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Cape Henlopen State Park, Lewes, DE

Photo: Dough4872, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureFamily FavoriteHistory Buff

Cape Henlopen State Park

Cape Henlopen Drive, east of Lewes · Lewes, DE

Why you should go…

Cape Henlopen sits where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, with ocean and bay beaches, maritime forest and extensive bike paths. At the Fort Miles Historical Area you can tour an artillery park, the Battery 519 museum inside an underground bunker and a fire control tower with wide views. The Seaside Nature Center has a touch tank and aquarium exhibits, and lends bikes for free. A fishing pier, a campground and disc golf round out the park.

  • #state park
  • #beach
  • #bike trails
  • #fort miles
  • #camping

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Cape Henlopen State Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Tours
    Family Favorite

    Cape Water Tours

    $25–$50

    Public boat cruises and private charters out of Lewes, Delaware, including dolphin watching and lighthouse tours.

    3.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Lightship Overfalls

    Under $25

    A retired 1938 lightship turned floating museum, docked along the Lewes canal and preserved by volunteer shipkeepers.

    3.1 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Lewes, Delaware

    Free

    Delaware's 'First Town,' a historic bayfront community with 17th-century architecture and family beaches.

    3.1 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Midway Par 3 Golf

    Under $25

    Beginner friendly 18-hole par-3 golf course between Rehoboth Beach and Lewes, family run since 1980.

    4.9 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Local Gem

    Delaware Botanic Gardens

    Under $25

    A coastal Delaware botanic garden with a large native-meadow planting and woodland trails near Dagsboro.

    19 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Bayside Boat Rentals

    $50+

    Family-run pontoon boat and jet ski rentals on the bay side of Ocean City since 1999.

    29 mi awayMore like this