Anonymous wrote:Yeah, Rehoboth is far from a gay Mecca. I see mostly families.

Those are the tourists.

I've spent a good amount of time in all 4 places. It really depends what you are looking for.

The best way to learn about them is to go visit. I think Ocean City gets a bad rap for being trashy, and it certainly attracts a wider income level than the other beaches (meaning: The Poors) but it has everything you could want.

At this point though, you are WAY behind on a rental, so I'd just go wherever you can find availability.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ocean City = trashy
Dewey = where college kids go and get drunk
Rehoboth = cute and where the gays go. Good restaurants but busier boardwalk and can get very crowded.
Bethany = quieter but very family oriented. Smaller boardwalk.

Maybe 20 years ago. Now it's a lot more families - gay and straight.

It's always been families. Some of them just have two moms or two dads now, and no one bats an eye.

Anonymous wrote:Native Marylander who has spent a significant portion of every summer for the last 46 years at the MD and DE beaches as well as long weekends off season:

-Bethany and Rehoboth have gated communities with private beach access, and those beaches are wide and uncrowded. Downside: no lifeguards.

-Fenwick has uncrowded beaches since there’s no real public parking.

-Dewey is for singles and couples who like the bar scene. No clue why any family would stay there unless they are staying at the northernmost area with direct beach access.

-OCMD is so large that it’s really 2 or 3 different areas with different vibes. Down by the boardwalk, it’s busier, noisier, and skews younger and sometimes sketchy. North of the boardwalk is somewhere in the middle in terms of crowds and noise and people. Once you hit 66th street and head north, it’s lovely condos and families. *If you stay at a highrise, the beaches are more crowded. Some blocks have low rise condos, and those beaches aren’t crowded.

-Downtown Bethany has become too crowded. Sigh.

-Sea Colony has amenities, is awesome during shoulder season, but is very overpriced.

-if cost is an issue, rent inland and use the state park beaches (wide and nice).

-Rehoboth is crowded near the downtown area. Try to stay on the shoulders or in private areas.

-Lewes is a completely different vibe on the bay.

As a native, I love all the beach towns and hit them up for different activities. Don’t stay put—explore, and have fun!

As a native Marylander who has also spent over 40 years up and down the DE/MD beaches, this is very much spot on. And I agree with the final statement--there really is something for everyone and you just have to find the right place for you. I am in OC now, was in Fenwick last night, am going to dinner in Bethany tonight and will be in Rehoboth on Friday. I feel like Rehoboth is probably the best in terms of plenty to do but not overwhelming (and I always go to OC because we have a place here) but unless you are staying right downtown and won't need a car, the traffic and parking is nightmare.

Anonymous wrote:Ocean City = trashy
Dewey = where college kids go and get drunk
Rehoboth = cute and where the gays go. Good restaurants but busier boardwalk and can get very crowded.
Bethany = quieter but very family oriented. Smaller boardwalk.

Maybe 20 years ago. Now it's a lot more families - gay and straight.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ocean City streets 0-30= trashy and crowded

Ocean City streets 30-Fenwick = Best for for families with kids 0-18. Lots of family friendly actives and restaurants. Lots to do ... boating, fishing, claming, etc

Dewey = Best for young adults to get wasted.

Rehoboth = Okay for families, boring so good if you are looking for slow beach vacation.

Bethany = Rich families go there so if you are in that SES you will most likely run into friends. If you kids are in HS they will hook up with friends and get wasted (drinking/smoke pot/acid) on the beach. 4th of July is like Woodstock for rich kids.

You have said this before. It’s not remotely true. No one of any age is hooking up, dropping acid or smoking pot in Bethany Beach. There are a lot of rich folks, though.

NP here. Not even close to being true. The three police officers from Ocean View would have a stroke if it were.

It’s very true, go to the beach in the 4th during fireworks and see for yourself.

I have been on the beach in Bethany many times for the 4th of July, and no one is dropping acid. Did something like this happen one time? Perhaps, but it’s completely absurd to suggest this is a common occurrence.

Native Marylander who has spent a significant portion of every summer for the last 46 years at the MD and DE beaches as well as long weekends off season:

-Bethany and Rehoboth have gated communities with private beach access, and those beaches are wide and uncrowded. Downside: no lifeguards.

-Fenwick has uncrowded beaches since there’s no real public parking.

-Dewey is for singles and couples who like the bar scene. No clue why any family would stay there unless they are staying at the northernmost area with direct beach access.

-OCMD is so large that it’s really 2 or 3 different areas with different vibes. Down by the boardwalk, it’s busier, noisier, and skews younger and sometimes sketchy. North of the boardwalk is somewhere in the middle in terms of crowds and noise and people. Once you hit 66th street and head north, it’s lovely condos and families. *If you stay at a highrise, the beaches are more crowded. Some blocks have low rise condos, and those beaches aren’t crowded.

-Downtown Bethany has become too crowded. Sigh.

-Sea Colony has amenities, is awesome during shoulder season, but is very overpriced.

-if cost is an issue, rent inland and use the state park beaches (wide and nice).

-Rehoboth is crowded near the downtown area. Try to stay on the shoulders or in private areas.

-Lewes is a completely different vibe on the bay.

As a native, I love all the beach towns and hit them up for different activities. Don’t stay put—explore, and have fun!

Dewey used to be great on the weekdays because the party crowd was mostly gone. M-F morning were perfect. With the additional hotels over the past few years, it is much more crowded. That being said, if you go during May/Early June and/or September, I would pick Dewey. (Caveat, I grew up there and lived in Dewey every summer for many years)

Lewes was fun to go with younger kids. Otherwise all these beaches are overpriced for what you get…

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oc .. Widest beach, best waves for surfing, cleanest water and best boating and fishing, best bikini contests, largest and prettiest bay with best bay front venues and sunset views.

Bethany .. Thin very crowded beach, waves break right on the steeply dropping off shore, no bay just sprawling development that descends onto the tiny beach, Benny hill one piece Mecca.

Dewey.. Thin beach minimal bay view. College alcohol vomit in the street every morning.

Rehobeth ... Small extremely crowded beach, no bay views, sprawling development for miles. Boardwalk covers almost all of the beach, combo Benny Hill one piece Mecca / dudes kissing on the beach Mecca.

Aside from everything else weird about this post, Bethany, Dewey, and Rehoboth all
have significant bay access. Bethany hits the north end of the Assawoman and Dewey/Rehoboth is on Rehoboth Bay.

True, but they don’t have restaurants on the bay like Ocean City does.

The Rudder and The Lighthouse (when it reopens) is literally on a deck above the bay.

And Rehoboth has a handful on the boardwalk.

That said, in my experience, restaurants often have an inverse relationship between the quality of the food and the view.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ocean City streets 0-30= trashy and crowded

Ocean City streets 30-Fenwick = Best for for families with kids 0-18. Lots of family friendly actives and restaurants. Lots to do ... boating, fishing, claming, etc

Dewey = Best for young adults to get wasted.

Rehoboth = Okay for families, boring so good if you are looking for slow beach vacation.

Bethany = Rich families go there so if you are in that SES you will most likely run into friends. If you kids are in HS they will hook up with friends and get wasted (drinking/smoke pot/acid) on the beach. 4th of July is like Woodstock for rich kids.

You have said this before. It’s not remotely true. No one of any age is hooking up, dropping acid or smoking pot in Bethany Beach. There are a lot of rich folks, though.

NP here. Not even close to being true. The three police officers from Ocean View would have a stroke if it were.

It’s very true, go to the beach in the 4th during fireworks and see for yourself.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ocean City streets 0-30= trashy and crowded

Ocean City streets 30-Fenwick = Best for for families with kids 0-18. Lots of family friendly actives and restaurants. Lots to do ... boating, fishing, claming, etc

Dewey = Best for young adults to get wasted.

Rehoboth = Okay for families, boring so good if you are looking for slow beach vacation.

Bethany = Rich families go there so if you are in that SES you will most likely run into friends. If you kids are in HS they will hook up with friends and get wasted (drinking/smoke pot/acid) on the beach. 4th of July is like Woodstock for rich kids.

You have said this before. It’s not remotely true. No one of any age is hooking up, dropping acid or smoking pot in Bethany Beach. There are a lot of rich folks, though.

NP here. Not even close to being true. The three police officers from Ocean View would have a stroke if it were.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oc .. Widest beach, best waves for surfing, cleanest water and best boating and fishing, best bikini contests, largest and prettiest bay with best bay front venues and sunset views.

Bethany .. Thin very crowded beach, waves break right on the steeply dropping off shore, no bay just sprawling development that descends onto the tiny beach, Benny hill one piece Mecca.

Dewey.. Thin beach minimal bay view. College alcohol vomit in the street every morning.

Rehobeth ... Small extremely crowded beach, no bay views, sprawling development for miles. Boardwalk covers almost all of the beach, combo Benny Hill one piece Mecca / dudes kissing on the beach Mecca.

Aside from everything else weird about this post, Bethany, Dewey, and Rehoboth all
have significant bay access. Bethany hits the north end of the Assawoman and Dewey/Rehoboth is on Rehoboth Bay.

True, but they don’t have restaurants on the bay like Ocean City does.

The Rudder and The Lighthouse (when it reopens) is literally on a deck above the bay.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oc .. Widest beach, best waves for surfing, cleanest water and best boating and fishing, best bikini contests, largest and prettiest bay with best bay front venues and sunset views.

Bethany .. Thin very crowded beach, waves break right on the steeply dropping off shore, no bay just sprawling development that descends onto the tiny beach, Benny hill one piece Mecca.

Dewey.. Thin beach minimal bay view. College alcohol vomit in the street every morning.

Rehobeth ... Small extremely crowded beach, no bay views, sprawling development for miles. Boardwalk covers almost all of the beach, combo Benny Hill one piece Mecca / dudes kissing on the beach Mecca.

Aside from everything else weird about this post, Bethany, Dewey, and Rehoboth all
have significant bay access. Bethany hits the north end of the Assawoman and Dewey/Rehoboth is on Rehoboth Bay.

True, but they don’t have restaurants on the bay like Ocean City does.

Anonymous wrote:Oc .. Widest beach, best waves for surfing, cleanest water and best boating and fishing, best bikini contests, largest and prettiest bay with best bay front venues and sunset views.

Bethany .. Thin very crowded beach, waves break right on the steeply dropping off shore, no bay just sprawling development that descends onto the tiny beach, Benny hill one piece Mecca.

Dewey.. Thin beach minimal bay view. College alcohol vomit in the street every morning.

Rehobeth ... Small extremely crowded beach, no bay views, sprawling development for miles. Boardwalk covers almost all of the beach, combo Benny Hill one piece Mecca / dudes kissing on the beach Mecca.

Aside from everything else weird about this post, Bethany, Dewey, and Rehoboth all
have significant bay access. Bethany hits the north end of the Assawoman and Dewey/Rehoboth is on Rehoboth Bay.