Best Activities in Rehoboth Beach 2023

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Greetings, Internet Stranger, and welcome to a perfect 24 hours of the best activities in Rehoboth Beach. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware is one of the most charming and entertaining beach towns on the eastern seaboard. As far as this native New Yorker is concerned, Rehoboth Beach deserves to be a lot more famous.

After all, for a small town, it is jampacked with fabulous things to do. Rehoboth Beach has stunning nature, fascinating history, amazing food, and delicious beer.

Stella’s Top 3 Picks: Best Activities in Rehoboth Beach

It’s the perfect getaway, especially if you live in a nearby city like New York, Philadelphia, or Washington DC. Come with me, and I’ll show you there’s more to Rehoboth Beach than just a beach.

Best activities in Rehoboth Beach

Morning: Gordons Pond Trail

Just because Rehoboth Beach is famous for its sunny shores doesn’t mean you should spend your entire time at the beach. That’s why I recommend spending two full 24 hour periods at Rehoboth Beach. On the first day, you should spend the entire time by the beach and the boardwalk.

But on your second day of the best activities in Rehoboth Beach, don’t forget to check out the gorgeous nature at Gordons Pond Trail. This trail, in Cape Henlopen State Park, is a beautiful place to spend a morning admiring the flora and fauna of Delaware.

Plus, it’s just a short-ish walk from the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk, but it’s far removed from the crowds on the beach!

In fact, I’ll bet most tourists in the United States have no idea this place even existed. But that just makes you all the more special for finding it! And you’ll be even more special when you learn…

Three Fun Facts: Gordons Pond Trail

1) How Do I Get There?

You can drive, but I didn’t see any public transportation that will take you to the state park. Being allergic to driving myself, I chose to walk. There are parts of the road that don’t have an official sidewalk, but it was pretty easy to stay safe just by keeping to the side of the road.

I saw a few other people jogging/walking this way as well, so it seems like a fairly common way to get to the state park. The walk from the Avenue Inn and Spa is just over half an hour. However, if you have access to a bicycle, there were even more cyclists on the road, and that seems like just as fun and healthy a way to get to the trail, as long as you know how to ride a bicycle. (I do not.)

And even better, once you get to the park, there are Porto Potties awaiting! How convenient! So you don’t need to worry about finding facilities once you get there. Thanks, Delaware!

2) What is There To Do There?

Gordons Pond Trail is one of the best activities in Rehoboth Beach, so of course there is plenty to do here. However, I would say the best thing to do is just wander about and enjoy the stunning wonder that is Delaware nature. You don’t need a set itinerary for that, but I will give you some tips to make your wandering as enjoyable as possible.

You can actually do a walk around the whole loop of the pond, but this would take too long for you to fit in the rest of the best activities in Rehoboth Beach. You’d basically be spending the entire day here, and we’ve got a few other things to do.

So I suggest just walking for one hour or so into the state park and then one hour or so back. That way we can head back into Rehoboth Beach in time for lunch.

There’s a charming observation deck along the route that gives you beautiful views of the rest of Gordons Pond Trail. You can also seem some of the observation towers along the way.

These 11 towers were built during World War II, I suppose to protect Delaware from the Nazis desperate to get their hands on those sweet corporate tax breaks. Anyway, thanks to the proud people of Rehoboth Beach, there was never a German invasion of the coast of Delaware.

But my favorite sight in the park were the disturbingly gimungo bugs that populate the area. Seriously, these are the largest bugs I have ever seen. I suspect a nuclear accident was involved somehow.

They didn’t bite me or turn me radioactive or anything, though, so probably they are harmless mutant bugs.

3) I Only Like Beaches! What Can I Do?

You’re in luck, Internet Stranger! Just by the entrance to the trail, as you reach the Porto-Potties, there is a cute little beach! And it has the delightful name of Whiskey Beach! I was hoping this would mean that free whiskey cocktails were distributed here, but sadly it was not the case.

This place was named Whiskey Beach because it was known as a party spot in the first half of the 20th century.

According to the signs around the area, some say it was called Whiskey Beach because this was where bootleggers would meet at the dark of night during Prohibition to vend their spirits away from the watchful eye of the Warren G. Harding Administration.

I would have thought that you’d be more likely to find a beach like this in Atlantic City, but I guess Delawarians need to get their drink on as well.

But that’s not the only possible explanation for the name Whiskey Beach. Some other Beach Name Historians say it was where the soldiers stationed in Rehoboth Beach during World War II would party, trying to keep Hitler from taking all of Delaware’s salt water taffy.

I say, why can’t both stories be true? More whiskey and more beaches for all!

Best activities in Rehoboth Beach

Afternoon: Explore Rehoboth Beach!

Between the beaches and the state park, Rehoboth Beach certainly boasts the finest natural surrounding that Delaware has to offer. But it’s also a fun town with all the attractions you could want: dining, museums, relaxing spas, craft beers, a rando lighthouse in the middle of a traffic circle…etc.

Even though it’s a small town, you’ll have an easier time finding the best activities in Rehoboth Beach with just a little guidance from yours truly. Allow me to take you on a magical journey through some of my…

Approximately Top 5: activities in Rehoboth Beach

1) Lunch at Cafe Azafran

Of all the things I was expecting to find in Delaware, I can’t say Cafe Azafran was one of them. I mean, I wouldn’t have thought you’d find a tasty Spanish restaurant on the coast of Delaware.

Admit it, when you think Delaware, sunny Espana is not the first image to come to mind. But that’s why it was such a charming surprise! The sun at Rehoboth Beach is warm and radiant, so it’s easy to imagine that you’re in the South of Spain instead of the south of America’s first state.

I recommend the Spanish chicken sandwich, which is kind of like a cross between a quesadilla and a sammy. The best part of the sandwich was the scrummy bun–you can see it’s just covered with flavorful seeds.

But I also enjoyed the gobs of melted Cheddar, though I doubt they use much Cheddar in Spain. So I guess we could call this Spanish-English fusion. Maybe this sandwich is very popular in Gibraltar or something. Anyway, it was delicious, so who cares if the cheese was “authentic”.

2) Kohr Brothers Frozen Custard

One of my go-to moves for lunch is to get my main course in one place and my dessert at another. That way you get to experience as many restaurants as possible!

That’s why I suggest stopping at Kohr Brothers for some frozen custard–the perfect chilly treat on a balmy Rehoboth Beach day. They claim to be the Original Frozen Custard, and I’m not sure how you’d prove something like that, but I don’t feel like arguing with an ice cream website.

If you’re like me, you might never have heard of frozen custard, but it is certainly worth getting to know. Frozen custard is very creamy, but has less fat and sugar than ice cream. I would never have guessed by tasting it, cause it tastes just as bad for you as ice cream does. That’s a compliment, frozen custard.

For those who are calorie counting, Kohr Brothers only serves their frozen custard in a cone, not a cup. But why are you calorie counting on a beach vacation anyway? And always opt for the swirl.

Two flavors is better than one. That’s just science. I recommend the chocolate and peanut butter–like a frozen Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

3) Rehoboth Beach Museum

Of course any list of the best activities in Rehoboth Beach has to include the Rehoboth Beach Museum. But fear not, Museum Fear-ers! This museum is adorable, quirky, fun, and wee. It’s got nothing you dislike about museums, and everything to love.

Plus all the people who work here are obsessed with Delaware history and will entertain you for hours with a secret history of Delaware. They’re basically walking Delaware history museum exhibits themselves.

Just keep in mind that when I visited the museum closes earlier on weekends, so make this your first stop after lunch/custard. And be sure to check the website before you go, just to doublecheck that the time hasn’t changed.

Each section of the museum is dedicated to something Rehoboth Beach is famous for like religion, food, and fun. That kind of makes it sound like a church potluck would be the ultimate Rehoboth Beach event. But make it an inclusive church potluck!

The museum made it clear that the LGBTQ community has been active in Rehoboth Beach for decades. Truly this town has something for everyone.

I didn’t see an exhibit on the giant bugs of Rehoboth Beach at the exhibit, but some day I will get my answer.

4) Dogfish Head

I know I make a lot of jokes about Delaware’s bland reputation on this blog. But if there’s one thing Delaware is famous for, aside from Joe Biden, it’s Dogfish Head craft beer. So of course you need to stop at Dogfish Head’s brewpub in Rehoboth Beach. It’s a restaurant, not just a bar, but you can get a drink and no food if you sit at the bar.

I suggest going with something fun since there are so many choices on the menu. The Supereight Goze, which is a fruity sour beer, is sweet but not too sweet and uses unusual fruits like prickly pear and elderberry.

It was an excellent choice to show off Dogfish Head’s quirky side. Also Dogfish Head is lots of fun to say. Dogfish Head, Dogfish Head, Dogfish Head.

5) Avenue Apothecary and Spa

After a busy day of nature, Cheddar cheese, and Goze, you might want a little rest and relaxation. So why not indulge at the Avenue Apothecary and Spa?

You don’t need to be a guest of the inn to enjoy the treatments here, but I recommend staying at the inn anyway. That way after your treatment, you can dive into the free wine and cheese evening for the guests of the inn.

The spa is so relaxing, especially since they offer complimentary blueberry water! I have had lemon water and cucumber water, but never blueberry. So fun! You can choose your “flavor” of aromatherapy oil to have with your massage.

I recommend the soothing ginger scent and the peppermint foot lotion after all the walking we’ve been doing around Rehoboth Beach. The spa also offers CBD treatments, which I’m scared to try because I’m already a strange enough person. But if it’s your cup of tea, have at it, Internet Stranger!

Best activities in Rehoboth Beach

Evening: Dinner at Blue Hen

You might be feeling a little lazy and sleepy after your spa treatment. Well, this is perfect, since we can have dinner right in our hotel! And I’m not talking about mediocre, over-priced room service. The Blue Hen is a yummy and stylish restaurant with delicious pasta, craft cocktails, and more.

Start with an appetizer using seasonal produce, like this gorgeous peach, heirloom tomato, and burrata salad. This dish completely tastes like summer.

I could figuratively hear “Summer Breeze” by Seals and Crofts playing in the background as I ate. (But not “Summer Girls” because that is one of my bottom five least favorite songs of all time.)

Of course, since Rehoboth Beach is on the water, it’s amazing for seafood. That’s why I recommend ordering precisely as much pasta as the laws of Delaware will allow.

This squid ink pasta with crab certainly fits the bill. Squid ink looks terrifying, but nothing screams “I’m eating the sea!” more! It’s like unleashing the Kraken but in pasta form.

This banana pudding tasted exactly like a banana. Truly a banana pudding can receive no higher praise.

Best activities in Rehoboth Beach

Where To Stay?

What fun is a beach vacation without a little glamour? That’s why I recommend staying at the Avenue Inn and Spa. I loved staying here and it would be my number one choice for when I go back to Rehoboth Beach.

It has a perfect location right by the beach, a fantastic and relaxing spa for you to enjoy after you’ve had your fill of the beach, and a delightful wine and cheese spread every evening. What more could a sophisticated beach bunny ask for?

If you’d like to try a great deal on this hotel, click here.

And if you’re looking for deals on tons of other hotels in Rehoboth Beach, just click here. This search engine will help you find the perfect place to stay during your day in Rehoboth Beach. With hundreds of options to choose from, I’m sure you’ll find something for your schedule and budget.

Those Are The Best activities in Rehoboth Beach

What do you think are the best activities in Rehoboth Beach? Are you ready to start booking your hotel in Rehoboth Beach right now? Are squid ink pasta and the Kraken related? And why are the bugs in Rehoboth Beach so ginormous? Please leave email me at stellajane@aroundtheworldin24hours.com and let me know!

Stella’s Top 3 Picks: Best Activities in Rehoboth Beach

Note: If you want to know how I put my travel itineraries together, just click here. Keep in mind that while each article is about how to spend 24 hours in a place, that doesn’t mean you should ONLY spend 24 hours in Rehoboth Beach. You can also add the best things to do Rehoboth Beach DE.