More than just a drive through
 

My family and I are planning a trip which will include Maryland and Delaware. Also included is a trip to DC and down through VA. Will probably come up from Maryland via Ocean City. Looking for some intersting things to see and do while we are there. We might take the ferry at Lewes across Deleware Bay to New Jersey and come back around to Wilmington before heading to DC to fly home. Thoughts or suggestions?

What time of year are you doing this? The ferry from Lewes to Cape May is a nice idea, but then you are at the Jersey shore and if it's not the summer, there isn't a heck of a lot to do. You could lunch in Cape May, and then drive up to Atlantic City, walk the Boardwalk and hit a casino.

It's only an hour from Atlantic City to Philadelphia and you could easily spend a day there.

The area around Wilmington is du Pont country and there are a number of museums, etc. Hagley Museum and Winterthur are two of these and worth seeing. Longwood Gardens is a world class garden and takes 3 hours or so to tour.

We will be there early to mid-June. Probably won't do the casinos in Atlantic City. Might go there just to say we've been.

It would be a shame to miss Philadelphia if you're going to be so close but hey, it's your vacation. As far as Delaware is concerned I agree that any of the DuPont estates that are now museums are well worth the visit. The properties are very well maintained. The Hagley is my favorite. It's over 200 acres and was where they began producing gunpowder along the Brandywine River.

If you enjoy art, consider the Brandywine River Museum, home for the Wyeths. Nearby is a battlefield. Lots of fine eateries. Wilmington has a wonderful riverfront downtown, nice for walking.

I'm not sure if you've been to Lewes, but I think it would make for a wonderful afternoon. It has historic homes and a cute "downtown" The ferry ride will be nice at that time of year and Cape May is wonderful in that you can just explore the Victorian homes and shops.

I agree that it would be a shame to miss philadelphia if going through there. Before going onto the ferry don't forget to see some of rehoboth beach right before lewes and the wonderful outlets for shopping. As far as wilmington there are museums and places to eat and should be great since in the summer it is slow since people are at the beach. I reccomend Longwood gardens if you have the chance.

Someday I want to visit Frederick MD to see the Community Bridge. I saw slides of the incredible trompe l'oeil effect. There's a web page about turning the ordinary concrete bridge into a work of art. In VA we enjoyed Luray Caverns at the top of the Skyline Drive and also Monticello. I agree Longwood gardens are beautiful and a great idea if you've been spending too much time in the car.

Cape May is a nice day trip...there's the pedestrian village with lots of quaint shops and eateries and a short drive (10 min?) will take you to the lighthouse and Sunset Beach. The Cape May County Zoo is small but wonderful (heard my first lion's roar there) and FREE. The Cape May Whale Research Center offers an inexpensive whale watch boat ride (not sure if you're traveling with small children but my 2 "under-fives" were free).

Skip AC if you don't like to gamble...not worth it. Go to Philly instead and do some exploring there. I'd also recommend Longwood Gardens (should be beautiful in June).

Good luck!

Christina

In the nice weather, I highly recommend a trip on the Lewes/Cape May ferry. It's a nice ride, not too long, very relaxing. But, only if you plan to visit Cape May (there's a free shuttle bus from the dock), which is a lovely place to visit if you enjoy Victorian architecture and landscaping - just gorgeous! The town is also chock full of interesting shopping and wonderful restaurants, along with a beautiful beach.

Rehoboth is a terrific beach town. Wonderful day trip, terrific food, not too "touristy" boardwalk, nice beach and views. We much prefer Rehoboth to Ocean City (which has grown and grown) and is much louder, and more crowded. While in Rehoboth last year, we took a ride to Ocean City for the day and wished we had just stayed in Rehoboth.

We're not gamblers, but loved spending half a day at Wildwood and the other half and the evening in Atlantic City. Atlantic City is fun for the "scene" and lights!

Thanks everyone for their input. We are having a terrible time finding a hotel for the weekend of June 16-17. Is there something special going on or is it just everyone going to the beach?

Sorry for the late reply.

There are hundreds of hotels, motels and B&Bs listed on my Web site: MyJerseyShore.com. I'm sure you'll find something for that weekend.

My site covers the Jersey Shore from Brigantine (just north of Atlantic City) down to Cape May.