Wilmington is the 2nd smallest state in America however there are lots of things to do in Wilmington. This place is located near the Christina River and it is a popular getaway for people who live in Philadelphia, Washington D.C and New York City because of its tourist-attracted places.
Riverwalk allows you to enjoy the view of the waterfront area. From downtown to the DuPont Environmental Education Center there are lots of restaurants that you can enjoy.
Nemours Estate is a large place that you need an entire day to explore and the Brandywine Zoo is suitable for family visits and people who visit with their kids.
From natural gardens to museums, there are lots of things you can do while you are visiting Wilmington.
These are the top-rated things to do in Wilmington
1. View the Scenery and Grab a Bite on the Riverwalk
The river walk of Wilmington is a 1.75-mile-long path that goes along the bank of the Christina River. This path allows you to enjoy the city view while walking and the path is filled with side restaurants so you can spend an entire day in this place. Among those restaurants, Big Fish Grill has the most tourist attraction.
This Riverwalk runs from Youth Rowing Club to DuPont Environmental Education Center. This walk allows you to enjoy the view of the city from Russell Peterson Wildlife Refuge to the downtown core. While you are walking along the path you can enjoy the views of statues and intricate birdhouses.
There are lots of things you can do in Wilmington city and because of that, this place has become one of the top tourist-attracted towns in the state.
Hyatt Place Wilmington Riverfront is one of the best places that you can stay while you are visiting this place. This is a modern hotel and it is located near the River Walk. It offers you rooms with large windows with seating areas to enjoy the view. In addition to that, all the room prices include breakfast and access to parking and the fitness centre. Delaware Children’s Museum resides within walking distance from this place and there are lots of restaurants that you can enjoy near this place.
Visiting this place is one of the best things to do in Wilmington.
2. Enjoy the Other Half Live at Nemours Estate
Nemours Estate is one of the unique mansions that you will see in this Wilmington area. This is one of the historic estates which has 200 acres of area and the industrialist Alfred I. DuPont once lived here.
This place has beautiful gardens, tree-line walkways, beautiful fountains and budding flowers which will give you a great view. Beautiful French-styled gardens and woodlands give you wonderful scenery to watch.
While you are in this place you may want to spend the entire time outside but there are lots of things that you can see in the historic mansion. This conservatory has some interesting things that you should see including a giant bird cage, black and white checked flooring, floral drapes, intricately carved wall coverings and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Even though this is an old mansion this place has some modern equipment to display including fridges and an electric basement. Here you will see the trophy hall, bowling alley, shuffleboard room and duPont’s exercise and shower rooms in addition to those, there is a very early version of an electric sauna.
You need at least half a day to explore all of the things in this place when you visit this place.
This place is open from April to December but the best time to visit this place is in the late spring and summer because at that time the gardens are in full bloom. This place is located near the Nemours Children’s Hospital and it can be seen behind the Horseshoe Fountain and Water Tower.
Visiting this place is one of the best things to do in Wilmington. 1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, Delaware (on the campus of Nemours Children’s Health) is the address of this place in case you are planning to visit this place.
The official website: http://nemoursestate.org/
3. Enjoy the Gardens at Mount Cuba Center
If you arrive on a warm sunny day you will experience the full beauty of this place. This 600-acre place is located 20 minutes away from Wilmington city and it is a wonderful place for nature lovers.
Mount Cuba is one of the best places to visit in this town and when you visit this place, you need to spend at least a few hours to truly enjoy the things in this place including the flora and fauna. Also, you can make this visit a picnic if you pack some food to eat while you are enjoying the surrounding scenery.
While you are in this place please make sure that you have visited Copeland House where Pamela Copeland lived, Trillium, Round, Trial, south gardens, Bluey’s woods, the sparking ponds and the Dogwood Path.
You can sign up for some of the events organized by this place throughout the year including story time sprouts, family yoga, guided welcome walks, tai chi, gardening classes and art. This place is open from April to November every week Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.
In case you want some of the plants in this place to grow in your home, then you can buy seeds from the sale in this place and the staff will assist you with how to grow these plants in your home.
Visiting this place is one of the best things to do in Wilmington. 3120 Barley Mill Road, Hockessin, Delaware is the address of this place in case you are planning to visit this place.
The official website: https://mtcubacenter.org/
4. Learn and Enjoy Nature at the DuPont Environmental Education Center
This place is located near one of the interesting intersections in Wilmington. This education centre is located at the meeting point of Christina River, a freshwater tidal marsh and the city. This place offers its visitors a good view of the Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge.
This centre was built in 2009 by the Delaware Nature Society in partnership with Riverfront Development Corporation. DEEC’s aim is to educate and connect its visitors with the natural world and encourage them to build a cleaner and better world.
This place consists of 4 floors with an area of 13,500 square feet. There are multiple things displayed in this place including flora and fauna, natural topics, other interactive exhibits and social programming.
Outside of the DEEC, there is a highly accessible boardwalk and it connects with Jack A. Markell Trail which is a 7-mile long trail extending to New Castle. Visitors can come to this place all year long and there are bike rental facilities for the visitors.
Visiting this place is one of the best things to do in Wilmington. 1400 Delmarva Lane, Wilmington, Delaware is the address of this place in case you are planning to visit this place.
The official website: https://www.delawarenaturesociety.org/centers/dupont-environmental-education-center/
5. Watch Wildlife at the Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge
This place is located right in the centre of the city, it has an area of 212 acres and it hosts more than 400 species of animals and plants in it.
If you bring your binoculars with you when you visit this place you can see the best view of the creatures in this place from the DuPont Environmental Education Center up close.
This place consists of a freshwater tidal marsh named after a former environmental activist and governor of Delaware state. There is a boardwalk that loops around the pond and it is accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. The elevator in the DEEC allows visitors to access this path.
This place also links with the Wilmington Riverwalk and ornamental garden.
Visiting this place is one of the best things to do in Wilmington. 1400 Delmarva Lane, Wilmington, Delaware is the address of this place in case you are planning to visit this place.
6. Ride on a Train at the Wilmington & Western Railroad
In 1871 on October 19 the Wilmington and Western Railroad opened to the public. Since its opening, it acted as an important transport mode for both products and people. Because of the other modes of transport available with time, the position of the railroad has changed.
In the early 1960s, this railroad was listed as the heritage railroad which transported passengers of all ages for fun. But in the present day, visitors can get on board one of the oldest steam railroads to enjoy the ride and watch the beautiful scenery through the valley of Red Clay Creek.
These rides are done with famous superhero and princess characters or in the Christmas time ride with Santa.
While you are on the journey on the train you can see several beautiful things along the way including Greenbank Mills and Philips Farm, Brandywine Spring Park and Sharpless Dam.
Visiting this place is one of the best things to do in Wilmington. 2201 Newport Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware is the address of this place in case you are planning to visit this place.
The official website: https://www.wwrr.com/
7. Experiment with Science at the Delaware Children’s Museum
This place has gone to great lengths to make learning fun for the kids. This is one of the top family attractions places which has a bright yellow building near the Riverwalk. Inside this facility, you will find visitors of all age ranges from children to grandparents.
This place has about 37,000 square feet of area to educate its visitors to love science, technology and math. Among the other exhibits the Stratosphere Exhibit is one of the popular exhibits among children. It is a 30 feet diameter structure; the children can climb.
Also, the Tree Pavilion Exhibit is the other popular one among the children, it is a preserved 250-year-old sycamore tree that is used to educate children about the importance of trees while climbing. In addition to that, there is an area dedicated to hands-on activities and experiments in the S.T.E.M Room.
Please note that the museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Visiting this place is one of the best things to do in Wilmington. 550 Justison Street, Wilmington, Delaware is the address of this place in case you are planning to visit this place.
The official website: https://delawarechildrensmuseum.org/
8. Learn About History at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
This place is located just 15 minutes drive from northeast Wilmington. This place has 175 rooms and there are 90,000 items in its collection and some of which are dating back to the year 1640.
The goal of this place according to a former inhabitant of this place, Henry Francis DuPont is to educate the public about American culture. His collected and furnishing works are on display in both the permanent collection and changing galleries.
Winterthur Library is an impressive library focused on 17th to 20th-century American history based on artworks, and cultural and social events.
Also on the outside, there is a 1000-acre area filled with lush gardens, rolling hills, meadows and vast woodlands. In case you are tired to explore this place further, you can hop on a tram.
Visiting this place is one of the best things to do in Wilmington. 5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware is the address of this place in case you are planning to visit this place.
The official website: https://www.winterthur.org/
9. Wander through the Sculpture Garden at the Delaware Art Museum
In the Delaware Art Museum, one of the best things you can do is walk through the Sculpture Garden. Giant works done in this place gets the most attractive among the other ones and also among the younger visitors the labyrinth is quite famous.
This museum is located in a quiet and friendly neighbourhood which you would not expect.
In this museum, you can see a variety of art pieces displayed and the museum has about 12,000 pieces of art in its permanent collection from all around the world.
There are dining options available for you in the Faffeina at Thronson Café, you can enjoy your meal at one of the outdoor picnic tables while enjoying the view of the Sculpture Garden. There are several events organized in this place throughout the year and in the happy hour of the Sculpture Garden there are live music events as well.
There are free admissions on Thursdays from 2 to 8 pm.
Visiting this place is one of the best things to do in Wilmington. 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware is the address of this place in case you are planning to visit this place.
The official website: https://delart.org/
10. Learn About Dinosaurs at the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science
This place is popular among most visitors not only children but also adults too. This place was opened in 1957 as the Delaware Museum of Natural History and this place hosts events, exhibits and programs for the visitor’s taste.
In case you are searching for the ancient ecosystems or the giant creatures who lived in this Delaware area, you will find several artefacts that give you some knowledge.
Skylight Atrium is a very special exhibit this place has, it shows how 1.6 million species are connected. Also, the Alison K. Bradford Global Journey Gallery offers some exciting things for you including Arctic Tundra, African Savanna, ocean life and tropical rainforests.
In addition to those mentioned before there are some cafes so you can enjoy a snack while you are visiting this place.
Visiting this place is one of the best things to do in Wilmington. 4840 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware is the address of this place in case you are planning to visit this place.
The official website: https://delmns.org/
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth visiting Wilmington?
This place has several restaurants and top museums for your exploration. This is a popular getaway with most of the local people in the surrounding large cities.
Is Wilmington a Walkable city?
Downtown is a bit crowded but it is walkable. But you need to have a vehicle to go to the other interesting site like beaches. Public transportation available in this area is minimum and also you can use bikes to visit places.
Is Wilmington NC expensive?
Housing expenses are 23% lower and utility prices are 4% higher than the national average. Also, the transportation expenses are higher and the grocery expenses are lower than the national average.
Is it safe to travel to Wilmington NC?
In this place, the crime rates are the same as the national average. But most crimes are reported in domestic areas. So tourists should only be worried about theft and larceny.