These 9 towns are Delaware's 'best-kept secrets,' according to WorldAtlas. Do you agree?
Delaware might be small, but there still could be some areas even lifelong residents have yet to explore.
Towns that are Delaware’s best-kept secrets
Balloon seller Andrea Pustell walks past Gandalf (Clay Ridings) during the Arden Fair.
WorldAtlas listed nine small towns in Delaware “that feel like hidden treasures waiting to be discovered.” Each is said to be far from beach crowds and the bustle of local cities, instead offering history, charm and a slower pace that encapsulates the essence of the Small Wonder.
Kicking off the list is Arden in New Castle County near the border of Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1900 by sculptor Frank Stephens and architect Will Price as a single-tax community based on the ideas of Henry George and the Arts and Crafts movement. Today, Arden still attracts crafty residents.
Arden was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Beverly Wescott, of Newark, competes in the ladies skillet toss at the Bridgeville Apple Scrapple Festival.
Next up is Bridgeville, one of Sussex County’s oldest towns that is located about 30 miles away from Dover, Rehoboth Beach and Salisbury, Maryland. Bridgeville was originally named Bridge Branch but was renamed in 1871. The community is close-knit and known for its agricultural roots, along with its motto, “if you lived here, you’d be home now,” according to WorldAtlas.
Third is Magnolia, a Kent County town of just 0.2 square miles. Signage in front of the historic John B. Lindale House brands the area as “the center of the universe around which the earth revolves,” a popular photo opportunity.
Magnolia is 15 minutes from Dover and 30 minutes from the beaches in Lewes.
Milton in Sussex County is the fourth town mentioned. It was named after poet John Milton in 1807 and is known for the variety of architectural styles found in its streets, which reflect the local history of shipbuilding, shipping, canning and button-making.
Milton is also home to Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, which opened in 1995.
Fifth on the list is New Castle, located along the Delaware River in New Castle County. It’s the oldest continuously occupied town in the Delaware River Valley, founded in 1651 by Peter Stuyvesant, according to WorldAtlas, and just 10 miles from downtown Wilmington and 40 miles from Philadelphia.
Battery Park in New Castle, DE, Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Historic New Castle consists of over 600 historic structures, including the New Castle Court House Museum, where Delaware separated from Pennsylvania in 1776. The area also features Battery Park along the Delaware River, where Separation Day is celebrated each June, and a plethora of small businesses.
Moving on, Odessa in New Castle County was originally known as Cantwell’s Bridge in the 1600s but was renamed Odessa in 1855 after the Ukrainian grain port. The renaming was spurred by the construction of the Delaware Railroad, which passed by the town, according to WorldAtlas. Odessa is three miles away from Middletown and 26 miles from Dover.
Odessa is brimming with history, which residents can learn about at places like the Historic Odessa Foundation Museum on Main Street and the Corbit-Sharp House. Cantwell’s Tavern is a popular restaurant, and Christmas in Odessa is an annual event offering tours of private homes and public buildings.
Spring has arrived at White Clay Creek State Park on Tuesday April 1, 2025.
Seventh on the list is Pike Creek in New Castle County, which is located five miles from Newark, 15 miles from Wilmington and 46 miles from Philadelphia. The body of water named Pike Creek is a second-order tributary of White Clay Creek, part of the Christina River System, according to WorldAtlas.
Nearby White Clay Creek provides 37 miles of trails and recreational opportunities. Pike Creek is also home to unique shops and restaurants.
Selbyville in Sussex County is eighth on the list, known as the “gateway to the beaches,” according to WorldAtlas. The town, which is eight miles from Fenwick Island, was founded in 1778 as Sandy Beach but was renamed Selbyville in 1842. Selbyville is known for agriculture, particularly chickens and their processing.
Popular spots in the town include Doyle’s for chicken and dumplings, Selbyville Pit & Pub, Church Street Quilt Shop and Old Town Thrift and Gift.
Camden-Wyoming comes to the plate in the top of the sixth inning facing a one-run deficit in Brandywine's 4-3 win in the championship of the Delaware Little League Junior division state tournament, Thursday, July 27, 2023 at Pike Creek Little League.
Wyoming in Kent County is the last town on the list. It was named in the late 1860s for a reverend in town who moved there from the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania. The town developed alongside the arrival of the Delaware Railroad and has more than 300 structures on the National Register of Historic Places, according to WorldAtlas.
Located less than four miles from Dover, Wyoming boasts Wyoming Park on the banks of Wyoming Lake, plenty of independent shops downtown, the Wyoming Station Farmers Market on Railroad Avenue and eateries like Mike & Mel’s Family Restaurant.
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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: These 9 towns are Delaware's 'best-kept secrets,' according to WorldAtlas. Do you agree?
