Chris loves spending time outside. He has been to more than 10 National Parks, and the many local parks near Newark, DE, is part of what he loves about this area.
I bought my house because it backs up to Fair Hill Park, so I may be a little biased... I love this park! Of all of the parks within 30 mins if Newark it is the largest and least populated, meaning it does not take long to walk into the woods and feel surrounded by nature. The 5,600+ acre park has 80+ miles of trails! Originally owned by the DuPont Family, the park still has a focus on equestrian activities, including multiple barns, riding rings, trail riding, race tracks and equestrian competitions. Once a year the park hosts the Cecil County Fair.
Distance from Newark: 17 mins
Parking: $3/$5 (in-state/out of state) Annual Pass: $75/$100 (in-state/out of state)
I grew up on the PA side of the 3,600 acre White Clay Creek State Park, so it has a special place in my heart. It is a wonderful place to go for a hike. There are many great entry points such as literally walking from Main Street, Newark onto Creek Road and into the woods, or along the Middle Run section, which is a bit more secluded than the Creek Road section and an ideal place to go mountain biking. They also host many great events, such as their summer music series in the summer on Wednesday nights.
Distance from Newark: 0 mins (Starts in Newark)
Parking: $4/$8 (in-state/out of state)
Annual Pass: $35 (in-state)
Park #3: Lums Pond, Bear, DE
Lums Pond is a premier recreational park in New Castle County. Although I have not yet done the zip line, it looks like fun! There are plenty of places to have a picnic or take a stroll in the 1790 acre park. The 200 acre pond (HUGE!) is the focal point of the park and you can enjoy canoeing and fishing. If you are looking for some easy, local camping, they have that too.
Distance from Newark: 20 min
Parking: $4/$8 (in-state/out of state)
Annual Pass: $35 (in-state)
Park # 4: Michael N Castle Trail, Bear, DE
This isn’t your typical park, but it is a great and unique place to spend an afternoon. You can walk or ride your bike along the C&D Canal on a flat, paved, pedestrian road. It goes 12.4 miles from Chesapeake City, MD to Delaware City, DE (across the entire state of Delaware!). You can stop for food or drinks at either end or in the middle. The trail was opened in 2017.
Distance from Newark: 24 min
Parking: Free
Park # 5: Goddard Park, West Grove, PA
It's not a huge park, but with 125 acres there is plenty of space to play. I love that it has a dog park for both big and little dogs, walking trails that are both hard surface and wooded trails, a really fun playground that looks like a barn/farm, plus an awesome community garden.
Distance from Newark: 25 min
Parking: Free