As I was preparing to write this post I became more and more convinced of one thing. Wilmington is awesome. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Bethany Roberts, Interior Design Alumni class of ’08, Assistant Director of Admissions and City of Wilmington resident and enthusiast. There simply isn’t enough room in a blog post for me to tell you everything that there is to do in Wilmington so I’ve selected some favorites of our students and myself. Did you know that Wilmington has several vibrant neighborhoods? I live in the Cool Spring neighborhood and walk to DCAD every day. From May to October the Cool Spring Park hosts a farmers market with local produce, innovative crafts, delicious food vendors and live music. Neighborhoods like Trolley Square and Little Italy offer an amazing array of locally owned and operated restaurants for every taste and neighborhoods like Midtown Brandywine and Trinity Vicinity offer picturesque streets and architecture. The Triangle Neighborhood and Hilltop are some neighborhoods to check out as well. DCAD is located within easy walking distance of several parks that offer biking, walking and picnicking options.
For some time to forget about school and work Wilmington offers a variety of festivals and events that cater to a variety of interests. Wilmington also has an extensive amount of visual and performing arts centers that provide inspiration throughout the city.
The downtown area provides ample entertainment and dining options. On Market Street alone you will find fine dining like Chelsea Tavern and Orillas Tapas Bar, and more student budget friendly places like LOMA Coffee, Brew HaHa, Qdoba, Quiznos, DiMeo’s Pizza, Extreme Pizza and Bains Deli. Market Street is also the home of World Café Live, The First State Ballet Company, The Grand Opera House, Film Brothers, and the DuPont Theatre.
No matter what your interests, Wilmington is a place to have adventures and call home. It is a place that I have chosen to live in and I can tell you I am never bored! I hope you take the time to visit if you haven’t had the chance, we would love to show you around!
Parks: Historic Brandywine Park (amazingly gorgeous in the spring with cherry blossoms!), Alapocas Park, Rockwood Park, Cool Springs Reservoir (weekly farmers market from May-Oct), Riverfront Park.
Fitness Centers: Walnut Street YMCA, Central YMCA, Plexus Fitness, Planet Fitness (only $10/month!), Crossfit
Festivals and Events: The People’s Festival, Greek Festival, Italian Festival, Polish Festival, Chocolate Festival, Ice Cream Festival, Jazz Festival, Riverfront Blues Festival, The Wilmington Film Festival, Fringe Festival, Shakespeare Festival, Brandywine Arts Festival, Monthly Art Loop, Ignite Wilmington, Wilmington Grand Prix, City Restaurant Week, Wilmington Flower Market, St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Wilmington Blue Rocks Baseball and Light Installations by Bruce Munro at Longwood Gardens this summer!
Performing and Visual Arts Centers: World Cafe Live at the Queen Theatre , The Grand Opera House, Theatre N (Indepent Films), The Delaware Theatre Company, Opera Delaware, The First State Ballet Company, Winterthur Museums and Gardens, The Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, Delaware Art Museum, Brandywine River Museum.
Some Restaurants to check out! (because we all LOVE to eat): Locally owned and operated: Chelsea Tavern, Ernst and Scott Taproom, Orillas Tapas Bar, LOMA Coffee (DCAD students have a drink named after them, a poor man’s mocha latte called “The DCAD”), Brew HaHa, DiMeo’s Pizza, Bains Deli, Zaikka Indian Grill, Sub City, Cavanaugh’s, Tijuana Taco, El Diablo Burritos (a personal favorite of Bethany Roberts), Catherine Rooney’s Irish Pub, Picolina Toscana, Ciao’s Pizza, Pizza by Elizabeth’s, Iron Hill Brewery (home of the best Sweet Potato Fries….EVER), Joe’s Crab Shack, Mikimoto’s Sushi Bar, Kooma Sushi Bar, Ubon Thai Cuisine, , Big Fish Grill, Shenannigans, Union City Grill, Mrs. Robino’s, The Blue Parrott, Capriotti’s (try “the bobby”) , Lucky’s, Washington Street Ale House (the beer cheddar soup is to die for!), Presto, Delta Restaurant (great breakfast dive!), and even some chain restaurants! Qdoba, Quiznos, Dunkin Donuts, Subway, Boston Market, McDonalds, Extreme Pizza.
Shopping and Entertainment: (Delaware has TAX FREE SHOPPING) Spaceboy Clothing, Design’s by Ace, Noso Boutique, Christiana Mall, Concord Mall, Trader Joe’s, Target, Brandywine Towne Center, Christiana Towne Center, Shoprite Grocery, Acme Markets, Regal Brandywine Movie Theatre, Walgreens, Walmart.
DCAD LIFE 