Best and Worst Beaches for Teens on the Eastern Shore

by Amanda Allen ‘17

Rehoboth

Rehoboth has many attractions to keep all ages busy. Three locations of Tanger Outlets offer stores such as Nike, Under Armour, Michael Kors, Vineyard Vines, American Eagle and more. Kids can enjoy the Midway Family Fun Park, which has activities like go-carts, bumper boats, mini golf, lazy river, pools, slides and a Movie Theater next door. Another perk of Rehoboth is that there is a full boardwalk with many shops and popular food places including Grotto Pizza, Thrashers French Fries and Nicolas Pizza, known for their famous inside-out pizza they call Nicobolis. Rehoboth also has nicer restaurants such as The Big Fish Grill and The Cultured Pearl, which has an award-winning sushi menu with the option of rooftop seating. Also, there is a kid-friendly amusement park, called Funland, right on the boardwalk. A negative with Rehoboth is that the beach and boardwalk are overly crowded, and sometimes can feel very dirty. There is always a lot of traffic, resulting in difficulties for finding a parking spot. Rehoboth is definitely the beach with the most opportunities for all ages.

Dewey

Dewey is not a very family or teenager friendly place and is known as the beach where people in their 20s like to party. Bars line both sides of Route 1 which runs right through the center of Dewey, which is filled with pedestrians under the influence. Although there is no boardwalk, Dewey does provide lots of options to paddle board and rent jet skis on the bay. A popular outdoor restaurant for all ages is the Rusty Rudder, which has average food, but has a Reggae band playing every night. The restaurant leads into a pier on the bay and has a nice volleyball court in the sand for people to play on.

Bethany

Bethany has a very small-town feel, which explains its popularity with families. This beach has a smaller boardwalk with typical beach stores and a limited variety of food options. Most visitors do not leave town without stopping by the Bethany Surf Shop, which offers surf body and skim boards, T-shirts and other apparel, popular Bethany Beach stickers and surf tours. On the other hand, Bethany is a very crowded beach, making it difficult to find a parking spot for those that do not rent a house within walking distance.

Fenwick

Fenwick is different from all the other beaches in the area. Fenwick Island State Park is a three-mile barrier island known to be a very relaxing and quiet option for people that are looking for seclusion and privacy. Many people look to fish in this part of town. A downside to Fenwick is that it is expensive to stay there because there are few rental options.

Ocean City

Ocean City is also a place known for fishing. When the waves are too rough, the bayside offers aquatic rentals like jet skis and paddle boards. Ocean City is a popular place for teens to hang out due to the many attractions, including the carnival at the end of the boardwalk and other fun activities such as the mirror maze. There are many mini golf places throughout the town and a huge waterpark called Jolly Rogers with awesome water slides, roller coasters, games, go-karts, a Ferris wheel and miniature golf. Ocean City is very dirty along the boardwalk which may cause some to turn away, but there is an abundance of entertainment.