It is the unique goal of many travel adventurers to visit all 50 states in America. To boost this objective, each week, we shall explore one state. Alphabetically, the eighth state to visit is none other than Delaware, abbreviated DE. Regardless of the order in which you visit them, Delaware is one of the most fun states to visit.
| State Motto | Liberty and Independence |
| State Flower | Peach blossom |
| State Bird | Blue hen chicken |
| State Gemstone | Sillimanite |
| State Capital | Dover |
| Famous foods | Boardwalk fries, blue crabs, turkey and stuffing and cranberry sauce subs, saltwater taffy, chicken, slippery dumplings, peaches, apple butter, and lemon butter |
The eighth U.S. state alphabetically is Delaware. The Diamond State is known for its family-friendly beaches, namely Dewey and Rehoboth, that attract visitors to their sunny shores. It is also known for its many trails and parks, which nature enthusiasts adore. This east coast Mid-Atlantic state is home of President Biden and is an overall popular shopping destination noted for having no sales tax. Delaware also falls within the South Atlantic division of the United States. The state is named after its own largest river and is the second smallest in size after Rhode Island, featuring a total area of 1,982 square miles, with a width of 30 miles and length of 96. Though Delaware is the forty-ninth largest state, it gained its title of First State by being the first to ratify the United States Constitution on December 7, 1787. It is an important place historically as the United States of America began with the admission of Delaware as a state. Delaware sits south of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with Maryland to its south and west. The state is primarily surrounded by bodies of water, and it is situated on the coast of both the Delaware River and Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
One of Delaware’s top attractions can be found on the shores of Brandywine Creek. The Hagley Museum and Library is a historical museum and nonprofit educational institution in Wilmington that covers more than 235 acres. Visitors can take fully guided historic home and garden tours of the first du Pont family home and garden, complete with powder yards and a 19th-century machine shop. The tour includes the Eleutherian Mills Residence and a visit to the E.I. du Pont Renaissance-revival Garden. Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library also ranks high on the list of great things to do. This beautiful mansion features the most significant collection of American decorative arts in the world, thanks to visionary Henry Francis du Pont. Visitors can enjoy a world-class naturalistic garden set within 1,000 acres of rolling hills, meadows, streams, and forests. Self-guided and specialty tours are available to allow people to gain a closer look at the treasures at Winterthur. Nemours Estate, which is comprised of a 77-room mansion built to resemble a French chateau and the largest formal French gardens in North America, is simply exquisite. For those interested in Rural Gothic Revival Architecture, a trip to Rockwood Park & Museum is most enjoyable. Built between 1851 and 1854 by banker Joseph Shipley, a visit to the historic and memorable museum will not be forgotten.
Delaware is home to another must-see destination – a place which bears its name, The Delaware Art Museum, featuring pre-Raphaelite art, contemporary American art, Brandywine school illustrators, and more, and a 9-acre sculpture garden. Highlights include significant holdings of work by John Sloan, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and Howard Pyle. The museum welcomes families and even features a Kids’ Corner, an interactive space for families. Adults and kids alike will also enjoy a trip to the 12-acre Brandywine Zoo, a small zoo that opened in 1905 in Brandywine Park, Wilmington. The zoo takes on the philosophy that good things come in small packages, and they proudly feature animals from the tropical and temperate areas of North and South America, Asia, and Africa. The philosophy that good things come in small packages can also be extended to the state, as there is much to see, do, and enjoy in this Small Wonder.
Interesting! Do you know how Delaware gained the nickname the Diamond State? According to legend, Thomas Jefferson described Delaware as a “jewel” among states due to its strategic location on the eastern seaboard.
Next up: Florida