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State Bucket List: Delaware

10. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

10. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Milton

Even if you are not a craft beer aficionado, there is a good chance that you caught this brewery on the Discovery Channel series Brew Masters, which followed its daily production. Since its establishment in 1995, Dogfish Head has become one of the most popular craft breweries in the nation, producing 175,000 barrels of beer each year.

(image via brostad, CC)

9. Apple Scrapple Festival

9. Apple Scrapple Festival

Bridgeville

Each year on the second weekend in October, the people of Bridgeville come together to celebrate the local agriculture industry. For twenty-four years, the Apple Scrapple Festival has been a huge draw, with fried foods, rides, live music, a car show, and even a local children’s beauty pageant. There is plenty to do for the whole family.

(image via cathalyse)

8. Lavender Fields at Warrington Manor

8. Lavender Fields at Warrington Manor

Milton

Boasting a rich and colorful landscape rivaling the likes of Provence, France, the Lavender Fields at Warrington Manor hold beautiful rows of purple wonder. While there, guests are able to pick their own flowers to bring home, whether they plan on keeping it in the window sill or trying out the legendary healing properties of the plant. The fields of lavender lead up to a 19th-century barn, which hosts a local shop.

7. Hopkins Farm Creamery

7. Hopkins Farm Creamery

Lewes

Hopkins Farm Creamery has been in the same family for four generations. Visitors come from all around to try the ice cream made from milk produced by the farm’s own cows. Try one of the dozens of flavors, including peanut ripple, candy crunch, and Delaware fruit. Be sure to snap a picture of the Cow Crossing sign, as all animals in the state have the right of way.

(image via hopkinsfarmcreamery)

6. Running of the Bull at the Starboard

6. Running of the Bull at the Starboard

Dewey Beach

Not to be confused with the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain (although taking place at the same time each year), this Dewey Beach tradition allows locals to dress up in costumes and join together as a community. While there are many events, the main draw is the famed bull fight.

(image via The Starboard Restaurant)

5. Hummers Parade

5. Hummers Parade

Middletown

Each January, the residents of Middletown dress up to poke fun at the main people and events that made headlines the previous year during the Hummers Parade. A play on the Mummers Parade in Pennsylvania, floats and costumes aim to spoof the seriousness of other festivals. While in Middletown, be sure to also stop by St. Andrew’s School, which was the filming location for Dead Poets Society.

(image via John Pickett)

4. Kalmar Nyckel

4. Kalmar Nyckel

Wilmington

This famed merchant ship carried European settlers to North America, eventually founding the colony of New Sweden in 1638. Today, you can visit a replica of the vessel, which takes cruises around the bay. While on board, you can imagine the excitement which must have filled the settlers journey out toward a brand new "world."

(image via Kalmar Nyckel)

3. Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk

3. Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk

Rehoboth Beach

Enjoy an evening stroll along the beach, or stop in one of the quaint shops on the shore. Spanning one mile, the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk follows what is consistently ranked as one of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Be sure to go in time to watch the sunset.

2. Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library

2. Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library

Winterthur

The former home of Henry Francis du Pont, the Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library now serves as a collection of American historical artifacts. Many visitors love the Campbell Collection of Soup Tureens, as well as the 60-acre Winterthur Garden which is perfect for hiking excursions. In December, the estate is decorated with Gilded Age holiday trimmings.

(image via Instagram; Instagram)

1. Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge

1. Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Kent County

Spanning nearly 16,000 acres, this wildlife refuge serves to protect the natural order of Delaware's animal and plant life. It was first created in 1937 as a breeding ground for the waterfowl that would migrate to the area in winter. Don’t miss the Allee House, a farmhouse dating back to before the birth of our nation.