Travel Thursday: New Castle, Delaware

New Castle, Delaware, is where Luke calls home since he works in nearby Wilmington. Since he grew up in a small town in Western Maryland, it seemed a natural to me the he would choose to live in this picturesque historical town. Luke is one of the two main characters of INN BY THE LAKE, my new novel. His parents own the inn of the title.

When I need to time travel, I head to New Castle, Delaware. With Colonial architecture, well-planned gardens, interesting shops and delicious eateries, it’s a quiet getaway near Wilmington, Delaware’s largest city.

New Castle, Delaware’s first capital, is great for walking, shopping and, yes, eating. I’ve visited many times. Sometimes for fun, sometimes as part of my job as a travel writer for Frommer’s. I even wrote about it on my travel blog a few years ago.

Jessop’s Tavern, a Colonial style inn set in a 17th Century building, the waterfront park and its homey atmosphere made me choose it as the place Luke, my male hero in INN BY THE LAKE, had his apartment. Since he was a small-town boy, I thought he needed a quieter place to live than Wilmington. I mean no disrespect to Wilmington—I love visiting there. I only thought he’d like someplace quieter, more like his mountain hometown. Maybe it didn’t work out that way—his job keeps him very busy—but it’s still close enough to get into Wilmington quickly every morning.