CHECK OUT THESE INSIDER TIPS ON HOW TO HAVE THE PERFECT BEACH DAY
Well, it’s officially beach season! And if you’ve lived in southern Delaware for a while you know that means you’re apt to spend time with LOTS of people who love the surf and sand as much as you do. You might also have some insider knowledge about the best ways and best times to get there easily and enjoy smaller crowds.
But if you’re a recent arrival, here are a few tips for a stress-free day:
Cape Henlopen State Park is the Shining Star
Located between Lewes and Rehoboth and encompassing more than 5,000 acres of pristine pine forests, vast marshlands, walking and biking trails, and miles of beaches on the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay, this is one of our state’s most beloved places https://www.destateparks.com/park/cape-henlopen/, which unfortunately means big crowds and limited access at certain times on the busiest days. On the upside, you can park in lots offering access to:
- The public bathhouse, offering a café for casual beach fare, restrooms, changing areas and showers, and a spectacular beach https://www.facebook.com/reel/1322984995455882. And if you have kids or grandkids you’ll be glad to know that this beach has lifeguards during the daylight hours.
- Herring Point, offering access to two very nice beaches from the same parking lot. There are portable johns but no sprinklers for rinsing. In between the beaches is a rise of land offering spectacular views of the ocean.
- The Point, located at the northernmost part of the park. The downside of this spot is that the lot only holds perhaps 35 cars. The upside, if you get a parking space, is that you can access an ocean beach from one side of the lot and a bay beach from the other. Note: this is a great place to go on an off-season day or when it’s too cold to swim because you can park and walk about 3 miles on the beach from the ocean to bay side or vice versa – you’ll see nothing but nature all around.
The other insider tip on this is to avoid times of the day when the park can get so full that the staff stops allowing vehicles to enter. On Summer weekends and holidays there’s often a peak in traffic between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. So if you arrive earlier or later on those days you’re more apt to get in.
In Rehoboth, Deauville Beach and the North Shore beaches are wonderful too.
If you head into Rehoboth and turn left onto Columbia Avenue or one of the side streets as you approach the end of Rehoboth Avenue you can make your way to two very nice public beaches with parking.
Deauville Beach is on the ocean adjacent to beautiful Henlopen Acres. There’s parking for about 75 cars and once you’re parked it’s just a few yards to a spectacular setting. There are also public tennis courts (with a fee) adjacent to the parking lot.
If you turn left at the end of Columbia Avenue instead of going into the Deauville Beach lot you’ll have a scenic one-mile drive to the North Shore Beach, which is at the south end of Cape Henlopen State Park. This parking lot is much larger and probably holds about 150 cars. Once you park you’ll have two wide beaches, and a concession stand for beverages and chairs and umbrellas.
The Rehoboth Boardwalk is awesome, but you’ll be happier with some advance planning.
This part of Rehoboth is known far and wide for its access to great casual restaurants, clean public restrooms with showers and all kinds of attractions along the boardwalk. Unfortunately parking in downtown is very limited. Your best chance for a spot on a summer day is to arrive well before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m. You’ll have to park at meters on the main streets or try for a spot in the residential areas, which isn’t easy. Check out this link for more info about metered and permit parking https://www.rehobothbeachde.gov/experience-rehoboth-beach/parking-transportation/ and this one for public transportation options https://www.rehobothbeachde.gov/experience-rehoboth-beach/parking-transportation/driving-parking-alternatives/.
Delaware Seashore State Park and Bethany have great beaches too.
Delaware Seashore State Park https://thequietresorts.com/beaches/delaware-seashore-state-park/ is a few miles south of Dewey Beach and is reached via a scenic drive featuring the Indian River Inlet Bridge. There are lifeguards and parking for a fee, along with options for handicapped access. The beach is long and wide, with a remote feel.
A few miles south, you’ll be in Bethany Beach, with miles of sandy shoreline and ocean waves and another great boardwalk featuring eateries, shops and public restrooms, along with lifeguards during the main daylight hours. There are about 1,000 public parking spaces within walking distance of the beach and about 700 spaces – which require a permit – on the nearby residential and commercial streets. Learn more at https://www.townofbethanybeach.com/462/Parking and be advised that on busy summer days the lot fills up by 10:30 a.m.
Another option – and particularly good if you have kids who aren’t confident swimmers – are the beaches along Delaware Bay.
Broadkill and Lewes Beach offer shallow waters with minimal surf and are terrific for young kids and for parents and grandparents who don’t want to be too stressed out.
Broadkill is at the north end of the Great Marsh Preserve can be reached via Rt. 16 off of Rt. 1. There’s some public parking https://www.ioverlander.com/places/93330-broadkill-beach-public-parking, and a general store for snacks. This beach isn’t guarded and there aren’t any bathroom facilities.
Lewes Beach is reached by driving to the end of Savannah Road in Lewes. There are two metered parking lots holding a total of perhaps 100 cars, and there’s some parking on the nearby residential streets if you get there early or late in the day. This beach has lifeguards on summer days, a bathhouse, and a Dairy Queen for all of that yummy stuff.
TWO IMPORTANT POINTS, FOR SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE
The ocean beaches can have rough surf on windy days, and undertows almost any day. So don’t ever turn your back on the incoming waves. The sandy bottom can also be very irregular, with steep drops due to currents and beach replenishment efforts, so be cautious when you’re wading out. Equally important: Make sure your kids and grandkids know they should never, ever dive into the water along the beach, particularly the bay. These beaches are safer because the water is shallower, but more treacherous for neck and head injuries if you dive in and hit a sand bar.
And if you think you’re going to be a frequent beach goer, consider a season pass to the Delaware State Park Beaches. Get the details here: https://www.destateparks.com/passes-permits-and-fees/