Bethany Beach, DE Road Trips

Bethany Beach is a beach town along the Atlantic Ocean in Sussex County in the southern part of the state of Delaware. The town is home to several beach houses and some hotels where visitors stay. Bethany Beach has a small boardwalk and a downtown area along Garfield Parkway. Bethany Beach, along with South Bethany and Fenwick Island to the south, is along a part of the Delaware coast known as "The Quiet Resorts" as it has a more laid-back atmosphere compared to Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach to the north and Ocean City, Maryland to the south. Bethany Beach has a year round population of just over 1,000 but an additional 15,000 people come to the town to vacation during the summer months. Many visitors to Bethany Beach come from other parts of Delaware and the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The peak time for tourists to come to Bethany Beach is between Memorial Day weekend in late May and Labor Day weekend in early September. Bethany Beach has a humid subtropical climate with four seasons. Summers are hot and humid, with highs averaging in the 80s and lows averaging in the 60s. Summer temperatures occasionally rise to the 90s or 100s. Winters are cool to cold, with highs averaging in the low to mid 40s and lows averaging in the low 30s. Winter temperatures often drop below freezing. Spring and fall can be variable, usually with milder weather. Bethany Beach averages 46.95 inches of precipitation a year, which is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The area does see snow in the winter months, but far less than inland locations.

The Beach No visit to Bethany is complete without a day passed on its lovely beach, which is among the nicest in the Middle Atlantic. And the town's small but well-kept boardwalk will be a pleasant surprise for those accustomed to the crass commercialism that so dominates most larger Atlantic Ocean resort town beachfronts. Just be sure to take in a sunrise from it during your visit. 1 Bethany Beach Museum, 214 Garfield Pkwy (Inside Town Hall), ☏ +1 302 539-8011. M-F 8AM-4:30PM. Visit and learn about Bethany Beach's birth as a religious retreat over a century ago. Museum is home to memorabilia and photographs. Free. (updated Apr 2017) Chief Little Owl. 24 foot totem pole erected in 1976 on Garfield Parkway at Delaware Avenue (Del. Rte. 1).

Swimming in the ocean is a popular activity in Bethany Beach. Beachgoers like to get some sand between their toes and a little sun. But this quiet beach town has more to offer than meets the eye. Bethany Beach Bandstand, 114 Garfield Pkwy, ☏ +1 302-539-8011. Bandstand with performances running throughout the summer from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. 1 Bethany Beach Nature Center, 807 Garfield Pkwy, ☏ +1 302-537-7680. Nature center with boardwalk through serene wetlands operated by Delaware Center for the Inland Bays. Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club, 7 Clubhouse Dr, Ocean View, ☏ +1 302-537-5600. Golf one of their three unique and scenic courses, offering 27 holes. Bethany Bay Golf Club, 37270 Club House Ln, Ocean View, ☏ +1 302-539-3833. Semi-private golf course that is par 3 and has 9 holes. Captain Jack's Pirate Golf, 21 N. Pennsylvania Ave, ☏ +1 302-539-1122. Pirate-themed miniature golf course. Impossible to miss. 2 Delaware Seashore State Park, 39415 Inlet Rd, Rehoboth Beach (Rte 1 north of Bethany Beach), ☏ +1 302-227-2800, fax: +1 302-227-7400. 8AM-sunset daily. A long stretch of natural beach that offers several areas for four-wheel vehicle access and surf fishing. A popular activity is treasure hunting on the beach with metal detectors. The park is home to two ocean swimming areas that have bathhouses that offer showers and changing rooms, concession stands, and rental of umbrellas, chairs, and rafts. The beaches are patrolled by lifeguards from 9AM-5PM between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day.

Bethany Beach offers a large selection of restaurants. Some of them include: Bethany Blues BBQ, 6 N Pennsylvania Ave, ☏ +1 302-537-1500. Restaurant which specializes in BBQ. Bethany Boathouse, 39817 Hickman Plaza Rd, ☏ +1 302-616-2593. Casual seafood restaurant offering live entertainment and a kids play area. Bethany Diner, 792 Garfield Pkwy, ☏ +1 302-616-1117. Diner serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Blue Crab, 210 Garfield Pkwy, Suite D, ☏ +1 302-537-4700. Seafood restaurant offering all-you-can-eat crab, shrimp, fried chicken, corn on the cob, and hush puppies. Bluecoast Seafood Grill, 1111 Coastal Hwy, ☏ +1 302-539-7111. Waterfront seafood restaurant with a bar serving handcrafted cocktails. The Cottage Cafe Restaurant & Pub, 33034 Coastal Hwy (Rte. 1, about half a mile south of Garfield Parkway), ☏ +1 302-539-8710. The Cottage Cafe has a well-earned reputation for serving up reliable homestyle American fare, including crab cakes, fries, and burgers, in a family-friendly atmosphere twelve months a year. DB's Fries, 100 Garfield Pkwy, ☏ +1 302-537-0880. Restaurant specializing in fries. DiFebo's Restaurant and Deli, 789 Garfield Pkwy, ☏ +1 302-539-4550. This classic Italian restaurant boasts seasonal specials and a take out menu, using local fresh ingredients. Grotto Pizza. A Delaware favorite, Grotto Pizza is a modestly-priced local pizza chain known for pizza with a swirl of sauce on top. Grotto Pizza has two locations in Bethany Beach and one location in South Bethany , 98 Garfield Pkwy, ☏ +1 302-539-3398.

Originally a dry town, Bethany Beach now has a limited number of establishments with liquor licenses. That said, this is not much of a party town. Dewey Beach, to the north, is popular with the college-age frat set, while those looking for a more urbane scene will be well-served by a visit to Rehoboth Beach. Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery, 32512 Blackwater Rd, Millville, ☏ +1 302-436-1500. Award-winning winery offering a wide selection of wines and tastings.

Addy Sea B&B, 99 Ocean View Pkwy, ☏ +1 302-539-3707, toll-free: +1 800-418-6764. Local landmark and renowned Victorian bed and breakfast. Adults only. Three rooms are allegedly haunted. Bethany Beach Ocean Suites Residence Inn by Marriott, 99 Hollywood St, ☏ +1 302-539-3200. Hotel on boardwalk offering rooms with private balconies. Hotel Bethany Beach, 39642 Jefferson Bridge Rd, toll-free: +1 877-841-6471. Beach hotel with light breakfast and free Wi-Fi. The following realtors offer vacation rentals in Bethany Beach: Coldwell Banker Vacations, 39682 Sunrise Ct. Seasonal, weekly, and mini-week rentals Crowley Associates Realty, Inc, 1000 N. Pennsylvania Ave, ☏ +1 302-539-4013. Long and Foster Vacation Rentals, 37156 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach, ☏ +1 302-227-3821. Seasonal, weekly, and weekend rentals, flexible checkout days Resort Quest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals, 33546 Marketplace, ☏ +1 302-537-8888. Seasonal, weekly, and mini-week rentals of condos, townhomes, and homes.

Bethany Beach is served by Delaware Route 1 and Delaware Route 26. Delaware Route 1 (Coastal Highway) heads north along the coast to Dewey Beach, Rehoboth Beach, and Lewes and south along the coast to Fenwick Island and Ocean City, Maryland. Delaware Route 26 (Garfield Highway) provides access to Bethany Beach from inland points to the west. From northern Delaware, follow Delaware Route 1 south to Milford and take the exit to U.S. Route 113 south. Follow U.S. Route 113 south and turn left onto Delaware Route 20 east in Dagsboro. Delaware Route 20 leads into Delaware Route 26 east, which heads into Bethany Beach. While you may use Delaware Route 1 south all the way to Bethany Beach, there is a lot of traffic lights and congestion in the Rehoboth Beach area, and therefore using U.S. Route 113 bypasses a lot of the congestion. From the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area, follow U.S. Route 50 east and turn left onto Maryland Route 404 east in Wye Mills. Continue along Maryland Route 404 east to the Delaware border, where the road becomes Delaware Route 404. Follow Delaware Route 404 east to Georgetown and turn right onto U.S. Route 113 south. Follow U.S. Route 113 south and turn left onto Delaware Route 20 east in Dagsboro. Delaware Route 20 leads into Delaware Route 26 east, which heads into Bethany Beach. The closest airport with commercial air service to Bethany Beach is the Salisbury-Ocean City-Wicomico Regional Airport (SBY IATA) near Salisbury, Maryland about 35 miles to the southwest.

Bethany Beach is very pedestrian and cyclist friendly. Smart vacationers will leave the family car back at the hotel or rental home and walk into town. Public parking spaces are located along all streets east of Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue, Garfield Parkway east of Delaware Route 1, lots off of Garfield Parkway and Hollywood Street, Campbell Place a short distance east of Pennsylvania Avenue, Central Boulevard a short distance east and west of Pennsylvania Avenue, and the north side of 5th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Atlantic Avenue. There are a total of 1,000 public parking spaces in Bethany Beach. Between May 15 and September 15, all public parking spaces in Bethany Beach are either enforced by parking meters or require parking permits. During this time, parking meters are in effect from 10AM to 11PM between Hollywood Street and 1st Street and from 10AM to 8PM on all other streets. There is a 2 hour time limit for metered parking on Garfield Parkway while all other parking meters do not have time limits. Parking may be paid with the Parkmobile app at pay stations or individual parking meters, credit cards at pay stations, or quarters at pay stations or individual parking meters. At pay stations, patrons will receive a ticket which should be displayed face-up on their car dashboard. The rate for the parking meters is $2.00 per hour, with credit card payments charged a $0.50 transaction fee.

Beach Patrol +1 302 539-8114 Police Department +1 302 539-1000 Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company +1 302 539-7700 Bethany Beach is generally fairly safe, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Rip currents sometimes occur in the water. Make sure to stay in view of lifeguards, and if you're caught in a rip current, swim following the curve of the shoreline rather than tiring yourself out fighting to get back to shore immediately. Sharks are occasionally spotted off the coast, but attacks are very rare.