Description: Detailed large map of Delaware State USA showing cities, towns, county formations, roads highway, US highways and State routes.
Map of Delaware - Delaware map with cities, counties, and roads network. You can browse the map as we walk the First State from the Wilmington riverfront to the Sussex sandbar. With clear labels, route numbers, bays, bridges and county lines so you can see why this is the best detailed map for residents, travelers and students.
Delaware fills the northern arc of the Delmarva Peninsula. Maryland borders the west and south, Pennsylvania touches the top ridge, and New Jersey sits across the Delaware River and Delaware Bay. The map uses three color blocks for the counties: New Castle in the north, Kent in the center, and Sussex in the south. Thick red lines mark interstates and major corridors. Blue shades trace water including the C&D Canal (Chesapeake and Delaware Canal), tidal creeks, ponds and coastal bays. Cities and towns are labeled with dots sized by relative importance, from Wilmington to small crossroads like Laurel or Leipsic. If you are optimizing route choice, the map shows how I-95, I-295, I-495, US-13, US-113, DE-1 and DE-9 connect every corner of the state in under two hours.
Start in the upper left of this online map where the map clips Pennsylvania and Maryland near Elkton and West Chester. The orange tangle around Wilmington is the dense junction of I-95 and I-495 with the I-295 spur to the Delaware Memorial Bridge. This bridge carries I-295 over the Delaware River into New Jersey at Pennsville and Salem. You can see the heavy spiderweb of ramps because the port, downtown and the Brandywine valley all converge here. On the map it looks busy because it is, and that is why Wilmington is the anchor city on any Delaware road map.
West of Wilmington, Newark appears along the I-95 mainline near the DE-896 and DE-273 labels. That is University of Delaware country, and the map shows how campus streets merge into the freeway grid. Between Newark and Wilmington, I-95 runs just south of the C&D Canal rim, with US-40 parallel on the Maryland side. The canal itself forms a straight blue cut across the state. Look for the small bridge symbols near St. Georges and Delaware City; these are crucial crossings that move coastal and inland traffic over the waterway.
Slide your finger east to Delaware City and the long finger of marshes along DE-9, signed as the Coastal Heritage Scenic Byway. This back-road ribbon passes wildlife impoundments and tiny hamlets that the map names one by one. DE-9 is slower than DE-1 but it gives access to some of the state’s best birding at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge and salt-marsh pullouts north of Woodland Beach. The map shows many blue hachures because this coast is riddled with creeks that flood with the tide.
South of Middletown the county color shifts. Here the US-301 corridor (newer toll alignment not labeled on older sheets) links Delaware to the Chesapeake side. On this map, Middletown is tied to Smyrna by US-13 and to DE-1, the controlled-access Coastal Highway that runs the spine of the state from the canal to the beaches.
The center of the map shows Kent County shaded differently, with Dover marked by a bold red dot. US-13 and DE-1 sit like twin rails through town; DE-8 and DE-10 cross east–west toward Little Creek, Bowers, and Magnolia. The St. Jones River flosses through Dover to the marshes, and Dover Air Force Base lies just south of the label even if the airfield icon is not drawn.
On the coast you can spot Leipsic, Little Creek, and the Delaware Bay marsh belt. For a field trip, trace DE-9 through Woodland Beach, Smyrna River flats and south toward Kitts Hummock and Bowers. Inland the map posts Camden, Wyoming, Harrington and Felton along US-13, a corridor lined with farm stands, fairgrounds and rail spurs. Harrington is the junction where DE-14 heads east toward Milford and the dunes.
One subtle but useful thing this Delaware counties map shows is how the Murderkill River and Mispillion River cut the county in gentle diagonals. These watercourses explain why roads like Carpenter Bridge Road and Bay Road swing, why old mill towns sit where they do, and why storm surges push inland in predictable pockets.
At the bottom half the color turns to Sussex County, the largest county by area and the place most travelers think of when they hear “Delaware beaches.” On the right edge the Atlantic side is carved by Cape Henlopen, Rehoboth Beach, Indian River Inlet, Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island and the state line with Maryland’s Ocean City. The map marks DE-1 all along the barrier spit. Between Rehoboth Bay, Indian River Bay and Little Assawoman Bay, your eye catches lagoons and canals; this is why traffic bunches at Indian River Inlet Bridge and why the DE-1 alignment is a lifeline.
A pinch inland, Lewes sits at the point where a ferry runs to Cape May, New Jersey. The line may not be drawn, but the US-9 shield tells you the ferry highway continues across the bay. South and west of Lewes, Georgetown is the county seat, highlighted near the junction of US-9, DE-18 and US-113. US-113 is the inland arterial that parallels DE-1; it hits Millsboro, Dagsboro, Frankford, Selbyville and joins Maryland’s routes toward Salisbury.
On the west side of Sussex the Nanticoke River drains to the Chesapeake Bay. The map labels Seaford, Laurel and Bridgeville along US-13. These towns grew on river navigation and the railroad, and the road layout still echoes that history. Look for Trap Pond and state forests such as Redden; their scattered blue and green bits on the map are magnets for kayakers, anglers and school field trips.
I-95 is your high-speed northern artery connecting Baltimore and Philadelphia.
I-495 provides a Wilmington bypass east of downtown along the river.
I-295 jumps the Delaware Memorial Bridge to New Jersey.
DE-1 is the main toll corridor from the C&D Canal to Rehoboth Beach.
US-13 is the long commercial strip from Claymont to Delmar, perfect when DE-1 has beach traffic.
US-113 is the inland Sussex alternate to the coast.
DE-9 is the coastal marsh byway for wildlife and quiet drives.
US-9, DE-24, DE-404 and DE-26 funnel beach traffic sideways from the farms and forests.
The map shows why even a small crash can ripple for miles in summer. Redundancy matters; having US-13 and US-113 parallel to DE-1 is what keeps the system resilient.
The sheet prints New Jersey and towns like Bridgeton and Salem across the bay, which reminds you that shipping and ferry routes connect the two shores. To the west you see Easton, Cambridge and Salisbury in Maryland, confirming that the Delmarva Peninsula is one regional travel shed. Up north, Pennsylvania labels are just off frame, but Wilmington and Newark function as the Delaware side of the Philadelphia metro. That regional context is valuable for SEO and for trip planning because people search “map of Delaware near Philadelphia” or “Delaware map to Ocean City”.
Notice the blue chevrons and marsh textures along Delaware Bay. These symbolize tidal wetlands. Towns like Port Mahon, Kitts Hummock, Pickering Beach and Slaughter Beach sit on slim ridges between marsh and water. The C&D Canal is a man-made cut linking the Chesapeake and Delaware. The Nanticoke, Broadkill, Mispillion and Indian River shape inland ridges that roads follow. Students can trace these and see how settlement and transportation grew from them, making this a best map for geography study.
Major cities and towns: Wilmington, Newark, New Castle, Middletown, Bear, Claymont, Elsmere, Newport, Delaware City, Odessa, Townsend, Hockessin, Pike Creek.
Highways: I-95, I-495, I-295, US-13, US-202, DE-1, DE-2, DE-4, DE-7, DE-9, DE-141, DE-273, DE-896.
Highlights on the map: Wilmington riverfront, Port of Wilmington, Brandywine crossing, Delaware Memorial Bridge, C&D Canal bridges at St. Georges, marsh flats on DE-9, suburb webs around Newark and Christiana.
Traveler notes: For Philadelphia or Baltimore use I-95. For New Jersey use I-295 bridge. For scenic marsh and historic forts use DE-9 to Delaware City and Fort Delaware ferry.
Major cities and towns: Dover, Smyrna, Camden, Wyoming, Magnolia, Felton, Harrington, Frederica, Milford (shared with Sussex edge), Cheswold, Little Creek, Leipsic, Bowers, Hartly.
Highways: DE-1 tollway, US-13, DE-9, DE-10, DE-8, DE-14, DE-12, DE-15.
Highlights: State Capitol Green in Dover, St. Jones River, Bombay Hook NWR north of the county line, Air Mobility Command Museum south of town, farm grid west of US-13.
Traveler notes: In summer use US-13 as a parallel to DE-1. To the marshes follow DE-9; to the fairgrounds and casino follow US-13 signs to Harrington.
Major cities and towns: Georgetown, Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach, South Bethany, Fenwick Island, Selbyville, Millsboro, Dagsboro, Frankford, Ocean View, Millville, Milton, Ellendale, Milford south side, Bridgeville, Seaford, Laurel, Delmar.
Highways: US-113, US-13, DE-1, US-9, DE-24, DE-26, DE-54, DE-404, DE-16, DE-20, DE-5.
Highlights: Cape Henlopen State Park, Indian River Inlet Bridge, Prime Hook NWR, Rehoboth and Lewes bays, Nanticoke River, Trap Pond, Redden State Forest.
Traveler notes: For beach towns stay on DE-1; for inland farm markets and antiques follow US-13 or US-113. For a quieter ocean entry, take DE-26 or DE-54 from US-113.
I-95 and the river: Philadelphia to Baltimore traffic uses the Wilmington corridor. The map shows the I-495 bypass for truckers and those who want to dodge city lanes.
DE-1 Coastal Highway: From the canal tolls to Rehoboth and Bethany. Key choke points visible on the map are Smyrna interchange, Dover exits, Milford crossover to US-1 Business, and Indian River Inlet Bridge.
US-13 commercial spine: Every big box, fairground, and industrial park from New Castle to Delmar sits on this route. In storms US-13 is your reliable detour.
US-113 inland beach feeder: Take it from Milford to Selbyville for Atlantic access via DE-26 or DE-54.
DE-9 Coastal Heritage Byway: For birding and history. It threads Delaware City, Port Penn, Woodland Beach, Leipsic and the bay villages.
US-9 ferry axis: Georgetown to Lewes and across the bay to Cape May. On the map it is the east–west beach supply line.
County seat exercise: Point out Wilmington, Dover, Georgetown.
Watershed tracing: Follow Mispillion, Broadkill, Nanticoke, St. Jones and Murderkill to see why mills and towns cluster where they do.
Barrier and bay morphology: Use Rehoboth Bay, Indian River Bay and Little Assawoman Bay to teach spits, inlets and flood-tide deltas.
Transportation history: Compare US-13 and DE-1 to explain the move from two-lane strip to limited-access tollway.
Neighbor context: Have students mark Bridgeton, Salem, Pennsville and Salisbury to see cross-bay and cross-border travel patterns.
Major interstates surround it. I-95 crosses the Brandywine just north of downtown. I-495 tracks the riverfront east of the port. I-295 shoots to New Jersey across the big span you see on the map. Rail lines and the Christina River bend explain the tangle of ramps and the placement of the port.
University town on I-95 near the Maryland line. DE-896 and DE-273 form the local cross. Use these to reach Elkton and the C&D Canal hiking paths.
The capital dot sits right where US-13 and DE-1 almost touch. DE-8 to Little Creek and DE-10 to Bowers give quick bay access. South of Dover the air base straddles DE-1.
Gateway pair where rivers meet the salt marsh. US-113, US-13 Business, and DE-1 Business all interweave, which is why the labels cluster.
Lewes is at the mouth of the Delaware Bay; Rehoboth is on the ocean with the boardwalk grid. DE-1 becomes a boulevard of malls just inland, shown with many junction marks. The map also points you down DE-1A into downtown Rehoboth.
Look for DE-1 crossing Indian River Inlet. DE-26 and DE-54 connect the inland spine to these towns, which keeps traffic distributed.
These inland hubs show why US-13 and US-113 matter. Georgetown’s star position as county seat and crossroads is obvious from the radiating labels.
Hurricane paths and surge: Blue marshes along the bay flag surge risk.
Snow and ice: I-95 bridges and DE-1 open plain are wind-exposed; US-13 offers tree cover in storms.
Tourist wave timing: Interchange clusters near Milford and Lewes predict slowdowns Friday evening and Sunday midday.
New Castle, Kent and Sussex.
Wilmington for New Castle, Dover for Kent, Georgetown for Sussex.
I-95, I-495 and I-295 to the Delaware Memorial Bridge.
DE-1 from the C&D Canal to Rehoboth Beach and Bethany Beach.
US-13 for central Delaware and US-113 for inland Sussex.
At the northeast corner near I-295 crossing to Pennsville, New Jersey.
A scenic marsh byway through Delaware City, Port Penn, Woodland Beach and Leipsic.
Across northern Delaware between the Chesapeake and the Delaware River, just south of I-95.
Use US-13 south; it parallels DE-1.
Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach, South Bethany and Fenwick Island.
Take US-9 to Lewes or DE-24/26 to Rehoboth and Bethany.
At the mouth of the Delaware Bay east of Lewes.
Lewes; US-9 continues by ferry to Cape May.
The Nanticoke River with towns Seaford and Laurel.
By DE-1, US-113 and the Mispillion River.
Bombay Hook NWR near Smyrna and Prime Hook NWR north of Lewes.
DE-1 at the ocean bridge.
About 100 to 110 miles depending on route.
DE-1 south from the canal or US-13 as a toll-free option.
Bridgeville, Seaford, Laurel and Delmar.
Follow DE-9 to Little Creek and Kitts Hummock or DE-1/DE-12 to Bowers.
On the Christina River near I-495.
US-113 to DE-54 or DE-20 toward Selbyville and the state line.
Yes, I-495 east of the city.
DE-1 to the south Dover exits near the base perimeter.
US-50 via DE-404 and DE-16 from Sussex.
Redden State Forest near Georgetown and tracts around Trap Pond.
A dot with a label; larger dots indicate larger towns or cities.
Rehoboth Avenue, business spurs and DE-1A in Rehoboth.
New Jersey across the river and bay, Maryland to the west and south, Pennsylvania to the north.
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Physical map and map image of Delaware.
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