You Can’t Afford To Miss These 8 Free Outdoor Activities In Delaware
By Kim Magaraci|Published May 21, 2017
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Kim Magaraci
Author
Kim Magaraci graduated Rutgers University with a degree in Geography and has spent the last seven years as a freelance travel writer. Contact: kmagaraci@onlyinyourstate.com
Delaware is full of great activities for people who love to explore the outdoors! Our state parks are some of the best on the East Coast, and they are so worth the couple of dollars it costs to enter and explore a park for the day. In fact, I would really recommend everyone in Delaware check out each of the 5 Under-Appreciated State Parks In Delaware You’re Sure To Love before the Spring and Summer are over.
Sometimes, though, it’s nice to head out for a day in nature without having to open your wallet. For those times, these incredible outdoor activities are completely free!
1. Catch a movie (or roast marshmallows!) on the beach.
Dewey Beach hosts movies and bonfires all summer long! Learn more about what they've got going on right here! Bethany Beach and Rehoboth also host free movie nights throughout the summer, so be sure to keep an eye out for flyers and town calendars as the schedules start to be released. After all, there's no cooler way to spend a nice summer evening than with family or friends on the sand, enjoying a great flick or some delicious s'mores.
Geocaching is the modern day equivalent of searching for buried treasure. Follow clues and GPS coordinates to find these drop boxes filled with trinkets and a visitor's log. There's an entire Delaware Geocache Trail with hundreds of Cache sites!
Pack a cooler and a picnic lunch, pick up some tubes or floats at your favorite store, and drop in at Thompson's Bridge. The gentle flow of the Brandywine will take you and your group for a great natural lazy river float! Just be sure to leave another car at your destination, so that you don't have to hike all the way back to your drop-in point.
The Red Clay Scenic Byway takes you through the stunning Brandywine and Red Clay Creek Valley, the Nanticoke Heritage Byway brings you through the native lands of western Delaware, and the Harriet Tubman byway takes you to often overlooked historic spots along the Underground Railroad in the first state. All of these make for beautiful, relaxing and educational drives, but my favorite is probably the Delaware Bayshore Byway along Route 9 that takes you through some of the most scenic marsh, shore and farmland in the entire state.
Held in late June, the CB Jazz Festival is one of the largest in the country, and it's completely free to attend! Catch the best jazz performers on stage as they entertain in the best way. I've never been surrounded by more talent in my life. Learn more about the festival here.
From Wilmington to Leipsic and down to Milford, Delaware's river towns are some of the most scenic towns in the state. Wilmington's Riverwalk is a great escape from city life, so don't discount it! Try to find as many of the stunning birdhouses as you can. When you want to head south, visit any of these great charming river towns in Delaware for a relaxing afternoon.
First State National Historic Park is one of the newest in the country! Visit the NCC Courthouse and other historic Delaware landmarks as you learn more about your state's history. Find a list of all of the Park's sites and landmarks, as well as visitor's information, on the NPS website
8. Visit the DuPont Environmental Education Center.
This is one of Delaware's free nature centers and it's open year round. The grounds include 10 acres of gardens, a pond trail, and a four story nature center with educational displays and unbelievable views. The DEEC is in the Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge, which is part of 212 acres of tidal marsh. Spot Bald Eagles, turtles, beavers, migratory birds, and countless species of plants and other wildlife. The DuPont Environmental Education Center is located at 1400 Delmarva Lane, Wilmington, DE 19801 and you can find visitor's information here
With all this going on, you’ll have a busy summer ahead of you! Remember to take the time to appreciate these sites and events, and if you want to help keep these free, consider volunteering to help the organizations that make these centers, festivals, and sites openly available to enjoy.
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