If you are Looking for a destressing and soothing break from the stresses of your hectic everyday life? Then put on your flip-flops and enjoy the summer sun on some of the best beaches in Delaware. You will have the best summertime on these sandy beaches.
Just like Pennsylvania, Delaware has many beach spots, from having a beach party to a relaxed, family-friendly beach; Delaware has something for everyone. There are several outdoor activities and sports available, there are so many options to explore for everyone.
If you’re searching for wild beach parties or calming, relaxed beach and a good time. However, if you’re searching for something wholesome and restorative, pack your bags and prepare to have a fantastic time!
Here are the top 10 best beaches in Delaware, and I bet these beaches will not disappoint you.
1. Woodland Beach
Woodland Beach is located in Smyrna. If you love spending time in nature and watching a beautiful sunset, this is the one for you.
Although It’s a little wilder, natural, and untamed than other beaches, with long grasses around it. It’s pleasant and welcoming in the summer, yet it occasionally snows in the winter!
The striking contrast of the sand, water, and snow are breathtaking; whatever season you visit, you will be pleased by this little beach.
Take a casual walk down the sand in your bare feet and spend the day gathering seashells to take home or just watch the sunset. Allow the sights of the Atlantic to steal your breath away, and shoot some vacation photos that are Instagram-worthy so you can show them to everyone when you return!
2. Slaughter Beach
Slaughter Beach’s main attraction is right there in its name! Along with tourists, the beach provides a haven for some amazing animals. It attracts shorebirds and terrapins that come to nest here. The hatchlings appear in April and May.
The Horseshoe Crab is another well-known resident, and you could even see a Monarch butterfly fluttering past. This is an excellent pick if you enjoy watching wildlife and marine creatures.
Even if you aren’t a big nature fan, the overall experience and the whole vibe of this place will entice you to spend the day sunbathing or taking a slow stroll down the beach at sunset.
3. Broadkill Beach
Broadkill Beach is situated on Delaware Bay. It is unique in that it was the first Horseshoe Crab Sanctuary in Delaware in 2000. Take care where you step; you don’t want your toes pinched!
The beach is directly next to the Prime Hook National Animals Refuge, so there’s plenty of nature and wildlife around. It’s more isolated and private than other Delaware beaches, so if you’re looking for a solo walk down the beach, this is the place for you.
On the white sand beach, you may go swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, surfing, and fishing. Although it is a town beach, it is a relatively small town with the essentials (such as tackle and ice cream) but not much else!
4. Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Beach is one of the state’s favorite beach resort towns, recognized for its magnificent boardwalk and old-fashioned yet modern atmosphere. The Boardwalk is the hub of activity along the beach, with a lot of restaurants, candy stores, and souvenir shops, as well as the Beach Arcade and Funland amusement park.
Funland offers ticketed rides and activities, including kiddie rides, favorites like bumper cars, a haunted house, and thrill coasters. A carnival-style midway and a video game arcade are also part of the entertainment park. Rehoboth Beach is also a shopping hub, with tax-free stores, trendy boutiques, and countless galleries to shop from.
The beach is free and accessible to the public, and there are lifeguards on duty throughout the summer. Along the shore at Rehoboth Beach, there are numerous prominent hotels.
Some of them are the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel, which mixes Victorian-era décor with modern grandeur. Couples searching for a weekend getaway may like the concierge level, which has many facilities like a private spa and rooftop sun terrace.
5. Bethany Beach
The half-mile-long wooden boardwalk along Bethany Beach looks down over grass-spotted dunes above the beaches and coastline. The boardwalk has foot-washing facilities and is flanked by stores and food vendors selling anything from seafood to desserts.
There are so many local shops and vendors where you can acquire everything you need for a day at the beach; a bicycle rental shop; and even a dog boutique (although, unfortunately, dogs are not allowed out on the sand).
There are also activities like Jet Ski rentals nearby, as well as family-friendly activities such as mini-golf. Surfers should be aware that this activity is only permitted at specific periods.
From June through August, the town of Bethany Beach conducts weekly activities for both residents and visitors, such as Bonfires on the Beach on Thursday evenings at 8 p.m. and Movies on the Beach on Mondays at twilight.
There are also many staying options from where you can easily access the beach. However, they also include features like indoor and outdoor pools, an on-site spa, self-service laundry, and so much more.
6. Lewes Beach
Lewes beach is popular with families with small children because of its calm surf and gradual slope, with little to no undertow, making it simple for youngsters to keep safe.
However, during the summer, there are lifeguards on duty and a bathhouse with clean toilets and showers, so you don’t have to worry about anything. Within walking distance, there is also a small concession stand, an ice cream shop, vendors selling drinks, and so much more.
Another interesting thing about this beach is its affordable parking prices at metered places, which is especially useful for people who do not want to spend the full day here. Visitors may see the Delaware Breakwater and Harbor of Refuge, a historic beacon on the bay, from the beach.
7. Dewey Beach
Dewey Beach is a smaller but equally popular coastal location on Rehoboth Bay, near Rehoboth Beach, in a town noted for its eating and shopping.
The attractions here include special events and entertainment, and Dewey Beach holds various music festivals each year, including the Elvis Festival and the Fiddler’s Festival. During the summer, there are also nightly live music, weekly free movie nights, and beach bonfires.
Seaside yoga, a junior lifeguard program, and environmental education programs are other regular beach activities, there is so much you learn and explore for yourself. Water activities are also popular in Dewey Beach, where tourists may hire paddleboards, kayaks, Jet Skis, pontoon boats, and other watercraft.
Visitors should take great heed of the parking laws in this area, as they are closely enforced, and sites are limited.
However, there are many great resorts near Dewey Beach where you can stay near the sea and within walking distance of all the local attractions. This a great way to enjoy your beach vacation, even with kids, as these resorts have so much to offer.
8. Delaware Seashore State Park
The Delaware Seashore State Park has many beaches, two of which have lifeguards on duty and convenience amenities for beach lovers. There are facilities and showers in each bathhouse, as well as food bars. If you don’t want to bring your own equipment, you may rent chairs and umbrellas directly on the beach.
The 2,825-acre park features various nature paths as well as unique educational events during the summer. There are many luxurious hotels that provide you with facilities, like a big all-suite beachfront hotel with individual balconies, a pool, and a bicycle rental, which welcomes families.
If you are a tourist and want something on a budget, you can book a bed and breakfast. This is an amazing option for tourists for people aged 21 and over, and it also provides many other facilities for the best beach experience.
The beaches in this park are also popular with surfers, and some of them are designated for this activity. Other places have been designated for fishing and other activities.
9. Holts Landing State Park
Holts Landing State Park is great for nature enthusiasts since it provides not just a sandy beach but also lots of opportunities to explore over 200 acres of the coastal park area. Salt marshes, freshwater areas, grassy meadows, and maritime forests are among the habitats for osprey, herons, and hawks, among other species.
You’ll love the overall experience of this beach, and it’s one of the untamed beaches. However, throughout the park, there are various hiking and walking routes, as well as an ADA-accessible (Americans with Disabilities Act) pathway where anybody may enjoy the beauty.
The park also has a huge pavilion with a fire pit, and there are free nightly concerts and Outdoor Family Fun Nights with activities for all ages during the summer. Picnic spots, bathrooms, and a horseshoe pit are all available in the park. On-leash dogs are permitted in several locations of the park.
Holts Landing also has a public boat access ramp that is accessible 24 hours a day, allowing boaters to schedule their trips with the tide and enjoy night fishing. Water activities such as kayaking, windsurfing, and stand-up paddleboarding are also popular.
10. Fenwick Island State Park
This state park’s beach stretches three miles along the Atlantic coast and is located on a barrier island. During the summer season, lifeguards monitor the swimming sections, and this designated swimming beach has to change rooms, showers, and washroom facilities. Thus, it’s a great beach to visit with family and kids, as it has all the basic amenities.
Those interested in trying their hand at surf fishing can obtain a permit from the gift shop. Moreover, water sports stores just outside the state park area rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, as well as sailboats with sailing training. Several local groups also provide eco-tours of the park’s dune system and nearby seas.
There is also a market area and a gift store where you can acquire last-minute beach equipment, and chairs and umbrellas may be rented on the beach. The best part is that this beach is wheelchair accessible.
The Bottom Line
I hope, after going through the list of top 10 beaches in Delaware now, you know where to spend your summer evenings. These beaches will be your happy place and will give you so many memory to cherish for the rest of your life. Whether you are a beach lover or not but you’ll surely enjoy spending time evening with your friends and family here.
Set up a bonfire, spend the night at the resorts near these beaches, have a beach party, or just spend the evening walking on the golden sand. The magic of these places is something that cannot be put into words. So pack your bags, carry your flip-flops and go visit the best beaches in Delaware.
