vacationing at a Delaware beach (Wilmington, Bear: rentals, condo, hotel)

[Molly McBen]

Can I have some input on the beach communities of Rehoboth, Bethany and Fenwick Island? We will be traveling from the west coast this summer to spend a week with family. There will be a total of four children under the age of 8 along with six adults. My ideal destination consists of a relatively quiet beach that the kids can go nuts at, someplace to run and bike, walk to restaurants and shops and not anything like a Myrtle Beach or Panama City in terms of loudness and cheesiness. I'm from the west coast and have no frame of reference on these communities, so thank you in advance for your help.
Can I throw Cape May, NJ in there as well? I've heard nice things and it's one of our options. Thanks!

[doctorjef]

None of the Delaware beaches are wild, crazy, cheesy places, with the possible exception of Dewey Beach, which is the college and 20-something favored beach community. It lies between Rehoboth and Bethany. However, I don't think even Dewey is very wild most of the time and the police have become more proactive there than ever in terms of minor infractions such as urinating "in public" and sleeping in cars. Bethany is considered the classic, quiet family oriented beach. Rehoboth is the most eclectic and overall best known of the DE beach towns. It is a very broad mix of people, embracing tourists from Canada, New England and points south; a significant gay contingency, the older of whom often live there and the younger of whom tend to be government workers in D.C.; Sussex County locals; and people from elsewhere in DE (IME NJ folks tend to prefer their own NJ beaches). I don't know much about Fenweck Island -- it is at the very southern end of DE just before you cross into MD. Maryland BTW does have the quintessential cheesy, mega-condo lined beach scene in Ocean City, MD -- just south the DE/MD state line -- there is nothing like that in DE at all. The DE beaches are folksy, basically laid-back, and all rather small/small towny. For the visitor Rehoboth offers the widest range of accomodation in terms of amenities, type, and price range. One can rent a short-stay condo, reserve a very nice hotel accomodation, or get anything from a fairly nice to quite cheap and dilapidated guest house/B&B room.

Other regular posters here will no doubt have a great deal more to contribute to these observations.

I should add that Rehoboth has some excellent restaurants.

[rachaelb]

I used to go to Rehobeth and Bethany every year as a kid, and it always had lots to do and was a great family oriented beach. Haven't been there in about 8 yrs, so a lot has probably changed. Fenwick has always been one of my favs as a beach for kids, and you will be close enough to check out Cape Henlopen (I think that's the MD side, but it's right there) for horseshoe crab shells -- my son always had a ball finding them! Smelly, though!

You can't go wrong with any of those beaches, altho Fenwick is teeny, so I do agree with above poster that there aren't as many places to stay! There is an awesome garden shop there that the ladies might want to check out as well! There is also Assawoman Bay area that was a nice bay area for kids to just hang out & build sand castles, but to me Fenwick was prettier.

Since you'll be there for a week, you may want to think about checking out Chincoteague Island as well for the wild horses -- and there is an awesomely clean campground in Assateague that is totally kid - oriented w/water slides and so on.

Hope t his helps -- I am SO jealous -- I love that area and I'm stuck here in the snow in CO!

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by Molly McBen

Can I have some input on the beach communities of Rehoboth, Bethany and Fenwick Island? We will be traveling from the west coast this summer to spend a week with family. There will be a total of four children under the age of 8 along with six adults. My ideal destination consists of a relatively quiet beach that the kids can go nuts at, someplace to run and bike, walk to restaurants and shops and not anything like a Myrtle Beach or Panama City in terms of loudness and cheesiness. I'm from the west coast and have no frame of reference on these communities, so thank you in advance for your help.
Can I throw Cape May, NJ in there as well? I've heard nice things and it's one of our options. Thanks!

All of these beaches are great, and it depends exactly where you are staying at each beach, whether you can walk/bike to restaurants and shopping. For instance, in Rehoboth Beach, you wouldn't want kids on bikes out on Rt. 1 in that heavy traffic, and there are lots of rentals, restaurants and tons of shopping areas out there. Some condo or beach home ocean front locations have no ocean access to the public, especially Dewey Beach and Fenwick Island, so ask that question when booking. Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island have many, many rentals available, but usually, by April, the selection thins out. Last week, we booked a condo on the ocean front in Fenwick Island for a few days in July and there were plenty to choose from. IMO, Children may enjoy Rehoboth Beach better because of the boardwalk rides and arcade, though, and if you rent somewhere in Rehoboth like Rehoboth Avenue, Wilmington Avenue, or Baltimore Avenue, you'll be close to the boardwalk, ocean, and restaurants. Right now, the boardwalk is under renovation. But those rentals go fast. However, Rehoboth is not a "relatively quiet beach". I think you can't have both.....great place for kids, and "quiet". That's why we stay at Fenwick Island.....quiet. Here are links for all four beaches. I'd suggest going to the New Jersey forum for info on Cape May.
City of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware | Website Home
http://www.townofdeweybeach.com/
http://www.townofbethanybeach.com/ (check the boardwalk/ocean regulations in this link)
http://www.fenwickisland.org/

[Summering]

Cape May does sound just like the type of environment you are looking for. The kids all love to go to the " diamond beach" and look for stones that when tumbled, look like a diamond.
It is a charming and quaint place......with lots of little stores to roam in. A nice walking town.
But, in DE......I think Bethany would be a nice area for you. Taking the kids up to Rehoboth is not that far for the Fun Park there. Bethany is a quiet and inviting place. When we go as a large group we tend to stay at the Bear Trap Dunes. They will shuttle you to the beach. The townhomes are big and some look out onto the golf course and water areas. They also have a wonderful pool.
For any kid friendly areas you can drive down to Ocean City or up to Rehoboth. Then return to more quiet evenings at home. Bear Trap goes under the town of Ocean View, but is a skip to Bethany.
One road straight in......just takes a few minutes.

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by Summering

Cape May does sound just like the type of environment you are looking for. The kids all love to go to the " diamond beach" and look for stones that when tumbled, look like a diamond.
It is a charming and quaint place......with lots of little stores to roam in. A nice walking town.
But, in DE......I think Bethany would be a nice area for you. Taking the kids up to Rehoboth is not that far for the Fun Park there. Bethany is a quiet and inviting place. When we go as a large group we tend to stay at the Bear Trap Dunes. They will shuttle you to the beach. The townhomes are big and some look out onto the golf course and water areas. They also have a wonderful pool.
For any kid friendly areas you can drive down to Ocean City or up to Rehoboth. Then return to more quiet evenings at home. Bear Trap goes under the town of Ocean View, but is a skip to Bethany.
One road straight in......just takes a few minutes.

Great Post, Sum! Most definitely, Bethany is a lovely area either to vacation, or to live. One of my favorite places, too! Love those shops along Atlantic Avenue, wicker, gifts, and treasure hunting shops. Such fun! And Bear Trap Dunes is an awesome place! All those gorgeous homes with fluffy petunia and geranium baskets hanging from their porches, quaint streets..... and at night the crickets chirping and sounds of frogs in the pond, the soft glow from all those antique looking street lights.......< sigh > And, it's only January 10th?
http://www.frogcollecting.com/gallery/FROG2.WAV

[Joe84323]

Rehoboth

[CaroleM]

ribbit -ribbit ----LOL

[Molly McBen]

Thank you all for your input. The family has collectively decided on Cape May. It appears there is a ferry that will take you to the Delaware coast? I would think that would be a worthwhile day trip. Any great restaurants we should hit when we in the Delaware beach areas? Three kids in tow

[RehobothBeachDela_where]

Bethany is known as "the quite beach"!

Have you ever seen the TV show "Jersey Shore"? Enough said!