For Families

Tiny Delaware packs in a lot of fun, history, and culture. This is a 5-day itinerary, but it's easy to pick and choose a couple of days' worth of activity for a long weekend -- or stretch out the fun for a whole week's vacation without getting bored even once.

Day 1: A Day at the Beach

Start slow. Unpack your bathing suit or fishing rod and head to Bethany Beach or Fenwick State Park for a day at one of the quiet resorts. Doing nothing will make you hungry, so decide whether you want pizza or fine dining at Sedona or Kingston Grille.

Day 2: Let's Go Shopping

Sales-tax-free Delaware makes shopping even more fun. Head to the Tanger Outlet Centers in Rehoboth. Or visit the little shops in downtown Rehoboth Beach or Lewes.

Day 3: Dover

Delaware's capital city has a cluster of unusual museums along with the well-regarded Biggs Museum of American Art. In fact, the downtown sights, along with the Legislative Hall and state archives, are now known as the First State Heritage Park at Dover. You could easily see them all in a day. Or chuck all that culture and head to the slots or horse races at Dover Downs. Wildlife fans may prefer to head a little north to Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge for a little bird-watching. Plan to be there for about 2 hours or more -- depending on how much walking you want to do.

Day 4: Historic New Castle

The original capital of Delaware was the waterfront village of New Castle. Its historic sites are still lovingly maintained, including the Federal-style Read House, home of the son of a signer of the Declaration of Independence. A number of other Colonial-era homes are open most days (except Mon). Have lunch at a Colonial inn: Jessop's Tavern, the Chef's Table at David Finney Inn, or the Arsenal. Or go modern and stop near the airport outside of town at the Air Transport Command, where you can get a bit of World War II history with your meal.

Day 5: Wilmington & the Brandywine Valley

The castles of the Brandywine Valley beckon, but the exhibits at the Delaware Art Museum and the Delaware History Museum are hard to pass by, too. If you've got only a day, you're going to want to see one of the du Pont properties: Winterthur if you love home furnishings, Nemours if you love lavish style (but not until it reopens in 2007), Longwood Gardens if flowers are your passion, Hagley if you like to learn how things work in a bucolic setting. But Wilmington's charms are many, too. Try to stay a second day to see the art and history museums, or the changing exhibits of the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts. You'll want to have dinner at the Hotel du Pont or the trendy Domaine Hudson, or perhaps head into the valley for a fabulous meal at Krazy Kat's at the Inn at Montchanin Village. Or spend the evening at the Riverfront, where you can pick a restaurant and be entertained at Kahunaville.

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Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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				Frommer's Maryland & Delaware, 8th Edition Author: Mary K. Tilghman Pub Date: May 27, 2008 Price: $17.99				Related Titles: Frommer's Atlanta, 10th Edition Frommer's Nashville & Memphis, 8th Edition Frommer's New Orleans 2008