Every summer, Rehoboth Beach transforms from a town of about 1,600 year-round residents into a destination welcoming more than 3.5 million visitors each year. Add neighboring Dewey Beach, and the Rehoboth-Dewey area is on track to welcome more than 7 million visitors annually. That’s a lot of people sharing the same beaches, boardwalks and restaurants, so naturally, everyone has an opinion.
Who has the best pizza take? Is beach-chair camping ever okay? What’s the proper rainy-day plan? We asked locals and visitors around Rehoboth and Dewey beaches, then turned to our social media followers to weigh in on some of the Cape Region’s biggest debates.
Some questions had clear winners. Others may never be settled.
BEACH PIZZA
Few foods are as closely tied to a Delaware beach vacation as pizza. For some families, ordering the same pie every summer is as much a tradition as walking the boardwalk or grabbing fries after the beach. That’s why this question quickly became one of the most passionate debates we heard. Visitors overwhelmingly pointed to Grotto Pizza as an essential part of the beach experience, while locals spread their loyalty among longtime favorites like Nicola Pizza and Mr. P’s. Then there were the die-hard Grotto fans who didn’t hesitate to defend their choice.
Locals:
“Mr. P’s in Lewes.”
“Nicola Pizza.”
“Grotto’s. I was born on that and I will die on that.”
Visitors:
Grotto’s (most common answer)
Nicola Pizza
“Definitely not Grotto’s.”
Verdict:
Grotto wins on popularity … and controversy.
ICE CREAM
Unlike pizza, ice cream brought people together. Families have been ending beach days with a cone for generations, and nearly everyone had a favorite stop they return to year after year. While locals showed some love for Vanderwende’s, visitors overwhelmingly chose Kohr Bros., proving that some beach traditions never seem to change. Whether it’s orange and vanilla swirl or classic chocolate, frozen custard has become just as much a part of summer as sunscreen and flip-flops.
Locals:
Vanderwende’s
Kohr Bros.
Visitors:
Kohr Bros. (by far the favorite)
Dickey’s Frozen Custard
Verdict:
Kohr Bros. remains the undisputed summer classic.
BEACH-CHAIR CAMPING
Few topics generated more conversation than beach-chair camping. Is it okay to claim your spot before sunrise, or should every patch of sand remain first come, first served? Most locals felt empty chairs shouldn’t reserve prime beachfront real estate for hours at a time. Visitors, especially families with kids and large groups, were more understanding, saying saving a reasonable amount of space is simply part of planning a beach day. Everyone agreed on one thing, though: taking over half the beach is never a good look.
Locals:
“No. That’s annoying.”
“I’ve had to break up fights over it.”
“There are rules for a reason.”
Visitors:
“It’s fine if you’re respectful.”
“A couple chairs is okay.”
“Just don’t take over the whole beach.”
Verdict:
Courtesy goes a long way.
BIG TENTS & BEACH SETUPS
Along with beach chairs came another hot-button topic: oversized tents and elaborate beach setups. Parents appreciated the extra shade and space, while many locals worried about blocked views and crowded beaches. The consensus wasn’t that tents should disappear, but that everyone should remember they’re sharing the sand with hundreds of other people.
Locals:
Keep them on drive-on beaches.
Don’t block everyone else.
Visitors:
Fine if your group is big enough.
Just be courteous.
Verdict:
Size matters.
SUMMER TRAFFIC
If there was one debate that wasn’t really a debate, it was traffic. Everyone had a horror story about Route 1, whether it involved sitting through multiple light cycles, hunting for parking or crawling through Dewey on a Saturday afternoon. Locals accepted it as part of summer life, while visitors simply hoped the beach would be worth the drive. Judging by the number of people who come back every year, apparently it is.
Locals:
“It’s getting worse every year.”
“It depends on the day.”
Visitors:
“10 out of 10.”
“Terrible.”
“No way around it.”
Verdict:
Everyone agrees traffic is awful.
THE PERFECT RAINY DAY
Rainy days revealed one of the biggest differences between locals and visitors. Vacationers wanted to squeeze every minute out of their trip, filling cloudy days with shopping, museums and indoor activities. Locals took the opposite approach, treating bad weather as the perfect excuse to catch up on chores, watch a movie or simply avoid the crowds entirely. If there was one piece of advice repeated over and over, it was this: don’t go to the outlets when it rains.
Locals:
Laundry
Watch movies at home
Avoid the outlets
Visitors:
Tanger Outlets
Bowling
Rehoboth Beach Museum
Verdict:
Visitors head out. Locals stay in.
FAVORITE BEACH
Choosing a favorite beach turned out to be surprisingly personal. Visitors often picked Rehoboth or Cape Henlopen because of family traditions, while locals were much more likely to name Dewey or Lewes, sometimes adding that they’d rather keep their favorite stretch of sand a secret. Around here, asking someone their favorite beach is a little like asking where they catch fish. You might get an answer, but don’t expect all the details.
Locals:
Dewey for relaxing
Lewes
Rehoboth for work, Dewey for fun
Gordon’s Pond
Visitors:
Rehoboth
Cape Henlopen
Dewey occasionally
Verdict:
Everyone has their beach.
MUST-HAVE BEACH SNACK
A beach day isn’t complete without something to eat, and everyone seemed to have a go-to stop. Visitors leaned toward the iconic boardwalk staples, while locals mixed in a few neighborhood favorites. It may have been one of the least controversial questions we asked because, regardless of where people stood on pizza, almost everyone agreed a day at the beach deserves a good snack.
Locals:
Thrasher’s Fries
Irish Eyes
Visitors:
Thrasher’s Fries
Wawa
Verdict:
Fries always win.
DRIVE-ON BEACHES
Drive-on beaches may be one of Delaware’s most unique traditions, but they also come with one important rule: if you’re driving on the beach, you’re supposed to be actively surf fishing. That means baited lines in the water or tending your gear nearby. That’s what made one answer so funny. More than one person admitted they weren’t really there for the fish at all.
Locals:
“I fake fish.”
“I have all the gear but my tackle box is empty.”
Visitors:
“Pretend to fish.”
Verdict:
Apparently, nobody’s
catching anything.
WHAT EVERYONE AGREED ON
Summer traffic is terrible.
Courtesy goes a long way.
Kohr Bros. and/or Thrasher’s is always a good idea.
The Cape Region keeps people coming back.
Beach days beat rainy days.
Everyone has very strong opinions about pizza.
After talking with dozens of people around Rehoboth and Dewey beaches and hearing from hundreds more on social media, one thing became clear: there isn’t one “right” way to do summer in the Cape Region. Some people head to the beach for the waves. Others head there for the pizza. Some are up before sunrise to claim their spot on the sand, while others believe the beach should always be first come, first served. Locals know the back roads, avoid the outlets when it rains and guard their favorite beach access like a family secret. Visitors embrace the traditions, stroll the boardwalk, order the iconic beach foods and make the kinds of memories that bring them back year after year.
Tiffany Caldwell Photography
