Airplanes, Plantations & Pastries: The Triple Stop I Didn’t See Coming

What a day! Wednesday rolled in with its classic November mood—rainy and gray—which felt like the perfect excuse to throw on a hoodie and head out for a little solo adventure while the kids were in school. Instead of staying cozy indoors, I decided to pick a museum from my very long Delaware museums list and landed on the Air Mobility Command Museum in Dover (right next to the Dover Air Force Base).

As all good adventures involve a snack, I did what any reasonable human would do: grabbed a cheese bagel from Surf Bagel (Yum! Have you tried them?) and pointed my car south toward the Air Mobility Command Museum.

It was the perfect mid-morning getaway—no traffic, no crowds, just me and a lot of airplanes I knew absolutely nothing about.

This became very clear the moment I walked in and met the staff, who were the picture of patience and kindness as I lobbed kindergarten-level questions about aircraft, crew members, and refueling missions. A special shout-out to Bill, my impromptu tour guide, who walked me through everything from WWII stories to pilot life to the inner workings of aircraft I’d previously only seen in movies. Bill, if you ever see this: you deserve a medal… or at least a bagel.

I headed up into the old air-traffic control tower for a look around, then wrapped up my visit with a short film about the museum & airplanes and a quick browse through the gift shop.

Fun facts about the Air Mobility Command Museum:

• It is the only U.S. museum dedicated to airlift and aerial refueling history.

• The collection includes over 35 aircraft of various roles and sizes—from transports to tankers.

• The museum is free (free admission and parking) and open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donations are accepted. Air Mobility Command Museum

• If you take the kids, note: On every third Saturday of the month, between April and October, the museum opens up more of its planes for guided tours. These aircraft will be opened to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. if weather permits and tour guides are available. For safety reasons, the aircraft are closed if the outside temperature exceeds 90F, so plan to come early on hot days. Air Mobility Command Museum

A Quick Historical Detour: The John Dickinson Plantation

Just as I was leaving the museum, I discovered that the John Dickinson Plantation—home of the “Penman of the Revolution”—was only about a mile away. So I snuck over for a quick look around.

The estate is beautiful, peaceful, and packed with stories. It reminds you that American history wasn’t just powdered wigs and quill pens—real families, workers, and communities lived and labored here. The site shares the experiences of tenant farmers, indentured servants, free individuals, and enslaved people, all woven together into a fuller, more honest narrative than what you get from most textbooks.

A couple of highlights:

• The estate was the boyhood home of John Dickinson—aka “Penman of the Revolution”—one of America’s founding figures who wrote key letters before/during the Revolutionary era. National Park Service

• The site presents stories of the many people who lived and worked there—tenant farmers, indentured servants, free and enslaved Black men, women and children. Delaware Cultural Affairs

• Check out the hours here before visiting. Tours of the mansion are only open Thursday-Saturday at specific times. Admission is free. Donations are accepted.

  
  

A Hallmark Moment at the Cozy Coop

On my way home, I caught sight of the sweetest little roadside farm stand and immediately doubled back to check it out. That’s how I found myself at the Cozy Coop Farm Stand—honestly, it looks like it belongs on a Hallmark set.

They offer baked goods, eggs, and honey--the basic building blocks of joy. They’re open this weekend, and I’m already manifesting cinnamon roll availability when I swing back through.

Final Thoughts

What started as a simple rainy-day escape turned into a perfectly Delaware adventure: airplanes, history, unexpected charm, and a cinnamon-roll cliffhanger.

If you have recommendations for my next stop—museums, quirky shops, trails, historic homes, hidden gems—I’m all ears. Delaware keeps surprising me, and I’m ready for the next discovery.