A vacation to the Delaware beaches this summer can be fun and relaxing for both you and your canine companion. Plenty of ocean and bay beaches allow furry friends to join you. My two doodles Gianni and Dante I have explored several and are looking forward to visiting all on this list. No matter what beach you bring your dog to owners are expected to keep dogs under control and clean up after them.
Broadkill Beach
Our hands-down favorite. It’s worth the 30-minute drive from my home in Lewes. The drive north down Route 1 is easy. When you turn onto Route 16, the road heading to Broadkill is like traveling back in time. It’s one lane in either direction. The wildlife and pools of water are stunning to see on either side of the road through Prime Hook Natural Wildlife Refuge. A large tidal wetland ecosystem is visible across the expansive marshlands. The Refuge spans more than 20,000 acres of protected freshwater and saltwater marshes along the Delaware Bay. My boys and I go there often. The bay water is calm, and the beach is so much less crowded than those in Lewes, Rehoboth and Dewey. It’s touted as one of the most dog-friendly beaches on the bay. Dogs are allowed year-round.
Cape Henlopen State Park
Broadkill is not the only beach that allows dogs during summer days. Cape Henlopen State Park, on more than 5,000 acres in Sussex County, welcomes pets on their trails and most of their beaches. In 1682, William Penn made the beaches of Cape Henlopen one the first public lands established in what became the United States.
Areas of Conquest Road, which is on the ocean side of Cape Henlopen, are good beaches to bring your pooch. Beach access is off Gordons Pond Road between Lewes and Rehoboth. It’s less crowded than the main resort beaches. Dogs are allowed on leash during the summer with no restrictions.
We visited Herring Point this summer where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Delaware Bay. On a gorgeous June day, we ventured onto the Point which was crowded with teens playing beach ball games, children swimming in a very cold ocean (no lifeguard) and dogs of all shapes and sizes. A pass (which can be purchased in the park office) is required to get into the park. Both dogs and sunbathers co-mingle amicably during the day. If you would like to get out of the sun, the park offers shaded trails to explore with your dog.
Gianni swimming at Dewey Beach.
Whiskey Beach is a local nickname for a stretch in Cape Henlopen State Park near the southern end of the Gordon Pond’s area, between Lewes and Rehoboth. It’s accessed from the Gordon Pond trail/parking areas and is not an officially signed beach on most maps. Whiskey Beach is on the ocean side, south of the main Cape Henlopen swimming beach and north of Rehoboth. The name come from local history involving rumrunners during Prohibition. Finding it can be tricky. If you come from Lewes, drive into the state park, head toward the Gordon’s Pond area or trail access and walk or bike south along the shoreline/trail toward Rehoboth. It also tends to be less crowded that the main beaches.
Dewey Beach
Another favorite of ours is Dewey Beach where the Doodle Romp takes place each year. The beach is big and beautiful, and people are friendly to both humans and dogs. Dog-walking hours are restricted to early morning or evening. Taking the boys for a dip in the ocean before it gets too hot or after the sun drops (before and after lifeguards are on duty) works well. Dewey also requires a dog license you can pick up at the Dewey police station. It’s inexpensive and can cover a day, week or lifetime.
Slaughter Beach
Slaughter Beach is considered one of the more dog-friendly beaches on the Delaware Bay. The town of Slaughter Beach, on the southwest shore of Delaware Bay, has a population of 218 according to the 2020 census. It’s about 30 minutes north of Lewes. In the spring and early summer horseshoe crabs come ashore to spawn. Wave action flips them over where they are left to die in the hot sun which is how the area was named (slaughter of the crabs).
Fowler Beach
Fowler Beach is also about 30-40 minutes north of the beach towns. It’s a remote bay beach where dogs are permitted and is part of the area managed by the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. During shorebird nesting season, access is restricted. Dog rules can change to protect wildlife. Be sure to check before visiting. However, if the beach is restricted, Prime Hook has many refuge trails that allow leashed dogs.
Lewes Beaches
In 2021 the city of Lewes officially renamed its two beaches known simply as “Beach 1” and “Beach 2” as Savannah Beach and Johnnie Walker Beach (closer to the ferry terminal). Both have the same dog rules. Dogs are not allowed on either beach between 8:00 am and 6:30 pm. Outside those hours, dogs are permitted if they are leashed.
Fenwick Island State Park
Ocean-swimming beaches in Fenwick Island State Park and Cape Henlopen’s designated bathing beaches restrict dogs from May 1 to Sept. 30.
Bethany Beach
Dogs are prohibited from the beach and boardwalk in Bethany from May 13 through Sept. 30 and must be leashed at all times.
Whether you prefer the calm waters of Broadkill Beach, the wide-open stretches of Cape Henlopen or the quiet solitude of Fowler Beach, Delmarva offers plenty of places where dogs can splash, sniff, dig and explore. Every beach has its own personality, and part of the fun is discovering which ones best suit you and your four-legged companion. Gianni, Dante and I still have a few more shores to explore. It’s so much fun to discover new shorelines and create new adventures with my two enthusiastic best friends.
Pattie Cinelli and her doodles have fun discovering beaches for them to romp. Email her at: fitmiss44@aol.com.
