Shopping

The Tanger Outlets, stretching for 2 miles down Route 1 (tel. 866/665-8682 or 302/226-9223; www.tangeroutlet.com), have become a destination in their own right. Clothing stores include Brooks Brothers, Liz Claiborne, L.L.Bean, OshKosh B'Gosh, and Polo Ralph Lauren. Some 150 outlet stores offer accessories, housewares, china and crystal, sneakers, and handbags. Two centers are on the western side of Route 1; the third stretches between them on the east. You can't walk from center to center -- and you have to be dedicated if you want to hit all the shops in a single day. Get a map so you can plan the most efficient route. Parking can be a challenge on weekends or rainy days, and Route 1 traffic can slow to a crawl. This place is so popular, New Jersey residents hop on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry to spend a day shopping in sales-tax-free Delaware. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9am to 9pm and Sunday from 11am to 7pm. In summer, Sunday hours begin at 9am.

In downtown Rehoboth, there are a few shops on the mile-long boardwalk but most are along Rehoboth Avenue, which intersects the boardwalk at its midpoint. Most stores open from 10am to 6pm, with extended evening hours in summer.