Explore Wilmington & the Brandywine Valley’s Nature and Gardens

Charming, tucked-away retreats. Massive, world-renowned horticultural displays. Wild and wonderful parks. In Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley, the outdoors has more than one story to tell, and they’re all equally compelling.  

The formal gardens at Read House in Historic New Castle are intimate and gorgeous, with a picture-perfect look straight from the pages of a glossy magazine. The 22-room Federal mansion makes the perfect backdrop. 

At Hagley Museum and Library, E.I. du Pont’s garden along the Brandywine River has been lovingly recreated with painstaking attention to historical detail, whereas Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library boasts a 60-acre naturalistic garden that includes rolling hills, streams, meadows, and the fairy-inspired Enchanted Woods.   

Nemours Estate features one of the finest formal French gardens in America, while Mt. Cuba Center’s stunning woodlands and wildflower gardens pay homage to native plants.  

The horticultural displays at Longwood Gardens are considered among the world’s finest.  

For a taste of wild, untamed nature, consider the seven state parks in Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley. Stand in three states at one time at White Clay Creek State Park’s tri-state marker. Take to the water at Lums Pond State Park, which features Delaware’s largest freshwater pond and an aerial adventure park that’s won national accolades. Or climb the Blue Rock Cliff at Alapocas Run State Park as you consider a feature story about the famous blue granite that also gave Wilmington’s baseball team its name.   

White Clay Creek State Park

From creek's edge to piedmont ridge, the natural vistas and rich history of the White Clay watershed persist because communities surrounding present day White Creek State Park advocated on behalf of…

Lums Pond State Park

Lums Pond, Delaware's largest pond, and the diverse habitats conserved beyond its shoreline, create a setting for a variety of recreational activities. Embrace the tranquility of the pond's edge…

Alapocas Run State Park

Surrounded by development and the remnants of industry, Alapocas Run State Park preserves mature woodlands, traces of an industrial past, and the cultural significance of an earlier era. Journey…