The Most Underrated Towns In Delaware

There are plenty of small Delaware communities that get lost and undervalued. Kent County has the largest Amish population in the state, but it's still within a comfortable drive of some of Delaware's biggest attractions. Georgetown has a place where you can touch a real treasure pulled from the sea. Harrington shows it is more than a state fair. Underrated as they may be, these towns should make your list of where to see when you travel this portion of the United States.

Seaford

Seaford is one of the more compelling towns that many people miss in Delaware. Like many communities, Seaford once had an industrial boom, in this case being the 'Nylon Capital of the World' when DuPont manufacturing was a major player. Those visiting this underrated community can learn all about the extensive history of the town and its eras and industrial growth at the Seaford Museum. The Governor Ross Mansion offers another perspective on an age of prominence and affluence in Seaford, being able to tour a restored 19^th-century mansion complete with period furniture and artifacts.

Another reason to be on a list of places to visit is its location on the Nanticoke River. With access to the water, residents and visitors can canoe, kayak, float, and fish along the steady flow of this prominent waterway.

Georgetown

The small community of Georgetown is home to only around 6,500 people, but there are many reasons people are missing out on including it in their travel plans. For starters, there is a lot of history to be found here in the form of items pulled from a four-million-dollar Spanish treasure haul at the Treasures of the Sea Exhibit at Delaware Tech. One can also learn about military aviation vehicles from World War II and the Vietnam War through guided air tours with pilots at the Delaware Aviation Museum. Even without exploring history, Georgetown provides direct access to Delaware's biggest state forest, Redden State Forest, with thousands of acres full of hiking trails and camping spots.

One of the things that makes a place like Georgetown so memorable is its long-standing traditions. Plan a trip to the community around a post-election event known as Return Day. This is where winners of local elections parade around the town's circle and mingle with the losing party to bury the hatchet over a town-wide oxen feast. It's been going on for centuries.

Ellendale

Another small town, this one with only around 1,400 people, Ellendale sits at a convenient spot, only 30 minutes from Dover, but also only 30 minutes from Rehoboth, Lewes, and Bethany, the top Delaware beaches. What this means is that Ellendale becomes a nice base of operations for setting up shop and exploring beyond the treasures in town, such as the fan-favorite The Southern Grille restaurant on Main Street or the finds at shops like Ellendale Trading Co., also on Main Street. Only 15 minutes from town is the Abbott's Mill Nature Center, which was once a grist mill and now serves as a statewide hotspot for hiking and wildlife viewing.

Milford

One of the standout things that makes Milford underrated is how much this community was influential in the development of America, with a booming economy centered around shipbuilding. The town is proud of this heritage and displays it daily at the Milford Museum in an old post office building. But even more than the history found in the town, such as the town playing a critical part in the nationwide ramifications of the Brown v. Board of Education proceedings, nature is the biggest draw.

Being right on the Mispillion River, Milford embraces the beauty of this waterway with a 1.8-mile greenway running through downtown that links the parks and cultural centers together with a sweeping look over the flowing water. On the Mispillion Harbor, visitors can find the DuPont Nature Center, which is one of the best wildlife watching spots on the entire East Coast, mostly in May and June when shorebirds come in droves to dine on the thousands of horseshoe crab eggs along the Delaware Bay.

Greenwood

Close to Ellendale and Harrington, the rural region here is home to a dense population of Amish and Mennonites, a statewide attraction for their craftsmanship, homemade treats and cheeses, and restaurants like Emma's Family Restaurant. Greenwood also offers casual local stops like Vanderwende Farm Creamery, a family-run ice cream shop, and Country Corner Antiques on Woodbridge Road, where visitors can browse antiques and decorative arts. Beyond this, the community of Greenwood is great for relaxing and exploring nature without the bustle of a bigger city. The best example of this communion with the outdoors is at the Abbott's Mill Nature Center, one of the most well-known nature reserves in the state, which sits right on Abbott's Pond and is also only 10 minutes from town.

Harrington

Only about 20 minutes south of the state capital sits Harrington, right in the middle of Kent County. What makes this place one of the more underrated options in Delaware is how quiet it is 51 weeks out of the year. Harrington is best known for being the site of the Delaware State Fair. For about 10 days, the community of 4,000 becomes hundreds of thousands. People come from all over the northeastern US for the entertainment, rides, and food.

That entertainment is available year-round for residents, though, as many take to their favorite stops like the Harrington Raceway and Casino to try their luck betting on live races, enjoying upscale food, and taking in an impressive range of entertainment. But life in Harrington is not all throttle, and there are plenty of opportunities to ease off, such as the Killens Pond State Park, only about 10 minutes away, with fishing, hiking, mini golf, and even a seasonal water park.

Finding the Underrated Delaware Towns

It might be the thousands of shorebirds finding food on Delaware Bay as summer starts in Milford, or the natural wonders you can only conveniently access from Ellendale, but Delaware has a few different underrated communities you should not be sleeping on. Maybe it's the natural attractions like the Redden State Forest or the historical significance of the 'Nylon Capital of the World' in Seaford, but there is a lot more to discover in Delaware when you get past the tourist spots.