Kirkwood Highway Workshop
November 13, 2024
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A Scenic Byway is a road that highlights a combination of heritage, recreational activities, and scenic beauty. It has six special intrinsic qualities: scenic, historic, natural, cultural, and recreational and/or archaeological.
We are proud to help create and maintain three of the six Delaware’s Scenic Byways, connecting us to the special places in our state. These places are the very best of our historic, scenic, cultural, and natural wonders. Travel our byways and experience the best our state has to offer.
New Castle County
Take an unforgettable journey through the rolling hills of the genteel Brandywine Valley landscape and discover the lasting influence of the Du Pont family dynasty from city-side to country-side. This journey is a true Delaware original, often referred to as Chateau Country. The Brandywine Valley National Scenic Byway leads to an unparalleled concentration of historic sites, magnificent estates, glorious gardens and mesmerizing museums where visions from a vanished century abound.
Byway highlights:
Here the history of America – social, economic, horticulture and art – will be laid out before you as you travel the rolling hills of the Brandywine Valley National Scenic Byway.
Why you’ll like this drive:
The byway delivers a journey through history surrounded by the beautiful landscape of the Brandywine Valley with its picturesque rock walls and gently rolling hills. There are plenty of places to stop and explore and your options are only gated by your time.
Length: 12.25 Mi
Drive Time: About an hour, longer if exploring
Sussex County
Designated a National Scenic Byway in February 2021 for its rich history, the Delaware Bayshore Byway is the “Road Less Traveled”. Driving it, you are welcomed to “Delaware’s quieter and wilder side”, a destination unto itself. Traveling the Byway is about making a conscious decision to get off the crowded, bustling highway of modern America, letting your senses take in the majesty and power of Mother Nature in the wildlife areas and coastal communities of Delaware’s Bayshore.
The Bayshore area is a natural treasure in the middle of the heavily populated Mid-Atlantic corridor.
Key Info:
Designated a National Scenic Byway on February 19, 2021 by the Federal Highway Administration.
Why you’ll like this drive:
You can plan for day trip or a lovely long weekend exploring the many points of interest and beautiful small towns along the byway, including the nineteen Discovery Zones (see map). Whether you like nature views, historical points-of-interest, or just exploring somewhere new, the Byway delivers access to coast, rivers, and small towns ensuring you always have something to explore.
Length: 157 miles on road, traversing 100 miles of Delaware coastline
Drive Time: About 3 hours, longer if exploring
Sussex County
The Historic Lewes Byway is a continuous road network that, taken as a whole, captures the modern history of the greater Lewes area. The individual segments of the route include New Road, Pilottown Road/Front Street, Savannah Road, Kings Highway, Gills Neck Road and Cape Henlopen Drive. Both physically and historically, these segments have played a vital role in the town’s development and reflect its evolution since 1631.
The stunning views found along the designated route illustrate Lewes’ natural beauty, maritime
origins and rich history.
The character of the roads emphasize the cultural evolution of the area, including:
Why you’ll like this drive:
Lewes is a lovely small town with interesting shopping, high-end restaurants and lovely hotels. Plan to stay a night and explore the Byway and then branch into some of the nearby walking and biking trails.
Length: 13.1 Mi
Drive Time: About 1 hour
Each of our beautiful scenic byways are unique and worth a visit. We’ve provided a story map interactive overview of these three byways as well as some of the other scenic byways in our state.
Experience Delaware’s scenic byways through drive itineraries created by the National Travel Center. Each one offers must-see locations, attractions, activities and dining spots that will give you the perfect First State adventure! View each one HERE.
About Delaware Greenways:
We envision a State where trails, pathways and scenic corridors connect everyone to where they want to go, empowering them to live healthier lives as they discover and enjoy the outdoors.
