Boy am I slow...

[Tuckervill]

Nice, Pardes!

I was just looking online at state parks in Delaware. I've never been there, but son (14) and I are heading that way in September, and we need a beach to visit while we travel. The state park I was looking at I think was Henlopen?

Delaware and Rhode Island are states we have yet to cross off our list. Any recommendations of must-sees in Delaware?

Karen

[pardes]

Northern Delaware

Chad's Ford in Pa into Delaware to end of Route 9 in Dover. The scenic areas where herds of bikers travel.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2153752

highlights
Brandywine Battlefield
Chad's Ford Art museum
scenic roads into Wilmington
There are some major mountain bike areas near Newark in White Clay Creek parks.
very scenic ride from New Castle to Dover on Route 9 which is beautiful
Pea Patch Island a must-see and break from biking. Take the ferry to the island and step back into the Civil War at Ft. Delaware.

Delaware beaches

US 1 from Wilmington to the beaches is a MAJOR speed highway. Avoid at all costs.

I haven't traveled the beach area yet but the Rail Trail looks great. US 1 from Rehoboth to Ocean City is very busy in summer but not a super highway and not as fast and should be fine in Sept. Lots of turnoffs to get to the beach in just yards of walking.

Junction and Breakwater Rail Trail

http://www.traillink.com/ViewTrailMa...AcctID=6015481

http://www.railstotrails.org/resourc...waterTrail.pdf

http://www.railtrails.org/newsandpub...ives/0411.html

[Becky]

Pardes has some great suggestions! I love Fort Delaware and Pea Patch Island! I'll just toss out a couple more of my own....

Cape Henlopen is a beautiful state park. I actually got to live there for a couple of summers (in the park!) as a lowly intern at the college down the road.

If you go, check out the remnants of the WWII-era naval installation (Fort Miles)....the bunkers, the observation towers, and the "T-Building" at Herring Point. Herring Point used to be the "secret" beach that only the fishermen and locals knew about. Not sure if that's true anymore....

Lewes itself is a beautiful little town, perfect for strolling. It's a much quieter town than Rehoboth Beach, and more to my liking. Alas, it's been about 8 years since I lived there, so I don't know any of the shops or restaurants anymore.

A word of caution: please be exceedingly careful on Route 1, especially between Lewes and Bethany Beach. It's very heavily traveled by cars and some brave cyclists, but there are several reports each summer of cyclists and pedestrians getting hurt or killed there. I don't mean to alarm you, just looking out for you. Oh, and all of the municipalities love to run speed traps on their sections of Route 1...when they say 35 mph in Dewey Beach, they really do mean it

Have a great trip!