So much to see, so many attactions to visit and appreciate… so little time now! We’ve just learned that there’s a “Lifetime Pass” for Delaware State Parks, and we’re very grateful for the opportunity to enjoy some time with mother nature!

While we’re still deciding what to do during our last week in Delaware, we found this great description of natural attractions, from Delaware State Parks, with the respective links for further information… some would involve a bit of driving (and it could become pretty challenging with 3 kids aged 6 and under!) – but all well worthy! 😮

All information displayed below is public and further details may be obtained at the DE State Parks administration office.

Delaware State Parks have exceptional trails, ponds, beaches, forests and fields, but there’s so much more! Delaware State Parks bring you exotic animals at the Brandywine Zoo, resort cottages and a state-of-the-art marina at Indian River, folk art at the Blue Ball Barn, and history in the Mt. Pleasant Meeting House, Indian River Life-Saving Station, Fort Miles Historical Area and many, many more special places.

Auburn Heights Preserve

Delaware State Parks’ newest attraction offers the chance to experience life at the dawn of the automotive age.. Home to the three generations of the Marshall family, the Auburn Heights mansion is fully furnished with exquisite antiques. The Marshall Steam Museum, operated by the Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve, features model and scale trains as well as the largest collection of steam automobiles in the world!

Blue Ball Barn

This extraordinary barn, built in 1914 by Alfred I. duPont, is named after the Blue Ball Tavern, an inn and meeting house, that was once located near the property. The Blue Ball Barn is the centerpiece of the new Alapocas Run State Park, and an example of the preservation and adaptive reuse of an historic structure.

Brandywine Zoo

Open since 1905, Delaware’s only zoo is located a few steps from the Brandywine River. The 12-acre zoo features a siberian tiger, river otters, and other animals native to the Americas and the temperate areas of Asia.

The Cottages at Indian River Marina

The cottages at Indian River Inlet are located on the north shore of the Indian River Inlet inside Delaware Seashore State Park. The park is one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s most popular recreational destinations, with a wealth of natural settings and six miles of ocean and bay shoreline.

Delaware Folk Art Collection

The works in the collection reflect the local cultures of Delaware. Visitors are able to tour the exhibit and yard art use the interactive touchscreens to learn about the collection, and the artists and their work.

Fort Miles Historical Area

During World War II, the Delaware River was a chief priority for defense planners because of the access it afforded to the giant trade centers of Wilmington, Philadelphia, and beyond. Fort Miles, located in what is now Cape Henlopen State Park, was a key piece in the nation’s coastal defense at that time.

Indian River Life-Saving Station

A trip back in time with the help of a soft breeze off the inlet and pristine white sand, against the backdrop of a picturesque, historic Life-Saving Station. The Life-Saving Station has been meticulously restored to its 1905 appearance, complete with diamond-shaped trim.

Mount Pleasant Meeting House

A step back to a simpler time at the Mount Pleasant Meeting House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A restored sanctuary with its original decorative amber windows and walnut pews, the meeting house offers a simple, yet tranquil setting.

Delaware State Parks Assistance Program (delawarefamilytofamily.wordpress.com)
Day 02: Wilmington, Delaware (Lums Pond SP) – Wilmington, DE (travelpod.com)
Photos near a trail head of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Trail (workingsandbox.com)
Fort Delaware Offers Program on the Lenape-Delaware Indian Heritage – 7/14/12 (thecatskillchronicle.com)

Going through our pictures from the family’s recent vacation in the US, discovered we’ve got way more than we thought… Here are some images from our visit to a Fall Fair in historic Milton, DE:

History & Heritage

“MILTON, only 7 miles from the Delaware Bay in a direct line but many more by the convoluted Broadkill, is one of the little old Delaware towns that prospered through shipbuilding and shipping in the 19 century. The shipyards have long ago disappeared from the foot of Union and Federal Streets… The business section displays a rare lot of the permanent store awnings, wood or metal roofed, that was used to shade the sidewalk in front of nearly every store in lower Delaware, but have disappeared from main streets. The old part of the town contains many old cypress-shingled houses characteristic of eastern Sussex County.” – From Delaware – A Guide to the First State, American Guide Series, 1938