Delaware

America's First State

Delaware may be the second smallest state in the union, but it carries an outsized historical punch. It was the first state to ratify the United States Constitution in 1787, earning a nickname it wears with considerable pride. Dover, the quiet and dignified capital, is home to Legislative Hall and the First State Heritage Park, where the whole story of those early nation-building years comes to vivid life.

Sun, Sand and the Delaware Shore

Rehoboth Beach is Delaware's sparkling jewel on the Atlantic, a compact and walkable resort town that draws visitors with a lovely stretch of sand, a cheerful boardwalk and an impressive variety of restaurants and boutiques. Nearby Lewes offers a more unhurried pace with handsome colonial streets and easy access to Cape Henlopen State Park, where rolling dunes meet the open ocean in genuinely spectacular fashion.

Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley

Delaware's largest city punches well above its weight for culture and culinary adventure. The Riverfront district has reinvented itself into a vibrant hub of galleries, theatres and waterside dining. Just to the north, the Brandywine Valley reveals a pastoral landscape of rolling hills dotted with grand estates, the glorious Longwood Gardens and the celebrated Winterthur Museum, which houses one of the finest collections of American decorative arts anywhere on the continent.

Tax Free and Thoroughly Tempting

Delaware has no sales tax, a fact that turns a shopping trip into something genuinely joyful. Premium outlet centres near Rehoboth and Wilmington attract visitors from across the region. Beyond retail therapy, the state offers canoeing on the Brandywine Creek, birding at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge and a surprisingly lively craft beer scene centred on local breweries that take full advantage of the state's agricultural bounty.