Above PP again. We have a 7yo and prefer Rehoboth. She enjoys Funland and the place we stay at has a pool, also has the Outlets close by.

Ocean City has more teens wandering around and drunk people in their 20s.
Rehoboth is a bit more upscale has nicer shops but has definitely got more crowded in the last few years. Its still less crowded that OC

Anonymous wrote:Bethany and Fenwick Island

Fenwick is last on the list.

Bethany is insanely boring if you don't know anyone and you don't want to spend everyday on the beach.

I prefer to stay in Rehoboth because it's smaller, has better restaurants and we can walk everywhere. My young elem school kids LOVE funland and want to do that every night.

We did OC when they were younger because there are more oceanfront properties and we like to stay on the boardwalk. Downside is that they allow entertainment until midnight, so it's loud and the garbage trucks come early.

Anonymous wrote:Definitely Bethany over those two

Is Bethany as walkable to restaurants and the beach as Rehoboth Beach?

In that area:
1.) Bethany
2.) Rehoboth
much further down - Ocean City

Bethany is a nicer place for families

Definitely Bethany over those two

Bethany and Fenwick Island

I prefer OC above 28th street.

Bethany

We use to love going to Rehoboth, and still go from time to time, but the main street boardwalk area has gotten way to crowded in the last few years. We go to Bethany mostly now and visit Rehoboth for Funland and Crepes.

It totally depends on what you like to do, where you'd stay, and what really appeals to you about a beach vacation. They are similar in a lot of ways. We go to Rehoboth because we know people there, there are good restaurants, Jungle Jim's is a fun day, and it's more low key. We only go to Rehoboth when we are meeting people.

When it's just the 4 of us (2 parents, 2 upper elementary kids), we go to Ocean City. We're all fairly pale people who don't tan, so we don't hang out at the beach all day every day. We do Trimpers (rides on the beach) one day, do some water sports (rent kayaks, once a boat, jet skis, etc) on the bayside another day, walk up and down the boardwalk a couple of evenings, play in the arcades - all the "stuff" to do is bigger and larger and takes up more time. We might visit Assateague.

Rehoboth is mostly more upscale, I'd say. Ocean City is more middle America.

If you like a lot of loud obnoxious people and packed beach both will work well for you.

For a family with elementary aged children. What one do prefer and why?