10 Places to Travel on a Budget: Delaware

For most people the mention of Delaware is returned with a yawn, a shrug of the shoulders, or a "Oh, the place I drive through on my way to Maryland", but with a little effort you can visit these 10 places to travel on a budget in Delaware. If you stop to take a look at what the First State has to offer, you realize that it's not a bad place for a day or two of traveling. Here are a few recommendations that won't cost you extra toll money.

1. The Village of Arden  Incorporated over a century ago, the Village of Arden devotes itself to arts and crafts. You can spend the day walking the streets of the downtown area, or you can stop at one of the performance buildings, like Buzzware Village Center or Arden Club, where you will find a variety of arts, crafts, music, and theater.
2. Wilmington Blue Rocks While the Phillies to the north and the Orioles to the south are charging arms and legs to get into their stadiums, this Class A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals provides an inexpensive chance to experience America's pastime while you travel on a budget in Delaware. Tickets start at $6 for general admission and $10 for box seats. The price gets you a night's (or afternoon's) baseball as well as non-related activities and games that make minor league baseball interesting for adults and children alike. Plus, fresh chocolate chip cookies are sold around the sixth inning.
3. Brandywine Zoo Situated in Wilmington's Brandywine Park, this small zoo (around 13 acres) features 150 different types of animals. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for kids 3 to 11 years of age. However, if you hit the zoo at the right time, you may be able to get in for free during one of their special events. You can't beat free when you want to travel on a budget.
4. The Kalmar Nyckel Docked on the Christiana River in Wilmington, the Kalmar Nyckel is a replica of one of the original colonial ships that came to America after the Mayflower made its mark. The ship is available for tours and, depending on the tides, sailing around the river.
5. Christiana Mall While not an "attraction" per se, the Christiana Mall is on this list of the best places to travel on a budget in Delaware for one reason: tax-free shopping. With a recent expansion that opened up stores like Barnes and Noble and Urban Outfitters, this is now becoming the main mall in Delaware (and there are only three). And with all the money you save you can have a meal at the recently opened Cheesecake Factory.
6. Fort Delaware State Park Fort Delaware was once used to house Confederate prisoners during the Civil War. Now, costumed reenactors show visitors what life was like towards the end of that war. Access to the fort, located in the middle of the Delaware River, is via ferry from Delaware City. Round-trip rates are $11 per adult and $6 for children 2 to 12.
7. Dover International Speedway Though it may only be active twice a year (May and September), Dover International Speedway--known as "The Monster Mile"--is a site to see. If you have some extra time, and about $99, you can drive 4 laps around the track during the off-season.
8. Cape May-Lewes Ferry Whether you're traveling on foot or in a car, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry is an inexpensive way to journey between the Delaware beach town of Lewes to the New Jersey shore town of Cape May. With passenger tickets starting as low as $3, the 90-minute trip across Delaware Bay is inexpensive, making it  a great additon to our list of the best places to travel on a budget in Delaware.
9. Cape Henlopen State Park This state park on the Delaware coastline offers places to camp, hike, kayak, and swim. And it's all for the low cost of $4 for in-state residents and $8 for out-of-towners.
10. Rehoboth Beach Just south of Lewes and Cape Henlopen, the resort town of Rehoboth Beach provides inexpensive offerings for everyone. This includes Rehoboth Avenue--featuring a variety of specialty shops, restaurants, and bars--several miles of free, public beaches, and a boardwalk offering the usual fattening foods and carnival games. For the younger set there's Funland, an indoor and outdoor amusement park where 30 cent ride tickets provide a large amount of cheap entertainment, a big plus when you are looking for places to travel on a budget in Delaware.