Your Guide to Adventure at Delaware Seashore State Park
A short drive south of Rehoboth Beach, six and a half miles of barrier beach run between the Atlantic and the bays, with the Indian River Inlet churning at the center. Delaware Seashore State Park is where the shore turns wild, and it makes for one of the most rewarding day trips from oceanfront accommodations at the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel.
Get to Know Delaware Seashore Park
Alongside its ocean frontage, the park protects 20 miles of bay shoreline, giving you two distinct coastlines in one visit. Travel along the barrier beach was difficult until 1939, when federal jetties of steel and stone stabilized the Indian River Inlet. The state began managing the land as Indian River State Park in 1965 and renamed it Delaware Seashore State Park two years later.
Claim a Stretch of Sand
Ten beach access points line the park, with bathhouses at Tower Ocean Road and the South Day Use Area. Lifeguards watch the swimming beaches from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, and beach wheelchairs make this one of the more accessible state park beaches in Delaware.
Fish, Crab, and Clam the Inlet
Anglers have long considered Delaware Seashore Park one of the most productive stretches on the Mid-Atlantic coast. Options include:
- Surf Fishing: Drive onto the sand at designated crossings with a surf fishing plate and decal, sold at the Life-Saving Station or online.
- Inlet Fishing: The jetties draw striped bass, flounder, and bluefish.
- Crabbing and Clamming: The calm, shallow bay side suits a bucket and a net.
Tidal waters require a license from DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife.
Paddle the Inland Bays
Behind the barrier island, the inland bays form shallow, sheltered estuaries full of wildlife. Marked water trails, including the Cedar Island and Savages Ditch routes, lead paddlers to the best stretches, where herons and osprey make regular company.
Step Inside the Indian River Life-Saving Station
Built in 1876, the Life-Saving Station housed the surfmen of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, forerunner of today’s Coast Guard. They walked night patrols along this beach and rowed into the surf when ships went down.
When a dune began swallowing the building, the whole structure was moved in 1877. Restored to its 1905 appearance, it now serves as the visitor center for Delaware Seashore Park. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and belongs on any Rehoboth Beach sightseeing list!
Venture Beyond the Barrier Island
Delaware Seashore Park also manages several nearby recreation areas and two additional state parks, including:
- Thompson Island Nature Preserve: Right in Rehoboth Beach, and the closest piece of the system to the hotel.
- Fenwick Island State Park: Three miles of ocean beach, a World War II fire control tower, and ghost crabs along the water.
- Holts Landing State Park: Bayfront calm on the Indian River Bay, with a fishing pier and the fully accessible Seahawk Trail.
Victorian-Era Comfort After a Day in the Wild
Among hotels in Rehoboth Beach, the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel puts the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk at your doorstep and the park within easy reach. Unwind in the heated indoor-outdoor spa pool, then settle in for dinner at Victoria’s Restaurant with the Atlantic just beyond the windows.