Discover Milford: Riverwalk, History and Art

Milford offers a variety of ways to shape your stay: recreation along the Mispillion Riverwalk, a look at mill and town history, visual arts and festivals. Your interests can help guide your choice of a hotel in Milford. Consider whether you’d rather spend your time outdoors, explore historical topics or plan your visit around a festival.

Recreation along the Mispillion Riverwalk

The one-mile-long Mispillion Riverwalk Park runs through the heart of downtown Milford and offers visitors and residents a variety of recreational opportunities. Its length gives your time outdoors a clearly defined focus. The Mispillion Riverwalk also has basketball and pickleball courts, as well as a playground. So, alongside the Riverwalk itself, there are also opportunities for sports and play.

The festivals offer a different focus. The Riverwalk Freedom Festival is held outdoors annually and is considered Milford’s largest annual outdoor festival. The Bug & Bud Festival celebrates the ladybug and nature, two symbols that Milford particularly cherishes. The events therefore differ in their focus: one is defined by its annual recurrence and outdoor format, the other by its two themes. If you’re planning your trip around a festival, check the specific event dates before making your plans.

Mills and Town History

Abbott’s Mill reflects the region’s agricultural heritage and illustrates traditional water-powered milling. It connects a specific technical subject with the history of agriculture. On May 17, 1979, Abbott’s Mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Parson Thorne Mansion, formerly also known as Silver Hill, was added to the same register in 1971. These two dates mark the respective listings; they do not indicate whether the sites can be visited today.

Milford’s self-guided walking tour guide covers early homes, schools and points of interest within the city limits. It offers a broader historical perspective than a focus on a single building: homes and schools are among its topics, as are points of interest. Those interested in the town’s development will find several ways to explore Milford among these subjects.

Art and Planning Your Visit

The Mispillion Art League promotes the visual arts through education, exhibitions and programs that support access for everyone. It also offers classes and pottery instruction. Its focus is therefore on art education and hands-on engagement with art, while the mills and historic buildings offer a way to explore history and architecture.

The Milford Museum is housed in Milford’s original post office building, at the corner of South Walnut Street and South East Second Street. As of September 5, 2026, it was temporarily closed in preparation for an upcoming move. Check its current visitor status before your trip. This will help you take the museum into account when planning without confusing its stated historic location with confirmed opening status.

Discover more destinations: Millsboro, Dewey Beach, Seaford, Greenwood, Fenwick Island, Bethany Beach, Long Neck, Lewes.

For the broader travel overview: Sussex County.