If you are stuck in the city for the summer and looking to get away, the nation's summer capital is calling your name. Rehoboth Beach, Del., is two-and-a-half hours away, and is known for its diverse beach atmosphere.
Rehoboth Beach offers much more than an Atlantic Ocean shoreline. Visitors can expect something to do every moment during their stay, rain or shine. There is a boardwalk that boasts a number of shops, rides, game rooms, restaurants and food stands. The city's main street, Rehoboth Avenue, and the surrounding streets also feature restaurant after restaurant, shop after shop.
At Rehoboth's restaurant,s you can have a taste of nearly any cuisine, at any price. Local favorites include Dogfish Head, a brewery and American cuisine restaurant offering the best beers you can find, and Dos Locos, a Mexican restaurant where you can order raw meat and cook it yourself on a stone grill.
When you are too full to think about any more food, you can visit a large spectrum of shops, too. You'll find tourist shops that have shot glasses and novelty tees that say things like "Free tickets to the gun show" with arrows pointing to the wearer's biceps alongside upscale stores sell top brands like Burberry, Lacoste, and Vineyard Vines.
Not looking to buy corny T-shirts or splurge on labels? No problem. There are also more than 130 outlets, including J. Crew, Gap, Banana Republic, Coach, Kate Spade and Under Armour. Only a ten-minute drive away, the three outlet centers are perfect for a rainy or too-hot day - just make sure you get there early, they tend to get crowded quickly.
"I love going to the outlets as soon as the open and then going to the beach," said School of Communication junior Emma Wojtowicz, "It's best to go and be quick, before a lot of people get there."
As for nightlife, neighboring Dewey Beach has much to offer for the 21-and-over crowd. Known by bitter Rehoboth natives as a party town, Dewey has some of the best bars in Delaware and is always packed after hours.
Rehoboth has been known for years as a family vacation spot, but recently has become much more diverse. The GLBT community also shares Rehoboth as a vacation spot and has become a very prominent presence. Many buildings have a rainbow flag in plain sight, signifying Rehoboth's support of the gay community. There are also many predominantly gay bars, though the straight community is more than welcome.
Visitors should be wary of the tourist traps in Rehoboth, however: parking. In order to park on the residential streets, you must purchase a parking pass, which range from $5 to $10 per day. If you park on the main strip or nearby it, you must keep on feeding the meters. The meter maids are relentless, giving you a $20 ticket as soon as your meter expires, as if the $1.25 an hour parking isn't enough.
To avoid paying parking, there are alternatives to driving; all you need once you are there you can find in town. Perhaps the best option is the Rehobus, a bus that caters to D.C.'s gay community, but is a wonderful option for anyone. The bus leaves from Dupont Circle and drops you off right on Rehoboth's Main Street for $78 round-trip. You can also add a meal for $10 as well as buy drinks on the bus.
A second, and more expensive option is taking a train to Wilmington, then a bus to Rehoboth. Trains from Union Station usually run around $40 if you get them far enough in advance, and the bus tickets are only around $10. However the, buses only run on weekends, and drop you off about ten minutes from town, so you'll have to get a cab, which are rare, or walk about a mile from there.
Visitors to Rehoboth Beach always find what they're looking for: sun, fun, and relaxation. For either a day trip or a weeklong visit, you're bound to have a great time. For D.C.'s beachgoers, Rehoboth has it all: sand, shopping, and fine foods.
