Delaware Beckons Romantic Travelers With Spring Offerings
Stroll a garden, watch bald eagles, or camp in a yurt!

Natural beauty is one of Delaware’s most treasured assets. As warm weather approaches, lush greenways and enchanting gardens entice visitors to explore the hidden treasures of this charming state, located in the center of the Mid-Atlantic seaboard, within driving distance from Washington D.C. and New York.

The gardens of the Brandywine Valley, all former estates of the renowned du Pont family, are a great starting point for a long weekend excursion.

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, six miles northwest of the city of Wilmington, features one of the world's finest naturalistic gardens. Like the world-renowned museum and library, the 60-acre garden represents the artistic vision of its creator, Henry Francis du Pont (1880-1969). Visitors can take a tram ride through the gardens to view native and exotic plants, ponds, woods, and meadowlands. 800.448.3883, www.winterthur.org.

At nearby Nemours Mansion, French gardens, complete with statuettes and a reflecting pool, grace the grounds of this 300-acre estate. A tour of the gardens is included with a tour of the house, the Louis XVI-style chateau of Alfred I. du Pont (1864-1935). 302.651.6912.

Springtime brings a vast array of blossoming trees and flowers as the Brandywine River winds its way through Hagley Museum, the original du Pont black powder manufactory, estate, and gardens, located three miles northwest of Wilmington. Wildflowers, azaleas, and dogwoods grace Hagley's rolling 235 acres. The restored French-style garden cultivated by E. I. du Pont (1771 – 1834) is filled with spring flowers. 302.658.2400.

Newly restored are the Marian Coffin Gardens at Gibraltar in Wilmington. The Gibraltar mansion, formerly the home of philanthropist and preservationist Hugh Rodney Sharp (1880-1968) and his wife Isabella Mathieu du Pont Sharp (1882-1946), is slated to be refurbished as an inn and conference center in 2000. Designed by Marian Cruger Coffin, one of the most accomplished female landscape architects in the United States, Gibraltar’s gardens consist of a series of "rooms," each with a unique character and purpose. Hand-forged iron gates and railings, a collection of statuary and urns, a reflecting pool, and fountains complete the design. At the Bald Cypress Allee, two rows of towering bald cypress trees parallel a 200-foot long walk to an Italian-style garden pavilion. There is no admission charge for individual visitors, and guided group tours can be arranged by appointment. 302.651.9617.

For those in search of outdoor adventure, Delaware also offers a plethora of nature-based activities.

Since Delaware is located along the migratory flyway, bird-watching is at a premium in the spring. Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, east of Smyrna off of Delaware Route 9, is a 15,978-acre haven for waterfowl and other migratory birds. It is a vital link in the international chain of wildlife refuges from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico and serves as home to more than 256 identified species of birds, including the bald eagle. Spring sightings include many different varieties of shorebirds and songbirds. Visitors may choose to explore Bombay Hook via a 12-mile auto route or one of several foot trails. Three observation towers provide a bird’s eye view of the refuge.

At the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, skirting the west shore of Delaware Bay about 22 miles southeast of Dover, shorebird numbers peak in the spring when migrating birds, --
including red knots, ruddy turnstones, least sandpipers, and semipalmated plovers, arrive to rest and feed. Birding for warblers is at its best in May. There are four short hiking trails, ranging from a half-mile loop to a one-mile round trip footpath. An interpretative pamphlet is available for paddlers on the seven-mile canoe trail. There is no charge for admission, 302.684.8419.

After a canoe trek through the bald cypress swamp at Trap Pond State Park, near Laurel, visitors can retire to one of the most exotic accommodations under the stars. Yurts, circular domed tents originating from Mongolian nomads, have become popular with campers in West Coast state parks, and Delaware is one of the first state park systems to bring them to the East Coast. Yurts are also on-site at Lums Pond State Park, near Newark. Each 16-foot yurt is surrounded by a wooden deck and furnished with futons and a bunk beds. A domed skylight at the top of the tent allows a view of the sky and stars, and limited electricity is available. For more information, call Delaware State Parks at 302.739.4702.

Outdoor adventure and cozy accommodations are combined in Biking Inn to Inn Delaware, a four day/three night package. Bikers travel 30-45 miles a day through the scenic back roads of southern Delaware. Each night they stay at a different bed and breakfast, including an eighteenth century manor, a historic inn in the seaport town of Lewes, and a country farmhouse. Call Ambassador Travel for more information, 302.456.1000.

Delaware’s natural attractions, rich historical and cultural offerings, and tax-free shopping draw more than 13 million visitors to the state each year. For more information on Delaware attractions or for assistance in planning a Delaware vacation, contact the Delaware Tourism Office, 99 Kings Highway, Dover, Del., 19901, at 1.800.441.8846 or www.state.de.us/tourism.