Dolly Spanker’s
Make time for a meal on Clinton Street, before a waterfront stroll or after exploring the forts.
30 Clinton Street, Delaware City, DE 19706
Restaurant website & current information(302) 832-5100Make a day of it
Plan Your Visit
Clinton Street, historic forts and the Delaware River—all part of a day in Delaware City.
Plan your day
A Day in Delaware City
Morning
Arrive in Delaware City, walk Clinton Street, grab breakfast or coffee and explore the waterfront.
Find places to eat →Midday
Visit Fort Delaware during its operating season, or explore another of the town’s historic attractions.
Fort Delaware →Afternoon
Browse local shops, walk or bike nearby trails, explore Fort DuPont or enjoy the river.
Walk or bike the trail →Evening
Finish with dinner at a local restaurant and a walk along the river.
Explore the waterfront →
Check hours, ferry operating dates and availability directly with each business or park before you go.
Stay for the Weekend
Book a local stay, then add a spa or salon visit, a history stop and whatever’s on the town calendar.
A night away. A little more Delaware City.
Stay a little longer.
Dinner on Clinton Street. A stroll by the river. Tomorrow, a whole new day to explore. Make Delaware City your home for a night—or the weekend.
Delaware City waterfront at sunset · Photo supplied by Main Street
Your local home base
Find your Delaware City stay
Settle into a local vacation rental and leave room for the best part of a getaway: taking your time.
Browse local vacation rentalsMake a weekend of it
An evening downtown →
Local dining, a sweet stop and a waterfront walk.
A day for discovery →
Explore Fort DuPont, pack a park picnic or plan a seasonal ferry trip to Fort Delaware.
Keep your stay local: search results may include nearby towns. Confirm the address, availability and booking terms with your host.
Start on Clinton Street
Our main street runs right alongside Battery Park and the water. Park once, then wander the shops, restaurants and waterfront on foot—everything downtown is an easy stroll from here.
See every downtown business →Dining downtown
Sabatina’s Sub Shop
Stop on Clinton Street for a sandwich before your afternoon around town.
94 Clinton Street, Delaware City, DE 19706
Shop website & current information(302) 751-3700
Ferry to Pea Patch Island
Take the ferry from Delaware City to Fort Delaware on Pea Patch Island. Explore the historic fort and its Civil War story, then leave time for a relaxed afternoon on the island. Ferry service is seasonal—check operating dates, tickets and return departures before planning your visit.
Ferry tickets & Fort Delaware informationWalk the Fort DuPont ruins
Explore Fort DuPont’s marked trails and historic concrete gun batteries. These outdoor remains offer another chapter of Delaware City’s military history. Stay on public routes and respect closures; not every structure is open to enter.
Fort DuPont trails & visitor informationHistory on foot or by bike
African Union Church Cemetery
In 1835 five trustees of the African Union Church bought a half acre of land for $80 to establish a church — now razed — and a cemetery serving Polktown, one of Delaware’s earliest free Black settlements. Among the marked burials are five veterans of Delaware’s United States Colored Troops, identified by government-issued headstones; many other graves remain unmarked.
The restored cemetery and its memorial plaza come at the end of roughly two decades of work by the Friends of the African Union Church Cemetery. The site lies along the Michael N. Castle Trail in Delaware City, which makes it a quiet, reflective stop between the fort sites and downtown.
Pack a picnic for the afternoon
Pick up lunch downtown and spend the afternoon in one of our parks. Enjoy the waterfront at Battery Park, the green spaces at Fort DuPont or plan an island afternoon with your Fort Delaware visit. Bring food and water, and confirm the island’s current picnic guidance and ferry service before you go.
A little fresh air
Walk or ride beside the canal
Make the Michael N. Castle Trail part of your visit. Take a canal-side walk or bike ride, enjoy the views of passing boats and leave time to return downtown for a meal.
Choose a distance that suits your day, bring water and follow posted trail signs.
Explore the Michael N. Castle Trail →01
Start on Clinton Street
Browse local shops and choose a restaurant or sweet stop from our town directory.
02
Take in the history
Plan a visit to Fort Delaware or explore Fort DuPont. Check park information for seasonal schedules and access.
03
Spend time by the water
Visit the waterfront or arrive by boat at Delaware City Marina. Contact the marina for docking arrangements.
Battery Park Interpretive Exhibit · Installed 2011
Know the town before you stroll it
Seven interpretive panels line the Battery Park waterfront. Three of them set up a visit: how the town was laid out, why the forts stand across the river and what the waterfront used to be. Each links to the City’s own panel document.
Panel 7
History
Delaware City’s story begins in 1801, when the Newbold brothers acquired 1,600 acres on the Delaware River.
Read Panel 7 · City of Delaware CityPanel 2
Coastal Defense Forts
Three forts across the Delaware River were built to protect Wilmington and Philadelphia.
Read Panel 2 · City of Delaware CityPanel 3
Waterfront
Today’s quiet waterfront promenade was once a busy commercial district of wharves, piers and sheds.
Read Panel 3 · City of Delaware CityPanel artwork: City of Delaware City, Battery Park Interpretive Exhibit — production proof dated August 12, 2011.
Forts & living history
History comes to life
Living history at Fort Delaware
Photo supplied by Main Street
The work behind a cannon demonstration
Photo supplied by Main Street
Inside the island fortress
Photo supplied by Main Street
Find your way here
Use Clinton Street as your starting point for downtown. Follow posted parking signs and check attraction schedules before traveling.
Directions to downtownArriving by boat