3120 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE 19707-9579

Mt. Cuba Center is a botanic garden that highlights the beauty and value of native plants to inspire conservation. Once the private estate of Pamela and Lammot du Pont Copeland, Mt. Cuba opened for general admission in 2013 and now spans 50 acres of gardens and over 1,000 acres of natural lands. It features captivating blooms along garden pathways in formal and woodland settings, picturesque meadows and ponds with stunning vistas, and three miles of scenic trails. Mt. Cuba is recognized as a leader in native plant research and open space preservation, having protected 15,000 acres in the mid-Atlantic region. Learn more at mtcubacenter.org.

3511 Barley Mill Rd, Hockessin, DE 19707-9393

Ashland Nature Center serves as the Delaware Nature Society’s headquarters and the hub for its education and natural resource conservation activities. The site is open to the public year-round, features an overnight lodge for school and public groups, a seasonal butterfly house, picnic area and four self-guided trails through a variety of habitats. Free and low-cost programs are offered for all ages. Enjoy the Ashland Hawk Watch during the fall raptor migration.

3000 Creek Road, Hockessin, DE 19736

Less than five minutes from the center of Hockessin, the Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn Heights offers visitors a chance to step back in time and experience life at the dawn of the automotive age. The now-museum was built by T. Clarence Marshall in 1947 to house his growing collection of antique automobiles. Today, visitors can enjoy the many treasures at Auburn Heights thanks to the generosity and vision of Clarence's son, Tom, and his wife, Ruth. In 2008, they gifted to Delaware State Parks the estate land and buildings, including a beautiful 1897 Queen Anne mansion that was the Marshall home, while donating to the Friends of Auburn Heights, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, the extraordinary vehicles of the Marshall collection. The museum features the world's largest operating collection of Stanley steam cars, a 1916 electric car, and two 1930s Packards, in addition to the Auburn Valley Railroad with its 1/8th-size coal-fired steam trains that circle the property.