Delaware
5 Best Natural Wonders To Visit In Delaware This Year
Delaware’s best natural wonders feature everything from tidal salt marshes to large saltwater lagoons. For starters, visitors can kayak along quiet bays in Trap Pond State Park or even stroll wide Atlantic beaches at Cape Henlopen State Park, while spotting migratory birds. Speaking of birdwatching, Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge is nationally recognized for its birdwatching and has been designated a Globally Important Bird Area. Each of these destinations highlights a different side of the state, showing how Delaware packs a surprising variety of natural environments into a compact area.
Cape Henlopen State Park
At more than 5,000 acres, Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, is one of Delaware’s favorite outdoor escapes. You’ll find a stretch of natural coastline shaped by wind and tides, with rolling dunes, maritime forest, and wide beaches along the cape. Deauville Beach is perfect for swimming, sunbathing, or beachcombing, with lifeguards on duty during the summer. For walking and biking, you can follow a network of trails, including the approximately five-mile Gordons Pond Trail along a large saltwater lagoon. One of the park’s most special spots is The Point, which is closed during spring and summer to protect nesting and migrating shorebirds.
Cape Henlopen is also part of the Delaware Coastal Heritage Greenway, a scenic route celebrating the natural and cultural history of coastal Delaware. You can visit the Seaside Nature Center, with tanks and exhibits showcasing local marine life, or explore the Fort Miles Museum & Historical Area, where World War II-era bunkers, artillery, and observation towers overlook the water. For overnight stays, the park offers a year-round campground for tents and RVs, as well as cozy cabins. Rates and reservation rules vary by season, so check the Delaware State Parks website for current availability.
Entrance fees are charged from March 1 through November 30. For ocean parks, it costs $10 per Delaware-registered vehicle and $20 for out-of-state vehicles. Annual passes are also available if you plan to visit multiple times during the season.
Trap Pond State Park
Trap Pond State Park, in Laurel, about 35 miles from Cape Henlopen State Park, is a Delaware natural area covering around 4,000 acres. At its heart is the roughly 90‑acre freshwater Trap Pond, surrounded by some of the northernmost naturally occurring baldcypress trees in the US. The pond was created in the late 18th century by damming a stream to transport timber and power a sawmill. After a flood in the 1930s drained it, the Civilian Conservation Corps rebuilt the dam. Today, the area supports a rich wetland ecosystem, where you can spot birds like great blue herons, warblers, and kingfishers.
In 2026, you can paddle a canoe or kayak along more than nine miles of water trails through the cypress swamp. On land, hiking and biking trails, such as the nearly five-mile Bob Trail loop, take you through wetlands and forests. Bike rentals are available in the summer, the best time to visit. Stop by the Baldcypress Nature Center to explore exhibits on local plants and animals, including a 500-gallon floor aquarium and a life-size model of a baldcypress tree. You can also camp year-round in tents, RVs, cabins, or yurts, with reservations recommended.
Entrance fees are $5 per Delaware-registered vehicle or $10 for out-of-state vehicles through November 30. If you arrive on foot or by bike, it’s $2 per person. You can also get an annual pass for multiple visits throughout the season.
Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge
Another natural wonder to visit is the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Smyrna, which stretches eight miles along the Delaware Bay. Covering more than 16,000 acres, the refuge protects one of the largest remaining tidal salt marshes in the mid-Atlantic. You’ll also find meadows, rivers, ponds, woods, swamps, and fields that support a wide variety of wildlife, which you can spot along the scenic 12-mile drive, open a half hour before sunrise and a half hour after sunset. March and November are the best times to see waterfowl, while May is the peak concentration of shorebirds.
Other highlights include 30-foot observation towers, fishing at Pasture Point Pond, and short walking and biking trails such as the Bear Swamp Trail and Forest Discovery Tree Trail. There’s also a visitor center with interpretive displays and exhibits, an auditorium showing nature films, and a gift shop.
The refuge entrance fee is $4 per vehicle or $2 per person if you arrive on foot or by bike. You can also pick up an annual pass for unlimited visits, and select federal passes, as well as discounts for military members and seniors, are accepted. For nearby accommodations, you’ll find options ranging from budget-friendly inns to full-service hotels, including Bally’s Dover Casino Resort, all just 10-20 minutes away.
Alapocas Run State Park
Just outside Wilmington, you can explore one of northern Delaware’s most unique natural landscapes at Alapocas Run State Park. The park now covers about 359 acres, but it started much smaller. When the area first opened as Alapocas Woods in 1910, it included only about 123 acres before gradually expanding into the larger park you can explore today.
The park’s biggest natural highlight is the striking blue-gray rock formations that rise above the wooded banks of Brandywine Creek. While there, take in the views while hiking or biking along scenic paths, including sections of the Northern Delaware Greenway Trail, which passes through the park along the creek. Spring and fall are the best times to visit, when the weather is mild, and the surrounding forests are full of seasonal color. Other things to discover there include the Can-Do Playground and the historic Blue Ball Barn, which houses the Delaware Folk Art Collection and hosts community events during the warmer months.
Entrance fees are similar to those of other Delaware state parks, such as Trap Pond State Park. While the park doesn’t offer lodging, you can find plenty of accommodations nearby, including Homewood Suites by Hilton Wilmington Downtown and The Westin Wilmington.
Fenwick Island State Park
At Fenwick Island State Park, Delaware’s southernmost beach sits along a narrow barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Little Assawoman Bay, offering one of the state’s most scenic coastal landscapes. The park protects a quiet stretch of shoreline that remains relatively undeveloped compared to surrounding beach towns.
The best time to visit is late spring through early fall, when you can stroll through the dunes or enjoy water activities on the bay, including kayaking, paddleboarding, and sailing. On the ocean side, you can swim, relax in the sun, or try surf fishing, with lifeguards on duty during the summer months. Mobi-Mat mats help make the beach more accessible for wheelchair users, and beach umbrellas and chairs are available to rent during the busy season.
Fenwick Island was named for colonial landowner Thomas Fenwick in the 1600s, and the legend says that pirates once used the surrounding bays as hiding places. The land later became part of Delaware’s state park system in 1966. Today, there’s no campground or lodging on-site, but accommodations in Fenwick Island, such as Fenwick Shores, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, as well as options in nearby Ocean City, are convenient places to stay.
In Delaware, you can step into a variety of landscapes without traveling far. You might paddle through quiet cypress swamps at Trap Pond, watch shorebirds in tidal salt marshes at Bombay Hook, or walk wide beaches along the Atlantic at Cape Henlopen and Fenwick Island. Trails take you through forested creek valleys, while boardwalks and observation towers bring you closer to wildlife. Some areas invite active adventure, while others encourage slow, reflective moments. These natural wonders let you experience Delaware’s diversity firsthand, from its inland wetlands to its coastal shores.
Monday, May 11, 2026 10:57AM
TRAINER BOROUGH, Pa. (WPVI) — A person has died after being hit by a vehicle in Delaware County.
It happened around 2:45 a.m. on Monday in the 4300 block of West 9th Street in Trainer Borough.
Police and fire crews were called to the Parkview Mobile Home community for reports of a pedestrian hit by a car.
Officials say the victim went into cardiac arrest immediately after the crash.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
LAUREL, Del. — Delaware State Police are investigating a shooting in Laurel that left a 19-year-old man injured Friday afternoon and resulted in firearm charges against a Georgetown man, authorities said.
Troopers responded around 3:20 p.m. Friday to TidalHealth Nanticoke after the victim arrived at the hospital in a personal vehicle with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, according to police. Investigators said the man had been shot in front of a residence on Portsville Road near Randall Street in Laurel.
Police said the victim was transported to the hospital in a blue Mazda 3 driven by 20-year-old Alexison Amisial of Georgetown. Troopers later located the vehicle and Amisial at First Stop Gas Station, where investigators said he was found carrying an untraceable firearm concealed in his waistband.
Amisial was taken into custody without incident and charged with carrying a concealed deadly weapon and possession of an untraceable firearm, both felonies, police said. He was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court 3 and released on a $3,500 unsecured bond.
The Delaware State Police Troop 4 Criminal Investigations Unit continues to investigate the shooting. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact Detective R. Mitchell at 302-752-3794 or Delaware Crime Stoppers at 800-847-3333.
WILMINGTON – On the track, Middletown’s sprinters appeared to perform with relative ease.
The relays were won by wide margins. Handoffs were clean. Form remained intact through the finish. When they are at their best, the Cavaliers barely touch the ground, coach Yvenel Sainsume said.
But the aftermath of Middletown’s boys 4×200 relay at the New Castle County championships at Abessinio Stadium May 9 revealed the toll of another state-record run.
Leadoff man Zamir Miller bent over with his mouth ajar, hands on his knees. Freshman phenom Riley Robinson laid on his stomach, spread like a starfish on the infield turf. There were gasps for air between high fives and hugs.
The Cavaliers team of Miller, Amir Jones-Branch, Robinson and Brandon Jervey ran 1:25.62 to break the 4×200 state record of 1:25.98 set by Salesianum at the 2023 county meet.
About an hour later, the same team ran 41.60 to win the 4×100. It was a meet record and No. 3 on the state all-time performance list.
Middletown for a second straight year won the boys team championship, accumulating 127 points to best second-place Salesianum (94 points) and third-place Appoquinimink (56 points). Next week, the Cavaliers will defend their Division I title, entering as the favorites in several sprint events.
Dealing with cumulative fatigue and a few nagging injuries, Middletown has picked its spots throughout the spring.
At the county meet, the team prioritized a chase of the sprint relay state records over maximizing team point output across the lineup. They were chasing their own standards – last year, Middletown set the 4×100 state record (41.34) and was Delaware’s fastest in the 4×200 (1:25.84).
So far this spring, the holdovers from last year’s squad – seniors Miller and Jones-Branch – have shown they are even better than they were a year ago. But it was Robinson’s third leg in the 4×200 that created much of the separation between Middletown and runner-up Appoquinimink (1:28.07).
“Riley is a dog,” Jones-Branch said. “You would think as a freshman you would be scared to come in and hang out with the big dogs, but he never gets scared. He never backs down from a challenge. He always steps up. He’s always talking. He steps up and competes.”
Robinson has the fifth-fastest 100 time and the 12th best 200 in the state this season. He credited the team’s embrace of him for his performance.
“I want to be like Zamir and Amir,” Robinson said. “They’re very helpful. They help all of the young guys. If you feel left out, they’ll joke with you. Me personally, I think that’s what really helped me out.”
Jervey, the anchor, is Middletown’s queen chess piece. The junior won the individual 100 in 11.04, joining 400 champion Jayden Feaster, 300 hurdles winner Ethan Earle and pole vault leader Jessie Standard as Middletown’s individual-event winners.
Jervey is also among the state’s best hurdlers and ran on Middletown’s winning 4×400 with Logan Elmore, Sharvell Corbin and Feaster.
“It didn’t even feel like I was going as fast as I did,” Jervey said. “We felt like we were going a little slow. So, when that [4×200] time came out we were a little shocked. But it felt good.”
Meet records fall in distance events
When Tatnall’s Dylan McCarthy led the 1,600 through 400 meters in 63 seconds, it became obvious this group of Delaware’s top milers were intent on pushing the pace.
After that first lap, Saint Mark’s Alec Jurgaitis took the lead and stayed on the gas pedal through the middle laps with McCarthy, Tatnall senior Gavin Leffler and Salesianum junior James Dempsey attached.
At the bell, Jurgaitis surged and only Dempsey could hold on. At the start of the final turn, Dempsey let loose a big kick that Jurgaitis couldn’t match.
Dempsey won in 4:11.24, taking down the meet record set by Charter of Wilmington’s Kieran Tuntivate in 2015 by a half-second. Jurgaitis finished second in 4:13.93 and McCarthy placed third in 4:15.51.
“For Alec to take it, that was really gutsy,” Dempsey said. “I just wanted to go with him. I was like, ‘I have a lot left in me so I’m going to push here.’”
Dempsey ran the final 400 in 57.59. It was his first win at a major championship meet. He now ranks third on the state all-time performance list.
“In indoor, I didn’t want it bad enough,” Dempsey said. “I kind of realized that if I want to run in college and run at the next level, I have to push myself even harder this year.”
Dempsey has prodigious talent.
As an eighth grader at Dickinson in his second year in the sport, he ran a 4:42 mile on the Abessinio track. He lowered his time to 4:29.51 as a freshman and 4:16.75 as a sophomore.
“We have been trying to get him to be patient,” Salesianum distance coach Scott Davis said. “He’s been coming along, dropping a ton of time. We knew it was there. It was just a matter of being patient and sitting.”
In the boys 800, Charter of Wilmington’s Brandon Williams and Jurgaitis separated early from the field. Running from the lead, Williams summoned a faster second lap than his first to hold off Jurgaitis.
Williams ran 1:52.59 to break the meet record of 1:52.89 set by Mount Pleasant’s Johnelle Joe in 2017. Jurgaitis finished second in 1:53.46.
“I could feel Alec on me with about 200 to go, so I just full sprinted from that point to the line, basically,” Williams said. “I was scared like the whole time.”
Charter of Wilmington coach Rick Schuder said Williams has a laid-back personality, but is an aggressive runner, often taking charge from the front as he did at the county meet and when he set the indoor 800 state record in February’s indoor state meet.
“I think he’s ok with pressure,” Schuder said. “He’s always run his best at the big meets. I think he’s ok with it. He just rises to the occasion.”
Williams will hunt for the Charter of Wilmington school record of 1:51.91 set by Chris Brown in 2019 at the upcoming state championship and Meet of Champions. Williams now ranks tenth on the state all-time performance list.
Alec Jurgaitis leads Saint Mark’s to 4×800 victory
In most years, the New Castle County meet is split between consecutive days. This year, the first day of competition, including the preliminary straightaway races and multiple novice sections, unfolded on Thursday, May 7 before the bulk of the action on Saturday, May 9.
On the first day of the meet, Jurgaitis took the baton for the final leg of the 4×800 just a few strides behind race leader Middletown. Watching from the infield, his Saint Mark’s teammates felt good about their chances.
Jurgaitis, a senior, owns the fastest personal best of anyone in the race and unlike at the indoor state championship won by Middletown when he risked a fast first 400 meters to close a large gap, Jurgaitis was positioned to run under control and unleash a fast kick.
“I saw him sitting on them with a lap to go and I was like, ‘I know Alec. I know he’s ready to go now,’” said second leg Connor Wrinn. “And he did. He ran some ridiculous time.”
Saint Mark’s wins boys 4×800 at New Castle County meet
The Spartans ran 7:52.30, which is No. 12 on the state all-time performance list.
Jurgaitis’ 1:52.26 split gave Saint Mark’s the victory in 7:52.30. That time ranks 12th on the state all-time performance list. Middletown finished second, breaking its school record with a time of 7:55.82.
Evan Paskevicius (2:00.35) and Wrinn (1:58.43) ran well but Saint Mark’s still trailed midway through the race. Sophomore Ryan Brooks ran the critical third leg that set up Jurgaitis well.
Brooks lingered behind Middletown through the first 600 meters then made up two seconds with an all-out sprint in the final 200. His split of 2:01.26 was a personal best.
“He had such a great workout Monday,” Jurgaitis said. “He was beating me in the last few reps… He’s just pushing that last 200 as hard as he can. I knew he had it in him and he was going to race to put me in the best position.”
“[My coach] told me just give Alec a chance,” Brooks said.
Notes from around the track
- With a 61.31-second last lap, Tatnall’s Michael Simmons won the 3,200 in 9:39.33 over Delaware Military Academy’s Ryan Organek (9:44.67). Simmons is the first freshman to win the boys 3,200 at the New Castle County meet. “I’m just glad to be part of a moment,” Simmons said.
- Appoquinimink’s Wayne Roberts won the 200 with a personal best of 21.93. He also finished second in the 400 in 48.47.
- Wilmington Friends’ Chukwuma Chukwuocha won the triple jump with a jump of 44-6.5. “It’s definitely more mental for me,” the Friends junior said. “I know I can do it. I’ve done it before. It’s all about trusting the process and understanding that it’s not all going to happen at once.”
- Odessa’s Rodney Coker won the 110 hurdles by two thousandths of a second over Salesianum’s Austin Thomas (14.653 to 14.655).
- Howard’s Zi’Yon Henderson-Conkey and Korey Manley took first and second in the high jump, both clearing 6-2. Manley also finished second in the triple jump. The county meet was only his second ever track and field competition.
- Tatnall’s Max Martire won the county discus title for a third straight year with a throw of 176-4.
- Howard’s Suhayl Benson won the long jump by one inch over Delaware Military Academy’s Chris Keller. Benson could not complete his final three jumps after suffering an injury while racing the 400.
- Salesianum’s Roan Samuels won the county shot put title for a second straight year with a throw of 57-3.
Brandon Holveck reports on high school sports for The News Journal. Contact him at bholveck@delawareonline.com.
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