Wilmington, Delaware
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Wilmington, Delaware, is the leading city in the country’s First State. Widely known as the home of major financial and pharmaceutical companies, it’s also a sightseer’s and naturalist’s delight. Here, descendants of patriots and business leaders mingle easily with adventurous spirits from around the world.
Vice President Joe Biden is currently Delaware’s most famous statesman. Historically, the state’s greatest name was Caesar Rodney, who rode 80 miles on horseback to cast the deciding vote in favor of independence during the Continental Congress of 1776. A renowned statue of this patriot attracts visitors to Rodney Square, which lies in the heart of Wilmington’s downtown commercial district.
Delaware’s business and social communities revolved for many years around the duPont family, founders of the huge chemical conglomerate that bears their name. Several popular Wilmington-area attractions stem from this dynasty:
- the Hagley Museum and Library, the family’s ancestral home, featuring restored nineteenth-century buildings and extensive gardens at the site where E. I. du Pont founded a gunpowder mill in 1802;
- the Winterthur Museum and Country Estate, the palatial (and antique-filled) home of the late Henry Francis du Pont; and
- Longwood Gardens (just across the border in Pennsylvania), created largely by Pierre du Pont in the early 1900s, which draws throngs of visitors to its world-class displays of flowers.
Art fanciers who come to Wilmington will delight in the nearby Brandywine River Museum, home to many of the Wyeth family’s paintings as well as other regional artwork.
Bordered by the Delaware River to the east, Wilmington sits at the intersection of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek. Enjoying the natural habitat is a favorite activity of both residents and visitors. In and around the city, an ever-expanding system of “greenways” links state parks via walking and biking paths.
For much of the year, nautically minded travelers in Wilmington can enjoy a rare treat on the Christina River: the Kalmar Nyckel, Delaware’s very own “tall ship.” Built in the image of the vessel that brought the first Swedish settlers to these shores in 1638, the Kalmar Nyckel is open for tours or brief sailing voyages.
Performing arts fans can also find much to celebrate around Wilmington. Top-flight stars of music, dance, and comedy ply their trade at the Grand Opera House downtown, while the city and its environs also boast a wide range of theatrical venues and a vibrant music club scene.
During a day of adventures around Wilmington, travelers can build up quite an appetite. They can satisfy it with outstanding cuisine at many restaurants in the area, ranging from the elegant Green Room at downtown Wilmington’s famous Hotel du Pont to more rustic fare at historic Buckley’s Tavern in the well-heeled Centerville area. Other local favorites include the Deep Blue Bar & Grill, another downtown gourmet hot spot, and Harry’s Savoy Grill in the northern suburbs (along with its sister restaurant, Harry’s Seafood Grill, on the Christina riverfront).
Wilmington’s bountiful helpings of history, nature, food, and fun should satisfy any traveler who is hungry for adventure. And since Delaware is one of only five U.S. states that doesn’t charge sales tax, your money will go farther here!
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