatre 51

37 Take a Lesson at Delaware's Homegrown Music School 52

38 Take the Cape May-Lewes Ferry for a Quick Trip to Jersey 53

39 To Win at Skeeball, It's All in the Wrist 54

40 Take In a Show at the Restored Theatre on the Riverbanks 55

41 Visit the Animals at Delaware's Lone Zoo 56

42 Stroll the Best Family-Friendly Boardwalks on the Coast 57

43 Let Your Kids Take the Lead at the Delaware Children's Museum 58

44 Listen to Contemporary Music in a Historic Setting 60

45 See National Acts a Stone's Throw from the Beaches at the Freeman Stage 62

Sports and Recreation

46 Walk across the State on the American Discovery Trail 66

47 Get Lost in a Maze of Corn at Local Farms 67

48 Cast, Catch, and Relax at the Beach with a Day of Surf Fishing 68

49 Catch the Races, Equestrian Style 70

50 Paddle into the Primeval at Trap Pond State Park 71

51 Get Your Climb On in the Trees or at the Gym 72

52 Cycle a Century (or Less) along Country Roads or City Streets 74

53 Hike or Bike the Traits, No Elevation Here 76

54 Paddle Up to a Lighthouse in the Delaware Bay 77

55 Rent a Bike for Relaxing Resort Cycling 78

56 Practice Your Marksmanship for a Few Bucks 79

57 Watch Sports. Lots of Them 98

58 Get Your Outdoors Fix Camping at a Prime Sweet Spot 100

59 Skimboard with the Pros at Dewey Beach 102

60 Walk among the Dunes at Cape Henlopen 103

61 Paddle the Nanticoke River like Captain John Smith 104

62 Watch the Seasons Change at Brandywine Park 106

63 Feel like Royalty by Building a Sandcastle on the Beach 108

64 Watch Prehistoric Creatures Swarm the Shores by the Light of the Moon 110

65 Hike across Delaware on the Banks of a Canal 111

66 See Birds from All Over the World at Stunning Wildlife Refuges 112

Culture and History

67 Set Foot on a Civil War Island Prison 116

68 In the Ardens, Come for the Arts, Stay for the Storybook Atmosphere 117

69 Wrap Your Arms around the Biggest Trees in Delaware 118

70 Stroll around Scenic Gardens and Gunpowder Mills at Hagley Museum 119

71 Learn about Old-Time Heroes at a Historic Lifesaving Station 120

72 Peer inside the Workings of a Historic Mill 121

73 Ride the Oldest Operating Ferry in the US 122

74 See Art on the Cutting Edge at the Contemporary 123

75 Travel on a Replica of a 1600s-Era Sailing Ship 124

76 Hear the History of Sound Come Alive at Johnson Victrola Museum 126

77 Explore a Peaceful 1700s Village 127

78 See the Hull of a Shipwreck from the 1700s 128

79 Delve into Delaware History at Our National Park 130

80 Explore Underwater Treasures Recovered from the Deep 134

81 Shake Hands with a US Senator 136

82 Visit a Larger-Than-Life Mural of State History 137

83 Experience the Past Firsthand by Living History 138

84 Salute the Greatest Generation with a Visit to Fort Miles 139

85 Experience Global Culture at Heritage Festivals 140

86 Tour Historic Aircraft on an Air Force Base 142

87 Worship As in the Revolutionary Era 143

88 Explore the Historic Governor's Mansion 144

89 Get a Bird's-Eye View in Rockford Park 145

90 Experience Beauty Both Inside and Out at Winterthur 146

91 See the Stars at Mount Cuba Observatory 148

92 View Famous Art and Make Some of Your Own at the Delaware Art Museum 149

Shopping and Fashion

93 Catch a Story at Browseabout Books 152

94 Take Advantage of Tax-Free Shopping at Christiana Mall 154

95 Dress for Less at Tanger Outlets 156

96 Get Your Haul of Antique Items and Vintage Artifacts 157

97 Visit the Most Eclectic Grocery Store Anywhere 158

98 Explore the Art of Stained Glass at D & D 159

99 Get in Touch with Your Inner College Student in Downtown Newark 160

100 Do Some Shopping While Taking a Historic Home Tour in Downtown Lewes 162

Suggested Itineraries 167

Activities by Season 171

Index 174