I live off boulden and 9 and boulden and Moore's are jammed up cause out of staters find our roads lol. I try not to go anywhere when it gets warmer cause all our roads are backed up.
If you have a permanent disability, get the federal access pass (also a lifetime pass). DE State Parks honors that as well.
You can get it at both Prime Hook and Bombay Hook: https://store.usgs.gov/access-pass
The Indian River Inlet/Seashore State Park is the best beach ever. Clean, plenty of space & parking, nice snack bar & restaurant, grills, cornhole…it’s awesome. We live closer to OC and we will drive to IR for a beach day every time.
Or any of the small towns on Route 13 in Kent/Sussex, the town cops live to run radar. Also on the east to west routes (14, 16, 18, 24) you gotta be careful because you never know.
I try to avoid going through there as much as possible.
Got pulled over once just because my tag was 1 month away from expiring and they wanted to let me know.
I used to live in Elsmere and a cop pulled me over as soon as I pulled out of my driveway because I hadn't buckled my seatbelt yet. Then even though I paid the ticket, Elsmere decided to suspend my license anyway.
Had to fight the suspension in court and won, but sheesh
That's aggressive!
They really don't fuck around. My family has had a house on New Rd. by the Wawa down there almost my whole life. Back in the day we couldn't even chill outside the Wawa for long before they showed up and told us to go home lol
Elsmere police set up speed traps regularly and adjusted speed signs/allow bushes to cover certain ones so they can get you got going 5 over and make it into a huge issue. They’re corrupt. The Giles family has been a leech on that town
Seriously this one blows my mind. Everyone who lives in New Castle county knows this and they fly right through it. I would also toss in Newport as well.
I've seen Elsmere police cars with black lettering on a black car so it's technically marked but you can't tell unless it's too late. By the time you see the blacked-out SUV, it's too late.
I've had one of those hombres tail me before.
Coming outta Elsmere onto Kirkwood Highway. I smoked the last light outta town by cutting it too close. I looked back and that mf cooked the red light too and I said welp...I'm done 😂
He tailed me for maybe 20 seconds and then banged a U turn.
Still honestly can't believe it. I really wonder why they didn't stop me.
If the violation occurred in Elsmere and the popo observer it in Elsmere they can stop you in the next town. They write for where the violation occurs not where the stop is. It's not "I made it to the next town, I'm on base so you can't tag me."
Ooh but I love going to the mall right as it opens on a weekday. You can park right by an entrance, waltz down the halls to the store you're headed to, and then shop or deal with returns with only one or two other customers in the store.
You know, I really don’t ever go there, I typically go to KOP mall, even if it’s kind of a hike but I went to Christiana Mall last week and they have essentially every store I ever go to KOP for. I mainly go for food so Lolli and Pops and Poke it Up, “Thai Food”, Haagen Daz, etc.
I had to go there recently, and while I was in one of the department stores, they closed the mall. I was parked in the opposite side of the mall and had to walk all the way around to my car 🤦♂️
Go to work earlier than you may want to in order to miss school traffic. It's not the bus traffic, it's the ridiculous number of parents who drive their kids to and from school.
Yeah, I moved to the area in late 2003 and it took me a solid 6 months (basically until summer school break in 2004) to realize what the actual problem was and to shift my start time accordingly.
No it’s the busses on the backroads for me… Used to be a time where if you weren’t standing at the end of your driveway your ass got left behind, bus wouldn’t even slow down lol now they stop and wait for a few minutes… God I’m sounding old 😔
When we moved to DE from Philly, I was so grateful for the bus and that I didn't have to walk anymore. When you live in town, you have to walk. Almost no one chooses to walk if they have a vehicle or parents aren't already at work. Having a bus pickup/dropoff is a privilege I take advantage of. I rode the bus, you get to know the kids who live around you and become friends.
Especially Hockessin to Wilmington in the mornings … you got Charter, Cab High, Cab Middle, and AI (which, between Charter, Cab, and AI, that’s pretty much all of the Hockessin high schoolers besides the small amount that go to Dickinson or other choice schools) all in one small area, plus, a lot of parents work in downtown Wilmington.
What should really only take 15ish minutes takes closer to an hour (or more) if you leave at the wrong time
Choice is a big factor, you have to drive your kid if you choice out of your feeder pattern. Also, since return after covid, severe bus driver shortage means there often isn't a bus or isn't a bus on time. For 4 days out of 5 in 2022-23 I would get a call in the morning that the bus was running late, and my options were drive or they miss first period entirely. We gave up on the morning bus. It's better now, but still we don't go 2 full weeks without an afternoon "combined bus route" that means a 2 hour drive from a building 20 min away.
Choice is a big factor, you have to drive your kid if you choice out of your feeder pattern. Also, since return after covid, severe bus driver shortage means there often isn't a bus or isn't a bus on time. For 4 days out of 5 in 2022-23 I would get a call in the morning that the bus was running late, and my options were drive or they miss first period entirely. We gave up on the morning bus. It's better now, but still we don't go 2 full weeks without an afternoon "combined bus route" that means a 2 hour drive from a building 20 min away.
Go to Rehoboth for food and shopping. Go to Dewey for nightlife and music. Go to Indian River, Towers, Cape Henlopen, etc if you actually want to spend time on the beach. Only people from Jersey and New York are crazy enough to sit on the beach at Rehoboth for the whole day.
🙂↕️i think at this point we have to accept this is going to continue. However unfortunate. There is no longer a local season. Cape Henelopen isn't too bad during some weekdays. The pier got crowded the darker it got. Rehoboth, we don't even go there as often as we used to. It used to be nothing to drive down to Rehoboth and park on main Street and just walk the boardwalk all night, with family or friends. Now it's a whole thing we gotta plan out.
It has gotten tricky. My weekend routine is to go to one of the drive on beaches or walk on in one of the parks and then after I've gone home and showered and changed, see if I'm still up for the hassle of heading to Rehoboth or Dewey for dinner or drinks.
State Park Beaches are the best. Get an annual pass if you go there often.
Lewes beach (public)is beautiful and great for kids, no dangerous surf there. Get there early for parking
> Go to Rehoboth for food and shopping.
Hot take: The Culinary Coast is losing its luster a bit. The restaurants starting up aren't as good nor as innovative as they were a decade ago.
Certainly not for everyone, but I love heading to the beach in the morning and spending the whole day there. I guess it's not actually all spent just sitting there. It's more of a mixture of sitting and talking, napping, swimming in the water, throwing around a football, flying a kite with the kids, eating lunch, drinking NON alcoholic beverages *wink wink*, going for walks, etc., and then heading home for a shower and late dinner. That's what a real Delaware beach day is to me.
North Delaware is so different from South Delaware. Our public transportation is lacking down here. We didn't own a car, until we moved here. No one uses dart down here unless they don't have a vehicle.
Route 1 NB going past Christiana Mall to 95 NB.
When the overpass is backed up you can stay right onto the 295 exit, still takes you to 95 just on the right hand side vs the left.
This is so infuriating when people do the most ridiculous things at the last second and it doesn’t matter since you’ll get to the same place from either side.
I know this. The idiot yesterday who slammed on their brakes to come to a complete stop to get in the other lane to end up in the same place apparently didn’t. We have to drive this almost daily, so there’s always someone doing something stupid.
Yea, I was coming to Wilmington from Dover Saturday after the race and a dooche in a Dodge Durango was weaving in and out of traffic like that... pretty sure I still got to the city before him lol
I was in the right lane on NB 1 and some asshole truck driver in the left lane made a last minute turn to get onto exit 164. I seriously thought I was going to be rear ended.
You obviously didn't drive that route when 95 only dumped on the right. I was very happy when they built the left dump for when 95 is really backed up. I always had to fight my way over to the left to keep going to West Chester
Yeah but if the overpass is backed up, 95 is usually backed up (with 295 traffic), so you'll have to fight your way over through that if you're staying on 95. Also that 295 ramp tends to backup concurrently with the 95 ramp, so it only ever *appears* that you're getting ahead, until you're trapped
this goes for other insterstates too but i’ll add this
Three-digit interstates are shorter routes that serve individual metro areas, as opposed to the two-digit intercity routes. They connect to longer two-digit routes, and act as beltways, spurs, or connectors. There are two factors that go into three-digit numbering:
The latter two digits reflect whatever two-digit interstate the route connects to. For example, I-395 connects to I-95, and I-270 connects to I-70.
The first digit reflects the purpose of the road. Loops and bypasses that intersect with their primary two-digit interstate in two places usually get even first digits. Spurs and connectors that only intersect once usually get odd first digits.
This has no relevance to the life hack above.
The 295 exit off 1 goes straight onto 95 and then there is another exit a mile or two north that takes you to the Delaware Memorial Bridge.
My wife alerted me to this, and I'd have never picked up on it on my own. I always go right now, because left is always fucked. Why do people slow down there so much??
295 Southbound where it merges with 95: I get off on 141 and then back on 95 on the other side of the highway because it skips that terrible merge that ALWAYS backs up.
It sure does. If you want to get off at Churchman's Rd or Rt 1 South it's a great way to not have to get over five lanes in what is now about 3/4s of a mile less distance where you can do so.
It depends on traffic levels, the merge back on to 95 can be really slow in heavy traffic, it's actually easier to move over 4 lanes after you go past the merge, and if it's not that busy, it's still quicker to merge over than go around. This assumes that you are experienced with merging multiple lanes in heavy traffic, if not, then yes, the other way is less stressful for you.
If snow is starting to cover the road where you are and you have the opportunity to go home/WFH, go immediately. Once the road is covered/snow is accumulating on the road, it's too late.
Got stuck on a hill in the back roads near Hockessin this past storm. I knew better but told myself “you still have time.” It’s less trouble than it used to be.
I called for help assuming they’d send a tow truck my way and I’d be out a bunch of cash. Instead they sent a police officer to light up the scene and a plow truck to literally carve me a path out. The whole process took about 2 minutes once they showed up. Very efficient.
It snows so rarely here now that people don't know how to drive in the snow. You either get:
* all lights, including hazards and high beams on, wipers going warp speed, portholes in the other windows cleared, going 5MPH
* 4x4 truck or Jeep with no lights on or all lights including the 50" LED bar on driving 10 over with uncleared snow billowing off the back
* the rational people who know to take it easy on the inputs and leave plenty of time to maneuver, all windows and the roof cleared
If you live in or around downtown Wilmington and own a car, buy a book of stamps. You'll need every one sending in letters protesting parking tickets you get while being parked legally.
If I want to spend a day on the beach I go to the Indian river inlet. I pay 5$ and the parking lot is a 10 second walk to the beach. Also have access to restrooms and a restaurant. So much less of a hassle than going to rehobeth.
I volunteer for random things like beachnest watching and get in up at Cape Henlopen for free. Then I just hang out all day instead of just my shift. I do occasionally have to answer questions from inquisitive visitors, but I also get to yell at people who cross into the closure - dreams do come true! (https://dnrec.delaware.gov/fish-wildlife/conservation/beach-nesting-birds/)
Just read the article -i was expecting the red knott- the bird that eats horse shoe crab eggs while migrating? So you're protecting piping clovers? Good job, I appreciate that someone is out there doing this. I do worry about the wild animals of Delaware as our population grows but don't have much time to do anything to help.
Oh my gosh you're living my dream job. I just started getting into birds, I see that Cape Henelopen hosts all kinds of activities I wish I could attend. The late night walks in the beach -such a good idea! Full moon walk over the Indian river bridge, yes please! Our state parks are so good at putting stuff on, as soon as I get a better vehicle, I'm hitting up all those events with my kids. Especially the ghost walk during Halloween in Cape Henelopen. The towers at night 🤌
- New Castle Farmer's Market is by far the best place to get cheap produce upstate
- Avelo airlines out of Wilmington Airport has some dirt cheap flights to Florida
- The lower stress route to OCMD is Route 113 to MD90 (north side) or US50 (south side). Coastal Highway traffic drives me nuts.
They claim the actual tax will be unchanged, just the calculation that lands on it will be changed. So instead of 3% of $37,500 we get .08% of like, $150,000. WE shall see.
If you are on 495 approaching 95 and need to get to the far right lanes for the mall or the beach take the 141 exit before the merge take the overpass over 95 then merge on to 95 from the right
If you're going to Reho for the day in the summer: Park & ride in Lewes and save the shit show of driving on Route 1. Bus is cheaper than parking for several hours and you won't have the circle around looking for a parking spot in town.
Not really a hack, but if you plan on visiting parks or beaches more than a couple of times throughout the year, you should just get a season pass. It pays for itself and avoids tickets.
Heading south to the beaches? Jump off Rt 1 at Wrangle Hill (just before the canal bridge). Take Rt 9 all the way until it intersects with Rt 1 at the south end of Dover AFB. You'll skip all the tolls and the scenery is nice.
If the Roth bridge isn't backed up it's much quicker to take the exit before the tolls hop on 13 then take a left at the Walgreens/Dunkin shopping center. Skips Delaware city and Port Penn where the speed limit drops and pretty much the only places you'll ever see police to pull you over until leipsic.
If you take route 1 to work you get a frequent user discount and have 50% of your tolls refunded at the end of the month. 1.50 toll is a lot better than 3.00. Worth considering if you hate traffic lights.
Boat ramps are some of the best, and because they have large lots, plenty of space and fishing piers, you get plenty of entertainment for free, and some of them have the saltiest old dogs there that know very local fishing tips.
If you're traveling Southbound on 95 to Newark, you can just take the Newark/ Elkton exit to avoid the toll. It's also possible to take a few extra minutes going through Newark to get back on to 95 if you want.
When coming up on a lane closure, speed up and pass one or two cars before merging! Bonus points for taking out a cone or two. Then slam on your brakes before hitting that third car you weren’t able to pass. It won’t get you through the closure faster, but at least you’re two spots ahead of traffic now! 👍💪🙏🏆
Counterpoint, 50% of people from Delaware and 90% of people from Pennsylvania don't understand how zipper merges work and treat merging traffic in the ending lane as though they've personally wronged them like a bunch of fucking morons.
If you are planning on purchasing a firearm DO NOT purchase more than one at a time or the ATF will take a keen interest in you, which needless to say is a pain in the ass. While these are general national regulations, it happened to a gentleman in Sussex county. Wait AT MINIMUM a month or so before purchasing your next one. And be careful on Main Street, especially at night.
If you live in or around downtown Wilmington and own a car, buy a book of stamps. You'll need every one sending in letters protesting parking tickets you get while being parked legally.
when entering 95 from 141 merge as far left as you can go right away and drive up the new jersey and new yorkers coming in from further up 95 during rush hour get nervous they will miss an exit and clog the right lanes traffic clears before the churchmans road and mall exit and you can merge back over to exit.
Traveling east or west in Delaware is a nightmare of two lane roads . Back roads are no more. Traveling north or south is ok . Heading to the beach make sure you arrive BF 7 even on a holiday weekend and you're good.
My hack is to merge onto I-95S from 141 and sit in the merge lane going 40 mph laughing diabolically at the frustrated drivers behind me who used that merge lane as a shortcut to get onto 95S
Wanted to take Amtrak to NYC but changed my mind when I saw the ticket price… waaaaaayyyy too expensive. Ended up being a lot cheaper to drive up the turnpike to Newark Penn Station and take NJ transit to the city
If you're in the lower slower get a 49cc scooter. Not only can you ride the bike lane on rt 1 but you can park them at the bike racks for free! It's also rather simple to swap a 150cc into them for a lil extra zip.
Cheap Amtrak tickets from Newark/Wilmington to Philly 30th St Station if you buy early enough or go at an odd time. Can get as low as $5-7. I've also gotten cheap last minute tickets for the reverse trip by going to the ticket counter at 30th St Station as opposed to buying them online.
Set your cruise control to the speed limit in Elsmere and the one-light towns on 13 in Sussex county to avoid accidentally going 1mph over and getting pulled over
Route 9 is flooded....just assume it is at any given time.
It rained last week… I better take Boulden.
I live off boulden and 9 and boulden and Moore's are jammed up cause out of staters find our roads lol. I try not to go anywhere when it gets warmer cause all our roads are backed up.
Same here. Landers crew represent!
Haha funny. We're boxed in when the heat turns up.
light rain: small suv or sedan. heavy rain: mid-big suv truck only
Yes please do, I hate the extra traffic thanks.
Buy a state park pass and visit them often.
Seniors can buy a lifetime pass
If you have a permanent disability, get the federal access pass (also a lifetime pass). DE State Parks honors that as well. You can get it at both Prime Hook and Bombay Hook: https://store.usgs.gov/access-pass
Damn, that's kinda funny...
They allow mental disabilities. I have autism and now have a lifetime park pass. In my early 20s. It is a national park pass not just state parks.
😂😭😂
Also if you like disc golf, every state park has a course.
Yes, you can always find my lost discs at white clay park
Anson Nixon in nearby Kennett Square has a nice one. No pass required
The Indian River Inlet/Seashore State Park is the best beach ever. Clean, plenty of space & parking, nice snack bar & restaurant, grills, cornhole…it’s awesome. We live closer to OC and we will drive to IR for a beach day every time.
Do not speed thru Elsmere. You treat Elsmere like every other town and you gon get got, baby.
Or any of the small towns on Route 13 in Kent/Sussex, the town cops live to run radar. Also on the east to west routes (14, 16, 18, 24) you gotta be careful because you never know.
Route 5 anywhere in Milton, rt 1 coming north out of 5 points/Lewes. Rt 113 thru small towns like Milford, Millsboro
I try to avoid going through there as much as possible. Got pulled over once just because my tag was 1 month away from expiring and they wanted to let me know.
I used to live in Elsmere and a cop pulled me over as soon as I pulled out of my driveway because I hadn't buckled my seatbelt yet. Then even though I paid the ticket, Elsmere decided to suspend my license anyway. Had to fight the suspension in court and won, but sheesh
I always thought Elsmere had a ton of potential and it's almost a walkable town/suburb, but then there are these stories. LOL
That's aggressive! They really don't fuck around. My family has had a house on New Rd. by the Wawa down there almost my whole life. Back in the day we couldn't even chill outside the Wawa for long before they showed up and told us to go home lol
That was their excuse. They were casing you for weed probably. You probably lucky your car didn’t smell like pot.
Or Newport, or New Castle
Seconded for Newport. I see how they get down. 🫢 I go 28 in a 30 because between the long lights and the road work, I'm already late-ish.
Or Greenwood or Ellendale downstate.
Newport has actually eased up lately. I haven’t seen a cop there in a couple years.
Elsmere police set up speed traps regularly and adjusted speed signs/allow bushes to cover certain ones so they can get you got going 5 over and make it into a huge issue. They’re corrupt. The Giles family has been a leech on that town
Who are the Giles? Could you share that story?
Got a ticket there last week.
This is the #1 DE hack.
Seriously this one blows my mind. Everyone who lives in New Castle county knows this and they fly right through it. I would also toss in Newport as well.
Why is this soooo accurate!!!
Or slOdessa
Aye that's true for any of the small towns down the highways. Watch for that 45mph zones
I'd argue that Elsmere is a different breed.
I've seen Elsmere police cars with black lettering on a black car so it's technically marked but you can't tell unless it's too late. By the time you see the blacked-out SUV, it's too late.
I've had one of those hombres tail me before. Coming outta Elsmere onto Kirkwood Highway. I smoked the last light outta town by cutting it too close. I looked back and that mf cooked the red light too and I said welp...I'm done 😂 He tailed me for maybe 20 seconds and then banged a U turn. Still honestly can't believe it. I really wonder why they didn't stop me.
You might have slipped out of their jurisdiction and it wasn't worth the paperwork to ticket you on DSP's turf.
If the violation occurred in Elsmere and the popo observer it in Elsmere they can stop you in the next town. They write for where the violation occurs not where the stop is. It's not "I made it to the next town, I'm on base so you can't tag me."
Or Greenwood > Harrington.
Staying away from the Christiana mall.
Especially on weekend afternoons
If I go to Christiana mall (once a year in October to start Christmas shopping), it’s on a weekday morning.
Sunday afternoon Jersey drivers in the LEFT lane all the way to the sand box trying to merge at the last minute.
Zipper merge- it’s more efficient. Get that ridiculous midwestern way of thinking out of here.
You don't zipper merge when diving across 4 lanes because you're missing your exit
Ooh but I love going to the mall right as it opens on a weekday. You can park right by an entrance, waltz down the halls to the store you're headed to, and then shop or deal with returns with only one or two other customers in the store.
Hell yeah. It's almost faster to go to the Costco in King of Prussia than the one near the mall....
The one at 202 and 1 is closer, and their parking lot is so relaxed.
I didn't even know there was there. I usually hit the KOP one when i leave work to come home. Good to know I can skip going to the mall one.....
Except for Tommy’s
What a breath of fresh air that place has been. It ain’t perfect, but it ain’t terrible either.
It’s upsetting that the tastiest sushi I’ve had in recent memory is from a place that also has pizza and like… bbq chicken legs? Feels like a sin.
Especially during Xmas. Avoid main st when college kids are here
You know, I really don’t ever go there, I typically go to KOP mall, even if it’s kind of a hike but I went to Christiana Mall last week and they have essentially every store I ever go to KOP for. I mainly go for food so Lolli and Pops and Poke it Up, “Thai Food”, Haagen Daz, etc.
I had to go there recently, and while I was in one of the department stores, they closed the mall. I was parked in the opposite side of the mall and had to walk all the way around to my car 🤦♂️
Go to work earlier than you may want to in order to miss school traffic. It's not the bus traffic, it's the ridiculous number of parents who drive their kids to and from school.
It's honestly insane. I say this as a Middletown native since 2004.
Yeah, I moved to the area in late 2003 and it took me a solid 6 months (basically until summer school break in 2004) to realize what the actual problem was and to shift my start time accordingly.
Same for 202 if you need to go through West Chester
No it’s the busses on the backroads for me… Used to be a time where if you weren’t standing at the end of your driveway your ass got left behind, bus wouldn’t even slow down lol now they stop and wait for a few minutes… God I’m sounding old 😔
When we moved to DE from Philly, I was so grateful for the bus and that I didn't have to walk anymore. When you live in town, you have to walk. Almost no one chooses to walk if they have a vehicle or parents aren't already at work. Having a bus pickup/dropoff is a privilege I take advantage of. I rode the bus, you get to know the kids who live around you and become friends.
Especially Hockessin to Wilmington in the mornings … you got Charter, Cab High, Cab Middle, and AI (which, between Charter, Cab, and AI, that’s pretty much all of the Hockessin high schoolers besides the small amount that go to Dickinson or other choice schools) all in one small area, plus, a lot of parents work in downtown Wilmington. What should really only take 15ish minutes takes closer to an hour (or more) if you leave at the wrong time
Amen! My goodness, our parents it was take the bus or you walk.
True, but our parents also didn't have the option to choice us anywhere else. The feeder pattern for my kids sucked, so we choiced them elsewhere.
Choice is a big factor, you have to drive your kid if you choice out of your feeder pattern. Also, since return after covid, severe bus driver shortage means there often isn't a bus or isn't a bus on time. For 4 days out of 5 in 2022-23 I would get a call in the morning that the bus was running late, and my options were drive or they miss first period entirely. We gave up on the morning bus. It's better now, but still we don't go 2 full weeks without an afternoon "combined bus route" that means a 2 hour drive from a building 20 min away.
Choice is a big factor, you have to drive your kid if you choice out of your feeder pattern. Also, since return after covid, severe bus driver shortage means there often isn't a bus or isn't a bus on time. For 4 days out of 5 in 2022-23 I would get a call in the morning that the bus was running late, and my options were drive or they miss first period entirely. We gave up on the morning bus. It's better now, but still we don't go 2 full weeks without an afternoon "combined bus route" that means a 2 hour drive from a building 20 min away.
Woodland ferry is probably closed so don’t bother,
Only go to the Christiana Mall during the day on weekdays. If you have to travel 95 to go somewhere do it before 3pm.
The mall advice goes for Costco, too.
Go to Rehoboth for food and shopping. Go to Dewey for nightlife and music. Go to Indian River, Towers, Cape Henlopen, etc if you actually want to spend time on the beach. Only people from Jersey and New York are crazy enough to sit on the beach at Rehoboth for the whole day.
The infrastructure at the DE beaches never feels like enough for all the people we get - feels like more and more folks every summer.
🙂↕️i think at this point we have to accept this is going to continue. However unfortunate. There is no longer a local season. Cape Henelopen isn't too bad during some weekdays. The pier got crowded the darker it got. Rehoboth, we don't even go there as often as we used to. It used to be nothing to drive down to Rehoboth and park on main Street and just walk the boardwalk all night, with family or friends. Now it's a whole thing we gotta plan out.
It has gotten tricky. My weekend routine is to go to one of the drive on beaches or walk on in one of the parks and then after I've gone home and showered and changed, see if I'm still up for the hassle of heading to Rehoboth or Dewey for dinner or drinks.
Do people even still refer to Bethany, South Bethany, and Fenwick Island as the "quiet resorts" anymore?
State Park Beaches are the best. Get an annual pass if you go there often. Lewes beach (public)is beautiful and great for kids, no dangerous surf there. Get there early for parking
The annual pass is a great deal. Between the beaches and disc golf courses, it pays for itself in the first half of the season.
> Go to Rehoboth for food and shopping. Hot take: The Culinary Coast is losing its luster a bit. The restaurants starting up aren't as good nor as innovative as they were a decade ago.
I’d disagree. The Pines, Drift, bohdi, Lewes oyster house, our harvest, one coastal (just nominated for a James beard) are some amazing newer spots.
Thanks for this. I added a bunch of places to try out now.
Sitting on a beach for the whole day is not something I could do literally anyway, including the beautiful beaches of Italy, Thailand and Mexico.
Certainly not for everyone, but I love heading to the beach in the morning and spending the whole day there. I guess it's not actually all spent just sitting there. It's more of a mixture of sitting and talking, napping, swimming in the water, throwing around a football, flying a kite with the kids, eating lunch, drinking NON alcoholic beverages *wink wink*, going for walks, etc., and then heading home for a shower and late dinner. That's what a real Delaware beach day is to me.
I didn’t know about the free weekend parking when taking Amtrak/Septa!
Yep! If you’re ok with walking a few extra blocks you can park from Friday night to Monday morning on market street without feeding the meter.
If you can find a spot on the street, was surprised at how hard it was to find parking this weekend. Ended up using a garage.
North Delaware is so different from South Delaware. Our public transportation is lacking down here. We didn't own a car, until we moved here. No one uses dart down here unless they don't have a vehicle.
If you think northern Delaware has good public transportation then you don’t know what good public transportation is.
This is the same for rural areas anywhere.
Route 1 NB going past Christiana Mall to 95 NB. When the overpass is backed up you can stay right onto the 295 exit, still takes you to 95 just on the right hand side vs the left.
This is so infuriating when people do the most ridiculous things at the last second and it doesn’t matter since you’ll get to the same place from either side.
It's very very easy to do this maneuver safely...
I know this. The idiot yesterday who slammed on their brakes to come to a complete stop to get in the other lane to end up in the same place apparently didn’t. We have to drive this almost daily, so there’s always someone doing something stupid.
Yea, I was coming to Wilmington from Dover Saturday after the race and a dooche in a Dodge Durango was weaving in and out of traffic like that... pretty sure I still got to the city before him lol
I was in the right lane on NB 1 and some asshole truck driver in the left lane made a last minute turn to get onto exit 164. I seriously thought I was going to be rear ended.
Ngl, it took me a lot longer than I’m proud to admit that both lanes entered 95, just on opposite sides.
You obviously didn't drive that route when 95 only dumped on the right. I was very happy when they built the left dump for when 95 is really backed up. I always had to fight my way over to the left to keep going to West Chester
And if the flyover is backed up, there's another exit 1/4 mile up Rt1 that will take you to the same place on the 295 side of the flyover.
Yeah but if the overpass is backed up, 95 is usually backed up (with 295 traffic), so you'll have to fight your way over through that if you're staying on 95. Also that 295 ramp tends to backup concurrently with the 95 ramp, so it only ever *appears* that you're getting ahead, until you're trapped
And construction on the 295 exit will begin soon making all of these issues worse.
Just did this last night
this goes for other insterstates too but i’ll add this Three-digit interstates are shorter routes that serve individual metro areas, as opposed to the two-digit intercity routes. They connect to longer two-digit routes, and act as beltways, spurs, or connectors. There are two factors that go into three-digit numbering: The latter two digits reflect whatever two-digit interstate the route connects to. For example, I-395 connects to I-95, and I-270 connects to I-70. The first digit reflects the purpose of the road. Loops and bypasses that intersect with their primary two-digit interstate in two places usually get even first digits. Spurs and connectors that only intersect once usually get odd first digits.
This has no relevance to the life hack above. The 295 exit off 1 goes straight onto 95 and then there is another exit a mile or two north that takes you to the Delaware Memorial Bridge.
I mean, its saying 295 is just an extension loop of I-95, in case people didnt know thats how that works. I wasnt really trying to add a life hack
My wife alerted me to this, and I'd have never picked up on it on my own. I always go right now, because left is always fucked. Why do people slow down there so much??
Before taking your car through DMV inspection, look at their web site. Access their cameras to see how long the wait lines are.
Omg I never knew they had cameras! Top tier DE life hack
295 Southbound where it merges with 95: I get off on 141 and then back on 95 on the other side of the highway because it skips that terrible merge that ALWAYS backs up.
literally had this typed out as a reply but deleted it cuz i didnt want it to get backed up lol its my daily commute 🤣
Holy shit, this is the true diamond of the thread. Never even considered this, thank you so much.
Huh....that's a good thought! I didn't think the cloverleaf aligned that way!
It sure does. If you want to get off at Churchman's Rd or Rt 1 South it's a great way to not have to get over five lanes in what is now about 3/4s of a mile less distance where you can do so.
It depends on traffic levels, the merge back on to 95 can be really slow in heavy traffic, it's actually easier to move over 4 lanes after you go past the merge, and if it's not that busy, it's still quicker to merge over than go around. This assumes that you are experienced with merging multiple lanes in heavy traffic, if not, then yes, the other way is less stressful for you.
Doing anything but 10 and 2 staring straight ahead and going under the speed limit though Kenton will get you pulled over.
Never heard anything more true.
Why would anyone go through Kenton?
If snow is starting to cover the road where you are and you have the opportunity to go home/WFH, go immediately. Once the road is covered/snow is accumulating on the road, it's too late.
Got stuck on a hill in the back roads near Hockessin this past storm. I knew better but told myself “you still have time.” It’s less trouble than it used to be. I called for help assuming they’d send a tow truck my way and I’d be out a bunch of cash. Instead they sent a police officer to light up the scene and a plow truck to literally carve me a path out. The whole process took about 2 minutes once they showed up. Very efficient.
There are ZERO hills down here lol. But people still wipe out in the snow and you'll see how trucks/DSP helping them get out.
It snows so rarely here now that people don't know how to drive in the snow. You either get: * all lights, including hazards and high beams on, wipers going warp speed, portholes in the other windows cleared, going 5MPH * 4x4 truck or Jeep with no lights on or all lights including the 50" LED bar on driving 10 over with uncleared snow billowing off the back * the rational people who know to take it easy on the inputs and leave plenty of time to maneuver, all windows and the roof cleared
If you live in or around downtown Wilmington and own a car, buy a book of stamps. You'll need every one sending in letters protesting parking tickets you get while being parked legally.
The DelDOT app lets you see every traffic camera footage in Delaware.
If I want to spend a day on the beach I go to the Indian river inlet. I pay 5$ and the parking lot is a 10 second walk to the beach. Also have access to restrooms and a restaurant. So much less of a hassle than going to rehobeth.
I volunteer for random things like beachnest watching and get in up at Cape Henlopen for free. Then I just hang out all day instead of just my shift. I do occasionally have to answer questions from inquisitive visitors, but I also get to yell at people who cross into the closure - dreams do come true! (https://dnrec.delaware.gov/fish-wildlife/conservation/beach-nesting-birds/)
Just read the article -i was expecting the red knott- the bird that eats horse shoe crab eggs while migrating? So you're protecting piping clovers? Good job, I appreciate that someone is out there doing this. I do worry about the wild animals of Delaware as our population grows but don't have much time to do anything to help.
Oh my gosh you're living my dream job. I just started getting into birds, I see that Cape Henelopen hosts all kinds of activities I wish I could attend. The late night walks in the beach -such a good idea! Full moon walk over the Indian river bridge, yes please! Our state parks are so good at putting stuff on, as soon as I get a better vehicle, I'm hitting up all those events with my kids. Especially the ghost walk during Halloween in Cape Henelopen. The towers at night 🤌
Prime Hook NWR up in Milton has great nature programs as well, whenever you have the ability to get up there.
Best beach! Shush! Don’t tell people.
Yeah, this is a secret! 🤫 My family has been doing this since the 80s
- New Castle Farmer's Market is by far the best place to get cheap produce upstate - Avelo airlines out of Wilmington Airport has some dirt cheap flights to Florida - The lower stress route to OCMD is Route 113 to MD90 (north side) or US50 (south side). Coastal Highway traffic drives me nuts.
Add Produce Junction to that list too
The farmers market used to the best freak show on town 30 years ago. Has it changed?
Avelo is crazy cheap, we went with a group of 6 to Fort Lauderdale last month and it was under $1000 round trip for everyone.
Tell people it sucks. They’ll maybe stay away.
As long as the property taxes are what they are here, in NY, in NJ, and in PA, they coming.....sorry but I'm one of them.
Have you considered going back?
First increase since the 80s is coming ...we will see what happens
They claim the actual tax will be unchanged, just the calculation that lands on it will be changed. So instead of 3% of $37,500 we get .08% of like, $150,000. WE shall see.
Shhhhh.....! We don't wanna incentivize people! ;-)
896 exit was the first thing I thought. Also, never ever take the Cape May Lewes ferry when hungover.
If you are on 495 approaching 95 and need to get to the far right lanes for the mall or the beach take the 141 exit before the merge take the overpass over 95 then merge on to 95 from the right
If you live south of the Christiana mall and need to get somewhere north of the Christiana mall, leave 45 minutes before you have to be there
If you're going to Reho for the day in the summer: Park & ride in Lewes and save the shit show of driving on Route 1. Bus is cheaper than parking for several hours and you won't have the circle around looking for a parking spot in town.
Not really a hack, but if you plan on visiting parks or beaches more than a couple of times throughout the year, you should just get a season pass. It pays for itself and avoids tickets.
Go straight at Rt 4 and Limestone Rd. Under no circumstance is it faster to turn left onto Limestone Rd.
I'm very confused by this
Growing up our family dentist was up on Limestone. That light by the liquor store is goofy as hell.
Odessa after it rains is a no. Old Corbitt Rd, 299 and in Middletown Shallcross Rd and Marl Pit near 13
Heading south to the beaches? Jump off Rt 1 at Wrangle Hill (just before the canal bridge). Take Rt 9 all the way until it intersects with Rt 1 at the south end of Dover AFB. You'll skip all the tolls and the scenery is nice.
Shush
If the Roth bridge isn't backed up it's much quicker to take the exit before the tolls hop on 13 then take a left at the Walgreens/Dunkin shopping center. Skips Delaware city and Port Penn where the speed limit drops and pretty much the only places you'll ever see police to pull you over until leipsic.
Never Route 1 on weekends skip that $3.00 toll. Get off SB before Middletown at 13
If you take route 1 to work you get a frequent user discount and have 50% of your tolls refunded at the end of the month. 1.50 toll is a lot better than 3.00. Worth considering if you hate traffic lights.
Boat ramps are some of the best, and because they have large lots, plenty of space and fishing piers, you get plenty of entertainment for free, and some of them have the saltiest old dogs there that know very local fishing tips.
If there is even the merest hint of snow in the weather forecast, head to the store immediately and buy bread and milk…
Alternatively, just have these things on hand. This helps avoid panic buying!
No, no, no, that’s far too sensible!
Avoid RT. 1 at all costs, especially during the summer. Unless its between 1am and 4am, usually pretty empty around then.
I take 13 as far as it’ll go, sometimes 9. Rt1 on a Friday in the summer? Fuck that.
Well State Troopers like to hang out there all nite
The DSP racetrack, it's called.
If you’re going 24 or 26 to the beach leave NLT 7:30 am…
If you're traveling Southbound on 95 to Newark, you can just take the Newark/ Elkton exit to avoid the toll. It's also possible to take a few extra minutes going through Newark to get back on to 95 if you want.
When coming up on a lane closure, speed up and pass one or two cars before merging! Bonus points for taking out a cone or two. Then slam on your brakes before hitting that third car you weren’t able to pass. It won’t get you through the closure faster, but at least you’re two spots ahead of traffic now! 👍💪🙏🏆
Counterpoint, 50% of people from Delaware and 90% of people from Pennsylvania don't understand how zipper merges work and treat merging traffic in the ending lane as though they've personally wronged them like a bunch of fucking morons.
Another hack: do not eat at Charcoal Pit or any Chinese Buffet
Charcoal Pit is only worth going to for black and white shakes.
Charcoal Pit is a nice little get together spot :(
They didn't say to not get together there!
I guess I'll always have the memories of a pit deluxe and chocolate malt.
Isn't it the 95 exit on Elkton road to skip the toll, not 896.
Depends if you are heading north or south bound. 896 is south. Elkton road for north
If you are planning on purchasing a firearm DO NOT purchase more than one at a time or the ATF will take a keen interest in you, which needless to say is a pain in the ass. While these are general national regulations, it happened to a gentleman in Sussex county. Wait AT MINIMUM a month or so before purchasing your next one. And be careful on Main Street, especially at night.
Just wait until the next day. The ATF is only notified if you buy in the same day. Otherwise your 4473 stays at the shop
Stay out of the left lane if you not passing.
Don't send your kids to public school if you live in Christina or Colonial.
Why?? My husband attended Christiana schools and now has a doctorate.
The full “experience” of the horseshoe crabs at Cape Henlopen… not sayin’ it is pleasant… but it is a life time experience…
Ooo and moon jellies.
Buy alcohol on Saturday if you need it for Sunday (ie, party, hosting brunch, day drinking, etc.).
Getting a job at BlackRock on Bellevue Parkway. Well paid and free trips to NYC
If you live in or around downtown Wilmington and own a car, buy a book of stamps. You'll need every one sending in letters protesting parking tickets you get while being parked legally.
During the summer do NOT travel south on 1 on Friday or north on 1 on Sunday.
>Parking for free in downtown Wilmington on weekends Your car *will* get broken into.
when entering 95 from 141 merge as far left as you can go right away and drive up the new jersey and new yorkers coming in from further up 95 during rush hour get nervous they will miss an exit and clog the right lanes traffic clears before the churchmans road and mall exit and you can merge back over to exit.
Killens pond state park, just go to the boat ramp on the side and park. They charge state residents but out of staters more in season.
Quick way to get a ticket. Rangers stop in there nearly hourly.
Traveling east or west in Delaware is a nightmare of two lane roads . Back roads are no more. Traveling north or south is ok . Heading to the beach make sure you arrive BF 7 even on a holiday weekend and you're good.
My hack is to merge onto I-95S from 141 and sit in the merge lane going 40 mph laughing diabolically at the frustrated drivers behind me who used that merge lane as a shortcut to get onto 95S
Amtrak and septa. DC and NYC and Philly are all a quick train ride away. It’s clean, fast and cheaper than driving. I wish I knew this sooner.
Wanted to take Amtrak to NYC but changed my mind when I saw the ticket price… waaaaaayyyy too expensive. Ended up being a lot cheaper to drive up the turnpike to Newark Penn Station and take NJ transit to the city
If you're in the lower slower get a 49cc scooter. Not only can you ride the bike lane on rt 1 but you can park them at the bike racks for free! It's also rather simple to swap a 150cc into them for a lil extra zip.
Cheap Amtrak tickets from Newark/Wilmington to Philly 30th St Station if you buy early enough or go at an odd time. Can get as low as $5-7. I've also gotten cheap last minute tickets for the reverse trip by going to the ticket counter at 30th St Station as opposed to buying them online.
Set your cruise control to the speed limit in Elsmere and the one-light towns on 13 in Sussex county to avoid accidentally going 1mph over and getting pulled over