We have been going to Bethany Beach for about 22 years now and we find it to be a great beach for family and friends.
Beach was cool for a few days and then Friday really warmed up! Cleanest beach in Delaware.Ocean too was quite cold to swim but did wade in it. I'd go a little earlier in September to fully appreciate the beach,but we did enjoy the spaciousness.
Love the town, Beaches are wonderful. great for family. Most places in town closes at 10pm. Great to get up for morning sunrise.
Bethany Beach is picture perfect for those who like a small town feel. There are several great restaurants in Bethany, and outlets are not far for those who like to shop. Beach is beautiful. Stroll on boardwalk is a must.
Bethany is such a great a place to visit. There are so many choices. Plenty of restaurants and things to do. It's a quiet resort with friendly people. Loved it so much we bought a house here. It's a great community all year around.
The little town of Bethany, Delaware is on the East coast between Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and Ocean City, Maryland. Bethany has one of the cleanest resort towns and a delightful boardwalk and beach. Center stage on the boardwalk is a bandstand with entertainment most every night. All the little shops on the boardwalk, main street and the side streets are vacation fun and affordable. Just pull up a chair and watch the dolphins head up and down along the coast--we even saw a paddle boarder get surrounded by a pod, really cool. You'll enjoy a visit to Bethany most any time of the year.
Sand is clean, boardwalk is nice. Businesses near beach pleasing to look at. Homes architectually attractive.
A lovely small town, on the ocean, safe to let children wander on their own. Many small shops, some opened all winter, more each year. Mile long Boardwalk with more shops. Great vacation site. In summer, bustling with attractions. Entertainment on the center Boardwalk stage many nights of the week, bands, singers, dancers, a great variety. Bonfires sponsored by the town at night. Movies on the beach for the kids. Large Fourth of July parade each year. A grand library, with many computer stations, and children's hours all summer, and a meeting room with adult lectures, etc. year round. Kids can enter the parade on their decorated bikes. Over all a wonderful place to vacation or live.
The beach is clean and family-friendly. But what really concerns me are the lifeguards -- and the only reason why I give this beach three stars instead of five. On most beaches, lifeguards appear very vigilant. But at Bethany, they don't seem to take their job as seriously as they should. I noticed that when lifeguards are grouped in pairs, they seem to spent a lot of time talking and looking at each other (not at the ocean) as they chat. I also observed (on multiple occasions) that some lifeguards would hang out at another guard's stand, appearing to do nothing but chatting and flirting. Yet the week that we were there, the surf was quite rough with riptides and red flags. I really hope they change their lifeguarding methods before someone gets hurt.
This beach isn't natural, which I found out after getting there. It is man made, what that means for visitors is that the sand is steep down to the ocean, and the ocean gets deeper faster than many other beaches. Also the ocean water is very cold, maybe its just because I usually go to southern beaches. But it was down right chilly, and uncomfortable.