Lewes

Lewes has a real claim to its own nickname: Dutch settlers founded Zwaanendael here in 1631, making it Delaware's earliest European settlement, and the town markets itself today as The First Town in The First State — leaning on both that founding date and Delaware's status as the first state to ratify the Constitution. The original Zwaanendael colony did not survive its first year; the settlement that became Lewes grew from later, more durable Dutch and English settlement. The 1631 date is what Lewes still claims as its founding.

That history is the whole reason the Zwaanendael Museum exists: a building modeled after a town hall in Hoorn, Netherlands (the Dutch town the original 1631 expedition sailed from), holding exhibits on Delaware's history generally and the Zwaanendael story specifically. It's a small, specific museum built around a small, specific founding story — not a generic regional-history stop.

Lewes sits on Delaware Bay in Sussex County, and it's the northern anchor of what's often called Delaware's Cape Region, alongside Rehoboth Beach just south. The Cape May–Lewes Ferry connects it directly to New Jersey — a 17-mile, roughly 85-minute crossing of Delaware Bay, run by the Delaware River and Bay Authority since service began July 1, 1964. It's the kind of crossing that makes Lewes genuinely useful as a gateway, not just a beach-adjacent town: a car and passenger ferry that turns a long drive around the bay into a boat ride.

The Zwaanendael Museum is the anchor for Lewes's specific claim to history. The building itself is modeled after the town hall in Hoorn, Netherlands — the town the original 1631 Dutch expedition sailed from — and its exhibits cover Delaware's history with the Zwaanendael settlement at the center. It's a compact, purpose-built stop rather than a sprawling regional museum, which makes it an easy first hour in Lewes before the rest of the town.

*Fees subject to change, please check cmlf.com for updated information.

We were unable to confirm how the restaurant scene in downtown Lewes compares with the one on Rehoboth Beach's boardwalk.

We were unable to confirm a local seafood specialty for Lewes. The Cape May–Lewes Ferry's own site says both of its terminals have on-site restaurants and bars.

6 breweries within 10 miles of Lewes, 5 of them brewpubs with a kitchen.

Brewpub locations from Open Brewery DB (MIT)

21 more Highway Heads places lie within about 180 miles of Lewes in a straight line — far enough that most are a night away rather than an afternoon.

• Cape MayNew Jerseyabout 25 mi
• Ocean CityMarylandabout 30 mi
• Atlantic CityNew Jerseyabout 55 mi
• WilmingtonDelawareabout 70 mi
• AnnapolisMarylandabout 75 mi
• Independence HallPennsylvaniaabout 80 mi
• PhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaabout 80 mi
• BaltimoreMarylandabout 85 mi
• National Air and Space MuseumDistrict of Columbiaabout 100 mi
• TrentonNew Jerseyabout 100 mi
• Washington, D.C.District of Columbiaabout 100 mi
• Washington, D.C. — U.S. CapitolDistrict of Columbiaabout 100 mi
• FrederickMarylandabout 130 mi
• Harpers FerryWest Virginiaabout 140 mi
• HarrisburgPennsylvaniaabout 140 mi
• NewarkNew Jerseyabout 140 mi
• Statue of Liberty National MonumentNew Yorkabout 140 mi
• Museum of Modern Art — MoMANew Yorkabout 150 mi
• New York CityNew Yorkabout 150 mi
• RichmondVirginiaabout 150 mi
• Shenandoah CountryVirginiaabout 180 mi

Half a day covers downtown Lewes and the Zwaanendael Museum; add the ferry crossing as its own half-day commitment if New Jersey is on the itinerary.

Seasonal schedules shift through the year. The City of Lewes lists beach lifeguards on duty from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, and the Cape May–Lewes Ferry says it operates year-round with schedules that change by season.

Cape May–Lewes Ferry fares vary by season, passenger category and vehicle length, and the ferry lists a base price and a maximum price for each vehicle category. For travel on or after October 12, 2026, the ferry adds a temporary fuel surcharge of $7^* per crossing, which it expects to remain in effect through December 31, 2026 and says may change. The Delaware River and Bay Authority operates the ferry, and the ferry's official site has current pricing.

The ferry's FAQ says reservations are recommended and that sailings sell out regularly throughout the year, most frequently from spring into early fall. The ferry's booking terms say reservations are required and list a $5^* handling fee for arriving without one.

*Fees subject to change, please check cmlf.com for updated information.

Zwaanendael Museum

Address

102 Kings Hwy, Lewes, DE 19958

Hours

Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.; closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday (per the museum's official page)

Price

Free admission; donations are appreciated (per the museum's official page)

Link

history.delaware.gov/zwaanendael-museum

We checked fees, opening hours, operating status, seasonal opening and reservations on 2026-10-13. These change without notice — confirm with cmlf.com, history.delaware.gov, historiclewes.org, destateparks.com, dogfish.com, dovermotorspeedway.com, amcmuseum.org and ci.lewes.de.us the week you travel.

Straight-line distance from Lewes, not drive time.

• Cape May County (WWD) — 20 miles
• Dover Civil Air Terminal/Dover Air Force Base (DOV) — 30 miles
• Ocean City Municipal (OCE) — 32 miles