Delaware Seashore State Park

Delaware Seashore State Park, stretching 6 miles between Dewey Beach and the Indian River Inlet on the Atlantic coast of Sussex County, is the most popular state park in Delaware — a barrier island park protecting 2,825 acres of ocean beach, dune, bay-shore marsh and inlet, one of the finest swimming and recreational beaches on the mid-Atlantic coast, easily accessible from Rehoboth Beach and Washington DC.

The park includes the Indian River Inlet (a dramatic inlet at the south end of the park, with excellent surf fishing, the iconic Inlet Bridge and the ‘Slot’ for blue crabs) and the Burton Island Nature Area (a small island in Rehoboth Bay with birding access). The park campground is the most sought-after camping reservation in Delaware, with ocean-side sites within steps of the surf. Delaware Seashore State Park is a treasured natural icon of Delaware.

Delaware Seashore State Park offers ocean swimming (lifeguarded beaches in season at multiple access points — the park has some of the finest and most accessible ocean beach in Delaware), surf fishing (Indian River Inlet is one of the premier surf-fishing locations on the Delmarva Peninsula for striped bass, bluefish, flounder and weakfish), blue-crabbing in the inlet channel from the bridge and shore, camping (ocean-side sites at the campground — some of the most sought-after beach camping reservations in the mid-Atlantic), birding (the inlet and bay shores are excellent for migrant shorebirds in fall, and the ocean beach has concentrations of gannets and scoters in fall and winter), kayaking and paddleboarding in Rehoboth Bay, and windsurfing. The swimming beach, the surf fishing and the ocean camping are the signature draws.

Summer (June through August) is the peak season for beach swimming and camping — the ocean water reaches 72-76°F, the lifeguards are on duty, and the park is at its fullest. Fall (September through November) is excellent for surf fishing (striped bass runs in October and November), migrant shorebirds and seabirds (gannets offshore, scoters and long-tailed ducks on the ocean), and camping without summer crowds. Spring is good for the shorebird migration. Any season has its character; summer for the beach and fall for the fishing are the highlights.

The barrier beach of the Delmarva Peninsula south of Lewes has been a summer recreational destination since the early 20th century, with the development of Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach drawing Washington DC and mid-Atlantic vacationers. Delaware Seashore State Park was established in 1960 to protect a segment of the barrier beach from the development that was consuming the Rehoboth Beach area. The Indian River Inlet (cut through the barrier island naturally and subsequently stabilized by jetties) is the critical connection between the barrier island and the inland bays. The park preserves the barrier-island beach and inlet ecosystem.

Delaware Seashore State Park is a classic Atlantic barrier island — a sandy barrier formed by longshore drift and wave action, with the ocean beach and dune system on the east and the bay (Rehoboth Bay and Indian River Bay) on the west. The Indian River Inlet (the primary tidal connection between the barrier island and the ocean) was formerly a natural inlet that migrated and closed and reopened; it is now stabilized by rock jetties. The barrier island is a dynamic feature, shaped by seasonal storms and long-term sea-level rise. The Atlantic barrier-island system, the longshore drift and the storm dynamics created the 6-mile barrier beach.

Delaware Seashore State Park’s ocean beach, dune, bay and inlet habitats support a diverse wildlife community — migrant shorebirds and terns on the beach and inlet in late summer and fall; gannets, scoters, long-tailed ducks and loons offshore in fall and winter; ospreys, great egrets and tricolored herons on the bay shore in summer; nesting least terns and piping plovers (protected; respect all closures); and horseshoe crabs spawning on the bay-shore beaches in May. Bottlenose dolphins are frequently visible offshore in summer.

Delaware Seashore State Park protects a critical segment of the Delmarva Peninsula barrier-island ecosystem — the ocean beach, dune and bay-shore habitats that provide nesting sites for least terns and piping plovers, shorebird stopover habitat, and the tidal inlet ecology of the Indian River Inlet (a nursery for juvenile fish and blue crabs). The barrier island protects the inland bays from storm surge. Sea-level rise and storm erosion are ongoing management challenges. Protecting the nesting-bird beach closures, the inlet ecology and the barrier-island natural processes sustains this mid-Atlantic coastal ecosystem.

Delaware Seashore State Park holds a treasured place among the coastal icons of Delaware — the state’s premier Atlantic beach park, protecting 6 miles of the finest ocean beach in Delaware between Dewey Beach and the Indian River Inlet, with the most popular camping reservation in the state and the finest surf fishing on the Delmarva Peninsula. Its combination of beach, inlet and bay creates the most diverse coastal recreation in Delaware. Delaware Seashore is a cherished natural icon.

Delaware Seashore State Park is on the Atlantic coast of Sussex County, Delaware, accessible from Dewey Beach at the north end (off Coastal Highway, DE Route 1) or from Indian River Inlet at the south end (the parking areas on both sides of the Indian River Inlet bridge on Route 1). The park has multiple beach access points along Route 1. A Delaware state park vehicle fee applies in season. The campground requires advance reservations (they sell out months in advance for peak summer dates). Rehoboth Beach (just north) and Dewey Beach (at the park’s north end) have full resort services. Check DE State Parks for current conditions, campground availability and fees before visiting.

Delaware State Parks manages Delaware Seashore State Park. Least tern and piping plover nesting areas on the beach are roped off in late April through July — never enter the nesting areas (the birds abandon nests easily; federal protection applies). Clean, drain and dry all watercraft before and after launching to prevent invasive species spread. The Indian River Inlet jetty rocks are popular for fishing but slippery; use caution. Protect the dune vegetation (stay on the designated dune crossovers — walking on the dunes destroys the beach grass that holds them). Pack out all trash.

The ocean beach has rip currents (swim near lifeguard stands and heed any rip-current flags or warnings). The Indian River Inlet jetty rocks are extremely slippery (algae and wave action) — wear appropriate shoes and do not go to the lowest rocks during any wave action. Strong currents at the inlet (the tide moves fast through the inlet channel — do not swim at or near the inlet). Biting greenhead flies are fierce on the bay side in July; carry repellent. Respect the lifeguard zones, the inlet current, the slippery jetty and the nesting-bird closures.

Delaware state park vehicle fee in season (covered by Delaware annual passes). Campground requires advance reservation (reserve very early for peak summer dates). Nesting-bird beach closures apply. Clean, drain, dry all watercraft. Fishing follows Delaware regulations. Pets must be leashed; not permitted on the swimming beaches in season. No fires outside designated fire rings at campground. Pack out all trash. Check DE State Parks for current beach rules, campground availability and fees before visiting.

Dewey Beach (just north — the famous small resort and nightlife beach town), Rehoboth Beach (a full-service resort beach city just north of Dewey, with the famous Boardwalk and outstanding restaurants), the town of Lewes (12 miles north — Cape Henlopen State Park and the ferry to Cape May), Fenwick Island State Park (at the Maryland border to the south), the Assawoman Wildlife Area, and the full Delmarva barrier coast define the region. Delaware Seashore anchors the Atlantic-beach experience of Delaware, easily combined with the restaurants of Rehoboth Beach and the birding at Cape Henlopen for the definitive Delaware coastal day.

Camp at the ocean-side sites in the Delaware Seashore campground for the full experience — falling asleep to the Atlantic and walking to the surf in the morning from your tent is genuinely exceptional. Reserve the ocean sites 11 months in advance (they sell out immediately for peak summer dates). Fish the Indian River Inlet in October and November for striped bass — one of the premier surf-fishing spots on the Delmarva Peninsula. Visit in late May for the horseshoe-crab spawning on the bay-side beaches (complement to Cape Henlopen). Come in early September for the best combination of warm water, smaller crowds and the start of the fall migrant shorebird season.