(MILTON, Del.) - A home away from home is one way to describe spending the day in Milton.
Nestled at the head of Broadkill River, lifelong Milton native and director of the Chamber of Commerce, Lisa Sumstine said the town thrives on its natural resources.
"Milton started as a shipbuilding town," said Sumstine. "You'll see that our park is on the water. We fish, you can find kayaks on the water. There's a free public boat launch in the Milton park."
Even though the beach is about seven miles away, so much is happening in Milton these days. From its downtown revival to community-wide events and festivals, it all gives both visitors and locals alike a reason to stay in town.
"They have a 'Paddle and Pints' tour," said Linda Parkowski, Executive Director for Visit Delaware. "They also have a holly festival. Milton was the capital of the holly industry way back in the day."
Sumstine told us about weekly summer events in town.
"We have Truckin' Tuesday' on Tuesdays. Every Wednesday through the summer time we have a concert in the park. We have live music. You will find very little that is not centered around our park," said Sumstine.
Truckin' Tuesday goes from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. And the Wednesday summer concert series starts at 7 p.m.
Sumstine said the downtown renaissance is supporting tourism and economic growth.
"There's more than one opportunity to eat. There's more than one opportunity to shop. We certainly encourage folks to come down and check out a show. There's a lot going on at the Milton Theatre," said the director.
Having a local brewery like Dogfish Head around for tours and happy hour helps too.
"They do an amazing job with tours," said Parkowski. "They're open daily. Over 1,200 people go through there a week on their tours."
But even with a well-known brand stationed in town, Sumstine says everyone chips in to support the local businesses.
"You'll find very little competition in Milton. We all work together for the betterment of our community."
And at the end of that day, all roads in Milton lead back to the community.