Four white columns fashion a curved portico at the side entrance of a three-story Georgian mansion. Double doors, crowned with an arch of lace-like window panes, open onto a main hall graced with a sweeping staircase. Heavily carved doors on either side of the hallway beckon a look inside, where richly paneled rooms and crystal chandeliers rival any grand home in the country.
This is magnificent Bellevue Hall, where an unforgettable tour is just part of a peaceful winter getaway.
» 800 Carr Road, Wilmington
» Distance: 70 miles from Baltimore; 105 from D.C.
» Info.: 302-761-6963; www.destateparks.com
Delaware’s Bellevue State Park is one of the state’s 15 stunning and picturesque parks that open its gates and natural attractions to the public. Spanning 328 acres, this park was once the estate of the William duPont Jr. family until its acquisition by the State of Delaware in 1976. The mansion, Bellevue Hall, is the grand centerpiece in this bucolic setting that boasts tennis courts, horse stables and trails, walking paths, fishing, ice skating and its own Arts Center.
“Our greatest advantage is being able to offer people the chance to get outdoors, to take a leisurely walk around the grounds, do some winter fishing and ice skating if the weather permits,” said James Wagner, park administrator. “The park is a nice way to get out of the hustle and bustle of city life.”
Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the many programs offered through the Arts Center. Formerly the greenhouse on the estate, the facility is run by Dorothy Payton, Park Naturalist, who plans arts and crafts activities for children and their parents. She also oversees environmental education and weekly walks in addition to conducting the historic tours of Bellevue Hall and the Cauffiel Estate, which is adjacent to the park.
“Daniel Cauffiel was a real estate adviser to the duPonts,” Payton said. “[His] Federal-style home was built in the 1920s and purchased by Bellevue State Park in 1993. The house is fully furnished and in the same condition it was when built.”
Payton recommends a winter weekend that includes a visit to one of Bellevue’s nearby facilities, Blue Ball Farm. Once a dairy farm, historic Blue Ball now houses the Delaware Folk Art Museum.
For fine dining, shopping and overnight accommodations, the city of Wilmington is less than 5 miles from Bellevue State Park. The park is also a short distance from other area attractions such as Longwood Gardens and Winterthur Museum.
