A work trip brought me out to Wilmington, Delaware in early March on short notice. When I made plans to visit three new states in 2023, I didn’t expect Delaware to be first on that list, but it was. Early March might not seem like the best time to visit Delaware, and that’s probably true, but when you are traveling away from winter in Wisconsin, pretty much anywhere is warmer. We didn’t hit the beaches or even do much sightseeing for that matter, but for a busy work trip, we still were able to see a lot.
My coworker and I were attending the 2023 National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association symposium near the Christina River and we were only going to be in the state for about two days (not including travel days). In that time we were able to do a decent amount of exploring, mostly racking up different stops along the Riverwalk in Wilmington, Delaware. Here were some of our favorites.
1. Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant
It’s been a long time since I’ve gone to a brewery and genuinely enjoy each beer in my flight. I sampled four brews during our evening at Iron Hill: Little Red Wagon, Brambleberry, Homestead and Winter Warmer. I enjoyed each of these immensely, and any one of these would have topped my list at any number of other breweries I’ve been to. It actually wasn’t until I looked up the website to link here in my blog that I realized this is a chain brewery with locations in Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. Not only that, but it is apparently the “most awarded brewery east of the Mississippi River” with 152 awards. Didn’t look much more into it, but I can confidently say I’d give that flight an award too.
I prefer sweet and light beers, so I personally liked the Brambleberry (Farmhouse Ale) and Little Red Wagon (Fruited Sour) the best. But apparently, that wasn’t enough sweet for me because we ended up ordering two desserts to go along with our drinks: the Gooey Butter Cake and Triple Chocolate Hill. Both of these were mouthwatering, but the Gooey Butter Cake was out of this world. Normally chocolate would win me over 9 times out of 10, but this was the one that really stood out from the rest.
2. Jack A. Markell Trail (Russell Peterson Wildlife Refuge)
My coworker and I took a lot of walks along the riverfront during our breaks from the conference, but on one particular evening we had some extra time to kill so we extended our walk further south into the Russell Peterson Wildlife Refuge along the Jack A. Markell Trail. This trail hugged the Christina River until it veered through the middle of the wildlife refuge. The trail seemed brand new, it was well-maintained and seemed to be a popular running spot. The views of the river and city skyline were beautiful, and, while the trail was clearly popular, it maintained a sense of privacy out in the openness of the refuge.
We stumbled across this cute bakery while looking for a morning coffee shop. We were about to walk into a Starbucks when we noticed the sign a few doors further down, so we stopped in to see if we wanted anything from the bakery. The inside of this bakery was absolutely adorable. The tall ceilings and bright aesthetic felt cheery and inviting. I grabbed a spinach feta croissant and black iced coffee, though the macaroons were moments away from wiggling a few extra dollars out of my wallet. Definitely would recommend taking the few extra steps down the street away from Starbucks and supporting a local bakery.
We made a stop here for dinner one night after a late session at the conference, so we arrived after the main seating area was closed. However, the staff we kind enough to let us sit in the bar area and order food. The drinks were wonderful, and they were very generous if you know what I mean. A couple Moscow Mules and I was singing along to every song on the speakers. Granted, they were playing the most rocking 2000s playlist, every song was a hit.
While I didn’t enjoy my black bean burger (it was more of a black bean paste), the mac and cheese and fried pickles were a solid choice. Had it been any warmer, maybe we would have sat outside and enjoyed the patio view of the river with the night lights reflecting on the surface. Or if we had been any earlier, maybe we would have heard the live band before they began packing up. Something tells me this is the place to be a warm summer night.
[Sorry no picture… Too immersed in the moment :)]
For our last dinner in Delaware, we decided to enjoy some Thai cuisine with some of the ladies we met at the conference. The interior design and decor really took you out of Wilmington Delaware in the best way. The setting felt authentic, though my judgment probably means nothing considering I’ve never been to Thailand or anywhere else in southeast Asia.
That aside, the food was wonderful. I unintentionally ordered a variety of pineapple-based items, I guess pineapple is just one of my favorite flavors. To start, I ordered the Flying Hawaiian drink: homemade pineapple tea spiked with pineapple vodka. Super sweet, so one was more than enough but very delicious. For an entree, I ordered the Huli Huli which was a stir-fry dish with zucchini, Squash, onions, snow peas, pineapples & carrots in a Hawaiian-style teriyaki sauce served with tofu. *chef’s kiss* To end the night, we ordered a pineapple cake of some sort (I can’t remember the name), and a super dense chocolate cake. I couldn’t pick a favorite but were good in their own way, but I’d probably pass on the dessert next time. The food was plenty filling enough.
Once again, we ate indoors because the weather in Delaware during March is nicer than in Wisconsin, but still not that nice. In the summer, I could see this being a really cute lunch date overlooking the river or just a casual work lunch spot. Would love to try some more of the dishes, everything looked delicious.
6. Delaware Museum of Nature and Science
This wasn’t a stop along the riverwalk, but it was one of my favorite things we got to do. Immediately after landing at the airport, we caught an Uber to our AirBnB where we dumped our bags and headed back out to an icebreaker event at the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science. I found it ironic because it was intended to be a socializing event for attendees to get to know each other, but for the science nerd in me, all I wanted to do was stick my nose into the educational displays and stare at the fossils.
I saw a walrus (taxidermy, unfortunately) for the first time and was in absolute shock at its size. A man we met from Canada explained that this wasn’t even a big one and my mind was blown. You see these animals in documentaries or in pictures, but you don’t get a very good perception of the actual scale. They’re massive.
I wish I could have spent more time admiring the exhibits and reading the educational displays, but it just means I’ll have to make my way back to Delaware for more adventures. Maybe my next visit will be during a warmer month so we can hit the beaches I heard so much about.
Delaware, you surprised me.
kpctravels.com 