Any beaches in Delaware or Jersey good for late December?

[Anonymous]

Sussex County De and Worcester County De are great for dove and goose hunting that time of year.

[Anonymous]

We go to Ocean City, Maryland every Christmas.

There is good (but limited) dining available, there is a lovely winter lights show you can walk around, and the beach is lovely to walk on.

We started going during Covid and keep going back.

[Anonymous]

We went to Norfolk/Virginia Beach area one year in February. It was in the 30s F, but we still walked/played on the beach. That said, we were mainly there to visit museums, historic sites, etc, not the beach the whole time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None. Zero. You might find an open restaurant or two, but the weather will be good awful. Anyone suggesting that you can comfortably strolled along the NJ or DE beaches in late December are off their rocker. You might have extraordinary luck one afternoon, maybe, but it's highly like the beaches will be freezing cold, windswept and miserable.

Weather is not "similar to the DC area" a long the beach in late December. That's because there's the giant body of water called the Atlantic Ocean and nothing blocking the wind along it but hitting the beaches.

Um, we’ve spent many New Year’s in Rehoboth and the weather is rarely that miserable. Plenty of people and places open. You can even—gasp—comfortably stroll outside.

I've spent more time there than you.

Of course you have. That totally explains why multiple people on this thread have said they go to the DE beaches in December and it’s just fine. Cheers!

NP

To be fair, many on this travel forum are directly or indirectly invested in these particular beaches; they own a home there, or have friends and/or family whose home they frequent.

Still, the feedback is fairly objective. Even the "it's fine" respondents are recommending winter jackets and staying indoors. And let's face it, "it's fine" in the context of everything - from your cooking, your outfit, sexual performance - is the same as saying "it's not good, but I'm being polite".

I think it’s just different strokes. Some people (I’m one of them) prefer the beach in the off season. Others don’t get that, which totally is fine. But objectively, reports of only “one or two” restaurants being open in December are wrong.

[Anonymous]

Atlantic City could be an option. The Chelsea neighborhood near Ventnor is pretty nice, and with the casinos you have year-round dining and entertainment. You could also stay in Downbeach (Ventnor, Margate, and Longport)—easy access to AC but nicer and they are also have a lot of things open in the off season due to a large year-round population.

[Anonymous]

thank you!

[Anonymous]

Bethany is a central base. You can head north or south to other beach towns for shopping, restaurants, bars, etc. Plus, Bethany has DiFebos: a proper restaurant as well as a separate market with a bakery and excellent takeout. There are other restaurants as well.

Fenwick, OCMD, Rehoboth, Dewey, Lewes, etc. are just a short drive away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bethany is a central base. You can head north or south to other beach towns for shopping, restaurants, bars, etc. Plus, Bethany has DiFebos: a proper restaurant as well as a separate market with a bakery and excellent takeout. There are other restaurants as well.

Fenwick, OCMD, Rehoboth, Dewey, Lewes, etc. are just a short drive away.

+1. This is why we love Bethany so much. Quieter side, most family friendly, and central location to get to other beaches.

We also like Off the Hook, Bluecoast, and Matt’s fish camp in Bethany. Pomodoro for the best take out pizza.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is plenty to do/see/eat in Bethany/Rehoboth/Lewes (and Ocean City) in December. And while you are obviously not going to get in the ocean, I have had days in December where I was walking on the beach in a T-shirt. It doesn't get much colder there than here. The DE/MD beaches have so much going on for the holidays--it's a huge tourism season for them so many businesses stay open. It’s really January when things start to close down and re-open in April.

+1 The person saying there will be one or two restaurants open in late December hasn’t been there in the last decade or so or else is trying to discourage more visitors.