# Delaware: Bombay Hook, Dover and the Cape Henlopen beaches

> 3-day road trip of about 202 km (125 mi) with 9 stops, from New Castle to Ocean City. About 2 h 14 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b20-delaware-bay-beaches/

**At a glance:** 3-day road trip of about 202 km (125 mi) with 9 stops, from New Castle to Ocean City. About 2 h 14 min of driving in total. Down the whole of Delaware, from colonial New Castle and the snow geese of Bombay Hook to Dover, Lewes, Cape Henlopen and the beach towns.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 202 km (125 mi) |
| Driving | 2 h 14 min |
| Suggested days | 3 |
| Stops | 9 |
| Route | New Castle → Ocean City |
| States | DE, MD |
| Updated | April 27, 2026 |

## Route description

Start in New Castle, whose cobbled streets and 1730s courthouse date from Delaware’s colonial capital days. Take DE-9 south, a slower coastal road through marsh and farm villages instead of the tolled DE-1, to Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Smyrna, about 50 minutes. The 12-mile wildlife drive loops through the tidal marsh; in November tens of thousands of snow geese gather here.

Dover is 20 minutes south. The Old State House stands on The Green among brick government buildings, and First State Heritage Park staff run free guided visits. South of town, the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover Air Force Base shows cargo planes and is free to visit. Continue on DE-1 toward the coast, about 45 minutes to Lewes, past farm stands and the turn-offs to bayside wildlife areas.

Lewes calls itself the First Town in the First State, and the Zwaanendael Museum recalls its Dutch settlement of 1631. Cape Henlopen State Park lies just east of town, beside the terminal of the ferry to Cape May, New Jersey, a crossing of about 85 minutes. In the park climb the restored World War II observation tower at Fort Miles, walk the Great Dune and swim at the bay or ocean beaches.

Rehoboth Beach, 10 km south, has a wooden boardwalk and is busy all summer, with metered parking in season. DE-1 then runs along a narrow strip of dunes through Delaware Seashore State Park to the Indian River Inlet and its tall bridge, past Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island and into Maryland at Ocean City. The route is about 200 km and flat, but summer weekend traffic on DE-1 is heavy.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **New Castle** (DE)
2. **Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge** (Smyrna, DE): Tidal salt marsh on Delaware Bay with a 12-mile wildlife drive and observation towers; tens of thousands of snow geese stop here in autumn and winter. Vehicle fee; biting flies and mosquitoes are heavy in summer.
3. **Dover** (DE)
4. **Old State House** (Dover, DE): Delaware’s 1791 statehouse on The Green in Dover, restored with its courtroom and legislative chambers. Free guided tours; The Green is where Delaware ratified the Constitution in 1787, becoming the first state.
5. **Lewes** (DE)
6. **Cape Henlopen State Park** (Lewes, DE): Dunes, beaches and a climbable World War II observation tower at the mouth of Delaware Bay, with the Great Dune and a paved bike loop. Vehicle fee in season, higher for out-of-state cars; the campground is near the Cape May ferry.
7. **Rehoboth Beach** (DE)
8. **Delaware Seashore State Park, Indian River Inlet** (Rehoboth Beach, DE): A barrier strip between the ocean and Rehoboth Bay, crossed by the Indian River Inlet Bridge, with surfing beaches and fishing from the inlet jetties. Pay parking at the beach lots in summer.
9. **Ocean City** (MD)

## FAQs

**How long is Delaware: Bombay Hook, Dover and the Cape Henlopen beaches?**
3-day road trip of about 202 km (125 mi) with 9 stops, from New Castle to Ocean City. About 2 h 14 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Delaware: Bombay Hook, Dover and the Cape Henlopen beaches?**
We suggest 3 days: about 2 h 14 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Delaware: Bombay Hook, Dover and the Cape Henlopen beaches start and end?**
It starts in New Castle and ends in Ocean City.

**Which states does Delaware: Bombay Hook, Dover and the Cape Henlopen beaches pass through?**
Delaware and Maryland.