Wilmington

Understand

Get in

By plane

* Avelo Airlines (Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Lakeland, Myrtle Beach, Orlando, San Juan, Sarasota, Tampa, West Palm Beach, Wilmington NC) * American Airlines (operated by Landline Motorcoach) (Philadelphia) Car rentals are available in the airport, as well as taxi service and passenger vans for larger groups. Bus service via DART First State #25 and 40. The #40 bus connects New Castle Airport to the downtown Wilmington Station for connections to Amtrak, SEPTA, Greyhound/Flixbus, and other DART First State routes.

Wilmington is served primarily by the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), which offers flights on all major airlines to cities throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Caribbean and Mexico City. PHL is about half an hour away by car on I-95. You can also take the train in from PHL, which costs $9.25 using the Airport Line into Center City Philadelphia and the Wilmington/Newark Line to Wilmington.

Other major airports in driving distance:

• Baltimore/Washington (BWI)
• Newark (EWR)
• John F. Kennedy (JFK)

By car

By car, Wilmington is easily accessible along I-95, the major north-south highway along the East Coast, running north to Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston and south to Baltimore and Washington, D.C. I-295 provides access from New Jersey, where it connects to the southern end of the New Jersey Turnpike, by way of the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

By train

• Some of its many routes stopping at Wilmington:

• Acela travels multiple times daily between Boston and Washington, D.C. with stops in Westwood, Providence, New Haven, Stamford, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore.
• Cardinal operating three trips weekly between Chicago and New York City with stops in Dyer, Rensselaer, Lafayette, Crawfordsville, Indianapolis, Connersville, Cincinnati, Ashland, Huntington, Charleston, Hinton, White Sulphur Springs, Staunton, Charlottesville, Culpeper, Manassas, Alexandria, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Newark.
• Carolinian between Charlotte and New York City via Washington, D.C.
• Crescent between New Orleans and New York City via Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
• Northeast Regional is Amtrak's busiest regional service, connecting Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and the many towns and cities in-between. Toward the east end of the route, some trips terminate at Springfield instead of Boston. Some services also continue south into Virginia towards Newport News, Roanoke and Norfolk on three separate branch routes from Alexandria. This is also Amtrak's most frequent service, with multiple daily departures, and the longest trip takes 12.5 hours. Stops at Union Station and State Street.
• Palmetto between Savannah and New York City
• Silver Meteor and Silver Star between Miami and New York City via Savannah.
• Vermonter operates daily between St. Albans and Washington, D.C. including stops in Essex Junction, Waterbury, Montpelier, White River Junction, Claremont, Bellows Falls, Brattleboro, Greenfield, Northampton, Holyoke, Springfield, Windsor Locks, Hartford, Meriden, New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford, New York City, Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore, and New Carrollton.

By bus

• DART offers local service in Wilmington in Castle County and to/from other parts of Delaware further south.

Get around

DelDOT's network of DART First State buses serve Wilmington and adjacent areas in northern New Castle County, but these are designed primarily for commuters. DART First States buses primarily operate Monday through Friday with several routes offering Saturday service and a few routes offering Sunday service. Fares for DART First State buses are $2.00 per ride and transfers are not issued. Reduced fares for senior citizens or persons with disabilities cost $0.80 per ride, a student fare costs $1 per ride with a student ID, and blind persons and children 46 inches in height or under who are accompanied by a fare-paying rider can ride for free. A Daily Pass may be purchased for $4.00, offering unlimited rides for the day. A 7-day pass costs $16, a 30-day pass costs $60, and a 20-ride pass costs $26.

A car is the best way to get around the city, especially if you plan on driving to office parks, tourist attractions, or other locations outside of the city proper. There are several locations to park in the downtown area of Wilmington. On-street parking in downtown Wilmington is regulated by parking meters. Parking meters have a time limit of two hours and accept nickels, dimes, and quarters as payment. A nickel buys 3 minutes of parking, a dime buys 6 minutes of parking, and a quarter buys 15 minutes of parking. There are also commercial parking lots throughout the downtown area of Wilmington. The Wilmington Parking Authority operates the Customs House Garage at 7th Street between King and Walnut streets, the Brandywine Gateway Garage at 13th and King streets, the Train Station Garage on MLK Boulevard between King and French streets, and the 8th Street surface lot at 8th and Orange streets. Colonial Parking operates the Ships Tavern Garage on 2nd Street between Market and King streets, the One Christina Centre garage at 4th and Walnut streets, the New Castle County Courthouse parking at 5th and King streets, the Midtown Parking Garage at 9th and Shipley streets, the HyPark Garage at 9th and Orange streets, the PNC Bank Center Garage at 222 Delaware Avenue, the 10th and Washington Street surface lot, the Government Center Garage at 9th and French streets, the 7th and Shipley Street surface lot, the 7th and Market Street surface lot, and the 1201 Market Street garage. SP Plus operates parking lots at 208 W. 12th Street, 902 N. Market Street, and 1007 Orange Street.

Ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft can be used to get around Wilmington.

Stay safe

Wilmington is said to be one of the most dangerous small cities in the United States. The violent crime rate is very high, and in the 2010s the city has repeatedly broken its record for homicides in a single year. Most of the violence, however, is related to poverty and drugs (Wilmington's location in between Philadelphia and Baltimore makes it a natural way station for drug traffickers), so it is less likely to affect visitors who stick to the popular business and tourist neighborhoods.

Go next

• Arden is a small community north of Wilmington, founded by the sculptor Frank Stephens and the architect William Price on the economic theories of Henry George. Arden is a gem of Arts & Crafts style architecture, and has a lively theater and arts scene. The town also has many pedestrian paths that can be used for leisurely strolls,. In the summer, Arden has a long tradition of outdoor theater, which continue to today. In the fall, there is the Arden Fair, which includes many concerts, games and food booths
• Brandywine Valley, which extends from Wilmington's outskirts across the state line into Pennsylvania to the northwest. The beautiful countryside is accessible in all seasons, but particularly attractive in spring and fall. Home to the Brandywine River Museum and various wineries in the area, such as Chaddsford Winery.
• Longwood Gardens, another few miles up Route 52 in Pennsylvania, is another former duPont estate-turned-museum. Its massive estate boasts some of the most impressive formal gardens in the country, while the palatial conservatory is home to thousands of plant species. A must for any plant-lover.
• Newark. Home to the University of Delaware.
• New Castle (Delaware) 9 miles to the South of Wilmington. Nestled along the Delaware, New Castle's old section has managed to survive much as it looked during the American revolution.
• Winterthur, five miles north of Wilmington along Route 52, is a 900-acre former duPont family estate which is now a museum known for its unparalleled collection of early American decorative arts. Stop at the nearby Buckley's Tavern to relax in an atmosphere with locals or go for a drive along one of the many byways through the surrounding countryside, locally known as Chateau Country.