Getting There
From the north, take I-95 to Wilmington and head south on Route 1 or Route 13 (also known as the DuPont Hwy.) to Dover. Route 13, which runs the length of Delaware, is also the best way to approach Dover from the south. From Washington, D.C., and west, take Route 50 across the Bay Bridge to Route 301 North. Follow 301 to 302 east, then take Route 454. From 454, take Route 8 into Dover.
Bus service to Dover is available through Greyhound (tel. 800/231-2222; www.greyhound.com), which stops at 716 S. Governors Ave. (tel. 302/736-5183).
Visitor Information
Head first to the Delaware Visitor Center, 406 Federal St., at Duke of York Street, Dover (tel. 302/739-4266). It offers information, exhibits, restrooms, and a gift shop, and is open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 4:30pm, Sunday from 1:30 to 4:30pm. Reservations are a must for its 30-minute tours around the Green -- a good introduction to Dover history -- offered Tuesday through Saturday. You can also stop by the Kent County Convention and Visitors Bureau, 435 N. DuPont Hwy. (tel. 800/233-5368 or 302/734-4888; www.visitdover.com), or the Smyrna Visitor Center, 5500 DuPont Hwy., 11 miles north of Dover (tel. 302/653-8910).
Getting Around
You'll need a car. To rent one, contact Avis (tel. 302/734-5550) or Hertz (tel. 302/678-0700). For reliable 24-hour taxi service, call City Cab of Dover (tel. 302/734-5968). Note: Amish buggies are common on the area's highways and byways, usually on the shoulders. Please drive with care and pass them slowly.
Special Events
The two "Monster Mile" NASCAR weekends, in June and September at Dover International Speedway (tel. 800/711-5882; www.doverspeedway.com), are the biggest events in Dover. Make your hotel reservations up to a year in advance. In late April or early May, several privately owned historic homes and gardens open to the public for Old Dover Days (tel. 800/233-5368; www.visitdover.com). Costumed guides, maypole dancing, and crafts demonstrations take place on the Green. Cyclists come for the Amish Country Bike Tour (tel. 800/233-5368; www.visitdover.com), held the Saturday after Labor Day. Christmas in Odessa (tel. 302/378-4900; www.christmasinodessa.com) is held the first Saturday in December, with house tours, music, and crafts.
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.
