From museums to parks to pools, here are 10 free things to do in Delaware this summer
Hannah EdelmanLooking for something fun to do in the summer on a budget? Check out our list of free events and activities in Delaware.
1. Check out Wilmington State Parks
Unlike the rest of the state parks in Delaware, there are no entry fees at the state parks in Wilmington. This includes Brandywine, Rockford and H. Fletcher Brown parks, as well as Kentmere Parkway and the Hobbs Property. Make sure to check out the Jasper Crane Rose Garden, Josephine Fountain, Rockford Tower and the Sugar Bowl while you're there!
Parks are open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset.
Delaware State Parks Guide:Amenities, parking, passes and all the fun you can get into
2. Visit the Delaware Art Museum
Did you know that admission to the Delaware Art Museum is free on Thursdays from 4 to 8 p.m. all summer? See permanent and temporary exhibits, including a new photography exhibit exploring Black womanhood. Parking is also free!
3. Get free museum passes with your library card
Want to visit a museum without paying for a ticket? Look no further than your local library. Any adult with a library card — which you can get for free at your local branch — is eligible for the library's museum pass program. You can view available dates for museum visits and reserve passes online when you log in with your library card.
The program allows you to reserve free tickets to the Brandywine Zoo, Biggs Museum of American Art, Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art, Delaware Historical Society, Hagley Museum, Delaware State Parks, Winterthur Museum, Rockwood Park and Museum, Historic Odessa Foundation and Tyler Arboretum.
4. Go swimming in Newark
Newark has two free outdoor pools open during the summer: Dickey Park Pool, located at 60 Madison Drive, and the George Wilson Center Pool, located at 303 New London Road. The pools will be open from June 16 to Aug. 26, according to the city's website, though they may close due to inclement weather or lifeguard availability. Anyone can visit the pools for free on Tuesdays through Sundays from 12:30 to 5 p.m.
5. Learn about aviation history at the Air Mobility Command Museum
The Air Mobility Command Museum at the Dover Air Force Base is home to over 30 aircraft of various types and sizes, including helicopters, fighters and a bomber. You can visit the old Dover Air Force Base control tower, learn about airlifts during the Korean War and see artifacts dating back to World War I.
The museum is free and open to the public Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. You cannot enter the museum from the base; instead, follow the signs off Route 9.
6. Spend an evening at Dewey Beach
You're not alone if you don't want to pay for parking to visit the beach this summer. Luckily, Dewey Beach offers free parking in all permit-only and metered spaces from 5 to 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. Even better, the beach hosts free family-friendly events on Monday and Wednesday nights all summer. Come see a movie like "The Little Mermaid" or "Back to the Future" on Monday nights, or hang out at a bonfire on Wednesdays. Although the events are free, s'mores supplies and glow necklaces at the events will be available for $1.
7. Take advantage of extended hours at the Police Athletic League of Wilmington
The Police Athletic League "Safe Haven" program will return for another summer to provide free activities for anyone between the ages of 8 and 21. Youth will have access to the gymnasium, music and arts programs, games and computer area. Free dinner also will be provided.
PAL is typically open on weekdays from 3 to 8 p.m.; with the extended hours, it will remain open until 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and be open on Saturdays from 3 to 6 p.m. PAL is also offering free African drumming classes to the community and youth on Fridays from 4 to 5 p.m.
8. Explore our 'maritime heritage' at the DiscoverSea Shipwreck Museum
The DiscoverSea Shipwreck Museum in Fenwick Island houses artifacts recovered from shipwrecks dating back to the 1600s. The museum houses about 10,000 artifacts at any given time, according to its website.
The museum is open on weekends from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. through June. Starting in July, the museum will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day except Wednesday.
9. Stroll through lavender fields in Milton
Take in the relaxing sights and smells of lavender at Warrington Manor, a family farm in Milton. The grounds are free to walk through most days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — make sure to check on social media or call the farm at 302-684-1514 to make sure it isn't closed or hosting an event.
Pets are not allowed in the flower fields, according to the farm's website.
Lavender Fields at Warrington Manor also hosts paid, ticketed events, and runs a shop selling local products like soaps and lotions.
Farmers Market Guide:Your guide to Delaware farmers markets 2024
10. Experience nature at the Mispillion Harbor
The DuPont Nature Center at the Mispillion Harbor Reserve near Slaughter Beach is open for the season! The center's deck, which is open all year from dusk to dawn, is a great vantage point to see the harbor, beach and Delaware Bay. It's also a prime spot to watch spawning horseshoe crabs and migrating shorebirds, which are typically visible through early June.
Exhibits showcasing the environmental and historical importance of the harbor — not to mention saltwater tanks housing species like horseshoe crabs and diamondback terrapins — are free to explore inside of the nature center. The DuPont Nature Center also hosts programs for visitors of all ages. Details will be posted on the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control's website.
The DuPont Nature Center is open all summer from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.
