For those who know us well or follow me @jess.jetsets on social media, you know that our family’s happy place is near the ocean. We are so lucky to live near the sea and Rehoboth beach area is our favorite getaway. We spent a lot of time here before having our child, and have been there with our toddler several times now so feel like we have a good grasp on the fun things to do with the whole family, delicious foodie centric meals, toddler reset play areas, and outdoor adventures. Since we get asked this so much, I have created this blog post to make your trip just as memorable.

Below we will list our favorite things to do around Rehoboth beach (including Lewes and Bethany Beach) and what a perfect day looks like for us.

Favorite Rehoboth Beach area activities:

• Rehoboth Beach: Enjoying the beach and board walk. Our favorite place to eat healthy is Greenman’s Juice Bar but on the main street there are many fun options for smoothies, falafel sandwiches, and coffee. We also love buying herbal tea from Spice & Tea Exchange on the main street. There band stand seating area is a good place to sit down and eat. Lots of fun shops to browse and lots of arcades for kids. Best dinner option is the Dogfishhead Brewery Brew Pub for local brew and good eats. Parking can be challenging but try the side streets or bike!
• Best trails and outdoor experiences: We always bring our bikes and our baby bike seat for our little one because biking is one of our favorite parts of the Rehoboth area. Many airbnbs offer bikes as well.
  • Cape Henlopen State Park, our favorite park which we HIGHLY recommend you explore (FYI there is a daily fee for out of state vehicles, $10 a day, or $70 for out of state annual pass which requires visiting a special office to get). We typically bike here from our airbnb and can spend 30 mins-1 hour just riding around gorgeous sand dune and marsh views (here is a sample bike trail). There are old stone forts to explore and a wildlife center. There is also a bike barn near the wildlife center that offers free bikes for your to borrow. Here is a map.
  • Junction and Breakwater trail is a gravel trail with some paved portions that runs through out Rehoboth. More inland and forest views (and generally shaded) but very nice for a walk or bike ride.
  • Assateague Island (a bit of a drive) is a good day trip option especially if you want to try to see the famous wild ponies.
• Breweries: We enjoy brewery tours and brewery culture. Here are some of our favorites.
  • Dogfishhead Brewery (Milton), DE) has a great outdoor area, offers free tours and has a fun tasting room.
  • Dewey Beer Company (Dewey, DE) is a restaurant we enjoy with good vegan options.
  • Big Oyster Brewer (Lewes, DE) is a place we’ve heard great things about and always has a full parking lot.
  • Revelation Brewing (Rehoboth, DE) has a small tent and a pizza food truck.
  • Burley Oak Brewery (Berlin, DE, a bit of a drive) has excellent sour beers.
  • Nassau Winery (Lewes, DE) is a quant vineyard with some fun wines.
• Playgrounds:
  • Silver Lake Tot lot (Rehoboth, DE) has many play areas, swings, and picnic tables. There is also a fun bridge to watch turtles from.
  • Rehoboth elementary playground is another option we have seen which looks good.
  • Shell we golf miniature golf course is a fun option for littles. Our 22 month old had a blast and was free.
  • The playground behind Rehoboth Beach and Historical Society is well done and large.
• Rainy Day options:
  • Tanger outlet shopping
  • Arcades on the beach boardwalks
  • “Movies at Midway” movie theater (when pandemic safe)
  • Rehoboth Beach Historical Society and Museum (free)
• Lewes Beach: Another favorite beach area with a quaint downtown to walk around. This beach is a lot less popular, has an easy parking lot, and because it is more secluded the waves are very mild. Good for littles. The downtown area has a toy store and several restaurants. We love King’s icecream shop here. The bridge over the port is a beautiful view. If you go to Lewes with bikes, you can bike from the downtown to Cape Henlopen State park, we did a 16 mile bike loop with our little one between these two towns. On the way into Lewes, the best bakery and coffee shop for foodies in the area is Station on Kings. We come here SEVERAL times every trip and the food and ambiance never disappoint.
• Bethany Beach: A smaller, more intimate beach with a boardwalk. Very family friendly place to stay per many native Marylanders I know who have summered here. We find the food options somewhat limited, but almost always spend a morning here when we come to the Delaware beaches. There is a good playground right across from the visitor’s center.
• Family photos: The beach is a great place for family photos. We loved working with Tiffany Caldwell.
• Where to say: We are diehard Airbnb fans since we love having an extra bedroom for our little and a kitchen where we can prepare breakfast and a snacks. I have stayed at several airbnbs but will be happy to share with you our favorite of all time if you PM me.
• The Perfect Day– Breakfast at Station on Kings in Lewes, then bike ride or walk around the dunes and Gordon’s Pond at Cape Henlopen State Park. Walk on Rehoboth Boardwalk and lunch and smoothies at Greenman’s Juice Bar. Little one naps from 1-3pm so we get a break at our airbnb. Afternoon beer tasting or brewery tour at local brewery or hanging out a local playground. Play on beach while the sun sets. Dinner at Dogfishhead Brewpub or a restaurant in Lewes and some ice-cream along main street.

Would love to hear if you have any other things to add if you have visited these areas or after your trip! We hope this list helps you enjoy the most of your time in the Rehoboth beach area with your family.