Wilmington Riverfront
Mini golf, the Children's Museum, a riverwalk, Blue Rocks baseball, and ice cream by the water — all in one stretch.
Justison St & S Madison St, Wilmington, DE 19801
Hours
Hours not posted
Last checked 2026-08-21
- Cost
- Free
- Best for
- All ages
- Indoor / outdoor
- Outdoor
- Typical visit
- 2-4 hours
A flat, stroller-friendly riverwalk with food nearby; the walk itself is the outing.
The Quick Version
- • Not one venue — a whole district along the Christina River. Picture a line you walk from north to south: green space and the train station at one end, the Children's Museum and mini golf in the middle, the stadium past that, and boardwalks over the marsh at the far end.
- • The Delaware Children's Museum (Wednesday–Sunday, 10 AM–5 PM, closed Monday and Tuesday) and Riverwalk Mini Golf are the family anchors, and they're 30 seconds apart. Budget 2–3 hours for both.
- • Parking isn't one system. The Children's Museum's lot — the Riverfront's Lot K, entrance on Beech Street across from Penn Cinema — is free per the museum. The Riverfront's own parking page is about a monthly permit commuter lot, not visitor parking. Other lots vary by lot and by event, so read the signage where you park.
- • The Wilmington train station (Amtrak/SEPTA) is adjacent — you can walk to the Riverfront from the platform.
- • The Riverfront Development Corporation says the district drew over 3 million visitors last year. On a nice Saturday this is a busy place, not a quiet riverside walk.
Best Ages
All ages
Plan For
2-4 hours
Admission
Free
What to Expect
The Wilmington Riverfront isn't one attraction, and treating it like one is how people end up disappointed. It's a walkable strip along the Christina River just south of downtown, and the easiest way to plan it is to picture a line you walk from one end to the other.
Start at the north end, at Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park: open grass, the river, the sculpture, and the space where the Riverfront's festivals set up. The Wilmington train station sits right behind it, which is why families coming down from Philadelphia often do this whole outing without a car.
Walk south and the buildings start. The Big Yellow Building is the Delaware Children's Museum, 550 Justison Street — Wednesday through Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM, closed Monday and Tuesday, $15 general admission with children under 12 months free. For anyone under about eight, this is the strongest stop on the Riverfront and the thing to build the day around. Riverwalk Mini Golf is right next door, close enough that you don't move the car, and the ice cream shack there is the most useful bribe in the district. Penn Cinema Riverfront is across Beech Street from the museum's parking lot — the rainy-afternoon backup that also doesn't require moving the car.
Keep going and you reach Frawley Stadium, home of the Wilmington Blue Rocks. A minor-league game is the low-stakes way to take a small kid to a first ballgame: cheap seats, room to wander the concourse, and nobody minding a toddler who taps out after four innings.
The south end is the quiet end. The DuPont Environmental Education Center and its boardwalks run out over the marsh, the noise drops off, and you're mostly looking at birds. That's also where the Riverwalk hands off to the Jack Markell Trail heading toward New Castle — flat and paved the whole way, which matters if you've brought scooters.
Two things about timing. First, the Riverfront Development Corporation programs the outdoor space through the warm months: the self-guided audio walking tour runs April 15 through October 31, and the events calendar carries things like the Little Farm Petting Zoo (3–6 PM on scheduled afternoons) and Music at the Market. Second, the RDC says the district drew over three million visitors last year. On a good-weather Saturday, plan for crowds and a hunt for parking rather than a quiet walk by the water.
Who It's Best For
Babies and toddlers: the Children's Museum is built for them — the under-5 area is excellent. Preschoolers: mini golf, museum, riverwalk. Elementary: Blue Rocks games, mini golf, the longer riverwalk trail. Tweens: Blue Rocks, the Riverfront's food options, walking the Jack Markell Trail to New Castle.
Highlights
Delaware Children's Museum
Ages 1–7The bright yellow building on Justison St. Interactive exhibits across multiple floors — water play, building, pretend play, a climbing structure. The under-5 area is particularly good. Open Wednesday–Sunday, 10 AM–5 PM; closed Monday and Tuesday. Plan 1.5–2 hours. Admission $15 general, children under 12 months free. A social story is posted on the museum's site if your kid needs to preview the space.
Riverwalk Mini Golf
Ages 3+18-hole course right next to the Children's Museum. Landscaped with river plants and birdhouses. Rates are posted at the booth (last checked May 2026: $12/person, under 3 free). The shack sells soft-serve ice cream and milkshakes — worth a stop even without playing.
The Riverwalk
All ages1.3-mile paved path along the Christina River. Scenic overlooks, benches, and a boardwalk section at the southern end leading into the Peterson Wildlife Refuge. Flat and stroller-friendly. Connects to the Jack Markell Trail (5.5 miles to New Castle) at its southern end.
Blue Rocks at Frawley Stadium
Ages 3+Minor league baseball (Washington Nationals affiliate). April–September. Tickets $8–20. Fireworks nights, themed promotions, a relaxed atmosphere where kids can wander. One of the best-value family outings in NCC.
Penn Cinema Riverfront
Ages 4+Movie theater across Beech Street from the Children's Museum's parking lot. Mostly useful as the weather backup — you can switch plans without moving the car. Check its own listings for showtimes and prices.
Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park
All agesOpen green space at the north end of the Riverwalk with the “Unwavering Courage” sculpture. Hosts the July 4th Freedom Celebration (free family activities starting at 4 PM, fireworks at 9:30 PM) and other festivals throughout the year.
DuPont Environmental Education Center
Ages 3+Nature center at the southern end of the Riverwalk, at the edge of the Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge. Boardwalks into the wetlands, bird watching, and a small exhibit space. Free. A quiet contrast to the rest of the Riverfront.
What to Skip with Little Ones
- • Walking the full Jack Markell Trail to New Castle with a toddler — it's 5.5 miles one way. Do a short out-and-back from the Riverwalk instead.
- • Blue Rocks games on fireworks nights if your kids are under 2 — the noise is intense and the games run late.
- • The Riverfront on a summer afternoon with no shade plan. The riverwalk is exposed and gets hot. Morning or evening is better.
- • Driving down on a Monday or Tuesday expecting the Children's Museum. It's closed both days, and it's the reason most families come.
Logistics
Admission
Free admission
The Riverfront itself is free to walk. Individual attractions charge their own admission: Delaware Children's Museum is $15 general admission, with members and children under 12 months free — plus $2 admission from 5–8 PM on the third Wednesday of most months (the museum notes September is excluded) and complimentary teacher and military admission on designated evenings, including monthly CAPS nights, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day weekends. Riverwalk Mini Golf and Blue Rocks games charge separately — see the Frawley Stadium guide for ticket ranges and check the mini golf booth for current rates.
Getting There
Parking
The free lot most families want is the Riverfront's Lot K, which the Delaware Children's Museum calls its free parking lot — the entrance is on Beech Street across from Penn Cinema, between Shipyard Drive and Judy Johnson Drive. The museum tells GPS users to enter 601 S. Madison Street, which is also the address on the Riverfront's commuter-lot page, so follow the Beech Street entrance and the signage rather than trusting the pin. Beyond that, the Riverfront's published parking page covers only the commuter lot at 601 South Madison Street: monthly permit parking, $75 per vehicle at the last posted (2024) rate, valid Monday–Friday 8:30 AM–6 PM with no overnight parking — not a visitor option. There's no posted district-wide free-parking rule, and other lots vary by lot and by event, so read the sign before you walk away from the car.
Blue Rocks game nights fill the nearby lots — leave extra time if you're combining a game with anything else. The Riverfront's own driving directions: from I-95, take the Martin Luther King Blvd. exit, turn right onto Lancaster Avenue, then take the first right onto South Justison Street; from Route 13, cross the Senator Margaret Rose Henry Bridge, take the first right onto Shipyard Drive, and pass Frawley Stadium. If you'd rather not drive in at all, DART runs Park & Ride/Park & Pool lots, and the train station is a walk from the north end of the Riverwalk.
Entrance
There's no single entrance — the Riverfront is a district. For the Children's Museum and mini golf, head to 550 Justison St and turn onto Beech Street for the lot. For the Riverwalk, start at Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park (French St & Rosa Parks Dr) or walk south from the train station area.
Parent Logistics
The Riverwalk is paved, flat, and wide — excellent for strollers, with no stairs on the main stretch. The Children's Museum is fully accessible. Mini golf works with a stroller parked at the side. Sidewalks between Riverfront attractions are well-maintained.
Restrooms in the Delaware Children's Museum, Riverfront Market, Frawley Stadium (game days), and seasonal portable facilities near event areas.
Available in the Delaware Children's Museum.
Limited along the open riverwalk — it's mostly exposed waterfront. The Children's Museum and the indoor market are the shade. Bring hats and sunscreen for summer riverwalk walks and mini golf.
Food & Snacks
Riverfront Market is the indoor food-hall option in the middle of the district, and there are sit-down restaurants along Justison Street and the water. We're not printing hours or a stall list here — the Riverfront's lineup turns over often enough that anything we published would be wrong within a season. The Riverfront's own site keeps the current Dine directory; check it the morning you go. The mini golf shack sells soft-serve and milkshakes, and on game nights Frawley Stadium has the usual ballpark food.
Snack strategy: Either feed everyone before you start walking or make the food stop your midpoint — the museum sits mid-district and the boardwalk end is a walk further south, with nothing to eat once you're down there. The indoor market is the easiest quick lunch with kids because it's counter service and you're not waiting on a table. For ice cream, the mini golf shack is worth a stop even if you're not playing.
Pro Tips
- ✓ Combine the Children's Museum + mini golf + ice cream for a complete morning. They're 30 seconds apart on Justison St.
- ✓ The Children's Museum runs $2 admission from 5–8 PM on the third Wednesday of most months (members free; the museum notes September is excluded). It's the cheap way to find out whether your kid loves the place before you buy a membership.
- ✓ Blue Rocks Tuesday home games are often the cheapest tickets. Check the promotions calendar — dollar hot dog nights and fireworks Fridays are family favorites.
- ✓ The Jack Markell Trail is excellent for bikes and scooters. Flat, paved, and separated from traffic the whole way to New Castle.
- ✓ The self-guided audio walking tour runs April 15 through October 31 and is a decent way to give an older kid a job while you walk.
- ✓ The train station is walkable. If you're coming from Philly with kids, take SEPTA Regional Rail — skip the parking and walk to the museum.
- ✓ Riverfront East development will expand the district significantly over the next decade. New riverwalk extensions, housing, and retail are planned for the east bank of the Christina.
Questions parents ask
Is parking at the Wilmington Riverfront free?
Partly, and it depends where you land. The Delaware Children's Museum calls the Riverfront's Lot K its free parking lot — the entrance is on Beech Street across from Penn Cinema, between Shipyard Drive and Judy Johnson Drive. That's the one most families want. The Riverfront's own published parking page isn't about visitor parking at all: it covers the commuter lot at 601 South Madison Street, which is monthly permit parking at a last-posted (2024) rate of $75 per vehicle, valid Monday–Friday 8:30 AM–6 PM with no overnight parking. No district-wide free-parking rule is posted publicly, and other lots vary by lot and by event — read the sign at your space.
Is the Riverwalk stroller-friendly?
Yes. It's paved, flat, and wide, with no stairs on the main stretch, and it's one of the better stroller walks in New Castle County. The Children's Museum is fully accessible, and at mini golf you park the stroller at the side of the course. The catch is shade, not surface — the path is exposed waterfront, so a summer midday walk is rough on a baby.
What's actually there for kids?
The Delaware Children's Museum is the anchor: 550 Justison Street, Wednesday through Sunday 10 AM–5 PM, $15 general admission with children under 12 months free. Riverwalk Mini Golf is next door. Frawley Stadium hosts Wilmington Blue Rocks games in season. The Riverwalk itself is the free part, running from Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park at the north end down to the DuPont Environmental Education Center's marsh boardwalks at the south. Penn Cinema Riverfront covers bad weather. On top of that the Riverfront Development Corporation programs seasonal events — the Little Farm Petting Zoo runs 3–6 PM on scheduled afternoons, there's a Music at the Market series, and a self-guided audio walking tour runs April 15 through October 31. Check their events calendar for dates before you count on any of it.
Where should we eat on the Riverfront?
There's an indoor market in the middle of the district plus sit-down restaurants along Justison Street and the water, which is enough that you don't need to plan lunch off-site. We're deliberately not listing stalls and hours: the lineup here changes often, and the Riverfront's own Dine directory at riverfrontwilm.com is the only version that stays current. Check it the morning you go. For a quick stop, the mini golf shack does soft-serve and milkshakes.
What day should we go?
Not Monday or Tuesday if the Children's Museum is the point — it's closed both days. Weekend mornings before noon are the quietest at the museum. If you're price-sensitive, the museum's third-Wednesday $2 evening (5–8 PM, September excluded) is the cheapest entry. And bear in mind the Riverfront Development Corporation reports over three million visitors in the last year: a sunny Saturday afternoon is the busiest version of this place.
When to Go
Best Time to Visit
Weekend mornings for the Children's Museum — it opens at 10 AM and is least crowded before noon, and it's closed Monday and Tuesday, which catches people out. Weekday evenings for a Blue Rocks game or a Riverwalk stroll.
Seasonal Notes
Spring through fall is peak season — mini golf is open, the Riverwalk is pleasant, and Blue Rocks baseball runs April–September. The Riverfront's self-guided audio walking tour runs April 15 through October 31. The events calendar leans warm-weather too: a summer lunchtime music series, Music at the Market dates running into the fall, and the Little Farm Petting Zoo on scheduled afternoons from 3–6 PM. Winter has brought Holiday Magic light displays along the Riverwalk (November–January) in past years — confirm on the Riverfront events calendar before you make the trip for it. The Children's Museum is year-round, Wednesday through Sunday.
Rainy Day?
The Delaware Children's Museum is the obvious indoor option — plan for 2 hours, and remember it's closed Monday and Tuesday. Penn Cinema Riverfront is across Beech Street from the museum lot if you need a second indoor block without moving the car, and the indoor market handles lunch. Beyond that, the Riverfront is an outdoor district. Combine the museum with a trip to the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science (10 min drive) for a full rainy day.
While You're in the Area
Brandywine Park and the Zoo are a 10-minute drive north. Trolley Square restaurants are 5 minutes away. Kalmar Nyckel is the other Wilmington waterfront outing families pair with this one — check its own schedule before you count on it. For a longer adventure, bike or walk the Jack Markell Trail south to New Castle (5.5 miles, mostly flat) — Battery Park at the end has a playground.
Upcoming Events
Featured in these guides
Know when something good is on near Wilmington Riverfront
Free, one email a week — the weekend's best picks for New Castle County families, tailored to your kids' ages.