Home Care In Lewes, DE

Lewes, Delaware, dates back to 1631, and today its rich history still resounds through the salty air. Walking around the slow-paced coastal town, Lewes is difficult to imagine as a place of great drama and action. While Lewes may no longer be the site of pirate raids or great naval upheaval, it's almost ironically a popular destination for retirees because of its peace and quiet.

Just north of popular Atlantic Coast destination Rehoboth Beach—known for its classic boardwalk and family-friendly beaches—Lewes offers similar charms with fewer crowds. Of course, you can spend the day lounging by the beach, but Lewes has much more to offer than just pretty views. Here's what to do in this historic, small coastal town.

Immerse Yourself In The History

Lewes proudly calls itself "the first town in the first state." It's home to several museums, including Zwaanendael Museum, which offers a glimpse into the area's past. One of the town's most significant historic structures, the Ryves Holt House dates all the way to 1665 and is believed to be the oldest house in the state.

The Fort Miles Museum and Historic Area, a coastal defense site during World War II, provides an enriching educational experience for kids and adults. You can tour Battery 519, a gun bunker constructed in 1941, and climb to the top of Tower 7, a critical coastal observation tower that also offers a panoramic view of the park and coast.

Eat And Drink Like A Local

Pick up NY-style bagels at Surf Bagel and house-roasted coffee at Notting Hill for breakfast. When it's time for lunch, sample authentic delicacies at Touch of Italy, a restaurant, deli, and market known for its handmade mozzarella, wood-fired pizzas, and over-stuffed hero sandwiches. The Da Vinci has salami, soppressata, fresh mozzarella, sun-dried and roasted red peppers, and extra-virgin olive oil piled high on a seeded sub roll. Get your sandwiches and a few other artisanal grocery staples in one stop and pack up for a beachside lunch. Don't miss the eclairs for dessert.

Spend an afternoon unwinding at Crooked Hammock Brewery, a backyard-style hangout that brews a stellar IPA (the Beach Escape) and fun seasonal flavors, like summer pilsner Actively Fishing.

For a formal evening dining experience, visit Heirloom, an upscale but approachable farm-to-table restaurant that's located in a white Victorian-era home. The menu at Heirloom changes monthly, but expect produce-forward dishes that make the most of seasonal bounty. For example, pan-seared scallops are paired with English peas, spring onion, blistered turnips, grits, and green chili adobo.

Stroll the Shops

You can tour most of Lewes's quaint attractions on foot. Spend a day wandering the historic district to admire the architecture and pop into a few downtown shops. Check out The Vintage Underground, a basement-level shop stocked with vinyl and other unique finds, and PUZZLES, a family-owned puzzle shop. After you've hit the antique shops and souvenir stores, stop by Edie Bee's Confection Shop for unique candies, chocolates, and other treats.

Explore The Great Outdoors

Catch the sunset at Cape Henlopen, where the Delaware Gulf meets the Atlantic Ocean. Cape Henlopen State Park features more than 4,013 acres of preserved land, including attractions for the whole family. The Point Overlook at Cape Henlopen provides a fantastic vantage point for birdwatching or simply taking in the view. Staying close to the shore is also an option as the park's fishing pier is open for fishing 24 hours a day. You can borrow one of the park's bikes for free and take a loop around the park. The 3.2-mile Gordons Pond Trail tours the park's various ecosystems, from the dunes to the wetlands.

It’s a seaside town that’s been attracting top chefs, Covid rebound vacationers and anyone paying attention to President Biden’s comings and goings. But all of that is background noise in Lewes, Delaware. The biggest draws are the things that don’t change much: The beach. Bicycles. And the mighty horseshoe crab.

With its Darth Vader-like armor, the horseshoe crab is the star of the “touch tank” (essentially a petting zoo for sea creatures) at the Cape Henlopen State Park nature center, where visitors are quick to learn that the Delaware Bay has the largest concentration of spawning horseshoe crabs in the world. That their 445-million-year-old fossils lend proof that the species predates dinosaurs. And that their blood—“something of a medical marvel,” per park staff—is used to test human vaccines (yes, including those vaccines) for contamination.

The Delaware Bay has the world’s largest concentration of spawning horseshoe crabs. (Photo courtesy of Delaware State Parks)

If you turn your head and squint at just the right angle, the 10-eyed buggers might even convince you of their charm, or something approximating charm.

Beyond the touch tank, there’s no squinting needed to appreciate tiny Lewes’ charm. The town’s delights are evident at first glance, from its sleepy canal and adjacent sand-duned state park to its walkable downtown lined with boutique shops, bike racks, cafés and Victorian architecture.

The Lewes Canal (Photo by Patricia Sterling for VisitDelaware.com)

Positioned at the mouth of the Delaware Bay, less than half a day’s drive from Washington, D.C., Lewes is sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the peninsular arm of Cape Henlopen. The calm waters that result are a lure for families more concerned with sandcastle construction than adrenaline production.

A day at the beach in Lewes (Photo courtesy of Visitsoutherndelaware.com)

Given its scale—fewer than 3,500 people claim permanent residency in this beach town spanning 4.4 square miles—Lewes doesn’t attract the party swarms found in nearby Rehoboth and Dewey. But the popularity contest is relative, says Betsy Reamer, executive director of the city’s chamber of commerce.

As Covid waned, stir-crazy families filled the town’s hotels and rental properties, she says, and new sea-to-table restaurants opened. The place can hardly be characterized as “undiscovered.”

Biking the Gordons Pond Trail in Cape Henlopen (Photo courtesy of Delaware Parks & Recreation)

Bikes are one of the best ways to get around, with an evolving and well-maintained network of trails that link Lewes to neighboring towns and beaches. President Biden occasionally drops in on Marine One for a stay at his vacation home in nearby North Shores, posting Instagram evidence of his own two-wheeled excursions.

The Zwaanendael Museum (left) and the Tower 7 Observatory, built during World War II, at Cape Henlopen (Photos courtesy of Delaware State Parks and Visitdelaware.com)

Downtown Lewes, however, is best navigated on foot, if not for the shopping and pocket-size parks, then for a closer look at its rich past. The town was established in 1631 as a Dutch whaling post—as chronicled in its Zwaanendael Museum—and saw wartime action disproportionate to its size in the War of 1812. (Front Street’s appropriately nicknamed “Cannonball House” still displays in an upstairs exhibit how it got that name.)

Shipcarpenter Square, a hamlet of restored 18th- and 19th-century homes, also features a travelers’ inn transplanted from rural Sussex County, three barns, a schoolhouse, a log home, a lighthouse and a replica of a historic green.

Cape Henlopen State Park is home to Fort Miles, a seacoast fortification built during World War II to defend the Delaware Bay against German invasion.

Cape Henlopen State Park (Photo courtesy of Delaware State Parks and VisitDelaware.com)

Of course, for summer fun, there’s always the sand and the water. Choose your own adventure, whether it’s among the kids clutching boogie boards at the water’s edge, or in the company of stand-up paddleboarders, kayakers and lazily crisscrossing sailboats.

If you’d rather stay dry, a simple walk along the shoreline always satisfies. Just mind your step and watch for those horseshoe crabs. They’re friendly and essential. And, indisputably, they were here first.

Soft-shelled crab at Heirloom (Photo courtesy of Heirloom)

Where to Eat

A burgeoning dining scene risks turning Lewes’ sleepy reputation on its head. Gems tucked into the postage stamp-size downtown include the Victorian house-turned-restaurant Heirloom, which opened its doors in 2015 and has made a splash among locals and food critics. (Patio reservations for its 30 or so outdoor seats are released day of, and they go fast.) Bramble & Brine, which opened around the corner in 2021, has earned similar acclaim for executive chef Paul Gallo’s whimsical twists on seafood and seasonal vegetables.

For Mexican, you can’t go wrong with Agave for margaritas, jalapeno-cheese cornbread and sweet ancho ribs. At Touch of Italy, a destination for wood-fired pizzas with a floor-to-ceiling display of red wines, a pie and a glass can be had for less than $20, but don’t skip dessert. Chubby cream puffs and eclairs beckon from its well-stocked pastry display.

Speaking of sweets, set aside at least one night for King’s Homemade Ice Cream, where nostalgia rules courtesy of an old-school checkerboard floor, to say nothing of the floats, malts and packed waffle cones. Edie Bee’s Confection Shop is a feast for the eyes, with rainbow displays of rock candy and shelves stacked with candy jars that are the stuff of fairy tales.

Craving lighter fare? Tuck into coffee, avocado toast and lump-crab omelets at Eggcellent, or hit Nectar Cafe & Juice Bar for fresh-squeezed juices and brunch dishes.

The town’s Saturday morning farmers market finds local chefs serving up cooking demos at George H.P. Smith Park. Visit historiclewesfarmersmarket.org for a list of market vendors.

The Blue Water House in Lewes (Photo by Joe Jackson)

Where to Stay

For an excellent bed-and breakfast experience, The Blue Water House is known for its funky decor, friendly staff, quiet rooms, porch swings and complimentary bike rentals.

Just over the canal, the Dogfish Inn caters to beer lovers and adventure-seekers with modern furnishings (think white linens and blond wood), backyard cornhole, an outdoor activity package and complimentary 32-ounce growlers for guests to fill at Dogfish Head brewery.

Beach houses start booking a year in advance. Secure a rental through Gallo Realty, Lewes Realty or Jack Lingo.

A window display in downtown Lewes (Photo courtesy of Visitsoutherndelaware.com)

Where to Shop

Independently owned shops are the pride of downtown. The Bungalow on 2nd stocks a thoughtfully curated selection of women’s clothes, accessories and bath products, while The Vintage Underground sells vintage vinyl, cassettes, CDs and fashions that warrant less of a pop-in and more of a perusal.

At Lewes Gourmet, the merch includes off-the-beaten-path British foods and tea sets, plus puzzles and mind teasers. And for any items you may have forgotten, Lewes Variety carries hats, beach toys, umbrellas and flip-flops, along with wicker furniture and décor.

If you’ve got trunk space to spare on the trip home, the Tanger Outlets are a 7-minute drive from downtown Lewes, with some 100 discount stores and brands such as Calvin Klein, Levi’s, Coach and Nautica.

Paddleboarding on the Delaware Bay (Photo courtesy of Delaware State Parks / Visitdelaware.com)

What to Do

To know Lewes is to bike it, and a ride along the winding trails of Cape Henlopen State Park is a must for wildlife sightings. In peak season, bikes can be rented for free for up to two hours from the park’s Bike Barn.

At Fort Miles, stop at Battery 519, a 15,000-square-foot fortified underground chamber housing World War II memorabilia.

Fort Miles at Cape Henlopen State Park (Photo courtesy of Delaware State Parks / Visitdelaware.com)

The park’s Seaside Nature Center is where kids can touch Delaware’s unofficial state arthropod, the horseshoe crab, while also gazing upon stocked aquariums and an osprey exhibit. The nature center organizes family-friendly events all summer long, from squid dissections (for the not-so-squeamish) to nocturnal ghost crab hikes. Register at destateparks.com.

The Cape May-Lewes Ferry (Photo courtesy of visitdelaware.com)

For a change of scenery, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry departs several times a day for its 85-minute sojourn to New Jersey, where a $6 shuttle connects visitors to downtown Cape May, known for its beautifully preserved Victorian architecture. Those seeking more bustle can drive 15 minutes to Rehoboth Beach, home to a mile-long boardwalk teeming with arcades, taffy shops, carnival rides and T-shirt stands.

Cape Water Tours & Taxi offers dolphin-watching, full-moon tours and lighthouse excursions; book online at capewatertaxi.com. Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards can be rented at Quest Adventures. There are no Jet Skis to be had, but Jet Skis have never been the lifeblood of Lewes and, with any luck, never will be.

Susan Anspach lives in Vienna and grew up seining the shores of the Delaware beaches.

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Starting, Monday, May 22, 2023, the 45’ trailer will call DART’s Lewes Transit Center home every Monday from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm through October 31st except for holidays.

The trailer, featuring four fully functional workstations, made its debut last April. It’s ADA-accessible. It comes complete with an awning for bad weather, and a wheelchair lift, and performs all transactions as a traditional DMV except for inspections, and road exams. Customers in need of in-person driver improvement or uninsured motorist assistance would also still need to go to the Wilmington, Delaware City, Dover, or Georgetown DMV location.

In its first year, the DMV on the Go trailer assisted over 1,200 customers by allowing them to renew their registrations, driver licenses, complete title work, and more right in their neighborhood.

DMV on the Go locations May 22 through October 31, 2023 (the trailer will be at the Delaware State Fair July 20, 2023 – July 29, 2023, and not at the below locations):

Mondays from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm DART’s Lewes Transit Center 17616 Coastal Highway Lewes, DE 19958

Tuesdays from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm (starting August 1, 2023) DART First State 119 Lower Beech Street Wilmington, DE 19805

Thursdays from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm Big Lots Plaza 820 Norman Eskridge Highway Seaford, DE 19973

“We received a lot of positive feedback our first year,” shared Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski. “We’re excited the public is embracing DMV on the Go, but equally as excited knowing it’s connecting our customers to the services they need. They are getting in, getting out and not having to drive a long distance to a DMV location.”

“The addition of a second Sussex County location at the DART Lewes Transit Center will really help those living at the beach, especially as summer approaches,” commented the Director of the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles Jana Simpler. “Now every Monday instead of driving to Georgetown, customers in need of DMV can just come see us in Lewes,” continued Simpler.

To access other DMV services, customers can complete over 20 transactions online at mydmv.delaware.gov/ including Delaware driver license, identification, vehicle registration renewals, duplicates, and address changes.

DART‘s Beach Bus also returns for the season on Monday, May 22, 2023. The 305 Beach Connection, operates on weekends and holidays and serves the Wilmington Transit Center, Christiana Mall, Odessa Park & Ride in Middletown, Scarborough Road Park & Ride lot in Dover, Lewes Transit Center, just south of the Five Points, and the Rehoboth Park & Ride lot on Shuttle Road. The one-way cash fares are $6 from the Wilmington Transit Center, Christiana Mall, and Odessa Park & Ride (Middletown), and $4 from Dover. Riders traveling from New Castle County are encouraged to buy a 3-Zone Daily Pass for $10 and from Kent County a 2-Zone Daily Pass for $8, which can also be used on all Beach Bus Services. For more details CLICK HERE or visit dartfirststate.com.

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A Delaware chef was just named one of the best in the Mid-Atlantic.

After a statewide snub of Delaware last year, the James Beard Foundation Awards — often called the Oscars of the food world — announced Wednesday morning that chef Matthew Kern of Fenwick Island’s One Coastal had been nominated as one of the best chefs in the five-state region that also includes New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Washington, D.C.

“THIS HITS DIFFERENTLY!” Kern wrote on his personal Facebook account after the nomination was announced. “I have officially owned my own restaurant for two years now, a restaurant filled with the best humans a chef could ask for. I believed in my tiny little 50 seat ‘strip mall’ eatery so I have spent god knows how many hours in this place…fixing, failing, winning, struggling, vibing & learning.”

Reached by phone a little later, Kern was still overwhelmed.

“It was crazy,” he said. “I didn’t even think we were on the radar this year. I have an incredible team; we pushed, and— oh, man! I couldn’t have done it without them … To be recognized on that list as one of the top players in the Mid-Atlantic, it hits so close to home.”

Kern is the only Delaware chef to be named a semifinalist for the 2024 James Beard awards, his third such nomination in four years.

Far from the first James Beard nomination for Delaware chef Matthew Kern

As chef for Lewes restaurant Heirloom, Kern also was nominated as one of the region’s best chefs in 2019 and 2020 (though those 2020 prizes were eventually canceled during a pandemic-era reckoning that tanked the awards for two years).

In 2018, News Journal food writer Patricia Talorico wondered whether Heirloom was the best restaurant in the state with Kern wearing the toque, praising house-stretched burrata with “swirls of green from torn basil and dots of red from Calabrian chili” and “refreshingly modern” take on foie gras, spiked with pickled rhubarb and served on a Johnny cake. Even Kern’s competitors couldn't help but sing his praises, she wrote then.

But this was just the beginning for Kern, it would turn out.

By the time he and his wife, Karen, took over One Coastal, Talorico didn’t hesitate to call Kern “easily one of the state's most talented chefs,” whether on a dry-aged flank steak with creamed kale and latkes or an inventive beet and blueberry salad topped with pecan crumble and whipped mascarpone.

One Coastal was founded in 2016 by Scott and Carlie Carey as a farm-to-table restaurant, a tradition the Kerns have continued since buying the restaurant in 2022.

“The idea is to support responsible local agriculture, get more restaurants buying from local forms, and to showcase the seasons," Kern told Delaware Online/The News Journal.

"That’s always been my mission, to do this with grace and humility and treat my staff well and pay a living wage. I didn’t want to have regrets.”

The farms that Kern showcases fan out much broader than just the immediate area. Kern seeks out "the best ingredients grown by American farmers on the East Coast,” he said, and is intimately familiar with the farm, the mill or the fishery where each ingredient was sourced.

And so he and his team might whip ricotta from nearby Nice Farms into a salad of with blood oranges from Georgia. The Gullah farms of the Southeastern coast might be tapped for red peas, served with gold rice from North Carolina’s famed Anson Mills. Rockfish from Jersey’s side of the Bay might rest alongside lion’s mane mushrooms plucked just up the road in Frankford.

Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., dominate James Beard semifinalists in the Mid-Atlantic

But if Kern has become nearly a regular amid the nominations in recent years, Delaware hasn’t always been so lucky.

The 2023 awards left out the state entirely, in all categories — one of only two states to be utterly snubbed that year. No Delaware chef has ever won the national restaurant prize, nor the regional prize as best chef in the Mid-Atlantic.

By contrast, chefs in Philadelphia have won the Best Chef Mid-Atlantic prize both of the last two years: first chef Cristina Martinez of South Philly Barbacoa, then chef Nok Suntaranon from Thai restaurant Kalaya. Center City Philly spot Friday Saturday Sunday also was named the best restaurant in the country in 2023.

Four Philly chefs also received nominations in the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category this year.

These include Carlos Aparicio of much-hailed South Philly Mexican spot El Chingon — a fast-casual powerhouse best known for cemita sandwiches with springy and seeded house-made bread, pork al pastor or arrachera beef sliced fresh off the spit, or even the occasional pizza.

Texas-bred Randy Rucker, of inventive and meat-filled modern American spot River Twice — located about a block from El Chingon in South Philly — also received a nomination. So did Omar Tate of West Philly’s Honeysuckle Provisions, well-known for putting the foods of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora winkingly front and center, whether on a “dolla hoagie” plucked from Tate’s childhood memories or a Haitian take on Cubano with griyo pork and fiery pikliz pickles.

Chef Jesse Ito received a repeat nod for Queen Village’s Royal Sushi & Izakaya, whose back-room omakase is famously one of the hardest reservations to score in Philly.

In South Jersey, chef Dane Demarco of Haddenfield BYOB Gass and Main was nominated for its local and sustainable takes on comfort classics. Elsewhere in New Jersey, Lita in Aberdeen was nominated as best new restaurant, and chef Nur-E Gulshan Rahman of Korai Kitchen, Jersey City, was nominated as best chef along with Demarco.

But in all, nominations in the region were dominated by Philadelphia and Washington. Washington received a whopping 15 nominations this year, while Philly scored nine overall.

In addition to the four Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic semifinalists in Philly, Philly was nominated for five national prizes. These include My Loup (best new restaurant), Isgro Pastries (best bakery) and a.kitchen+bar (best drinks program).

Yun Fuentes of Latin-American rum bar Bolo was nominated for the "Emerging Chef" category, while chef Dionicio Jiménez of aguachile-happy Mexican spot Cantina La Martina was nominated for the coveted "Outstanding Chef" award.

Full list of 2024 nominees, Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA).

Delaware

Matt Kern, One Coastal, Fenwick Island

Pennsylvania

Omar Tate, Honeysuckle Provisions, Philadelphia

Kate Lasky and Tomasz Skowronski, Apteka, Pittsburgh

New Jersey

Dane DeMarco, Gass & Main, Haddonfield

Nur-E Gulshan Rahman, Korai Kitchen, Jersey City

Maryland

Tony Conte, Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana, Darnestown,

David Zamudio, Alma Cocina Latina, Baltimore

Virginia

Travis Milton, Hickory at Nicewonder Farm and Vineyards, Bristol

Najmieh Batmanglij and Christopher Morgan, Joon, ViennaWashington, D.C.

Amy Brandwein, Centrolina

Kevin Tien, Moon Rabbit

More restaurant news

With a mix of childlike enthusiasm and surprising maturity, 11-year-old Erin Mayo is moving up in the Irish dancing world. She’s got the trophies — and the blisters — to prove it.

The Lewes sixth grader has been Irish dancing since she could walk.

“I have no other hobbies,” she said, grinning. “My whole life is Irish dance, diabetes, my family and school.”

Erin was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes last year. During a four-day stint in the hospital, she practiced her footwork at her bedside.

She and her mom, Lindsey Mayo, seem to have easily blended the dangerous but manageable disease into their lives. They travel at least twice a week to McGough Academy in West Chester, Pennsylvania, for Erin’s dance classes.

“She has everything it takes to go all the way,” owner Meagan McGough said of Erin. “I’ve never seen such a level-headed, hard-working kid, intense when she needs to be but fun-loving when it’s time for fun.”

Accompanied by her mom, dad Cory Mayo and 6-year-old sister Alana Mayo, Erin travels worldwide to compete in Irish dancing competitions. Earlier this year, she placed 10th in the world for her age group at the Irish Dancing Commission’s World Championships in Montreal, Canada.

She hopes to teach Irish dancing as an adult — after taking off a few years to tour with “Riverdance,” of course.

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What is Irish dance?

“Irish dance is pure happiness for me,” Erin said. “It’s a form of art, but it’s also a sport.”

Irish dancing evolved over centuries to become the global phenomenon it is today, helped by the vast Irish diaspora. In fact, Erin’s great-grandmother immigrated to America from Derry, Ireland, and was an Irish dancer herself, Lindsey Mayo said.

Perhaps the most widely-known aspect of Irish dancing, thanks to “Riverdance,” is that dancers keep their arms straight at their sides. The magic is all in the feet.

“You have to have really turned-out feet and you have to cross your feet,” Erin said. “When you’re dancing, you should only see one knee.”

Not all Irish dancing is competitive. Many people do it for fun, and the fun is the reason Erin started dancing. She helps her coaches teach a recreational class in Lewes, but chooses to focus on the competitive side.

In competitions, there are three dancing rounds, Erin explained: hard shoe, soft shoe and set. In the first two rounds, several dancers dance at once, but a set is a solo dance, Cory Mayo said, meant to showcase a dancer’s skills. The dances are accompanied by an Irish jig or hornpipe music.

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"This year, it's hornpipe for me," Erin said.

The shoes, the dresses, the hair

Hard shoes and soft shoes are the two different types of shoes Irish dancers wear. Soft shoes are also known as ghillies, and everyone laces their ghillies differently, according to Erin. Hard shoes have metal cleats on the bottoms that make the drum-like sound ubiquitous to Irish dance.

Then there’s the hair and costumes. Many modern Irish dancers opt for short, brightly-colored, sparkly dresses that can cost in the thousands of dollars.

Erin’s dress this year is a custom Connor O’Sullivan number with a tartan pattern and an enormous crown to match. Like most modern Irish dancing dresses, it’s entirely bejeweled. Lindsey Mayo sews displaced jewels back on the dress before each competition.

Erin also wears a towering wig for competitions, which her mom said is a tradition in Irish dance.

Competitions

Her next competition is the Mid-Atlantic Regionals in Philadelphia, where she will defend her two-time Mid-Atlantic Champion title. This year, she’ll also do a team dance with her six-year-old sister, Alana, who has just started dancing competitively.

The Mid-Atlantic Regionals are one of several competitions Erin will participate in to qualify for the world championships, to be held in Scotland in April 2024. Last year, when she achieved 10th in the world for her age group, was the first year she was old enough to compete.

There’s a lot of travel involved in Irish dance. The Mayos just returned from London and were in Scotland just a few weeks before for competitions. Erin has been to numerous U.S. states, Canada and the United Kingdom to compete.

Irish dancing life

Erin was bitten by the Irish dancing bug as a three-year-old, when she attended a workshop for preschoolers.

“I just thought it was so much fun,” she said.

She spent the first five years of her life in Wilmington, where there’s a plethora of Irish dancing schools. There’s only one school in Sussex County, so when the Mayos moved to Lewes, they opted to commute to McGough.

Dad Corey Mayo is a realtor, while mom Lindsey Mayo is a teacher taking time off to be a full-time mom.

“It’s a two-hour drive to West Chester. She trains 6:30 to 9:30 (p.m.),” Lindsey Mayo said. “She does her homework on the way up. Dinner is usually off a paper plate; I get it ready. She brings pajamas and will sleep on the way home. I usually call her dad to come out and get her but she’s getting bigger!”

Diabetic dancer

Lindsey Mayo also plays an important role in her daughter’s diabetes management. Exercise and diabetes can be a dangerous mix, she said. She attends all Erin’s lessons and competitions so she can monitor her blood sugar while she dances.

“Since she was diagnosed, I haven’t left her alone at dance class,” Lindsey Mayo said. “She’s not super paying attention (to her blood sugar levels) when she’s dancing.”

A weird fluke makes things slightly easier for Erin and her mom: Erin is one of four McGough students managing diabetes. IrishPhiladephia.com called them “the diabesties.” When Erin was first diagnosed, they helped Erin and her mom to quickly adjust.

“I asked her if she wanted to pull back on dance, you know, it’s a lot with the diabetes, but she doesn’t want to, and I don’t want to take that away from her,” Lindsey Mayo said.

“My mom knows everything about me, inside and out,” Erin said. “I’m so thankful for my parents, they dedicate so much of their lives to driving me to West Chester … taking me to all these wonderful places.”

There’s that surprising maturity.

After high school and her “year or two off to do ‘Riverdance,’” naturally, Erin wants to get a degree in business before teaching Irish dance.

“Irish dancing is a place where I feel free and it feels like I’m at home,” she said. “I love it.”

Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County and beyond. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught.