Rehoboth Beach
A Delaware beach resort founded as a Methodist camp meeting, with a boardwalk, no sales tax and a long-standing gay scene.
Updated 20 October 2026
The town began in 1873 as a Methodist camp meeting ground - the name comes from a place in Genesis meaning broad spaces - and the grid of small lots dates from that layout before it became a resort. The boardwalk runs about a mile with the usual arcades, shops and the Funland amusement park, open since 1962. Delaware charges no sales tax, which is why the outlet malls on Route 1 pull traffic from three states and why the approach road jams. LGBT visitors have come for generations, and since the 1980s Rehoboth has become one of the best-known LGBT-friendly resorts on the mid-Atlantic coast, with Poodle Beach at the south end of the boardwalk. Downtown parking is metered through the summer season.
Highlights
- A boardwalk of about a mile - arcades and the Funland amusement park.
- A grid from an 1873 camp meeting - the town's original layout.
- No sales tax - and the outlet traffic that follows.
- An LGBT-friendly resort - Poodle Beach at the south end.
When to go
June to September. Half a day.
Things to know
Beach tags are required and cost money. Route 1 traffic in summer is severe - allow far more time than the distance suggests. Parking is metered and scarce. Off season most of the boardwalk closes.
Nearby
Cape Henlopen is north; Bethany Beach is south.
Key facts
Source: Wikidata, item Q755106, read on 18 October 2026.
What to pack for Rehoboth Beach
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
- A refillable water bottle - Many cities have public fountains; save money and plastic. Find on Amazon
- A light layer + compact umbrella - For museum air-con and a sudden shower. Find on Amazon
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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
