OP here, thanks everyone for the great tips. 19:51, your mom sounds awesome.

We do day trips to Rehoboth 2-3x/yr.

Water is too cold to waste time and money

Bethany is a bit closer than rehoboth and perfect for little ones. Get there by 9 grab breakfast at a little place in town, bathrooms are on the boardwalk, and the beach is great. There's a little park too and mini golf. Park the car for the day and walk have fun!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what about sandy point?

Sandy Point or North Beach in Chesapeake Bay is less than an hour from SE DC. We live in Northern Virginia and it's 70 minutes from our house.

http://dnr2.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/southern/sandypoint.aspx

Also, wanted to add Sandy Point has restrooms and outdoor showers. If you go to North Beach, there is a boardwalk and options for eating, restaurants. Both beaches are close to each other, maybe 10-15 minutes or so apart.

Anonymous wrote:what about sandy point?

Sandy Point or North Beach in Chesapeake Bay is less than an hour from SE DC. We live in Northern Virginia and it's 70 minutes from our house.

http://dnr2.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/southern/sandypoint.aspx

what about sandy point?

We drove to rehoboam and back yesterday. And with 1 and 4yo boys in tow!

PP above- I meant we do an OC day beach trip.

We do an OC beach trip at least once a summer. We have a baby this time around so we haven't yet but I hope to.

Rehoboth is the closest--Ocean City is about 30 more minutes. Lewes/Cape Henlopen is a smaller beach near Rehoboth. No boardwalk, but less people, too.

Yes!!! I grew up here. My absolute favorite day of the year would be the morning mom would wake us for school only to find that we were going to the beach for the day instead. We would drive down, spend the day playing in the ocean and boardwalk and then drive home.

As a parent now, I can truly appreciate how hard that trip must have been for my mom. She and my dad divorced so he wasn't a part of these trips. But the drive to the beach, all day watching 2 kids in the sun, I'm sure I fought with my brother, and then to drive home.

It's a memory I'm determined to create for my kids once they're just a little bit older.

We do Rehoboth day trips all the time. Usually Sundays. Leave at 6 am. You'll e at the beach at 9:30 at the latest and that includes stoppin for breakfast. Park on the street at an all day meter off the ends of the boardwalk. Pay with quarters or the app (about $10 for the day). There are public bathrooms on the boardwalk but no showers or changing area. We rinse with suits on under the wash off showers at entrances from the beach and then change user a towel or in the car. We either leave at 3 pm or stay for dinner and leave at 8 pm or later. We don't have kids yet so I dot know how much harder it is with little ones by I did wild beaches with parents when I was young with no bathrooms or showers and it was fine. Just depends what your comfort level is.
Oh and we bring chairs but pay for the umbrella set up but you can certainly bring your own.
When you arrive that early you can still get a parking spot pretty close to the beach.

Yes it's possible. OC or Rehoboth. Leave super early, park at the boardwalk. They have restrooms.

We can't vacation this year and my DH and 9 yo want to figure out some kind of day trip--is Ocean City MD the closest ocean beach? Are there public showers or bathrooms anywhere? Public parking? If anyone has done a day trip, I would love some tips! Thanks.