Delaware's Thanksgiving Bender: Turkeys, Tales, and Trailblazing Traditions

As the leaves take a final bow in an explosion of color before surrendering to the inevitable chill that ushers in Delaware’s late November charm, one realizes there is no place quite like this tiny dynamo of a state for celebrating the annual feast of gratitude known as Thanksgiving. As Hunter S. Thompson might say if he were beside me on this journey through small-town wonders and coastal eccentricities—strap in; this isn't your grandmother's turkey day.

We begin our odyssey at "The Rookery North" (6152 S Rehoboth Blvd, Milford, DE 19963) with a golf club in hand and an eye for rogue turkeys. This isn’t some deluded safari but rather a nod to those who crave starting their festivities with an iron swing amid cool breeze fairways. It’s also here that local lore whispers about sightings of fleeting wild turkeys outsmarting would-be gatherers—a hark back to more primitive Thanksgivings perhaps.

Onward we head to "Fifer Orchards" (1919 Allabands Mill Rd, Camden Wyoming, DE 19934), where you can pluck your apples straight from the tree—a rustic counterpoint ensconced within acres upon acres of farmland whispering tales nearly as old as America itself. The apple cider here? Unfiltered like the truth and potent enough to fuel philosophical musings or spark impromptu poetry slams among pilgrim-at-heart visitors.

No proper excursion through Delaware's heartland could bypass "Wilmington & Western Railroad" (2201 Newport Gap Pike Wilmington DE 19808). Here we clamber aboard antique coaches pulled by steam locomotives on a Holiday Adventure. Chugging along tracks over rivers decked with autumnal hues feels like being inside one of Howard Pyle’s Robin Hood illustrations—an artist whose Brandywine School left indelible marks on American art culture just as deep as these railroads once did on industry.

Let us not forget gastronomy amidst our gallivanting—the cornerstone ritualistic banquet cannot be ignored! Veering off conventional paths inevitably leads us into Helen's Famous Sausage House (4866 N Dupont Hwy., Smyrna DE 19977). There are two types of people during Thanksgiving: puritans and progressives; Helen marries both by stuffing her legendary sausages with ingredients so secret they'd make even Caesar jealous—or salivate profusely!

Transition now toward evening beneath lantern-lit cobblestone streets in historic New Castle where spirits seem almost corporeal among Jessop’s Tavern (114 Delaware St., New Castle DE 19720) frequented shadows. Partake in colonial fare served up without irony alongside craft brews that Ben Franklin himself wouldn't have scoffed at—quaff responsibly or end up penning scandalous limericks reminiscent of Edgar Allan Poe’s darker days spent nearby.

Amidst all these excursions lies something deeper still; every road taken stirs echoes from Delawarean literary giants ranging from Robert Montgomery Bird's early Americana narratives right down to contemporaries such as Christopher Castellani painting vivid portraits against Delawarian landscapes.

In conclusion—and let it be said louder for those dozing post-feast hunters out there—should age-old tradition blend with innovation across experiences vibrant yet serene? Then know thusly that when next asked 'wherefore goest thou for Thanksgiving?’ proclaim boldly: To Delaware! For therein lies stranger delights than any Plymouth Rock could claim dominion over!

For further adventurous scheduling:

- Fifer Orchards Website: [www.fiferorchards.com]

- Wilmington & Western Railroad Twitter Handle: @WWRR410

- Jessop’s Tavern Website: [www.jessops-tavern.com]

Happy trails—and tables—to all you seekers finding wonder between bites!