|
|
|
|
||
|
Known for its grand Victorian homes and its small collection of antique shops, Lewes is like a charming antique itself, filled with historic homes and some surprisingly fine shops. The Cape Henlopen State Park attracts those who find its beaches a quiet and relaxing change from the carnivals found on the boardwalk resorts to the south. Lewes, while not a true beach resort, offers enough attractions, on land and water, to fill any beach escape. When the sun becomes too much, or even too little, stop by the Visitors Bureau (120 Kings Hwy; 302/645-8073) and pick up a brochure that will guide you on a walking tour of the historic homes in this quaint town. Your first stop is where you got the brochure: The Visitors Bureau is located in the Fisher-Martin House, which dates to around 1730. Other stops include such historic places as the Cannonball House Marine Museum (Front and Bank streets), which was built in 1797 and shelled by the British during the War of 1812. Take a look at Lewes's celebrated past by visiting the Zwaanendael Museum (Savannah Road and Kings Highway, Lewes; 302/645-1148), which has displays of Lewes artifacts and memorabilia. Or simply stroll around the downtown area, which is home to many fine Victorian and Queen Anne-style homes and some interesting shops. More marvelously preserved homes and buildings can be found at the Historic Complex, which is managed by the local Lewes Historical Society. Some of the buildings here -- all, thankfully, saved by this local effort -- date back more than two centuries (Third and Park streets, Lewes; 302/645-7670). Second Street comprises the town's main commercial district (even though that area is only a bit more than one block long). Here you will find some interesting vintage jewelry at Antique Corner (124 Second St.; 302/645-8097), chic women's clothing at the Jetty (123 Second St.; 302/645-4606) and pottery, paintings and other giftables at the Saxon Swan (101 Second St.; 302/645-7488). The natural wonders are only a five-minute drive away: Cape Henlopen State Park, a 3,320-acre state park with a four-mile beach along both the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay as well as nature trails, a bird sanctuary, the Seaside Nature Center, a fishing pier, bathhouse, observation towers, and tennis and basketball courts. If you want to see deer up close, drive around the grounds during the hour or so before sunset, when the park's deer herds become active and very visible. (Daily admission is $5 for out-of-state cars, $2.50 for cars with Delaware plates. 302/645-8983.) The beach on the Delaware Bay (Route 9 Business Bypass and Bayview Avenue) offers a safe experience for little sunbathers. The waves are small, the sand is the same as that on the Atlantic shore, the parking lot is right next to the beach and the passing parade of boats big and small is always entertaining. Dolphin- and whale-watching cruises are offered on sightseeing boats leaving from Fishermen's Wharf (Anglers Road in Lewes; 302/645-8862). Charter and headboat fishing depart from there and from the Anglers Fishing Center farther down Anglers Road (302/645-8688). Tired of sea and sand? One attraction in Lewes is firmly land-based -- the Queen Anne's Railroad, a dinner/murder mystery train that runs on Saturdays (730 Kings Highway, just off Route 9 in Lewes; 302/644-1720 or 888/456-8668). Consistency, not high concept, spells success in a small shore town like Lewes, and few restaurants change very much from year to year -- at least not if they want to survive. The cleverly quayside (though snugly dry-docked) Gilligan's (Front and Market streets at the waterside; 302/645-7866) remains on a satisfying keel, serving up modern-seafood dishes which suggest that the cooks read, but don't just memorize, a lot of good cookbooks. The Aurora Cafe has a whole list of those terrible temptations saltwater air makes you crave, from pancakes at daybreak (hence the place's name) to rich sandwiches, crab cakes and silken desserts (329 Savannah Rd.; 302/645-2327). Kupchick's on the waterfront (3 E. Bay Ave.; 302/645-0420) is a shore-town classic, one of those unprepossessing exteriors that turns out to have dependably good steaks and seafood (hilariously defined as "Delmarva Rim Cuisine"), pasta and desserts big enough to founder a ship, all served up in a sort of family-parlor space by hospitable waitresses. There's also a cheery pub off to one side for less formal fare. And the Rose & Crown (108 Second St.; 302/645-2373) is as pure a pub setting as a small seafaring town could want, with its pressed-tin ceilings, worn-shiny wood and 'round-the-world (well, 'round the British Empire) beer list, bolstered by an import-export menu ranging from Anglo fish and chips to American grilled fish and chops. The main changes in Lewes dining are those of address: A Taste of Heaven, once the town's hottest catering secret, has finally gone full time (Savannah at Second Street; 302/644-1992), serving up fine fusion-tinged fare in a Revolutionary-era house. And The Buttery, as if it indulged too heavily in its eponymous cream sauces (which are, to be fair, not at all excessive), just keeps on bustin' out of its metaphorical britches. Having already spread out of the parlor into the main lobby of the New Devon Inn, the restaurant has finally moved into new and roomier quarters altogether, buying and renovating the Victorian-era Trader Mansion at the other end of the block (102 Second St.; 302/645-7755). There the classic continental dishes get light makeovers, not full facelifts, but range widely enough to allow for repeat business: They include grilled coconut-rum tuna with fruit salsa ($18), lobster and shrimp tempura ($24.95), adobo-rubbed rack of lamb ($23.95), filet with chimichurri sauce ($24.95) and a Pernod-finished full-catch bouillabaisse ($26.95). The glass-enclosed porch and wraparound veranda will soon be joined by a deck for even more outdoor dining. And while the Buttery's desserts are undoubtedly tempting, don't forget King's Homemade Ice Cream Shop. Stop by, order a sundae or cone and savor it in the wooden booths (201 Second St; 302/645-9425). The Dutch may have founded Lewes, but the nightlife, such as it is, is distinctly Irish. When Anglers restaurant closed a few years ago, its spot was taken over by Irish Eyes Pub & Restaurant, the longtime Rehoboth Irish bar. They have yet to take down the giant Anglers sign, but inside it's all shamrocks and leprechauns and Guinness. The deck is a great place to let the day wind down, and if you stick around, there's live music (folk, Irish and some rock) three days a week (213 Anglers Rd., Lewes Harbor; 302/645-9931). The seriously local hangout is the nicely low-key Drawbridge Bar (Anglers Road, Lewes Harbor; 302/645-8862), attached to the Lighthouse Restaurant, while the most pleasant bar in town is the one at the Rose & Crown, where small musical combos (jazz, blues, folk) make periodic appearances (108 Second St.; 302/645-2373).
Lewes Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 1, Lewes, DE 19958. Call 302/645-8073. Lewes Chamber of Commerce
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
© Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company Back to the top |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
  |
|
