Sandwiched between the Jersey Shore and the tiny state’s on-the-beaten-path beach destinations like Rehoboth, Bethany and Dewey, Lewes is easy to miss. But it’s definitely worth more than a drive by for its calm beaches, oceanfront state park, World War II history … and liquid culture.

Make the eclectic, centrally located Dogfish Inn, a small boutique hotel operated by the owner of Delaware’s Dogfish Head Brewery, your home base. Its 16 rooms are outfitted with beach gear, and Adirondack chairs and a fire pit out back invite you to spend convivial evenings with other guests. While they don’t serve beer here, you can take the growler in your room to their lively brewpub in Rehoboth for some brews to go; stay for a tour, a flight and an order of beer-battered fish and chips with its 60-Minute IPA.

Second Street is the town’s main thoroughfare, a buzzy spot dotted with restaurants and boutiques. After snagging some classic vinyl at The Vintage Underground and unique houseware finds at The Bungalow on 2nd, grab seats at the oyster bar at Lewes Oyster House. Here you can choose from half a dozen varieties served a dizzying number of ways: ice cold on the half shell, wrapped in jamón ibérico, charbroiled and slathered with herbed butter and cheese, fried Buffalo style, or roasted Rockefeller.

© Kelly Magyarics

Among the bivalve-friendly beverages is the savory giardiniera martini, with vegetable sous-vide infused vodka, Dolin dry vermouth and house dirty juice, garnished with a skewer of pickled vegetables. In between meals and sips, explore more than 6 miles of coastline at Cape Henlopen State Park, where Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean and fire control towers were constructed at Fort Miles during World War II. Bayfront beaches including Savannah Beach or Johnnie Walker (named for a local, not the Scotch) prove ideal if you want to relax with a noodle or inflatable lounger rather than be pounded by waves.

And don’t miss brunch on the terrace at Harbour on the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal, where you can watch boats cruise by while noshing on dishes such as pork belly bao buns, clams oreganata or maple pecan Arctic char. Day drinking is encouraged with options like a riff on a Bee’s Knees with Seville orange vodka, St. Germain, honey, lemon and fennel pollen salt; and a zero proof gimlet with lemon verbena and help “spirit,” lime, Earl Grey tea and vanilla.

But the most famous drink around these parts by far is the Crush. Created in 1995 in Ocean City, Maryland, the original recipe combines orange juice (always freshly squeezed), vodka, triple sec and Sprite, served in a pint glass over ice. Because Ocean City lays claim to its invention doesn’t mean the entire Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland and Virginia) peninsula hasn’t embraced it as its own.

Wheelhouse, with casual Key West vibes and patio seating overlooking the Lewes Canal, makes a great spot to taste your way through the seemingly endless variations including mango, grapefruit, blueberry and strawberry. If you’re in the mood for a little drive and you’re visiting in season, make the trip to Big Chill Beach Club in Bethany for stunning views of the Atlantic, Rehoboth Bay and the imposing cable-stayed Indian River Inlet Bridge. There’s ample outdoor seating on multiple levels, but taking a seat at the bar and watching your bartender use an old-fashioned manual citrus press to make the OG version is lots of fun, too.

With the salt air, the setting and the hospitality, it’s hard to leave Lewes without catching feelings — and, yes, they’re best served over ice with a splash of citrus.