Fun & Easy Rehoboth Beach Day Trip Itinerary 

Rehoboth Beach is a beloved coastal town in Delaware. It’s famed for a gorgeous golden beach, lined with a lively mile-long boardwalk. Plus, lots of shopping, dining, and entertainment options.

The beach town is located near major cities, but still far enough to feel like a getaway, making for a great day trip destination.

Planning a day trip to Rehoboth and wondering what to do? Read on for my Rehoboth Beach day trip itinerary, plus tips for handling crowds during your visit.

Rehoboth Beach Day Trip Itinerary

Go Shopping At The Tanger Outlets

One of Rehoboth Beach’s most well-loved attraction, aside from the beach, is the Tanger Outlets.

Delaware is a sales tax-free state, making it the perfect spot for browsing already low outlet prices.

The Tanger Outlets feature a wide variety of brand-name and designer outlet stores, and are located just about 3 miles from the town’s core, making it an easy stop on your way in or out of town.

Cape Henlopen State Park

Those who’d rather not shop, but do want to make a stop on their way in or out of town, head to Cape Henlopen State Park instead.

This is a really beautiful coastal park, located just a few miles north of Rehoboth Beach.

It’s known for beaches, sand dunes, and salt marshes, all perfect for hiking, biking, kayaking, sunbathing, or wildlife-watching. 

The park also features historic landmarks, including Fort Miles, a World War II military installation, and the much-loved Cape Henlopen Lighthouse.

There’s a small per-vehicle entry fee and hours vary by season, check out Cape Henlopen State Park.

Note: The park will turn away visitors once parking lots have filled.

Rehoboth Beach

Now for Rehoboth Beach’s most famous feature, the beach, aptly named Rehoboth Beach.

Rehoboth Beach is centrally located in town, at the edge of Rehoboth Avenue.

This beautiful, golden beach is swimmable, spacious, and free to the public. It’s the perfect spot to work on your tan, swim, play beach games, and more.

There’s nothing taxing about the beach-lounging itself, but beach parking will require some effort.

There are metered spots along Rehoboth Avenue, but they’re limited and fill very quickly. If you can snag one though, the hourly rate is low.

Additionally, the town has private lots available for a flat fee. These may be a bit more expensive but easier to find.

Rehoboth Boardwalk 

Lining the town beach is a charming, mile-long boardwalk. 

Here you’ll find a variety of local boutique shops, fast-food dining options, and games, plus lots of ice cream and candy shops.

When you need a break from the sandy shoreline, this is the perfect spot to grab a quick bite, go for a walk, or find some family-friendly entertainment. 

Popular stops are Funland for an amusement park and classic arcade games, or find toys and games from Rehoboth Toy & Kite Company. 

For treats check out Starkey’s Ice Cream & Funnel Cakes, Dolle’s Candyland, or Candy Kitchen. French fries from Thrasher’s French Fries or pizza from Louie’s Pizza are also perfect for a snack.

Walk Along Rehoboth Avenue

After your beach day, go for a walk along Rehoboth Avenue, the town’s core.

The street is directly next to the beach and lined with clothing and souvenir shops, local restaurants, and plenty of watering holes with loud music and entertainment.

The core runs for about a mile, starting near the canal and ending at the beach, with the highest concentration of shops and restaurants near the beach and boardwalk.

If it’s time to eat, you’ll find a good variety of restaurant options here. During our visit we ate at Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, the food is great and they have regular live music.

Additional Things To Do In Rehoboth Beach

Looking for more ideas of things to do with your day in Rehoboth Beach? Check out the following:

• Go for a bike ride.
• Visit the Rehoboth Art League.
• Go kayaking in Rehoboth Bay.
• Check out the Indian River Marina in Delaware Seashore State Park.
• Play mini golf or stop by Jungle Jim’s waterpark.

For a full list of ideas, head over to Top Things To Do In Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Getting To Rehoboth Beach

By car: Rehoboth Beach, in Southeast Delaware, is conveniently located near a few major highways. Ocean City, MD is 45 minutes south (25 miles away) and Wilmington, DE is 1.5 hours (90 miles) away. Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington DC are all about 2.5 hours from Rehoboth (roughly 125 miles). For detailed driving directions, check out How To Get To Rehoboth Beach.

By train & bus. The nearest Amtrak station is in Wilmington, DE. From there, the DART bus system will take you to Rehoboth Beach. The buses run frequently and the prices are very low. 

By ferry: If arriving to Rehoboth Beach via New Jersey, the best option is to utilize the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. The route runs from Cape May, NJ to Lewes, DE, just 20 minutes from Rehoboth Beach, and allows vehicles, bikes, and foot traffic. The 85 minute ferry runs year-round with the most route options during summer.

Parking & Getting Around

Traffic can be heavy in Rehoboth Beach, especially over summer weekends, but the town is pretty easy to navigate.

Most businesses, restaurants, and hotels center along Rehoboth Avenue near the beach. In this area, it’s easiest to get around by foot, since the roadway can get quite busy.

Consequently, parking in this downtown area can be a challenge. There is metered street parking available, although spots are limited. You should be able to snag a spot if arriving very early; bring quarters or download the parking meter app, ParkMobile, for payment. 

Non-meter parking is permit only and daily passes are available, for permit information check out City of Rehoboth Beach Parking Information. Last, there are a few private lots around town selling spots for a flat fee. 

Where To Stay In Rehoboth Beach

Spending the night during your day in Rehoboth Beach? I recommend staying near the beach. This will help alleviate parking hassles during your quick visit.

During our visit, we stayed at Avenue Inn & Spa, which was in an excellent location. We were able to walk everywhere we wanted. Additionally, the rooms were spacious, included free parking, free breakfast, and complimentary happy hour in the evening. 

Additional hotels near the beach include:

• The Bellmoor Inn & Spa
• The Breakers Hotel & Suites
• Atlantic Sands Hotel & Conference Center
• Hotel Rehoboth

Additional Tips For Your Day Trip To Rehoboth Beach

• Start your day early to help mitigate crowds, the town and beach get quite crowded during summer weekends.

• Have a plan, and backup plan, for parking. Parking spots near the beach are limited and fill quickly. Those arriving early will have fewer issues with this.

• Weekday visitors will experience fewer crowds, and therefore, less parking hassles.

• Shoulder seasons, like early May and late September, often see great weather with fewer crowds.

• If the thought of crowds and parking hassles in Rehoboth is off-putting, spend your entire day at Cape Henlopen State Park instead. There’s great beach access here, ample parking, and relatively fewer crowds. If you wish, bike into Rehoboth Beach from Cape Henlopen State Park, then check out the Boardwalk and Rehoboth Avenue (biking on the Boardwalk is prohibited during the day in summer).

I hope you’ve found this helpful in planning your Rehoboth Beach day trip, enjoy your visit and have the best time!

Any questions? Please leave a comment below or reach out on social media.

Looking for more ideas? Check out my additional East Coast guides below or head on over to Visit Delaware!

More Information For Your Rehoboth Beach Vacation:

• Rehoboth Beach, Delaware: Top Things To Do
• Rehoboth Beach, Delaware: Weekend Guide