Wilmington, Delaware answers the perennial “What’s new?” question. Here’s an update on this group-friendly area:
Hotel du Pont
Restaurants
• Columbus Inn on Pennsylvania Avenue has reopened for business. Housed in a colonial building with an original section that dates to 1789, the 175-seat restaurant has been totally renovated and is open for lunch and dinner. The Columbus Inn features two private rooms that can accommodate 100, a convenient location and plentiful parking.
• World Cafe Live Wilmington officially opened on April 2 in the restored Queen Theatre on Market Street. Built in 1915, the historic Queen Theatre has been completely renovated and functions as a live music venue showcasing performers from across the musical spectrum. World Cafe Live Wilmington is an extension of the Philadelphia-based performance venue/restaurant and broadcast studios for regional public radio station WXPN.
• Cantwell’s Tavern in the Brick Hotel in Historic Odessa is scheduled to open on May 1. The restaurant will seat 60-plus on the first floor and 50 on the second floor. There will also be an outdoor dining patio and bar that will seat 60-plus seasonally.
• Groups can watch and assist guest chefs at Celebrity Kitchens prepare gourmet meals and then enjoy the results.
• Domaine Hudson Wine Bar & Grill offers first-rate dining in a gracious yet unpretentious setting. The menu features creative, flavorful foods paired with a variety of wines and craft beers.
• At the Green Room in the Hotel du Pont, sumptuous meals are served in elegant surroundings amid signature artwork. Modeled after European grand hotels, the Hotel du Pont is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing afternoon Tea featuring a traditional English tea service daily at 3 p.m.
DuPont Environmental Education Center
Wilmington’s Revitalized Riverfront
• Delaware Children’s Museum, the state’s first and only kid-centric museum, features 37,000 square feet of interactive fun. DCM is dedicated to building imaginative minds through play and promises exciting experiences for every age—from toddlers to preteens to grandparents.
• DuPont Environmental Education Center, located at the southern end of the Riverfront, overlooks the Christina River in the 212-acre Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge. What was once an industrial wasteland has been transformed into a healthy tidal marsh where more than 200 species of wildlife have been identified, including a pair of bald eagles and a family of osprey. A dramatic pedestrian bridge extends from the riverwalk to the third floor of a glass-enclosed building.
Horse Racing
Live it up
Known for live Thoroughbred and Arabian horse racing from April through October, year-round simulcasting and 2,500 exciting slot machines on two spacious levels, Delaware Park is one of only three sports parlay betting venues on the East Coast. The multi-faceted gaming facility, located just minutes south of Wilmington, has added live table games. The Rail Wine Bar & Grille and White Clay Creek Country Club, with a 7,007-yard championship golf course, are located on Delaware Park’s grounds.
www.visitwilmingtonde.com
