What Rehoboth is
Rehoboth Beach is a compact resort town on Delaware's Atlantic coast, founded in 1873 as a Methodist seaside retreat and long nicknamed the Nation's Summer Capital because Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia families have vacationed here for generations. Its core is a roughly mile-long wooden boardwalk, a free public beach and Rehoboth Avenue, the main street of shops and restaurants. The mood is relaxed and welcoming, with a strong local gay and lesbian community and a younger, livelier scene a few miles south in Dewey Beach.
How the area fits together
Think in three hubs. Rehoboth is the central base, with the boardwalk, downtown and the largest choice of restaurants. Dewey Beach, about three miles south, is smaller, louder and focused on the bay side and live music. Lewes, about fifteen minutes north, is a historic village with museums, a canal, quiet beaches and the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. Between them sit Cape Henlopen State Park and the Junction and Breakwater Trail, which connects Rehoboth and Lewes by bike.
Parking and getting around
Parking is the main hassle in July and August. Metered streets and lots fill early on sunny weekends, so arrive before nine in the morning or after four in the afternoon, or park once and walk. If you stay near the boardwalk, you can leave the car behind. Bikes are an excellent way to move between Rehoboth, Dewey and Lewes, and rental shops are easy to find. A seasonal bus also links the beach towns, so check the current schedule.
The beach
Rehoboth Beach is free, with no daily tags or badges, which is unusual in the region. Lifeguards generally work from late spring to early September, and you should always swim near a lifeguard and respect the flags. Dogs, alcohol, glass and fires are restricted, and rules change by season and time of day, so read the signs at each access point. Bring sunscreen, a hat and a layer for the breeze.
What to see first
For a short stay, walk the boardwalk at sunrise or evening, eat Thrasher's fries with vinegar and taffy from Dolle's, spend an hour at Funland if you have children, and take a morning at Cape Henlopen State Park. Add a half day in Lewes to walk the historic district and visit the Zwaanendael Museum. If you have time, take a dolphin cruise or the ferry across Delaware Bay.
Food and drink
The restaurant scene is stronger than the town's size suggests, with seafood, pizza, farm-to-table kitchens and casual boardwalk bites. Dogfish Head started as a Rehoboth brewpub in 1995 and remains a favorite for beer and a loud, friendly room. Reservations help for dinner in summer. Delaware has no sales tax, so prices on the menu are the price you pay, apart from tips.
Rainy days
When the weather turns, head to the Tanger Outlets, the Zwaanendael Museum, Fort Miles and the Lewes Historical Society, or visit Dogfish Head. The outlets are the classic wet-weather outing, and because Delaware has no sales tax the shopping feels like a bargain.
Money-saving ideas
Visit midweek, or in June and September when the water is warm and prices are lower. Choose a hotel with a kitchenette, bring your own beach gear, and use the free beach, free trails and free boardwalk for most of your days. Spend where it matters, on a dinner you will remember and a boat trip on the bay.
Accessibility
The boardwalk and downtown are flat, and most of the main beach accesses have ramps, though sand is hard going for wheelchairs unless mats are laid. The Junction and Breakwater Trail is paved and suitable for many users. Older buildings in Lewes may have steps, so ask ahead.
A sample first day
Walk the boardwalk and have fries and coffee in the morning, spend a few hours on the beach, eat lunch on Rehoboth Avenue, drive to Cape Henlopen State Park for the dune and the view, and come back for an early dinner and a sunset stroll. The next day, head to Lewes for history, a canal-side lunch and a drive or ride home along the trail.
Respecting the place
Many streets are residential, so keep noise down late at night, carry out your trash from the beach and follow posted rules for dogs, fires and glass. Stay off the dunes, which protect homes from storms and shelter nesting birds, and use the marked crossovers. Tip service workers generously in summer, when staff work long shifts in the heat. Small courtesies like these keep the towns pleasant for everyone.
Safety and health
Use sunscreen even on cloudy days, drink water on hot afternoons and watch for rip currents. Ticks live in grass and marsh edges, so check yourself after trail walks, and greenhead flies bite near the bay in midsummer. For emergencies, lifeguards are the first help on the beach, and the area has hospitals and urgent care within a short drive.