The Riverfront

Who doesn’t love a Cinderella story? The Wilmington Riverfront was once a vital shipyard, building more than 200 ships during World War II. Then it fell into the same decline and disrepair that afflicted industrial areas all over the country — only to rise like a phoenix from the ashes as a dining and entertainment destination. 

Buildings that once served as warehouses, mills and factories have gained a second life as markets, theaters and museums. They stand right alongside a baseball stadium, numerous restaurants and the headquarters of major corporations as a unique neighborhood that draws visitors and residents to the water year-round.  

The Riverfront’s attractions include the STEM-focused, interactive Delaware Children’s Museum, the home of Wilmington Blue Rocks baseball at Frawley Stadium, the European-style Riverfront Market, the Delaware Theatre Company, the seasonal Constitution Yards Beer Garden and the striking statue of Underground Railroad heroes Harriet Tubman and Thomas Garrett at Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park. 

But that’s only scratching the surface of what the Riverfront has to offer. Can we interest you in the Kalmar Nyckel, a seaworthy recreation of the original ship that brought the first European settlers to Delaware? Or the DuPont Environmental Education Center and adjacent wildlife refuge? Or one of the many outstanding restaurants that line the Christina River? 

The Riverfront’s most recent addition, Riverbright Wilmington, illuminates the river and its attractions with light displays that change seasonally — showcasing the fact that the Riverfront is back and brighter than ever.