First State National Historical Park
First State National Historical Park is a National Park Service unit which lies primarily in the state of Delaware but which extends partly into Pennsylvania. It is in New Castle. Running it is the National Park Service.
A national historical park inside New Castle
October is the busiest month
October averages about 36,445 visitors, 9.0 times January. When to go ↓
Wilmington is inside the park
Wilmington sits inside the park’s boundary. Where to stay ↓
Wilmington Manor is the nearest base
Wilmington Manor is 2 miles northwest, with 20 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr and Sep
April and September are mild and quieter than average, with highs of 65–79°. When to go ↓
A day trip from Baltimore
Baltimore is about 61 miles southwest and Washington is about 94 miles southwest (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.
Visits and weather by month
Here are the months at First State, with visitors and weather.
First State National Historical Park
First State National Historical Park is a National Park Service unit which lies primarily in the state of Delaware but which extends partly into Pennsylvania in Chadds Ford. Initially created as First State National Monument by President Barack Obama under the Antiquities Act on March 25, 2013, the park was later redesignated as First State National Historical Park by Congress.
- Type
- National Historical Park
- Run by
- National Park Service
- Wikipedia readers
- 3.3K a year
- Official site
- nps.gov/frst
Visiting: the details
Hotels and campgrounds near First State National Historical Park
Close by, places to stay are in Wilmington Manor (20) and Wilmington (16), and Philadelphia has the most rooms in the area (168).
- 1USS New Jersey
- 2Lincoln Financial Field
- 3Xfinity Mobile Arena
- 4Eastern State Penitentiary
- 5Independence Hall
- 6Schuylkill River
Wilmington Manor
8,214 people
2 mi northwest of Sheriff's House Welcome Center · 4 mi to the park
Philadelphia
The most places to stay in the area, and a base for a longer trip.
1,574,281 people
33 mi northeast of Sheriff's House Welcome Center · 25 mi to the park
Compare 9 towns
| Town | From the visitor center | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle | in town | — | 1 1 inn or B&B | 5,726 | $285K | D |
| Wilmington Manor | 2 mi northwest | 5 min | 20 12 hotels · 6 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs | 8,214 | $241K | — |
| Wilmington | inside the park | 10 min | 16 15 hotels · 1 inn or B&B | 73,512 | $231K | D− |
| Newark | 10 mi west | 15 min | 17 14 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 30,359 | $383K | C |
| Brookside | 8 mi west | 10 min | 10 8 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B | 15,115 | $280K | — |
| Carneys Point Township | 7 mi east | 10 min | 7 5 hotels · 2 motels | 8,766 | $202K | B |
| Elkton | 14 mi west | 20 min | 13 9 hotels · 3 motels · 1 inn or B&B | 16,670 | $293K | D− |
| Pennsville Township | 4 mi southeast | 5 min | 4 3 hotels · 1 inn or B&B | 12,923 | $214K | C |
| Philadelphia | 33 mi northeast | 50 min | 168 133 hotels · 2 motels · 17 inns & B&Bs · 9 lodges & cabins · 3 hostels · 4 campgrounds | 1,574,281 | $243K | D− |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center
Also near First State
Places worth adding lie within 44 miles.
Big draw130 mi MuseumUSS New Jersey
Big draw227 mi Stadium & arenaLincoln Financial Field
Big draw327 mi Stadium & arenaXfinity Mobile Arena
Big draw430 mi MuseumEastern State Penitentiary
Big draw530 mi Ancient siteIndependence Hall3.0M visitors a year
Big draw44 mi Park & preservePine Barrens
Big draw36 mi MuseumLynnewood Hall
625 mi Park & preserveSchuylkill RiverPhoto credits
USS New Jersey: Camera Operator: PH3 BRYANT, Public domain · Lincoln Financial Field: The original uploader was Betp at French Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Xfinity Mobile Arena: Jen Smith, CC BY 3.0 · Eastern State Penitentiary: Davidt8, Public domain · Independence Hall: Mys 721tx, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Pine Barrens: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lynnewood Hall: Shuvaev, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Schuylkill River: Emy111 at English Wikipedia, Public domain
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200,173 visitors in 2025
Years run from 2023 on the left to 2025 on the right.
Questions people have about First State
Is First State National Historical Park in New Castle?
Yes. It’s inside New Castle, DE. The address is First State National Historical Park, New Castle, DE 19720.
When is the best time to visit First State National Historical Park?
April and September, with highs of 65–79°. October is the busiest month (about 36,445 visitors).
How many people visit First State National Historical Park each year?
200,173 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 208,870, set in 2024.
How far is First State National Historical Park from Baltimore and Washington?
About 61 miles southwest of Baltimore and about 94 miles southwest of Washington, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to First State National Historical Park?
Wilmington (ILG), about 3 miles away. The nearest big hub is Philadelphia (PHL), about 23 miles.
Where should I stay near First State National Historical Park?
Wilmington Manor (2 mi, 20 places to stay), Wilmington (6 mi, 16 places to stay) and Newark (10 mi, 17 places to stay).
Notes from people in New Castle
People in New Castle have not posted tips yet; their Town Square is open.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.