There is no place like home and Delaware will always be my home. After being born and raised in Delaware, I will be leaving the State of Delaware at the age of 29 to move to New Jersey, the Garden State. After living in a small town, the town of Hockessin, in the 2nd smallest state in the country, living anywhere else seems foreign to me. Yes, I know, New Jersey is right next to Delaware, but there is nothing like living in the First State. Here are 5 things I will miss about my home state of Delaware.
Tax Free ShoppingTax free shopping is probably the thing I will miss the most. The price on the tag is the price at the register... No additional taxes added! Now, when I move to New Jersey, or any other state after that, I will have to remember to bring extra cash to cover the taxes added at the register. It might be time to start extreme couponing!
Hockessin, DelawareI love Hockessin, Delaware. Hockessin is a small town nestled in a valley by the Pennsylvania border. It is green, full of cute little shops and restaurants and everyone knows one another. You can get to the WaWa in 5 minutes from anywhere in Hockessin and they have a Famous Tom's Tavern, which has $3 drinks. The thing I will miss the most about Hockessin is living on 8 acres of woods. It is secluded, full of life and very relaxing. Trying to find a duplicate in New Jersey, but it seems to be a futile effort. If you haven't visited Hockessin before, you should make that your next stop.
The ValleyConnected to Hockessin is the back roads to The Valley. The Valley is a set of roads winding through the woods of Hockessin, Wilmington, Centerville, and Greenville and the drive is absolutely beautiful. There are trees everywhere, streams, cool looking houses, and more. The scenery is just amazing. My favorite time to drive through the Valley is during the Fall. When you get to the reservoir, the trees reflect off the water and the view is just awesome. Take a Sunday drive and see the beautiful views of the Valley in Delaware.
The Delaware BeachesI love the Delaware beaches. They are full of history, they are super clean, and there is more than one to visit. Growing up, we would go to Cape Henlopen for the beach, since they have showers and a great hot food place, then go over to Lewis to have ice cream. Then we would drive over to Dewey to have dinner at the Rusty Rudder and afterwards go to Rehoboth to enjoy the boardwalk and Funland. If you haven't been to the Delaware beaches, get over there before winter hits!
My Family and FriendsI was born and raised in Delaware for 29 years and all of my friends and most of my family is from Delaware. This is the thing I will miss most of all. Not having my friends around the corner from me to have coffee or breakfast with is going to be a big change. Not having my mom and dad live around the corner from me is going to be huge. I value my family and friends greatly, so not having them around in this new city is going to be different.
Delaware is called the Diamond State and there is a reason for that. Delaware is a Small Wonder... a beautiful gem that is unique in all its glory. I am honored to have grown up in the State of Delaware and I will always call myself a Delawarean. I will only be a state away, so I will see you soon Delaware. You will be missed but never forgotten. #Delawarean4Life