Delaware is one of the most densely-populated states in the U.S., but southern Delaware is not the reason why. This is a region of gently rolling farmland, charming, historic towns, and quiet beaches. Yet there are major metropolitan areas in almost all directions: Philadelphia and Wilmington to the north, Baltimore and Washington D.C. to the west, and the Norfolk/Virginia Beach metro area to the south. Southern Delaware serves as an oasis for all of them.

Delware has only three counties; and this region has only one: Sussex. It is the part of Delaware that has been settled the longest, originally by the Dutch in the 17th century. Early in its history it was an important shipbuilding area, and both Pennsylvania and Maryland vied for ownership.

Georgetown, the county seat, has a unique history: it was founded specifically to serve as the political center of the county (at about the same time that Washington was being built to serve as the capital of the new United States). The town is also unique in its layout: it was originally planned around a circle, rather than the traditional square.

Most of the other notable communities line the seacoast. Lewes (the former county seat) and Rehoboth Beach are among the most popular. Seaford, in the southwest corner, and Milford, straddling the county line with Kent County in the north, are the exceptions. Milford is the largest town in the region, but Seaford is the largest town entirely within Sussex County.