Filled with nature preserves, an ocean view, a brewery and beautiful hotels.
We checked out of the Dover Downs Hotel after I first donated some more money to the Dover Downs Casino. Heading south towards Rehoboth Beach Delaware, we stopped at the Zwaanendael Museum. Since many of Delaware’s first settlers came from Holland, the museum constructed in 1931 is an example of Dutch architecture after a church in Holland. "Zwaanendael" means Valley of the Swans. I’m sure you were wondering, since I was.This is a relatively small museum, but there is a lot of local history tightly packed inside.
Next we drove to Cape Henlopen State Park. This state run facility is used for recreational purposes – camping, walking, biking, birding, fishing, kayaking and more. There are over a million visitors a year who enjoy this natural hideaway. We enjoyed our drive through and stopped a few times to get out and just explore.
Lunch today, was at a nearby restaurant called the "Buttery". While the menu is mainly soups, salads and burgers, it is the building that first "calls" you in to eat. Built in 1880’s and recently restored, the atmosphere is more of an invitation to a friend’s house for a meal. The food is simple, homemade and filling. For dessert, we had Hummingbird Cake, a classic from the South. It’s a lightly spiced cake of banana, pineapple, coconut and pecan layered with cream cheese frosting. Simply delicious, and we were assured that all the calories were left in the kitchen.
The town of Lewes is a year round community of about 3,000 residents situated on the entrance to the Delaware Shore. Due to the influx of "city people" discovering this area, this town is becoming more cosmopolitan, while still retaining the "old" atmosphere and history.
There are many antique homes from the 1700’s to view in this town, thanks to the efforts and foresight of the Lewes Historical Society. We drove past several of the town treasures owned and managed by the Society, many of which can be toured.
We headed off to our next destination – Nassau Valley Vineyards. This is Delaware’s first winery. Opened in 1987, they feature about seven to eleven "home grown" wines on a converted farm. Tours are given on a regular basis and of course fall is their busiest month.
The town of Rehoboth Beach Delaware is just "down the road" and is a valuable and popular seashore community. The main strip is lined with stores, restaurants and hotels. Since this was literally the dead of winter, there was a peaceful but eerie quietness and calm to the area. We ate dinner at "Victoria’s" in the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel. The lobby of this grand hotel is done in a Victorian setting and there are little antique displays and Victoriana everywhere.
The restaurant menu states "our intention is to take you back in time, when dining and entertaining were elegant and a testament to your place in society". The main room was truly elegant, as candles flickered and the piano played. There are Tiffany style lamps, lace tablecloths and lace doilies everywhere. Fine China teapots on shelves adorned the walls, and high back wicker chairs faced the ocean view.
I was enjoying a creamy crab soup when I looked up, miles from home, and saw a colleague from Brooklyn walk in. I thought I found a secret hideaway, an uncovered gem, but it seems I am not the only one to have heard of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Anyway, after greeting my friend, I went back to my table to finish a delicious meal of pork chops and of course what dinner would be complete without dessert. Don sampled the wild berry sorbet served with fresh fruit and I fell in love with the Viennese Rizotorte. This dessert actually won an award and I can attest to why. It is two layers of chocolate on a chocolate cookie crust. A chocoholic’s delight!
Don and I did notice an after dinner champagne cognac on the menu for $200 a glass, but we opted for coffee instead.
We roamed the hotel a little and found out that it was built just 9 years ago and the 84 rooms are booked solid each and every summer. It’s also quite busy in the fall, as the area plays host to a few festivals, among which are the Chocolate Festival and the Jazz Festival.
While we could have stayed longer, immersed in the Boardwalk Hotel’s Victoriana, the Zwaanendael Inn in Lewes was keeping the lights on for us. The Inn built in 1926 as a hotel and renovated in 1980’s, contains 23 rooms, a fitness center and offers a continental breakfast. It is designed as an adult getaway-very quiet and intimate. It is just what we needed after a hard day of sightseeing, wine tasting and eating.
