Things To Do in Rehoboth and Dewey Beaches
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Rehoboth and Dewey Beaches Attractions
Rehoboth and Dewey offer a quieter, more relaxed alternative to Ocean City, Maryland, but both towns have nightlife and shops that stay open past 5pm, which you won't find at Bethany, Lewes, or Fenwick Island. If the sandy beaches, good restaurants, and intriguing little shops don't interest you, maybe the outlets will.
Indoor Attractions
The Rehoboth Art League, 12 Dodds Lane (tel. 302/227-8408), is nestled in the Henlopen Acres section of town amid 3 acres of gardens, walking paths, and an outdoor sculpture area. The facility includes three galleries, a teaching studio, and a restored cottage. It offers exhibits by local and national artists. Admission is free, except for some special events. Galleries open year-round, Monday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm and Sunday from 1 to 4pm. It's closed January 1, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, the Friday after Thanksgiving, and December 25.
The Anna Hazzard Tent House, 17 Christian St., off Rehoboth Avenue (tel. 302/226-1119), is one of the original tiny tent buildings erected in the 19th century when Rehoboth was a summer retreat for Methodists. Admission is free, and it's open May through October, Wednesday and Saturday from 10am to 2pm.
Especially for Kids
Funland, on the boardwalk between Delaware and Brooklyn avenues (tel. 302/227-1921; www.funlandrehoboth.com), has rides and games. The rides for the preschool set are varied enough to keep the youngsters busy for hours; rides for kids 8 and over or so are more limited. It's open from Mother's Day weekend to Labor Day, the arcade from 10am, the rides from 1pm. It closes when everybody's ready to go home.
About 1 1/2 miles north of town is Jungle Jim's Adventure Land, Route 1 and Country Club Road (tel. 302/227-8444), which offers go-carts, miniature golf, bumper boats, a rock-climbing wall, outdoor rides, and a water park with slides and rides. It's open weekends in May and September and daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day from 10am to 11pm.
Pirate Adventures (tel. 302/539-5155) take off from the pier at Harpoon Hanna's, 142nd Street and the bay, seven times a day. There's treasure, sea chanteys, storytelling and other pirate stuff. Tickets are $18 for those 3 and over and $8 for baby pirates.
Rehoboth Summer Children's Theatre (tel. 302/227-6766; www.rehobothchildrenstheatre.org) puts on shows for the kids at venues around the Rehoboth area, including the All Saints Episcopal Church, the Bay Center in Ruddertowne, and the Holiday Inn Express, in Bethany. Favorites such as Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk are performed selected weeknights in summer. Curtain time is usually 7pm. The theater also offers morning acting workshops and an apprentice program. Call for reservations.
The Life-Saving Stations
Just south of Dewey and beside the Ocean City Inlet are two buildings that memorialize the men of the U.S. Life-Saving Service.
The pumpkin-and-brown Indian River Life-Saving Station, on Route 1, south of Dewey (tel. 302/227-6991; www.destateparks.com/attractions/life-saving-station/index.asp), has been restored to its 1905 appearance. Built in 1876 as an Atlantic-coast outpost to look out for ships in distress, it was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1915, decommissioned in 1962, and restored in 1998. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, its spare interior recalls the heroic rescuers who saved sailors from sinking ships. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors, and $2 for children 6 to 12. Guided tours are available until a half-hour before closing. Or use your cellphone for an audio tour. From April through October, it's open daily from 8am to 4:30pm. Off-season, it's open select weekends 8:30am to 4pm. Call ahead.
In Ocean City, the white-and-red Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum, at the Inlet end of the Boardwalk (tel. 410/289-4991; www.ocmuseum.org), recalls the men who saved 4,500 sailors off these shores. Artifacts include a restored surf rescue boat and a pictorial history of storms that have raged here. Other exhibits focus on O.C. history, including bathing suits and lifeguards. Admission is $3 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 12. Hours are June through September daily from 10am to 10pm, and May and October daily from 10am to 4pm. In April, it's open weekends 10am to 4pm. Call ahead for winter hours.
Spas
Sometimes you just need a little pampering. Rehoboth has become something of a spa resort, with plenty of places to choose from. Avenue Apothecary & Spa, 110A Rehoboth Ave. (tel. 302/227-5649; www.avenueinn.com), offers European facials, waxing, makeup, and hair and nail care. It has a spa shop as well. The Spa at the Bellmoor, 6 Christian St. (tel. 800/425-2355 or 302/227-5800; www.thebellmoor.com), offers massage, facials, body treatments, waxing, and nail care. The Spa by the Sea, 19266 Coastal Hwy. (tel. 302/227-8640; www.thespabythesea.com), offers traditional massage, facials, manicures, and other treatments.
Rehoboth and Dewey Beaches 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.
Rehoboth and Dewey Beaches Nightlife
Sandwiched between the quiet family resorts of Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island to the south and Lewes to the north, Rehoboth and Dewey beaches offer the only consistent nightlife on the Delaware coast.
Clubs & Bars
Rehoboth Beach -- Live acts are scheduled on weekends at Dogfish Head Brews and Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave. (tel. 302/226-2739). In summer, Irish Eyes, 52 Rehoboth Ave. (tel. 302/227-5758), schedules DJs on Saturday nights. There's also a pool table and 16 TVs to catch all the football action in fall and winter. Feeling mellow? Try Victoria's, located at Olive and the Boardwalk (tel. 302/227-0615), for piano Friday and Saturday 6 to 10pm.
Dewey Beach -- Dewey Beach's rocking nightlife revolves around two mainstays: the Rusty Rudder, 113 Dickinson St., on the bay (tel. 302/227-3888), and the Bottle & Cork, Hwy. 1 and Dagsworthy Street (tel. 302/227-7272). The crowd tends to be 20- to 35-year-olds looking to party. The Rudder holds deck parties and has occasional bands or other activities; the cover varies. The Bottle & Cork, open only in spring and summer, is a surprisingly large rock club that hosts both local and nationally known bands; the cover varies. When Better Than Ezra or Sugar Ray is in the house, expect a big crowd.
The Starboard, 2009 Hwy. 1 (tel. 302/227-4600; www.thestarboard.com), is usually crowded with young people. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner only in summer -- the Bloody Marys are famous. Go to the website for special events.
Gay & Lesbian Rehoboth
A number of Rehoboth nightspots cater to a GLBT clientele. Aqua Grill, 57 Baltimore Ave. (tel. 302/226-9001; aquagrillrehoboth.com), draws a young crowd of mostly men for the drinks and live entertainment. The Blue Moon, 35 Baltimore Ave. (tel. 302/227-6515), has a happy hour popular with the men. DJs and the mellow lounge in back at Cloud 9, 234 Rehoboth Ave. (tel. 302/226-1999), draw a mixed clientele. Dogfish Head Brews & Eats, 320 Rehoboth Ave. (tel. 302/226-2739), is primarily straight but draws a mixed crowd for its craft beer and live entertainment. A lesbian crowd goes to the Frogg Pond, 3 S. First St. (tel. 302/227-2234; www.thefroggpond.com). Dancing's the thing at Purple Parrot, 134 Rehoboth Ave. (tel. 302/226-1139).
The Performing Arts
The newly rebuilt open-air Rehoboth Beach Memorial Bandstand, at Rehoboth Avenue and the boardwalk (tel. 302/227-2233), hosts more than 40 free concerts and other events on summer weekends, starting at 8pm. Check with the visitor center for an up-to-date schedule.
For something lighthearted, go to the Theatre of the Arts, 20 Baltimore Ave. (tel. 302/227-9310; www.rehobothbeachtheatre.com), where you might find a Jimmy Buffett or Bee Gees tribute band or stand up comedian.
