1. Delaware Valley Sports Fans Are Insanely Passionate
Philadelphia teams reign supreme in Delaware Valley, and with the Phillies, Sixers, and Eagles providing year round entertainment, it’s no surprise. Even South Jersey roots for the Flyers over the Devils. Must be the, shall we say, charismatic fans.
2. Forget Coachella, Delaware Valley Is Home To The Real Indie Music Fest
Firefly is an annual event in the woods of Dover, Delaware that showcases the best of the indie music scene. The festival draws huge names such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Pretty Lights, Beck, and countless others.
3. Wawa. Wawa Everywhere.
The Delaware Valley may not be the only place you can find a Wawa convenience store, but it sure has the highest concentration of ‘em. And anyone who has been to one knows that Wawa has everything you need and more.
4. Everyone In the Delaware Valley Knows The Best Free Day Is Spent At Knoebels
Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, PA has been America’s largest free admission park for 87 years. The multi-award winning park has over 60 rides, including two wooden roller coasters and a carousel from 1913.
5. People In Delaware Valley Take Great Pride In Cracking Open A Local Craft Brew
Craft beer is a way of life in Delaware Valley. Flying Fish is the largest craft brewer in New Jersey and always has some rockin’ seasonal beers, Victory Brewing in Pennsylvania makes the famous Hop Devil IPA, and Golden Monkey Triple, and a number of other “brewpubs”, or small brewery-restaurants, dot the whole region.
6. Delaware Valley’s Got The King Of All Malls
Literally. The King of Prussia Mall just outside Philadelphia is an apt name for the largest shopping mall in the whole country. With 400 stores, this is the ultimate place to go on a shopping spree and a pretty prime spot to be when the zombies come.
7. Philly Cheese Steak–Nuff Said
The Philly cheesesteak obviously was a product of Philly, but the sphere of quality sandwich craftsmanship extends to the rest of Delaware Valley. There are just too many good spots to get them all here, but Pat’s King of Steaks is the supposed inventor of the sandwich and Jim’s Steaks in South Philly is a local favorite.
8. If Someone Offers You Wooder, It’s Probably Not Sexual
While it may be unfair to ascribe the Philadelphia accent to the rest of the region, it certainly does have an effect. Subs are still called hoagies in South Jersey, youse are gonna hear “youse” a lot, and wooder or wooter is a normal way to pronounce water. Oh, and for cheesesteaks, “wiz wit” is a concise way of saying “cheese wiz” and “with fried onions.”
9. Summertime = Going Down The Jersey Shore
Don’t let the cast of Jersey Shore throw you off–the 300 miles of coastline offer all anyone could want in a beach getaway. Seven Mile Beach in Stone Harbor Beach is obviously super spacious and one of the best beach spots in South Jersey, but it’s hard to go wrong anywhere.
10. It’s Worth It For The Salt Water Taffy Alone
From Shriver’s in Ocean City, NJ to Dolle’s Candyland in Delaware, salt water taffy is a way of life in the Delaware Valley. Not enjoying it is like not liking dogs or sunlight.
11. Everyone In The Delaware Valley Heads To Atlantic City To Test Lady Luck
With 11 casinos, there’s no shortage of places to ask Lady Luck for a dance. Chances are the old crone following you around the slot machines after you warm them up is gonna get to her first, though. Whatever, I’m not bitter. Oh, you’re also guaranteed to see at least three bachelorette parties in any ordinary night out in AC.
12. Philly Is Full Of Good Impressions And Merion Has All The Natural Beauty You Could Want
The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia is home to more Impressionist paintings than any place outside of Paris. With over 25 billion dollars of Impressionist and Modernist masters, the collection is sure to impress even the snootiest of art snobs. And if you’d like to see some natural beauty, check out the Barnes Arboretum in Merion, with over 3,000 plant varieties to explore.
13. You Can Also Thank Atlantic City For Almost Everything You Know About Free Market Capitalism
Monopoly’s board was designed after Atlantic City, although some of the street names have been changed in the decades since the game’s release. Hopefully, a night in the city won’t make you curse out your friends and flip something over in a rage, as most rounds of Monopoly do.
14. Atlantic City’s A Boardwalk Empire
Atlantic City had the first boardwalk in the country, and there’s a reason it was the priciest piece of real estate in Monopoly. With the House of Blues, Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum, a ton of greasy food, and good shopping, the boardwalk will never be boring.
15. The Name’s Contentious
Delaware Valley is, geographically, an apt name for the valley through which the Delaware River flows. Yet some radio stations have taken to calling it Greater Philadelphia in hopes to boost tourism to the region’s biggest city. But, WPVI-TV uses “The Delaware Valley’s leading news program” as their slogan, so take that!
16. But Sports Exist Outside Of Philadelphia Too (Gasp!)
While Philly may dominate the pro sports fan base for the region, there are still plenty of other teams around. For Minor League Baseball, check out the Lakewood Blue Claws, the Reading Fightin Phils, and the Wilmington Blue Rocks. If you want to get away from the mainstream baseball system altogether, the Camden Riversharks are a member of the Atlantic League of Pro Baseball.
17. The Delaware Valley’s A Collegiate Powerhouse
There’s some seriously good universities in Delaware Valley, like Rutgers in New Jersey, Wesley College and the University of Delaware in Delaware, and Bryn Mawr, Albright, Temple, and Villanova in Pennsylvania. That’s not even half the schools that make up the super smart Delaware Valley.
18. Don’t Forget Maryland
The Delaware Valley is mostly comprised of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. But Cecil County in Maryland is also a part of the region, and will not be forgotten, dang it.
19. Farming Is Sharing, Literally
The Delaware Valley Farm Share allows members to receive farm-fresh fruits and veggies every other week, all year long. A.T. Buzby, Pequea Valley, Gehman Greenhouse, and Weaver’s Orchards are the participating farms and, together, make for a well-balanced care package of earth-friendly produce.
20. The Delaware Valley Churns Out Little League Champions
Though Williamsport, PA, the home of the Little League World Series, isn’t in the Delaware Valley, it doesn’t stop the Valley from being one of the consistently best contenders at the tournament. Four teams from Bucks County, PA have won the whole shebang since the LLWS began.
21. Delaware Is Where You Go When You Want To Go On A Massive Shopping Spree
Delaware is one of five states without sales tax, so even if you’re not from Delaware, it may be worth the drive if you’re going on a massive shopping spree. Or just have a raging hatred for the dollar menu being actually the dollar and six cents menu.
22. Peddler’s Village Is Where The Magic Happens
Buck County PA’s Peddler’s Village is an 18th century style village, loaded with specialty shops and quaint restaurants. There’s the Giggleberry Fair, scarecrow festivals, the strawberry festival (shown above), and best of all, the Christmas Festival that makes the town all the more magical.
23. There’s No Reason To Wine
Between South Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania, you’ll never run out of wineries to visit. The perfect place for getaways, festivals, and, of course, booze.
24. Things Move Quickly At The Dover International Speedway
The Dover Speedway has held NASCAR races since its opening in 1969. Be sure to drive home safely after seeing guys fly a kajillion miles an hour on the Monster Mile.
25. A Farmers’ Market Is Never Far
Roadside stands and farmers’ markets can be found almost anywhere in the Delaware Valley. Buying fresh, organic food and supporting local farms–what could be better?
26. Delaware Beaches Deserve Some Love Too
With 350 miles of shoreline, you can be sure the Delaware Shore gives the Jersey version a run for its money. Dewey Beach is a favorite for outsiders and natives alike, and Big Stone Beach along the central shore are relatively uncrowded if you’re looking to really get away from it all.
27. Bagels Are A Source Of Pride
As you get further away from New Jersey, the quality of bagels suffers (it’s a fact). Luckily, nowhere in the Delaware Valley is far from the nexus of bagel-craft perfection.
28. The Best Sweet Stuff Is At Frankfurt Bakery And Deli
The folks at Frankfurt Bakery and Deli in Dover are so masterful at making delicious food that they managed to come in 2nd place in the annual Cheestoberfest grilled cheese competition, and they don’t even own a grill. Their sandwiches are as good as their baked goods, which is to say, perfection.
What do you love about living in the Delaware Valley? Tell us in the comments below!
