We do daytrips to Rehoboth every summer. Pack and do as much as possible the night before. Wake up and throw on bathing suits and just get on the road early by 6:45/7a at the latest. Even earlier if you can. This only works if you really get out the door early.

Arrive in Rehoboth around 9/9:30a and it's pretty easy to park within walking distance (one block) of the beach. We go for the parkmobile type spots a few streets down from the main circle area.

Back on the road around 4p, stop for iced coffee at Rise Up, then for ice cream at Vanderwende's farm creamery.

On occasion, have stopped for dinner on the way back - Annapolis or crabs.

Been doing this for a few years now when the weather looks nice.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well are they coming from Maryland or Ohio? We plan to go to one of the Delaware beaches just for a day because it’s 3 hours and hotels are too expensive or too dingy.

6 plus hours in the car in a single day is crazy. At least book a one night hotel for a few hundred bucks, even if the kids have to share a bed.

Do you never road trip with your kids? For us, six hours straight (minus bathroom and gas stops) is no big deal, let alone in a day.

It’s not even 6 hours straight. It’s pack the car both before, roll out of bed at 7am, drive to beach by 10, spend day at beach leave at 6, have dinner on road, home by 9 or 10.

Not very different than a ski day.

One sticky point (so to speak) is rinsing off after salt and sand before 3 hr ride. Not every beach has rinsing showers (does Bethany?) so you can maybe change in a bathroom somewhere to dry clothes (which also can be hard — I think some beach bathrooms explicit forbid it and changing in car can get you arrested). Driving home in bathing suit for at least an hour is less ideal.

I also did this in my 20s. Left from Capitol Hill around 7 or 8 on a weekday that we could take off work. Get to the beach by 1030, pick up lunch on the way and hang out for the day. Delaware seashore state park has showers so we'd go there and shower when we were done. Then go to Rehoboth for a happy hour and dinner, drive home by 10 or 11. One day at the beach is plenty for me. I'd do it with my teens now, too. The only drag is that someone can't drink at happy hour/dinner so they can drive home.

I've done this many times. We like the beach and it's the cheapest way for us to do it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well are they coming from Maryland or Ohio? We plan to go to one of the Delaware beaches just for a day because it’s 3 hours and hotels are too expensive or too dingy.

6 plus hours in the car in a single day is crazy. At least book a one night hotel for a few hundred bucks, even if the kids have to share a bed.

Do you never road trip with your kids? For us, six hours straight (minus bathroom and gas stops) is no big deal, let alone in a day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well are they coming from Maryland or Ohio? We plan to go to one of the Delaware beaches just for a day because it’s 3 hours and hotels are too expensive or too dingy.

6 plus hours in the car in a single day is crazy. At least book a one night hotel for a few hundred bucks, even if the kids have to share a bed.

Really? I spend 6 hours+ in the car many, many days during a year. Heck, I regularly spend 3+ hours in the car just driving around the DMV. How tender are you?

+1. The snowflake culture prevalent amongst some of these parents is absurd.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well are they coming from Maryland or Ohio? We plan to go to one of the Delaware beaches just for a day because it’s 3 hours and hotels are too expensive or too dingy.

6 plus hours in the car in a single day is crazy. At least book a one night hotel for a few hundred bucks, even if the kids have to share a bed.

Really? I spend 6 hours+ in the car many, many days during a year. Heck, I regularly spend 3+ hours in the car just driving around the DMV. How tender are you?

Anonymous wrote:I don't how this is fun for parents or the children. I'd rather relax at a local pool and use the gas money to buy some nice steaks and burger meat to grill. But I guess that doesn't get you a facebook check-in or whatever these social media obsessed people do for a dopamine hit.

Your options when assessing other people and their decisions:

1. I guess others might have different preferences

OR

2. They are clearly self-obsessed a--holes because they posted a couple of pictures on Instagram

Anonymous wrote:I don't how this is fun for parents or the children. I'd rather relax at a local pool and use the gas money to buy some nice steaks and burger meat to grill. But I guess that doesn't get you a facebook check-in or whatever these social media obsessed people do for a dopamine hit.

There is nothing like the smell of the sunscreen, sand, and salt water on your skin and hair. Nothing. And when the smell of the air changes over to a salty breeze when you get close enough to the ocean. **heaven***

I hate the smell of the pool. I'd rather eat an PBJ and some chips with sandy hands than be stuck at a pool for some steaks.

It takes all types of people.

Anonymous wrote:I don't how this is fun for parents or the children. I'd rather relax at a local pool and use the gas money to buy some nice steaks and burger meat to grill. But I guess that doesn't get you a facebook check-in or whatever these social media obsessed people do for a dopamine hit.

OP, is that you?

You sound like a wet blanket. Please do stay at the neighborhood pool.

I don't how this is fun for parents or the children. I'd rather relax at a local pool and use the gas money to buy some nice steaks and burger meat to grill. But I guess that doesn't get you a facebook check-in or whatever these social media obsessed people do for a dopamine hit.

My mom was a nurse. She would have days off during the week. On a warm day in May she would tell us that we weren't going to school that day; we were off to the beach.

It is one of my fondest memories of my childhood. As an adult now, I can see how hard that trip is---3 hrs each way; a day in the sun and water chasing 2 kids.

Anonymous wrote:Where do families change clothes and shower if you’re at a beach all day? I feel gross after being at the beach or a pool for a few hours. I’m certainly not in the mood to go out to dinner or shop without a shower, clean clothes, and maybe a quick rest.

Beach for a day is not for you.

I grew up in Bethesda and my parents used to take my sister and me to the DE beaches just for the day. It’s not really that big of a deal if you’re okay with driving. We probably did a few July 4 weekend day trips.

Hotels are really pricey and my parents thought it was stupid to pay premium prices in Delaware. And my mom doesn’t like the beach but would agree to go because the rest of us did. It’s not that crazy. You leave early AM, spend a few hours there, have dinner at a crab shack on the way home, and get back by 10:30/11 PM.

We used to do that when we were younger in our 20s. Get to OC about 8am. In the summer, the sun comes up early so no big deal. Claim your beach space, play and sit, eat boardwalk food, play some games. Then, about 7pm, we head towards Philips Seafood for some buffet on our way out of OC. Get back home about 11pm. It was doable back then because no little kids were involve and the traffic wasn't as crazy as now. Just crossing the bay bridge can be a headache now.