in Eagles caps and older
gay couples coming from
their bohemian summer
houses is a sight in and
of itself.
If you’re partying in
Dewey and need to get
back to Rehoboth, or
vice versa, don’t stress.
During the summer the
two towns are connected
by the Jolly Trolley (one
way/round-trip $3/5; h8am-
2am summer), which runs
late into the night for you
party people.54 p235
The Drive » Take DE-1 north
out of Rehoboth for 3.5 miles,
then turn right onto Rd 268
(you’ll see signs for Lewes).
You’ll drive a little over a mile on
268 to reach Lewes.9 Lewes
It’s fair to say Lewes
once had one of the
prettiest names (or
at least pretty name
meanings) in the state.
For the brief period
of time that this was
a Dutch colony (about
300 years ago), it was
known as Zwaanedael
(Valley of the Swans).
Then the Dutch, aftera clumsy overture of
friendship to the local
Leni Lenape tribe, were
massacred by the Native
Americans. The Dutch
were eventually replaced
by British colonists and
now we all eat cheddar
instead of gouda.
This history and other
stories of this small,
gingerbread-pretty
town is explained at the
Zwaanendael Museum
(102 Kings Hwy; h10am-
4:30pm Tue-Sat, 1:30-4:30pm
Sun). If you want some
beach time away from
the crowds of Rehoboth’s
boardwalk, head to
adjacent Cape Henlopen
State Park (%302-645-
8983; http://www.destateparks.
com/park/cape-henlopen;
15099 Cape Henlopen Dr; $4;
h8am-sunset). And if you
want to leave Delaware
altogether, the Cape May-
Lewes Ferry (%800-643-
3779; http://www.capemaylewesferry.
com; 43 Cape Henlopen Dr;
per motorcycle/car $36/44,
plus per adult/child passenger
$10/5) runs services
across Delaware Bay to
New Jersey.54 p235
The Drive » Take DE-1 north
for about 30 miles, then take
the exit for DE-9N. Follow it for
13 miles, past miles of marsh
and sedge, then turn right at
Whitehall Neck Rd and follow it
into the refuge.a Bombay Hook
National Wildlife
Refuge
You’re not the only
person making a trip to
Bombay Hook National
Wildlife Refuge (%302-
653-9345; http://www.fws.gov/
refuge/Bombay_Hook;
2591 Whitehall Neck Road,
Smyrna; hsunrise-sunset).
Hundreds of thousands
of waterfowl use this
protected wetland as
a stopping point along
their migration routes.
A 12-mile wildlife
driving trail through
16,251 acres of sweet-
smelling saltwater
marsh, cordgrass
and tidal mud flats is
the highlight of this
stop, which manages
to encapsulate all of
the soft beauty of the
Delmarva Peninsula in
one perfectly preserved
ecosystem.
There are also five
walking trails, two of
which are handicapped
accessible, as well as
observation towers
overlooking the entire
affair. Across the water
you may see the lights and
factories of New Jersey,
an industrial yin to this
area’s wilderness yang.TRIP HIGHLIGHTNote that we cover seasonal summer towns on this
trip that are busy from Memorial Day (last weekend
in May) to Labor Day (first Monday in September).
Hotel rates plunge in the winter, but many tours,
activities and museums are closed then as well.OFF-SEASON INFO
TOP TIP:
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