Bethany Beach Delaware is full of serene, clean beaches, lush landscaping, and lots of family fun activities. Find all the best things to do in Bethany Beach, including the popular Bethany Beach Boardwalk and so much more!
This Bethany Beach guide will get your vacation off on the right foot, with so much to do and see as you soak up the sun!
Originally published July 18, 2016 and updated with fresh content June 30, 2021.
We have just returned from a short week at the beach. I say that, because time goes much more quickly when you’re on vacation and it’s not 108 degrees outside!
We had so much fun, just relaxing and enjoying one another. It’s a tradition I hope we continue for years to come!
Each year we travel to Bethany Beach Delaware to visit my family and take in some much needed rest and relaxation. In all of the places we have traveled in the states, it truly is one of my favorites.
In fact, I’d rank Bethany Beach right up there with Seaside, Florida as far as our favorite calm, serene beach vacations.
Where is Bethany Beach?
Bethany Beach is a quiet, resort style area nestled off the coast of Delaware. It’s just as you’d imagine, quaint, pristine and filled with family friendly activities.
Along the Northeast coast, Bethany Beach is slightly cooler than southern beaches, offering a reprieve from the heat while still enjoying water temperatures that are plenty warm enough to swim and play.
It’s no surprise that TripAdvisor frequently names Bethany Beach a top summer beach destination for families.
Bethany Beach Boardwalk
The Bethany Beach Boardwalk offers shopping, restaurants, mini golf, frequent live music at the Bethany Bandstand and of course, beaches with bathrooms.
Bonus? The boardwalk is small, perfect for little legs. This is a great destination for young kids! In fact, the Bethany Beach Boardwalk is just half a mile long and around 12 feet wide. The charm is endless and the scale is perfect for young family adventures.
During the popular summer months, the boardwalk has foot washing stations to clean sand from your feet. Bikes are allowed only from 6am to 9am daily.
Things to do in Bethany Beach
- Dolphin Watching – Each morning and early evening dolphins {or porpoise} swim up and down the coast. Take a seat in the sand or on one of the white benches to catch a view. If you look carefully, you can see fins in the photo above.
- Bird Watching – You may also catch pelicans swooping in to catch fish.
- Kayak – Coastal Kayak offers kayak rentals and it’s a perfect activity for older kids and adults alike.
- Play in the Sand – The sand is soft and perfect for play.
- The South Coastal Library – yes, a library might be an unexpected visit on your beach vacation. But with so many programs for kids and an excellent location, it’s a great visit while you’re here!
- Bethany Beach Nature Center – visit the preserve and learn about the inland bays. Admission is free and you can walk the trails at low tide!
- Captain Jack’s Pirate Golf – mini golf is always a classic visit on a beach vacation and this one is loads of fun!
- Rent a bike – at Bethany Beach Bike Shop! You’ll find the cutest beach cruisers and you can rent Kayaks here, too.
- Or try an Electric Bike – for even more of an adventure! Pedego Electric Bikes rents them.
- Golf – we aren’t a golfing family but I know many who are! There is an incredible array of golf courses in the Bethany Beach area.
- Arcade – don’t skip the Shore Fun Family Fun Center! It’s loaded with classic arcade games for kids and adults alike.
- Learn to Surf – or windsurf at the camps for kids ages 6+ at Relyance Skim Camp.
- Rent Jetskis – Nothing like hitting the waves for a day full of memories! Try Top Gun water sport rentals.
- Take a Trolley Ride – for a fun way to see the sights and get around, hop on the trolley that runs all day for just 25 cents per ride!
- Try Parasailing – another classic beach adventure that thrills both the young and young at heart.
- Candy Kitchen Shoppe – for the sugar lovers in your life, stop in for chocolate covered strawberries, ice cream sundaes, and all the fun candies your heart could desire.
More Bethany Beach Attractions
- Shipwreck Museum – get an up close and personal look at the shipwrecks along the Delaware coast.
- Visit a Lighthouse – Fenwick Island Lighthouse is no longer operational but a charming coastal site to see!
- Try Flyboarding – What’s flyboarding? It’s a new watersport that shoots you in the air while on a board. If you’re brave enough, have a blast!
- Watch Movies on the Beach – on Monday nights, bring chairs or blankets, popcorn and snacks and enjoy a movie on the beach!
Where to Eat in Bethany Beach
To be updated after this summer’s trip!
- Matt’s Fish Camp
- Blue Coast
- Bethany Blues BBQ
- Mangos {casual dining with waterfront views}
- 99 Sea Level {waterfront views}
Bethany Beach is the perfect family vacation destination! Have you been? Where’s your family’s favorite beach destination?
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Julie – Thank you for sharing the great information about our beautiful town!! Our center hosts the Bethany playground and sports area in partnership with the Town. We hope to see everyone this Summer. bethanybeachcenter.org
Hi Julie! We’ll be taking our first family trip to Bethany this summer and Id love to have some advice regarding where we should stay. What part of town? Hotel/ rental home? We have three children, ages 4 and under.
VRBO has some great rental homes, I highly recommend that so that you can just walk to the beach and boardwalk. Look for anything on the ocean side of Highway 1. Don’t miss the little boardwalk amusement park in downtown Rehoboth and any Sodel concepts restaurants. They’re the best! For years we didn’t realize that our 3 favorite restaurants were all owned together. Bluecoast, Matt’s Fish Camp, Papa Grande’s and Lupo Italian Kitchen are our favorites. Enjoy!