There's No Shortage of Fun Things to See and Do in Historic Lewes, Delaware

Coastal Delaware is blessed to have more than two dozen miles of beautiful Atlantic coastline, along with more prime waterfront nestled along the inland bays and along the historic and picturesque Delaware Bay.

And where the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean meet is one of our favorite coastal Delaware municipalities - the charming, historic and quaint town of Lewes.

Known as the "First Town in the First State," Lewes dates back to 1631 when a pioneering group of Dutchmen settled a whaling colony along the shores of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. 

The spot of that colony can be visited today by taking a trip along Pilottown Road and looking to the right just before getting to the giant windmill erected by the University of Delaware's College of Earth, Ocean and Environment. A large monument marks the spot and is definitely worth a visit.

Though the settlement is long gone, it was the beginning of European colonization in what is today the state of Delaware. If not for that settlement and the proof thereof, the land that is today Lewes would have gone to the Calvert family and eventually become a part of Maryland.

But we digress...

Today, we want to tell you all about present day Lewes and give you a quick tour of some of our favorite spots. Keep in mind, however, that there's no way we could include all of the places we love in Lewes in just one blog entry. 

This is merely a sampling of some of the destinations we've come to know and love during our exploration of the area where we live and work.

As we mentioned above, Lewes dates back nearly four centuries and was originally settled by the Dutch, not the British as is commonly believed.

As today's blog is about current day Lewes, we won't go into a lot of the local history. But if you want to know more about the history of the "First Town in the First State," we recommend a stop into the architectural wonder that is the Zwaanendael Museum.

Located on the corner of King's Highway and Savannah Road, this museum was built to resemble the town hall in Hoorn, where Dutch exploration leader David Pietersen deVries hailed from. It's filled with local treasures and many a tale of days gone by.

In the museum are exhibits on Lewes’ role in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, and lots of memorabilia commemorating the first Dutch settlement in the New World.

To read more about the Zwaanendael museum, as well as many of the other fantastic museums in southern Delaware, read our previous blog on the subject here.

Okay, on to more of our favorite sites in beautiful downtown Lewes, Delaware. We continue with one of the mid-Atlantic's largest and most beautiful state parks...

At more than 5,000 acres, Cape Henlopen State Park is Delaware’s largest state park, which dates all the way back to 1682 when William Penn himself set aside the land to be held in trust for the common good of area citizens. 

Today, the park features one of the best surfing areas in the state and also boasts the Fort Miles historic area, including barracks, a refurbished bunker and a World War II observation tower, as well as the Biden Center and plenty of beachfront. 

Cape Henlopen is also one of Delaware's state parks where you can use your state-issued surf tag and actually drive onto the beach for surf fishing.

Click here for more on Delaware's surf tag program

You can also watch the Cape May-Lewes ferries coming in and out of port and view both of the Delaware Breakwater’s lighthouses from high atop the park’s Great Dune. Biking, hiking and bird watching are also popular activities at the park.

Since we mentioned the ferry in the previous entry, let's move right onto one of the region's most popular ways to travel between the Delaware beaches and the New Jersey Shore.

And that, of course, is the Cape May-Lewes Ferry.

The ferry provides a major transportation route between the Delmarva Peninsula and the New Jersey Shore, giving travelers a shorter option when traveling north to New York City and points beyond.

The 17-mile route across the Delaware Bay takes about an hour-and-a-half to travel and each ship in the fleet can hold up to 100 cars and 800 passengers. The Lewes Ferry Terminal hosts special events throughout the year and also boats “On The Rocks,” a popular food and beverage outlet outdoors on the deck.

Fares for the ferry vary depending on the time of the year and the day of the week, so always check ahead before traveling. You can learn more about the Cape May-Lewes Ferry on their website.

We’ve got lots more to say about Lewes. Click here to read the rest of the story.