Dover (Delaware)

Dover is the capital of Delaware. It is in the central part of the state in Kent County, approximately midway between Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach. Dover is home to several historic sites and recreational areas are nearby.

Understand
As the state capital, the state government is a major employer in Dover and there are many government offices in the area. Dover is also home to Dover Air Force Base, in the southeastern part of the city. Dover Air Force Base is home to the 436th Airlift Wing of the Air Mobility Command and the 512th Airlift Wing of the Air Force Reserve Command and contains the largest military mortuary in the United States. As such, there is a sizable military presence in the city. To the west of Dover are rural areas that are home to several Amish families and businesses. To the east of Dover is the Delaware Bay, which is home to marshland and wildlife areas. The city is home to Dover Downs, a hotel and casino that has a harness racetrack located inside Dover International Speedway, a 1-mile-long racetrack that is home to a NASCAR race weekend which attracts tens of thousands of race fans to the city. Dover International Speedway is also home to the Firefly Music Festival, a 4-day music festival which attracts a large number of visitors to the city.

Tourist information

 * Dover tourism information

Climate
Dover has a humid subtropical climate with four seasons. Summers are hot and humid, with highs averaging in the 80s and lows averaging in the 60s F. Summer temperatures occasionally rise to the 90s or 100s F. Winters are cool to cold, with highs averaging in the low 40s and lows averaging in the upper 20s F. Winter temperatures can occasionally drop down to 0 degrees or lower. Spring and fall can be variable, usually with milder weather. Dover averages 46.05 inches of precipitation a year, which is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The area sees an average of 15.7 inches of snow in the winter months, with snowfall usually light and not remaining on the ground for long, though heavier snowfalls occasionally happen. In the warmer months, the area does experience thunderstorms, some of which can be severe. Dover is prone to tropical storms and hurricanes from the Atlantic basin in the late summer and early fall, but typically only receives the remnants of such storms as they typically weaken by the time they reach this latitude.

By car
The main north-south arteries for Dover are DE 1 and US 13. DE 1 heads north as a toll road providing access from points north such as Wilmington and Philadelphia and south as a surface road providing access from the Delaware Beaches and Ocean City, Maryland. US 13 is a surface road that heads north parallel to DE 1, offering a slower alternate from points north that does not have tolls, and south providing access from points south such as Salisbury, Maryland and Norfolk, Virginia. There is also east-west DE 8 that can be used as a main access point to US 50 and the Bay Bridge from points west such as Baltimore and Washington, D.C. From the Bay Bridge, follow US 50 east to US 301 north. Turn onto MD 302 east and follow that route to Templeville. In this town, turn onto MD 454 south. Follow MD 454 south to Marydel, crossing into Delaware and continuing along DE 8 east to Dover.

By plane
Dover has the Dover Air Force base that is a major outlet for most US Air Force planes that are leaving crossing the ocean. The nearest airports with commercial air service are the Philadelphia International Airport, Baltimore-Washington International Airport , and the Salisbury-Ocean City-Wicomico Regional Airport. Car rental services are available at all three of these airports.

By train
The nearest train station is in Wilmington, which is served by Amtrak trains running along the Northeast Corridor along with some long-distance trains as well as SEPTA Regional Rail commuter trains from Philadelphia. From this station, you can rent a car or get a DART First State or Greyhound bus to Dover.

By bus
DART First State operates inter-county buses that connect Dover from Wilmington via Route 301, Newark via Route 302, Georgetown via Route 303, and Lewes via Route 307. Greyhound Lines provides intercity bus serve to Dover, stopping at the 7-Eleven at 654 North Dupont Highway.

Get around
Since Dover is not an extremely busy city, driving a car is practical for getting around most of the city. In the downtown area, there is free on-street two-hour parking. The time limit is only enforced Monday-Friday. Off-street parking is also available in the downtown area, consisting mostly of permit and metered parking. Parking permits in Dover cost $3 daily, $22 monthly, and $240 annually. Parking permits may be purchased from the City of Dover Customer Service office at 15 Loockerman Way. Parking meters cost $0.25 per hour and $1 for the whole day. Parking fees are in effect from 7AM to 5PM Monday-Friday, with parking free on evenings and weekends. There are five parking lots that serve downtown Dover. The Bradford Street Lot has 111 spaces, with 72 permit spaces, 22 metered spaces, 10 free two-hour spaces, one free 15-minute space, and 5 free handicapped spaces. The North Street Lot has 183 spaces, with 166 permit spaces, 12 spaces reserved for apartments (do not park here), and 5 free handicapped spaces. The Minor Street Lot has 8 permit spaces. The Loockerman Way Lot has 35 spaces, with 33 permit spaces and 2 free handicapped spaces. The Governors Avenue Lot has 103 spaces, with 42 permit spaces, 10 free two-hour spaces, 49 spaces reserved for tenants (do not park here), and 2 free handicapped spaces. A map of downtown parking lots is available here.

There is also the DART First State Bus transit system that has many stops around town. Buses primarily operate Monday through Friday with some routes operating on Saturday. Most bus routes operate from the Dover Transit Center on Water Street in the downtown area. Fares for DART First State buses are $2.00 per ride and transfers are not issued. Reduced fares for senior citizens or persons with disabilities cost $0.80 per ride, a student fare costs $1 per ride with a student ID, and blind persons and children 46 inches in height or under who are accompanied by a fare-paying rider can ride for free. A Daily Pass may be purchased for $4.00, offering unlimited rides for the day. A 7-day pass costs $16, a 30-day pass costs $60, and a 20-ride pass costs $26.

There are also taxis available, although they do not generally ride around town looking for fares so it would be best to call the dispatch to send one. These are some of the cab companies in the Dover area:



Ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft can be used to get around Dover.

See
Dover is home to many attractions including

Buy
Delaware does not have a state sales tax.

Eat
There are several local restaurants in Dover offering a wide range of cuisines. Dover also has many of the typical chain restaurants.

Sleep
Dover has a wide selection of chain hotels, along with a couple local bed and breakfasts. If you're planning to come to Dover for a major event such as the NASCAR races at Dover International Speedway, the hotels in the Dover area tend to increase rates and fill up quickly. If coming to Dover during these times, you may have to travel north to the Wilmington area or south to Sussex County to find available hotel rooms.

Go next

 * The Delaware Beaches are about an hour south of Dover and are home to free beaches offering swimming and sunbathing, water recreation, golf courses, boardwalks, amusements, shopping, dining, and nightlife. Popular beach towns include Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach, and Fenwick Island.