Best & Fun Things To Do + Places To Visit In Wilmington, Delaware

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Wilmington was built to receive people. The du Pont money left behind a hotel, a French-style estate with the largest formal garden in North America, and a 933-acre state park that used to be a family lawn. Downtown handles the rest, with a food hall, a brewery and an 1871 opera house inside a short walk. Shopping here is tax-free, which changes what you carry home. Park once downtown and walk it.

Delaware’s largest downtown and urban hub carries more to do than a single visit can cover.

If you are unsure how to spend a day in downtown Wilmington, you have come to the right page. Being thrown off guard by the sheer number of attractions and scenes waiting in Wilmington, Delaware is no surprise at all.

Wilmington could be your next successful spontaneous getaway, and it is not far from the major points in the Mid-Atlantic region. You will wake up on the right side of the bed for being close to home, yet worlds away.

The city runs from rolling hills and southern beaches up to new dining and urban scenes in the north. It is called Greater Wilmington for a thousand reasons rather than one.

That includes the city’s reputation as the place to shop, thanks to its tax-free shopping.

Furthermore, you get a piece of France in the city’s English countryside thanks to Delaware’s charming Chateau Country. Visit the historic mills and colonial hamlets along the Brandywine Valley of Old New Castle.

Get your Delaware spirit going with this list of things to do and places to visit in Wilmington, Delaware.

Bardea Steak

A trip that sticks starts with an appetite, and that is exactly what you get at Bardea Steak.

If you are expecting an average Delaware steakhouse, you are favorably mistaken. Wilmington recently opened an Italian cuisine downtown built around your favorite American protein.

Bardea Steak was featured as one of America’s more anticipated openings for its classic and contemporary style.

Bardea’s expansion in Wilmington was long in the making, built to land properly with the local community. As a result, the Italian restaurant pulls people into their store with real energy and delight.

Try the various selections of beef cuts, off-cuts or custom-made ones, in the strongest steakhouse in town. Complement your Ribeye, Porterhouse or Filet beef with their American-sourced wines and cocktails.

The restaurant also serves diverse, flavorful dishes built on local ingredients from Delaware Valley farms. While it found its footing on traditional Italian flavors, Bardea has since ventured into classic American dishes.

Enjoy the inviting and intimate setting in Wilmington’s authentic steakhouse and restaurant, with excellent service from the friendly hostesses.

Birthday, anniversary, date night or casual family dinner, it will be your go-to location for a steak night worth the drive.

Address: 608 N Market St, Wilmington, DE 19801, United States

Big Fish Riverfront

What is a better scene than dining at a riverfront over your favorite fresh seafood dishes?

Big Fish expands its location to Wilmington, Delaware for the full Big Fish experience. Once you see it, their place at Wilmington Riverfront could not be better sited.

Their riverfront space runs a casual dining atmosphere served with serious food. If you want to live on the edge and skip the seafood, Big Fish is all about spontaneity. Their general menu options draw hungry visitors who simply want something familiar and comfortable.

Try their hand-cut steak, signature pasta dishes and house salads, all worth a chef’s kiss. Pair them with a strong selection of cold beers, cocktails, or red and white wines. Lucky you, their food and drinks are reasonably priced and served in generous portions.

Enjoy a platter in their little booths within a comfortable, large space. On top of that, the view from outside is genuinely good, sitting adjacent to the waterfront. Watch people row their boats across the river while others stroll along the Riverwalk.

Moreover, the seafood restaurant sits conveniently near stores and hotels, so seeing a crowd is typically easy.

Big Fish Riverfront is ready to provide exceptional service from brunch through dinner and happy hour. It is the holy grail of seafood restaurants in Delaware.

It is safe to say that Wilmington’s dining scene would not be complete without the classic seafood specials from Big Fish.

Address: 720 Justison St, Wilmington, DE 19801, United States

Brandywine Creek State Park

Brandywine Creek runs the rawest experience of water and land recreation in the Northern region of Delaware.

Enjoy more than 14 miles of nature trails running through old forest at Brandywine Creek State Park. It offers a primitive setting across a 933-acre green space for the whole family to explore.

Accessible from sunrise through sunset, the park carries plenty to do. It is known for its birding and its water recreation, fishing, kayaking, canoeing or tubing among them.

Grey stone walls sit within its picturesque meadows, built from local stones of the 80s. Missing this iconic scene as you walk the property takes some doing, and the same goes for the chipmunks.

The state park houses Delaware’s first two nature preserves, the Tulip Tree Woods and Freshwater Marsh. All four preserves in the park support Brandywine Creek’s habitats and its flora and fauna.

Its six hiking trails, Rocky Run Trail being the longest, make a strong hiking adventure. Find the trails that suit you, from easier to more strenuous ones, using a hand-curated map.

Originally a du Pont family estate, this Delaware state park is worth a stop when traveling through Wilmington. It also runs primitive camping, regular day camps, Summer Day camps, and nature and cultural programs.

Address: 41 Adams Dam Rd, Wilmington, DE 19807, United States

Brandywine Zoo

This Wilmington zoo, sitting in the panoramic Brandywine Park, is the only AZA-accredited Zoo in Delaware.

Although small in area, Brandywine Zoo is a safe, comfortable home to many common and endangered species. Its nearly 5-acre space houses tropical and temperate animals and some exotic ones too.

Meet the zoo’s formerly neglected pet, Candace, an adorable capybara now living healthily. The zoo is also home to various species of lemurs, tamarins, tortoises and porcupines.

Watch red pandas snack on a favorite bamboo branch, or the largest bird of prey in the world, the Andean Condors. Visit the zoo’s barnyard with domestic goats and chicken coops for a more interactive visit.

The short stroll gives you a more intimate interaction with the animals and makes them easy to see. The strongest times to visit are fall, winter and cloudy days, when the crowd thins. However, some tropical animals tend to be less visible on colder days below 50°F.

To get more in touch with nature in the heart of Wilmington, explore Brandywine zoo’s Nature Playground. This immersive space features giant logs to crawl through and stepping block logs to balance on.

There may be a few distractions from insects, bugs and small birds, but they did not stop or harm anyone.

More learning opportunities wait through the various events and educational programs at the Brandywine Zoo.

You can read or borrow a book at the zoo’s Little Free Library on the way out.

Address: 1001 N Park Dr, Wilmington, DE 19802, United States

Daniel S Frawley Stadium

Baseball fans will want Wilmington’s minor-league stadium, home to Wilmington Blue Rocks Minor League Baseball.

Originally known as the Legends Stadium, Daniel S Frawley Stadium is an athletic venue in Wilmington, Delaware. It also serves as a multi-purpose facility where hundreds of events run annually.

Its calendar of events covers college and high school games alongside amateur baseball games. The public stadium is also popular for concerts, corporate events and Wilmington nonprofit events.

Delaware Riverfront envisioned a serious sports facility in the state and brought it to life. The Frawley Stadium is now running 30 after it was built in 1993. Up to 70 home games and playoffs have been hosted here each year since then.

Start exploring Wilmington’s Frawley Stadium with the Judy Johnson field. As Delaware’s only professional baseball facility, watching behind the scenes of the Wilmington Blue Rocks’ home field is worth the time.

While getting to the stadium’s entrance is easy, you may have to harness some navigation skills in the parking area.

The stadium’s comfortable seating will carry you through the game without bad views or disruption. You are lucky if you are in the front row, because the proximity does make a difference.

With the Frawley Stadium’s convenient location, strong seats and friendly locals, you will feel more at home in Delaware.

Address: 801 Shipyard Dr, Wilmington, DE 19801, United States

Delaware Art Museum

Work through a large collection of pre-Raphaelite art and illustrations by native artist Howard Pyle at the Delaware Art Museum.

The museum was founded in 1912 in honor of Howard and 19th-21st century American art.

When passing through Wilmington, Delaware, check the museum happenings, which cover art exhibitions, classes and performances.

The museum features family-friendly programs, special exhibition tours and a community-led book club. Delaware Art focuses on sound conversations, friendly debates and connecting with the arts and its artists.

Delaware Art also houses the 9-acre outdoor Copeland Sculpture Garden, an independent bookstore and a Museum Store of unusual collections. Take home whimsical pieces like sculptural jewelry, pottery and limited edition items found only in this Wilmington museum.

Getting an empty stomach after a day of art and education happens. Visit the museum’s neighborhood cafe for a creatively curated food and drink menu. While at it, greet fellow visitors and compare museum notes over a cup of coffee.

The things to do in Delaware Art don’t stop here. Join an audio tour of the museum’s permanent collections or get along with groups for a guided tour.

This is a place to meet diverse groups of art lovers and historians in one large, well-designed space.

Address: 2301 Kentmere Pkwy, Wilmington, DE 19806, United States

Delaware Theatre Company

Make your trip to Wilmington count with a professional, high-quality show at Delaware Theatre Company.

This Christina riverfront theater is Delaware’s only theater developing and producing new shows and talents for Broadway. It is also the largest professional theater in the state and a cornerstone of Brandywine Valley’s art scene.

With a production of more than 220 plays, Delaware Theater has made more than just a face in the state. It has built a stage of classic and contemporary plays witnessed by over a million patrons.

For years now, Wilmington has echoed its long history and its Riverfront through Delaware Theater’s performances. Professional theater performers and directors from around New York and the country are drawn to put on a show.

Its expertise covers plays, musicals, children’s theaters and new productions. The theater’s past productions include A Christmas Carol, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and Saint Joan.

As Delaware’s producer of professional talents, the company runs enriching programs, education and community work. You will even see their volunteer staff do more than what is necessary to put on serious shows.

Catch one of their seasonal shows and see what the fuss is about. Delaware Theater sold out five theatrical productions annually, attended by people from across states.

First-time viewers call Delaware Theater a local gem and say it could not have been any better.

Address: 200 Water St, Wilmington, DE 19801, United States

Small zoo, large park. The stadium has been running since 1993 and hosts up to 70 home games in a year, and the theater company sends new work onward to Broadway. Old Swedes has stood since 1698 and still holds services. Brandywine Creek gives you over 14 miles of trail across six separate routes. Rocky Run is the longest of them, and none of it sits far from anything else.

Grand Opera House

There are strong ways to take in Delaware’s performing arts scene. One sits inside the corners of the Grand Opera House.

You can spot this opulent, four-story 1871 building easily in Downtown Wilmington, Delaware. Call it The Grand or the Masonic Hall and Grand Theater, whichever you feel like.

Historically, the building was designed as a highly eclectic Napoleon III-style Masonic temple and auditorium. Just like the eclectic design of the building, its shows run diverse, from symphony orchestras to comedic skits.

Over the course of its Grand time, it has hosted various operas and live performances, with over 100 of them each year.

For a large city like Wilmington, having the Grand Opera House as an asset is something else. Its high-quality shows do justice to the architecture. The interior complements the aura from outside, with comfortable 1,208 seating.

Besides an authentic Delaware performance, the learning extends to all audiences for a greater Wilmington. All people, young and old, can take part in The Grand’s educational outreach.

Moreover, the Grand Opera House joins the festive season with a drive-thru light show on the Wilmington Riverfront. Its part in special occasions like this makes it a vital piece of old-town tradition.

Address: 818 N Market St, Wilmington, DE 19801, United States

Hotel Du Pont

Experience a historic stay at a luxury hotel in the heart of Wilmington, Delaware.

At first glance you can already tell Hotel Du Pont is a deluxe hotel with a sprinkle of elegance and tradition. Despite its naturally lavish facade, Hotel Du Pont carries a lively personality with many stories to tell.

From its American Gilded Age architecture to its impeccable accommodation, your stay at Hotel Du Pont is one you will not forget. Corporate visit or leisure, you enjoy its luxe amenities the same either way.

Reset in style for another full day of adventure in Wilmington.

All rooms and corners are elegantly designed as homage to the past, dedication to the present and buoyancy toward the future.

Among Hotel Du Pont’s finer details are its woodwork and its French and Italian-styled floors and hallways. The handmade chandeliers add to the fairytale experience. You can never quite tell if you are in a hotel or a palace.

Celebrate a special occasion or romantic weekend in one of America’s more historic hotels. You know where to go if you are after serious luxury in downtown Wilmington.

Stepping inside the hotel is a travel back in time and an open book of many generations.

Address: 42 W 11th St, Wilmington, DE 19801, United States

Nemours Estate

Named after a French town, Nemours, the Nemours Estate is a fine example of French neoclassical architecture in Wilmington, Delaware.

With the 77-room mansion as its centerpiece, the 200-acre country estate resembles an 18th-century French château.

The three-story house features fine rooms and an eclectic collection of antiques and furniture owned by the Du Pont family. Alongside its historical objects and tapestries are 16th-century artworks and paintings, running from European to American artists.

Moreover, it features the largest formal French garden in North America, also called Jardin à la française. This Wilmington landscape comprises individual gardens in the style of the Gardens of Versailles.

Enjoy the long views of the garden with its fountains and statues across the well-lawned spaces, which run just beyond fabulous. It is like walking into Paris, France without leaving Delaware.

It also houses a serious collection of vintage Rolls-Royces and automobiles in the estate’s Chauffeur’s Garage.

Pick up more of Nemours Estate’s history from the friendly and knowledgeable docents. Although your tour is mainly self-guided, the estate staff is close at hand for questions. You can also join a guided tour for a more extensive and educational run.

Nonetheless, you will go home fascinated and will never see Wilmington the same way again. You just stepped into a different world and a glorious history.

Address: 1600 Rockland Rd, Wilmington, DE 19803, United States

Old Swedes Historic Site

Old Swedes is a historic site in Wilmington, Delaware holding one of the country’s oldest churches.

Since its operation in 1698, Old Swedes has offered public tours of its historical site. It houses the Old Swedes Church, or the Holy Trinity Church, a designated National Historic Landmark.

As the only surviving building from the New Sweden settlement, Old Swedes is an essential site in Delaware Valley. The church is still actively used for worship and other religious activities.

The historic Hendrickson House museum and Burial Grounds sit within its property along the Christina River banks.

Pick up the church’s long history and its almost-forgotten stories from over the centuries, including the life of the Swedish settlers.

Experience what living in an old Swedish farmhouse was like at the early 18th century Hendrickson House. Just outside, see the final resting ground of notable Wilmington residents.

After the tour you can visit the charming little gift store for take-home souvenirs.

In an hour you come away with real historical knowledge and an experience Delaware does not repeat elsewhere.

Address: 606 N Church St, Wilmington, DE 19801, United States

Rockwood Park & Museum

This 19th-century museum and park are strong additions to Wilmington’s town scenes and New Castle County parks and recreation.

Besides its recognition as one of Delaware’s Historic Places, it also runs various attractions and plenty to do.

Rockwood Park & Museum is a reimagined English country estate in Wilmington, Delaware with two unusual features.

Its Victorian house museum represents a Rural-Gothic design ahead of its time. Alongside the mansion is the historic Rockwood garden and its landscaped grounds. This piece of the larger Rockwood Park draws visitors from all over the state.

Join a tour around the property to see how wealthy people lived in the earlier years of the republic. Unlike other large Delaware mansions, Rockwood keeps a grounded, homey atmosphere.

Its original furnishings, from lace curtains to paintings, add character to the house’s detail even after all the family successions.

Rockwood runs private and guided group tours all year, and its ghost tour is the interesting one. A ghost was believed to be seen occasionally from the mansion’s upstairs window.

In 2011, a TV channel featured Rockwood on an episode of My Ghost Story.

Address: 4651 Washington Street Extension, Wilmington, DE 19809, United States

Stitch House Brewery

Try a strong selection of homemade beers and handcrafted cocktails in Wilmington’s downtown pub.

Stitch House Brewery runs 12 beers on draft alongside salads and dishes in the heart of the city. It is a strong spot to hang out and watch sports if you have time to spare amid the busy city life.

A slow, relaxing day is never a waste of time in Stitch House’s spacious, comfortable 180 seating. Their savory menu includes German-style house-brewed beers, happy hour specials, skillet and farm-to-table dishes.

The brewery’s friendly service crews and casual dining atmosphere will make you feel at home. Here to kill time or grab a quick drink and small bites, you will not spend a dull moment.

If you prefer curbside dining, Stitch House has a shaded outdoor patio good for people-watching. You can enjoy a Caesar salad and a pint of artisanal beer here on a slow Sunday.

You get what you pay for, from strong craft beer flights to good food and service, in this local brewery. Ditch the streets and stay a while at Stitch House.

Address: 829 N Market St, Wilmington, DE 19801, United States

The Chancery Market

The Chancery Market is not your typical food hall in Wilmington’s central business district.

This downtown food hall and bar bring your hometown favorites into one place across seven unusual food concepts. Its 12,000-square-foot culinary space houses an eclectic collection of bar and dining features.

Serving entrepreneurs and food lovers, The Chancery Market draws diverse merchants and visitors alike. This everyday market is Wilmington’s leading dining destination, featuring innovative flavors of food and drink.

The pleasant atmosphere at The Chancery gathers the community as one. Located on the ground floor of an office building, it runs an upscale food hall and bar unlike anything else in town.

Enjoy a diverse food selection, from American pizzas and burgers to Indian dishes and bar refreshments. The market also has a crepe and coffee place, a strong social hangout spot.

The hall is designed with a modern, nurturing feel and a cozy atmosphere. Do not miss this turn while traveling through downtown Wilmington.

This welcoming treat sits close to many stores and attractions in the city’s business district. That widens your dining options while you stroll the downtown.

For future visits, you can count on The Chancery Market having something new that suits every palate.

Address: 1313 N Market St, Wilmington, DE 19801, United States

Wilmington Riverwalk

Walk the scenic boardwalk along the Cape Fear River waterfront for a showstopper stroll in Wilmington’s historic Downtown.

Wilmington Riverwalk features a long wooden walkway alongside the riverfront, with eateries and boutiques on the other side. It is home to a lineup of quaint stores and art galleries, easy to reach from the wide sidewalks.

It is also a popular location for outdoor cafes, restaurants and concert venues near the marina. In addition, this attraction is not far from good places to stay or hotels in the historic Downtown.

For first-time travelers or visitors from outside Wilmington, join a narrated tour along the Riverwalk to pick up its history. Watch the sunset in this part of town, with long river views and serious vessels.

There is no bad view from any corner of Wilmington Riverfront, as regulars say. Everything is here, from dining and sightseeing to strolling and slowing down. It is also accessible to several attractions along Hilton Wilmington Riverside to Chandler’s Wharf.

Moreover, the Riverwalk encapsulates the Wilmington culture through its day scene and its nightlife. Open 24 hours a day, Wilmington Riverwalk is free to all and lit at night with streetlights.

If you want to expand your by-the-water adventures, take a water taxi to the Battleship USS North Carolina.

Address: Wilmington Downtown Riverwalk, Wilmington, NC 28401, United States

Frequently asked questions about Wilmington, Delaware

Which Wilmington zoo works with small children?

Brandywine Zoo, and the size is the point. Under 5 acres means a short stroll rather than a march, and the small children get close to the animals without any fight about it. There is a Nature Playground with giant logs to crawl through for when the animals stop holding attention. Fall, winter and the cloudy days draw the smallest crowds. Some tropical animals hide below 50°F, so warn everyone about that first.

Which Wilmington park has trails for a family?

Brandywine Creek State Park, and over 14 miles of it. Six trails run through the park, from easy to strenuous, so you can match the route to the shortest legs in the group. It runs from sunrise to sunset, which is worth knowing before you set out. There is fishing, kayaking, canoeing and tubing over on the water side. Primitive camping and the day camps both run there as well.

Which Wilmington museum suits a rainy afternoon?

Delaware Art Museum. It runs family-friendly programs alongside the pre-Raphaelite collection and the Howard Pyle illustrations, and there is a cafe on site for when the day runs long. The Copeland Sculpture Garden gives you 9 acres of outside once the weather turns. Rockwood Park & Museum is the other option, and its ghost tour holds the older children well. Both of them take an afternoon rather than a whole day.

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