A beach full of horseshoe crabs illuminated by the light of the full moon is a sight to behold. A spring visit to the Delaware Bay is perfectly timed to view the amazing spectacle of these crustaceans arriving ashore in large numbers to breed. Naturalist Matt Felperin leads a 2-day adventure for nature lovers that explores the Delaware Bay and its environs, where the diverse life of a tidal marsh and the expanse of the bay come together.

Visit Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, where the vast stretch of tidal impoundments is ideal for hosting a myriad of migratory shorebirds including Red Knots and a variety of terns, raptors, and songbirds. At the Dupont Nature Center, learn the connection between horseshoe crab breeding and shorebird migration and maybe even catch a glimpse of banding operations by cannon-netting. Stops at the shore communities of Broadkill Beach and Slaughter Beach offer excellent opportunities for viewing both crabs and birds, and an optional sunrise excursion to Bennett’s Pier Beach Road provides a chance to spy the near-endangered Saltmarsh Sparrow, a species of concern in decline due mainly to habitat loss and sea-level rise.

Know Before You Go

• Cost includes hotel, transportation, services of a Smithsonian study leader and representative, entrance fees, taxes, all gratuities, and the following meals: one breakfast, two lunches, and one dinner.
• Overnight accommodations are in Milford, Delaware.
• Tour departs by bus from the Mayflower Hotel, Connecticut Ave. and DeSales St., NW,  with a pick-up stop at New Carrollton Metro at approximately 7:25 a.m.
• Single-room supplement $75 (factored into the Single Room Member and Single Room Nonmember pricing).
• Singles registering at the double-room rate are paired (on a nonsmoking basis) if possible, but must pay the single-room supplement otherwise.
• Detailed information is emailed to registrants about four weeks prior to departure.
• Participants are advised to purchase travel insurance for overnight and multi-day tours from a provider of your choice. Travel insurance provides additional coverage against unforeseen incidents that require last-minute cancellations.

General Information

• The tour departs by motorcoach from downtown Washington, DC with a designated secondary pick-up outside the city. Content delivered by the study leader on the way to the destination, after the secondary pick-up, is an integral part of the study tour experience. Meeting the group once the tour is en route is discouraged.
• Smithsonian Associates is a mask-friendly environment. Please feel free to bring and wear a mask at any time during a tour, both for your safety or the safety of others.
• As we aim to move away from single use water bottles, guests are strongly encouraged to get in the habit of bringing their own reusable water bottle on tour.
• For additional tour information:
• Study Tour Policies
• Refund/Cancellation Policy