It's what sun worshippers and beach bums come for: the shore. It can get crowded during peak season (May to August), but beachgoers say the sands are clean and the waves are typically calm, making it very family-friendly. The beach is backed by a mile-long boardwalk that's packed with shops, restaurants and bars. While recent visitors noted that the boardwalk isn't as long as others in the region (like those in Ocean City, Maryland, or Atlantic City, New Jersey) the variety of local businesses ensures that visitors will never run out of things to do.

The beach is free to visit and is reachable from numerous access points, but the sands are off-limits between 1 and 5 a.m. each day for safety reasons. Lifeguards patrol the beach inside the city limits from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays (and until 5:30 p.m. on weekends). If you drive, you'll have to pay for parking – either at metered spaces, which cost $2 per hour, or by purchasing a parking permit that ranges from $10 during the week to $15 over the weekend. Extended parking permits are also available. For more information on beach rules and regulations, check out the City of Rehoboth Beach website.