The First State
Coastal
Life along Delaware's Atlantic beaches and bays.
Rehoboth Beach at the Height of Summer
For a few crowded months, Delaware's flagship resort town doubles in size and runs on funnel cake, sunscreen, and a one-mile boardwalk.
The Boardwalk Economy: Fries, Ferris Wheels, and Foot Traffic
A shore boardwalk is a business district disguised as a good time. The margins are thinner and the season shorter than the crowds suggest.
A Bench, a Book, and the Off-Peak Boardwalk
In the weeks before and after the crush, the boardwalk becomes a slower, more forgiving place — the locals' favorite version of the season.
Dewey Beach After Dark
Compact, loud, and famously social, Dewey has spent decades balancing its reputation as a nightlife town against the neighbors who live there year-round.
Bethany Beach: The Quiet Middle of Delaware's Coast
Marketed for generations as one of the 'Quiet Resorts,' Bethany has built its identity on being the calm alternative to its livelier neighbors.
Lewes and the Cape: Where the Bay Meets the Ocean
The oldest town in the First State trades boardwalk glitz for history, harbors, and the point where Delaware Bay opens to the Atlantic.
Sunset Watching: Where to Catch the Best Light on the Bay
Because Delaware's coast faces east, the finest evening light is on the bay side — a nightly show the resort crowds often miss.
Cape Henlopen's Dunes Are Moving, and the State Is Letting Them
At Delaware's northern cape, the sand does not stay put. Managers there have made peace with a shoreline that refuses to hold still.
The Cape May–Lewes Ferry Turns the Bay Into a Highway
For travelers heading up or down the coast, a ferry across the mouth of Delaware Bay saves hours of driving and doubles as a small cruise.
Surf's Up: The Small but Devoted Delaware Surf Scene
Delaware will never be Hawaii, but a committed community chases the state's modest, weather-dependent waves with real seriousness.
Fishing the Delaware Coast, From Surf to Charter
Whether from the beach at dawn or the deck of a head boat, angling remains one of the shore's oldest and most democratic pastimes.
Sunrise Rituals: The Early-Morning Life of the Shore
Before the umbrellas go up, the beach belongs to walkers, joggers, shell-seekers, and the small society that owns the dawn.
Beachfront Real Estate and the Price of a Sea View
Oceanfront property along the Delaware coast has climbed for decades. Buyers now weigh the view against insurance, erosion, and a changing shoreline.
The Junction & Breakwater Trail: Biking the Cape Region
A rail line turned bike path links Rehoboth and Lewes through woods and marsh, and it has quietly become one of the coast's best attractions.
The Water Tower and the Look of a Delaware Beach Town
Low buildings, painted cottages, and a landmark water tower give the state's resort towns a scale and character that zoning has fought to preserve.
Off-Season: What the Beach Towns Do All Winter
When the crowds leave, the resort towns do not close so much as change costume, tending to the maintenance and community life the summer hides.
Beach Replenishment: The Endless Job of Rebuilding the Shore
Every few years, dredges pump sand back onto Delaware's beaches. The work keeps the resorts open — and the debate over its cost never quite ends.
Storm Season: How the Coast Braces for a Nor'easter
Hurricanes get the headlines, but it is the winter nor'easter that most often tests Delaware's beaches, dunes, and low-lying towns.