AboutPhil Pierdomenico Expertise I can answer a wide variety of questions including travel, shopping, points of interest, restaurants, and virtually anything else you may want to know about the First State.
Experience I was born in Delaware and have lived here my entire life. I have seen practically every square inch of the state. I live in northern Delaware, but I am also quite familiar with "Slower Delaware."
Question We're thinking of moving to the northern part of DE. My husband would commute to Thorofare, NJ. We're originally from north NJ, but currently living in MI. We miss the beautiful scenery that NY/NJ offered. We're looking for an area that has the scenery, plus our top priority are schools. Our kids are in 5th, 2nd, & kindergarten. We enjoy the outdoors like hiking, running, camping, fishings... But we also must live near civilization- shopping, restaurants, movies, kids activities. Can you recommend an area in Delaware? We use to vacation down by Bethany Beach but don't know anything about the north end. Help us locate a peaceful residence, but be near activities. Thanks!
Answer Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your question.
I'm glad to hear you're considering moving to Delaware. I've lived in northern Delaware my entire life. I've been to northern New Jersey and New York, and I agree that there are some very scenic areas there. I must say, however, that I don't think Delaware can compete with that when it comes to scenery. The state is very flat except for some gently rolling hills in the extreme north. We do have our fair share of parks and recreational areas, and we are very close to three other states that also offer outdoor activities.
You will never be far from civilization in northern Delaware. The entire area is essentially a vast expanse of suburbs, and it's rapidly expanding southward. Shopping centers and schools are everywhere. Almost any area in the northern half of New Castle County should meet your criteria. (New Castle County is split in half by the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal; about half of the state's population is north of the canal.) This area is made up of the cities of Wilmington, Newark (NEW-ark, 2 syllables, unlike Newark NJ), and New Castle and their surrounding suburbs. Any place in these suburban areas should be good, but generally the farther north and west you go, the more peaceful it should be. You may want to check out the areas of Pike Creek and Hockessin (HO-kess-in). If you look at Concord Pike (route 202) on a street map, you'll notice a big difference between the east side of the highway and the west side of the highway. The east side is much more developed, neighborhood after neighborhood. The west side is one of the few areas left in the region that is open. But because we're so small, you're never really off the beaten path. Anywhere you choose should fit your criteria, but the places I've described are more scenic, although not as much as north Jersey.
I hope this helps, and if you have any further questions please don't hesitate to ask.
