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Weekend on The Byway

Two Days Along the Historic, Wild, and Beautiful Bayshore.

Take a drive on the wild (and historical) side. The Delaware Bayshore Byway stretches from Historic Old New Castle in the north to the shipbuilding town of Milton in Sussex County. The 100-mile drive takes travelers through historic towns, industrial areas along the Delaware Coast, scenic wetlands and estuaries, pastoral farmland, beautiful secluded beaches, and some of the best birding on the East Coast. Bring along your “Historic Architecture of the Bayshore” trip guide to compliment your trip. So, take a drive on the wild side, and discover all the beauty and history the Delaware Bayshore has to offer.

Key Activities in this Itinerery

History

Shopping

Historic Architecture

Trip At-A-Glance
13 stops
About 57 miles
About 16 hours
Download Printable Itinerary (.pdf)
Google Map Route

(North to South)

Google Map Route

(South to North)

Day One: New Castle to Dover

The town, of New Castle, established in in 1651, boasts the distinction of being the spot where William Penn first landed in the United States. The cobblestone streets, brick sidewalks, and Colonial architecture immerse visitors in the past. For a special treat plan your trip to coincide with “A Day in Old New Castle” the Nation’s oldest continuous house and garden tour. Use Byway Bucks at most of these
locations.

Places to See:

  • The Read House and Gardens – 42 The Strand
    This magnificent Federal style mansion is the former residence of George Read II. Now a museum, it is one of only a handful of National Historic Landmarks in Delaware.
  • The New Castle Historical Society – 30 Market Street
    Stop in and let the friendly staff direct you to some of the best resources for New Castle history.
  • First State National Historic Park – 211 Delaware Street
    This expansive park spans several cities within Delaware. In New Castle, explore famous sites in the first state, including Fort Christina, New Castle Courthouse, and Old Swedes Historic Site.
  • New Castle Battery Park – 1 Delaware Street
    Relax in a scenic spot along the Delaware River.
  • Old Library Museum – 40 E Third Street
    Check out the New Castle Historical Society’s changing exhibits in this octagonal building.

Places to Eat:

  • Jessop’s Tavern – 114 Delaware Street
    Get a taste of early American fare at this historic tavern.
  • Nora Lee’s – 124 Delaware Street
    Catch a taste of Cajun cooking in New Castle.

Places to Shop:

Places to Stay:

  • Terry House Bed and Breakfast – 130 Delaware Street
    Rest at this historic townhouse, built c. 1860. It’s minutes from New Castle’s best attractions.

Historic New Castle

New Castle Courthouse
Battery Park New Castle
Jessop's Tavern
Terry House Bed & Breakfast

Delaware City

Fort Delaware
Cake Sisters
Old Canal Shops

Take Route 9 from historic New Castle to Delaware City. This stretch of the Bayshore Byway provides the most drastic change in landscape features as the quaint colonial city gives way to industrial complexes, and finally marshland. Delaware City is a small riverfront town with a downtown commercial district featuring shops and restaurants. From here visitors can catch a ferry over to Fort Delaware, located on Pea Patch Island in the middle of the Delaware Bay or embark on the 8.7 mile Michael N. Castle C and D Canal Trail. Just across the canal is Fort DuPont State Park. Continuing down Route 9 the landscape flattens out to the low lying marshland of the Augustine Wildlife and Ashton Tract Wildlife Area.

Places to See:

Places to Eat:

Places to Shop:

  • The Salt Box – 70 Clinton Street
    Find home décor, candles, soaps, and salts for everything from cooking to bathing.
  • Old Canal Shops – 129 Clinton Street
    Pick out authentic antiques at this quaint shop.

Port Penn is a brief five mile drive from Delaware City. The small town contains primarily historic structures including the Ike Cleaver House, an early Georgian style dwelling.

Places to Go:

  • Port Penn Interpretive Center –  Intersection of Routes 9 and 2
    Explore displays, programs, and tours interpreting the historic wetland communities along the Delaware River.

Places to Eat:

  • Kelly’s Tavern – 101 E Market Street
    Try a great local place serving hot sandwiches, soups, and seafood platters.

Places to Shop:

  • Port Penn Bait and Tackle –  2B S Congress Street
    Stop by this local favorite for fishing supplies or to arrange your own fishing trip.

Port Penn

Port Penn Interpretive Center

Odessa

Historic Odessa Foundation
Cantwell's Tavern
Miller-Dunham House B&B

The small town of Odessa boasts a robust historic society, which has helped preserve some early homes which served as stations on the Underground Railroad. After a busy morning take a moment to refuel your car at the Sunoco, and your body at Cantwell’s Tavern which is owned by the Historic Odessa Foundation. This is also the location where the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway and the Bayshore Byway diverge.

Places to Go:

  • Historic Odessa Foundation – 201 Main St.
    Stroll through the charming brick-lined streets of historic Odessa. Stop in the five eighteenth century houses to see exhibits, listen to a lecture, or observe a cooking demonstration.
  • Appoqunimink Friends Meeting House – 624 Main
    Street
    See the “smallest brick house of worship in the United States,” a part of Underground Railroad history.

Places to Eat:

  • Cantwell’s Tavern – 109 Main Street
    Enjoy dining, 1700s style! Try delicious homemade recipes served by costumed staff in one of Odessa’s oldest buildings.
  • Lorenzo’ Pizza and Italian – 513 Main Street
    Hungry for the classics? Stop by Lorenzo’s for great pizzas, wings, salads and soups.

Places to Stay:

Gas:

Leaving Odessa, the Byway winds through the tidal marshes and cedar swamps of southern New Castle and northern Kent Counties. Due to the low elevation, areas along this portion of the byway are prone to flooding.

Places to Go:

  • The Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge – 2501-2599 Refuge Entrance Rd., Smyrna, DE 19977
    This is a tidal site marsh that is home to many migratory birds. The Refuge has trails which include an elevated boardwalk trial, driving paths, and observatory towers. Here you can enjoy:
    • Scenic Trails
    • Birdwatching (Visit the Refuge’s website to view their “seasons of wildlife”)
    • The Historic Allee House

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Birder at Bombay Hook

Leipsic

283 Front St.
Leipsic, DE 19901

Crab pots near Sambo's Tavern

Heading south is the small town of Leipsic, established in 1837 as a small agricultural village. The town quickly became known for trapping, oystering, fishing, and canning.

Places to Eat:

  • Sambo’s Tavern – 283 Front Street
    This seasonal tavern on the Leipsic River offers Steamed crabs, sandwiches, & seafood. Patrons must be 21 or older and the tavern closes for winter (generally Nov – Mar).

Places to Shop:

  • Old Leipsic Antiques – 344 Front St
    Browse for local antiques in the historic Fennimore Store on Main Street.

Just outside of Leipsic is the historic town of Little Creek, established in the early 1800s as an oystering community. Watch fishermen still prepare their nets along the docks or drive by the Old Stone Tavern.

Places to Go:

  • The Old Stone Tavern – 364 Main St, Dover, DE 19901
    Drive by this historic home stone that was never actually a tavern! It is not open for interior touring.
  • Little Creek Dog Park – Port Mahon Rd, Dover, DE 19901
    If you are traveling with a four-legged friend, this dog park makes a nice break.

Little Creek

Old Stone Tavern House

Overnight Stop: Dover

Biggs Museum of American Art
Woodburn: The Governor's House
La Delicia Mexican Restaurant
Forneys Too

While not actually on the Bayshore Byway, the state capital, Dover, lies four miles to the west of Little Creek. Downtown Dover offers a variety of museums, free attractions, events, and restaurants. Travelers can find, in addition to local food and shops, a variety of larger chain stores and restaurants to satisfy all their needs.

Places to Go:

Places to Eat:

Places to Shop

Places to Stay:

As the capitol of Delaware, there are many, many options for lodging. Please check the following sites for ideas:

Day Two: St. Jones Neck to Milton

Day two begins the southern leg of the Bayshore Byway. This half of the trip takes travelers through maritime communities that have been shaped by their proximity to major rivers and the ocean.

St. Jones Neck is the site of one of the state’s earliest English settlements. Today, the beauty of the agricultural lands surrounding the wildlife areas offers you opportunities for history, heritage and natural resource discoveries.

Places to Go:

  • John Dickinson Plantation – 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover
    Check out the residence of one of the Nation’s founders and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
  • St. Jones Reserve – 818 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover
    Explore Delaware’s estuaries with a walk on the two-mile nature trail and participate in hands-on activities and demonstrations at the Visitor’s Center.
  • Ted Harvey Wildlife Conservation Area – 2016 Kitts Hummock Rd., Dover
    2,700 acres of trails, lakes, and woodlands ideal for hiking, biking, dog-walking, fishing or hunting.

St. Jones Neck

John Dickinson Plantation
St. Jones Reserve

Frederica

DE Turf Sports Complex
Barnacles Ice Cream

Frederica is situated around multiple inland water bodies, including the Murderkill River and its branches Spring Creek, Browns Branch and Ash Gut. Due to its geographic location among wetlands and the frogs that were drawn to them, Frederica earned the nickname, “Frogtown”.

Places to Go

  • DE Turf Sports Complex – 4000 Bay Rd., Frederica
    Get some exercise or watch a game at the largest all-synthetic turf sports facility in the Mid-Atlantic.
  • Barratt’s Chapel,  Museum & Cemetery – 6362 Bay Road, Frederica
    Tour exhibits, archives, and artifacts at this 1780 church, considered the “cradle” of American Methodism.

Places to Eat:

  • Barnacles Ice Cream – 201 Hubbard Avenue, Frederica
    Try delicious gourmet ice cream flavors sourced from the 5th generation Bassetts Ice Cream Company. (Closed in Winter)
  • Frederica Pizza & Pasta House – 1491 Frederica Road
    Bring the family for fresh, handmade pizza, pastas, salads, and desserts.

Bowers Beach is the first sandy beach one encounters traveling south. Its maritime history is celebrated in May at the Buccaneer Bash, and again in August when the town commemorates “Big Thursday,” the official beginning of oyster harvesting season. Spend a little time taking in the quiet coastal town energy. If you really want to get into the seafaring spirit, chartered boats are available.

Places to Go:

  • Bowers Beach Maritime Museum – 3357 Main Street, Bowers Beach
    Take in the unique culture and history of Bowers Beach with exhibits and displays at this charming house museum.
  • Captain’s Lady Charters – 213 Wyatt Street, Bowers Beach
    Take a tour out on the water or get some fishing in on the largest charter boat in Bowers Beach.
  • Big Thursday Festival – Bowers Beach Maritime Museum
    Celebrated on a Sunday, the Big Thursday Festival is an annual tradition with plenty of festivities for everyone.
  • Buccaneer Bash – Bowers Beach Maritime Museum
    Enjoy pirate-themed games, music, food, and demonstrations at this annual Spring festival.

Places to Eat:

  • JP’s on the Wharf – 201 Hubbard Avenue, Bowers Beach
    Relax on the wharf with a great selection of local seafood, cool off with local brews, and sample delicious ice cream. (Closed during Winter)
  • Bayview Tavern – 165 Hubbard Avenue, Bowers Beach
    Dine on well-crafted local seafood, steaks, and burgers. Stay for the dancing.

Bowers Beach

Bowers Beach Maritime Museum
Buccaneer Bash

Milford

Mispillion River Walk
Abbott's Mill Nature Center
Mispillion River Brewing
Not Too Shabby Home & Decor
Sunnybrae Mansion Farm

Stroll through downtown Milford and you’ll travel through three contiguous National Register Historic Districts: North Milford, Victorian, and Shipyard Historic Districts. Be sure and take in these highlights:

  • Mispillion River Walk – 103 S Washington St, Milford
    Stroll along the river and through the heart of Milford at the largest municipal park in Delaware.
  • Vinyard Shipyard – Columbia Street, Milford
    Check out this still functioning shipyard, the place where vessels key to Milford’s maritime history were built.
  • Abbott’s Mill Nature Center – 15411 Abbott’s Pond Road, Milford
    Spend time in the outdoors at this 376-acre preserve with handicap-accessible boardwalks, trails, a grist mill, picnic areas, and kayak rentals.
  • Parson Thorne Mansion –  501 NW Front Street
    Stop by this stunning mansion dating from Milford’s earliest years as you visit downtown.
  • Milford Museum – 121 S Walnut Street, Milford
    See exhibits that showcase Milford from the 1700s on, including baseball, doll and silverware collections, and veterans’ stories.
  • DuPont Nature Center – 2992 Lighthouse Road, Milford
    Learn about the ecology of the Delaware Bay with exhibits and aquariums. Enjoy scenic harbor views.

Places to Eat:

  • Mispillion River Brewing – 255 Mullet Run St., Milford
    Sample a great variety of craft beers at this fun and inviting local brewery.
  • Dolce Bakery – 36 N Walnut Street, Milford
    Sample sweet and savory pastries, cakes, cookies, and breakfast sandwiches, plus great coffee.
  • Meding’s Seafood – 3697 Bay Road, Milford
    Check out a variety of fresh seafood dishes and market catches of the day.

Places to Shop:

  • Not Too Shabby Home & Décor – 614 NW Front Street, Milford
    Specializing in restoring well loved pieces of furniture and home decor back to life..
  • Red Bandana – 3 N Walnut Street, Milford
    Check out a great selection of vintage comics, cards, video games, and action figures.
  • Mispillion Art League – 5 N Walnut Street, Milford
    Stop in to view displays of local art or take a class at this community arts center.

Places to Stay:

  • The Towers Bed & Breakfast – 101 NW Front Street, Milford
    Spend an evening or two at this luxurious historic mansion that Getaways Magazine calls “absolute perfection.”
  • Causey Mansion Bed & Breakfast – 2 Causey Avenue, Milford
    Relax at this 1763 Georgian mansion, a four-suite local landmark.
  • Sunnybrae Mansion Farm  – 416 NE 10th Street, Milford
    Stay in one of the ten rooms at this stunning Georgian Revival style
    house with lush gardens.

As you depart Milford, you’ll ease your way into the wilder part of the Byway and get back to nature.

  • Spend some time at Fowler Beach, the official sanctuary for our state marine animal, the horseshoe crab. Enjoy fishing, wildlife watching, watersports, or just relaxing on the pristine beach.
  • Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge has been a sanctuary for migratory birds since 1963. Visit a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset seven days a week. The refuge is a fantastic location for walking trails, wildlife observation and photography, and canoeing/kayaking in the Spring and Summer.

Fowler Beach & Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Prime Hook Overlook

Milton

Milton Theatre
Georgetown Speedway
Dogfish Head Brewery

Milton is one of the small, historic Delaware towns that prospered through shipbuilding and shipping in the 19th century. In 1807, the town was named Milton by the General Assembly in honor of English poet John Milton and incorporated in 1865. Some highlights include:

Places to Go:

  • Milton Theatre – 110 Union Street, Milton
    Experience theater retro style with special screenings, musical theater, comedy shows, and musical performances in this historic building.
  • Georgetown Speedway –  Route 113 and Speedway Road, Milton
    For the auto-racing enthusiast, Georgetown Speedway is sure to please. Considered one of the fastest dirt tracks in the nation, it has been the starting point for some of the best racers.
  • Lavender Fields Farm at Warrington Manor – 18864 Cool Spring Road, Milton
    Walk through beautiful rows of purple lavender, learn about its healing properties, and pick your own lavender in this tranquil environment.

Places to Eat:

  • Dogfish Head Brewery – 511 Chestnut Street, Milton
    Come sample some of Delaware’s finest craft brewed beer.
  • King’s Ice Cream – 302 Union Street, Milton
    Take the family to this old-style ice cream parlor, a local institution since 1972. (Closed in Winter)
  • The Backyard – 211 Broadkill Road, Milton
    A restaurant and bakery focusing on seasonal and local foods, traditional favorites and new ideas. 

Looking to Add On?

More intrepid drivers can continue on to Lewes via the Historic Lewes Byway to relax on the beach, explore Cape Henlopen State Park, or hop on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry to continue along the New Jersey Bayshore Heritage Byway.

Find out more
Historic Lewes Byway
Cape Henlopen
Cape May-Lewes Ferry

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Delaware Greenways extends its thanks to the Delaware Department of Transportation, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and Delaware Tourism Office for their generous support in the development of the Delaware Bayshore Byway website.

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