West 19th St and Tower Drive – Wilmington DE 19806
Like most families, our lives are so busy! Work, school, sports, repeat…. When we do have time to spend together we want to spend it making memories and not by sitting in front of the TV. My 10 year old might disagree, but, oh well!
One of our favorite family activities is exploring different dog parks or dog-friendly hiking trails in the Southeastern PA / Northern Delaware area. One we frequent a lot is in Wilmington, Delaware. We love dog-friendly Rockford Park. It is on the edge of the City of Wilmington right before it becomes more suburban.
Rockford Park has a great open dog area equipped with pet waste stations and dog poop bags in case you forget one or need an extra. Pets can be off-leash in the designated dog park area. The boundaries are marked by fence posts.
Parking is easy and you can park along the road right next to the off-leash area. I posted the official off-leash area rules and regulations (right) for more information.
We saw many well behaved dogs running freely today. Holly enjoyed running around and interacting with those dogs. There is a nice gradual hill where you can play fetch and maybe tire out your dog a little faster.
Holly is getting older so just being out and exploring all the smells of the park was enough for her. I took these quick pictures as she was exploring the park.
The area is not fenced in so I don’t recommend letting your dog off-leash in the
park if you do not have good voice control of your dog. The park is situated right in a neighborhood so I would be afraid of a dog running into the street or someone’s yard. The pictures show how open the park is to the city of Wilmington.
Rockford Tower
The centerpiece of the park is the 100 year old Rockford Tower. It is a beautiful historical stone water tower. I believe in the summer the tower is open to explore. I always think we should go inside but have yet to do it!
Clean bathrooms are located near the Tower which is nice to have especially if you bring children. We also enjoy letting the kids run in the big ball field and walk the asphalt road that circles the park. The asphalt road leads to a wooded area and trails that you and your dog can explore. Outside the designated dog park area, you dog must be on leash.
The Flower Market
Each year in the beginning of May, the Flower Market comes to the Park. If you are not familiar with the Flower Market, it is a big fair that supports local children’s causes in the area. We try to never miss it. This is a time when the tower is open for all the explore!! Our children love riding the big ferris wheel that overlooks downtown Wilmington and have a blast with their friends.
I you love Rockford Park too, share this post, comment or email me about it. If you have a favorite we should try on the Main Line or in Delaware or New Castle County area, let me know.