Page 7 - Wilmington - It's Time

and shrubs; 36,000 grasses, perennials and annuals; and 27,600 wetland plants.
This spring and summer Riverfront Wilmington is giving residents and visitors a multitude of irresistible reasons to come out and play. And to make it super-easy to keep up with all of the fun outdoor attractions and exciting goings-on, the RDC has launched a free app that’s like an electronic brochure with a map of the Riverwalk that can
be filtered by attractions, places to stay and eat; links to websites and constantly updated information
on local traffic, festivals and other special events; live music and other performances as well as great deals exclusively for app users. The app is available for Apple or Android.
ANIMAL ATTRACTION
One of this year’s new attractions is the Jack A. Markell Trail, part of the Delaware Greenway initiative, for walkers, runners and bicyclists that runs 7.9 miles from the DuPont Environmental Education Center (DEEC) on the Wilmington Riverfront and crosses the Christina River to
Historic New Castle. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the DEEC, a place where kids, teens and adults can learn about nature through outings, advanced topics, culinary experiences and summer camps.
DEEC is located on the edge of the Russell W. Peterson Wildlife Refuge, a 212-acre natural freshwater tidal marsh habitat that is a prime spot for watching a variety of species of birds, including bald eagles, that nest and migrate here. It is also home to other wildlife such as beaver, river otter and Eastern painted turtles. In summer, colorful dragonflies come to feed. There are also 10 acres of ornamental gardens.
A SUMMER FULL OF FUN
Fun is par for the course at the 18-hole Riverwalk Mini Golf. The links are decked out in colors and plant life inspired by the Riverfront and whimsical birdhouses made by local artist Tom Burke. Bike and surrey rentals are available at both Riverwalk Mini Golf and DEEC for tooling around the Riverfront. Thursday evenings through July
and August, Dravo Plaza is the place
to come for free summer concerts featuring a wide range of musical genres. The Riverwalk also provides
a front-row seat for the city’s thrilling July Fourth fireworks display.
Pretty landscaped areas in which to relax and take in some summer sun or enjoy a cool breeze during a Riverwalk stroll are Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park and Hare Pavilion. Both are also available for special events and rentals throughout the spring and summer.
Residents and visitors can toast the summer season at Constitution Yards, a 30,000-square-foot outdoor beer garden at Justison Landing. Imbibe
in refreshing frozen cocktails or a constantly changing rotation of craft beers. Backyard games include corn hole toss, badminton, bocce, life-size Jenga, a full-size Wiffle ball field and, this summer, recreational axe throwing. There is also live music. On-leash dogs are welcome.
H2OHHH!
Kids and adult history buffs alike will thrill to a sail aboard the Kalmar Nyckel, The Tall Ship of Delaware. A replica of the Swedish ship that brought the first permanent European settlers to the
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The new Jack A. Markell Trail (top of photo) winds through the Russell W. Peterson Wildlfe Refuge. Photo by Joe Del Tufo
JUNE 2019 | ww.todaymediainc.com | W7