Family Fun

Bringing the kids? Don’t worry — Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley has lots of options to keep anyone, from overexcited toddlers to jaded teens, happily occupied.

Your first destination should be the Wilmington Riverfront. In season, the Wilmington Blue Rocks minor league baseball team puts on an amazing show at Frawley Stadium, but the Delaware Children’s Museum is a draw year-round. Do your kids dare to brave the Stratosphere climbing structure?

Right next door is the Riverfront location of Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant. Unwind over satisfying pub food with a view of the Christina River.

Another Riverfront attraction you shouldn’t miss is the DuPont Environmental Education Center. The center is open to the public year-round and lies right at the edge of the Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge, which is home to bald eagles, kingfishers, wood ducks, and many other nesting or migrating species.

Or maybe your kids are more interested in exotic animals? If so, visit the Brandywine Zoo in Brandywine Park, which is home to fascinating critters such as lemurs, red pandas and capybaras.

If you have train fans in your family, plan an excursion on the Wilmington & Western Railroad. Excursions sell out quickly — especially themed ones for Christmas, Easter and Halloween — so make sure to book ahead of time.

Grab a picnic lunch from Janssen’s Fine Foods, then round out your day at the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science. Kids will love the interactive exhibits highlighting global and local ecosystems, as well as the opportunities for up-close dino encounters. (Make sure to look out for Dude, the museum’s cat.)