Bethany or Rehoboth for a 5 and 2 1/2 yr old?

[Anonymous]

We always did a beach trip to Jersey shore but this year, we are considering DE. Which beach would you go and why? Staying 3-4 days last week of August this year. First time for us! Would love insights into places to stay, things to do for a 2 1/2 and a new 5 yr old.

[Anonymous]

Rehoboth! FUN LAND! http://www.funlandrehoboth.com/

[Anonymous]

Stay at Bethany .... take a trip or 2 to Rehoboth. Bethany is much more family friendly, Rehoboth is a step above Ocean City redneckland.

[Anonymous]

Wherever you can stay closer to the beach for just a few days.

[Anonymous]

Bethany has a little nature center with a boardwalk that's fun for kids. The library is cute and has lots of things for kids to do. And there are several playgrounds in the city.

[Anonymous]

We are bored in Bethany, but I know plenty of people who love it. Do you want a "real" boardwalk and things to do at night? If so, go to Rehoboth.

[Anonymous]

Rehoboth.

[Anonymous]

Sea Colony Bethany Beach. So many amenities, beach, pools indoor and out, parks, activities for children, bonfire one night a week and just about anything you can think of. Go to Ocean City, Fenwick or Rehobeth for an afternoon. It is a very short drive.

[Anonymous]

I'm a lifelong MD resident and I am not a beach snob. I've stayed in all the area beaches a million times in my nearly 40 years on the planet, and there are things I love about each beach (favorite restaurants, ice cream joints, rides, etc). I honestly can't imagine staying put in one town...you'll miss out on so much. First figure out if you plan to stay in a hotel or condo. Oceanfront, ocean block or bayside? Do you want to be able to walk someplace (boardwalk, coffee, restaurants)? Are you willing to stay a little ways out and drive to the beach to save money? There are so many options.

You can't go wrong with any of the local beaches. And don't write off Lewes or Ocean City (tons of nice condos and hotels and it's comparable to rehoboth...just try to stay north of 80th Street).

[Anonymous]

Short hand:
1) Ocean Shitty. Condos towering over the beach. Lots of restaurants, boardwalk options and activities nearby incl. go-karts etc. North Ocean City there is a nice park up near the Fenwick border. Predatory towing. Closer to national seashore at Assateague. Seacrets! Fishing harbor.
2) Dewey Beach. Famous as a college kid hang out, can get loud near the Bottle and Cork. Note large state park with an inlet at south end. The area north of Bethany is very quiet.
3) Bethany. "Bethesda on the Beach." Sea Colony has swim lessons for kids on weekday, there are some good restaurants, easy access to decent grocery stores, tennis community, kind of boring and bland but family friendly. New oceanfront homes for rich people. South part of town there are some more affordable homes on the other side of the ocean highway. Parking can be a pain without a pass.
4) Rehoboth. Old money & nice Victorians in north part of town (check out the area around Park Ave.) Small playground at Lake Gerard. Known for being gay friendly but not crazy except possibly at the Purple Parrot, the Frog Pond. Doghead Brewery. Good restaurants, some cute boutiques. The kids will like Funland, an old timey family-owned amusement park geared towards younger kids. Notorious for lack of good parking.
5) Lewes, Del. Northernmost DEL/MD beach. Small, old town with a handful of good restaurants, clustered along a canal/Delaware Bay harbor, Dutch history, main beach is at state park, cute old homes, bay beach appeals to families worried about high surf. Boat rides & fishing. Ferry to Cape May. Low-bridge canal goes all the way to Rehoboth.
6) Chincoteague, Va. Keep going down south on Route 13. Quaint island town, famous for wild ponies. Many modest homes, Wallops Flight Facility w/NASA workers, mobile homes, RV camping, fishing, "Misty of Chincoteague," B&Bs. Drive over a bridge to beach access at national seashore protecting the south end of Assateague Island. Naturey. Lighthouse. No boardwalk or roller coasters excepting rednecky Frontier Village campground waterpark nearby, small arcade/bouncy/bumpercar place in town, mini-golf, pony rides at Pony Centre. Nice playground and fishing dock at Memorial Park (east end of town). Ice cream, fresh seafood, sidewalks roll up by 9:30 excepting Captain Fish's (live music venue.) Gary Howard's for crabs, takeout seafood to cook at home. Mosquitoes problematic.
The rest of Virginia coast down to over-the-Chesapeake-Bridge Virginia Beach are protected barrier islands owned by the Nature Conservancy and difficult to visit. Cedar Island is private and houses are sometime available to rent, access by boat only, from Wachapreague, bring your own groceries. Fishing charters and small motor boats are available to rent in Wachapreague. Some cute towns on the back bay side include Cape Charles, Onancock, Crisfield is crab capital of the earth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Short hand:
1) Ocean Shitty. Condos towering over the beach. Lots of restaurants, boardwalk options and activities nearby incl. go-karts etc. North Ocean City there is a nice park up near the Fenwick border. Predatory towing. Closer to national seashore at Assateague. Seacrets! Fishing harbor.
2) Dewey Beach. Famous as a college kid hang out, can get loud near the Bottle and Cork. Note large state park with an inlet at south end. The area north of Bethany is very quiet.
3) Bethany. "Bethesda on the Beach." Sea Colony has swim lessons for kids on weekday, there are some good restaurants, easy access to decent grocery stores, tennis community, kind of boring and bland but family friendly. New oceanfront homes for rich people. South part of town there are some more affordable homes on the other side of the ocean highway. Parking can be a pain without a pass.
4) Rehoboth. Old money & nice Victorians in north part of town (check out the area around Park Ave.) Small playground at Lake Gerard. Known for being gay friendly but not crazy except possibly at the Purple Parrot, the Frog Pond. Doghead Brewery. Good restaurants, some cute boutiques. The kids will like Funland, an old timey family-owned amusement park geared towards younger kids. Notorious for lack of good parking.
5) Lewes, Del. Northernmost DEL/MD beach. Small, old town with a handful of good restaurants, clustered along a canal/Delaware Bay harbor, Dutch history, main beach is at state park, cute old homes, bay beach appeals to families worried about high surf. Boat rides & fishing. Ferry to Cape May. Low-bridge canal goes all the way to Rehoboth.
6) Chincoteague, Va. Keep going down south on Route 13. Quaint island town, famous for wild ponies. Many modest homes, Wallops Flight Facility w/NASA workers, mobile homes, RV camping, fishing, "Misty of Chincoteague," B&Bs. Drive over a bridge to beach access at national seashore protecting the south end of Assateague Island. Naturey. Lighthouse. No boardwalk or roller coasters excepting rednecky Frontier Village campground waterpark nearby, small arcade/bouncy/bumpercar place in town, mini-golf, pony rides at Pony Centre. Nice playground and fishing dock at Memorial Park (east end of town). Ice cream, fresh seafood, sidewalks roll up by 9:30 excepting Captain Fish's (live music venue.) Gary Howard's for crabs, takeout seafood to cook at home. Mosquitoes problematic.
The rest of Virginia coast down to over-the-Chesapeake-Bridge Virginia Beach are protected barrier islands owned by the Nature Conservancy and difficult to visit. Cedar Island is private and houses are sometime available to rent, access by boat only, from Wachapreague, bring your own groceries. Fishing charters and small motor boats are available to rent in Wachapreague. Some cute towns on the back bay side include Cape Charles, Onancock, Crisfield is crab capital of the earth.

Great summary. One correction from someone who grew up in Baltimore though- Ocean City is actually gross-n-shitty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sea Colony Bethany Beach. So many amenities, beach, pools indoor and out, parks, activities for children, bonfire one night a week and just about anything you can think of. Go to Ocean City, Fenwick or Rehobeth for an afternoon. It is a very short drive.

PSA- This looks great but a quick search shows a host of rental options (all private) through various real estate, vrbo, etc. so that's tricky. It's not just like getting a hotel room.

[Anonymous]

My kids were that age last year and loved Rehoboth. They still talk about Funland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We always did a beach trip to Jersey shore but this year, we are considering DE. Which beach would you go and why? Staying 3-4 days last week of August this year. First time for us! Would love insights into places to stay, things to do for a 2 1/2 and a new 5 yr old.

Sea Colony oceanfront in Bethany.

[Anonymous]

Ocean City Hilton. Ignore the haters. Great kids pool, beach right there, amusement park across the street. Your kids will have a ball.