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town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States
North America > United States of America > Mid-Atlantic > Delaware > Dewey Beach

Dewey Beach
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Dewey Beach is in the US state of Delaware. It is a beach town located along the Atlantic Ocean in Sussex County. In addition to beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, Dewey Beach is home to several nightclubs and restaurants along the bay, attracting famous acts and bands during the summer months. The waters surrounding Dewey Beach are popular for jet-skiing.

Understand

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Dewey Beach is a beach town along the Atlantic Ocean in Sussex County in the southern part of the state of Delaware. The town is home to several beach houses and hotels where visitors stay. Dewey Beach has several nightclubs and restaurants along the bay, which bring in famous acts and bands to the town during the summer months. Because of its nightlife offerings, Dewey Beach attracts a younger crowd. The year round population of approximately 300 increases to 30,000 in the summer months as tourists come to Dewey Beach. Many visitors to Dewey Beach come from other parts of Delaware and the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The peak time for tourists to come to Dewey Beach is between Memorial Day weekend in late May and Labor Day weekend in early September. In June, the town is a popular destination for Senior Week, where recently-graduated high school seniors come to Dewey Beach to spend a week with their friends.

Climate

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Dewey Beach
Climate chart (explanation)
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation+Snow totals in inches
See Dewey Beach's 7 day forecast
Metric conversion
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92
 
 
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation+Snow totals in mm

Dewey Beach has a humid subtropical climate with four seasons. Summers are hot and humid, with highs averaging in the 80s and lows averaging in the 60s. Summer temperatures occasionally rise to the 90s or 100s. Winters are cool to cold, with highs averaging in the low to mid 40s and lows averaging in the low 30s. Winter temperatures often drop below freezing. Spring and fall can be variable, usually with milder weather. Dewey Beach averages 46.95 inches of precipitation a year, which is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The area does see snow in the winter months, but far less than inland locations. In the warmer months, the area does experience thunderstorms, some of which can be severe. Dewey Beach is prone to tropical storms and hurricanes from the Atlantic basin in the late summer and early fall, but typically only receives the remnants of such storms as they typically weaken by the time they reach this latitude.

Get in

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By car

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From northern Delaware, follow Delaware Route 1 south to reach Dewey Beach. From the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, follow U.S. Route 50 east and turn left onto Maryland Route 404 east in Wye Mills. Continue along Maryland Route 404 east to the Delaware border, where the road becomes Delaware Route 404. Follow Delaware Route 404 east through Georgetown to Five Points and turn right onto Delaware Route 1 south. Follow Delaware Route 1 south to reach Dewey Beach.

During the summer months, the heaviest traffic along Delaware Route 1 occurs southbound on Friday evenings when people are traveling to the beach for the weekend, northbound on Sunday afternoons when people are leaving the beach for the weekend, and in both directions on Saturday afternoons when people are checking in and out of weekly beach rentals. Traffic is heaviest along the 10 miles of Delaware Route 1 approaching Dewey Beach. If traveling to Dewey Beach on a Saturday, it is advised to leave early in the morning in order to avoid the worst of the traffic.

By plane

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The closest airport with commercial air service to Dewey Beach is the Salisbury-Ocean City-Wicomico Regional Airport (SBY IATA) near Salisbury, Maryland about 45 miles to the southwest. This airport is served by American Eagle flights from American Airlines hubs in Charlotte and Philadelphia. Rental car service is available at this airport. Visitors may also fly into Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI IATA) near Baltimore or Philadelphia International Airport (PHL IATA) in Philadelphia, which are served by a wider selection of airlines. From here, you can rent a car and drive to Dewey Beach.

By train

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The closest train station to Dewey Beach is Wilmington Station in Wilmington about 90 miles to the north. Wilmington Station is served by Amtrak trains operating on the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C. and Boston along with some long-distance trains, and SEPTA Regional Rail commuter trains running along the Wilmington/Newark Line from Center City Philadelphia. Rental car services are available at the station. From Wilmington Station, rent a car or take DART First State buses to Dewey Beach.

By bus

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  • BestBus, ☏ +1 202-332-2691, toll-free: +1-888-888-3269. Operates weekend service to/from Penn Station in New York City and Union Station and Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. in the summer. Bus stop is located in front of the Hyatt Place at 1301 Coastal Highway. Buses offer free Wi-Fi, electrical outlets, and free water. $46 to/from New York City, $40 to/from Washington, D.C.. (updated Apr 2017)
  • DART First State Beach Connection, toll-free: +1 800 652-3278. Route 305 operates on Friday nights, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays in the summer to/from Wilmington, the Christiana Mall, Middletown, Dover, and Lewes to Rehoboth Beach. In Lewes, the bus stops at the Lewes Park and Ride. In Rehoboth Beach, the bus stops at the Rehoboth Beach Park and Ride. At both the Lewes and Rehoboth Beach park and ride lots, the bus offers connections to Beach Bus routes providing service to Dewey Beach. Operates with a motorcoach offering 45 seats and 2 wheelchair positions with storage compartments under the coach for beach gear and luggage. Buses are air-conditioned and have wheelchair lifts. Free Wi-Fi. $10 to/from Wilmington and Christiana Mall, $8 to/from Middletown, $6 to/from Dover, $12.60 for a 3-Zone Anywhere Daily Pass. (updated May 2017)

By boat

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  • [dead link] Cape Water Tours & Taxi, 107 Angler Rd, Lewes, ☏ +1 302-644-7734. Cape Water Tours & Taxi operates a water taxi to Dewey Beach from Lewes on Friday evenings in the summer, offering access to dining and nightlife. The water taxi leaves Fisherman's Wharf in Lewes at 5:45PM or 6PM and arrives at the Rusty Rudder dock in Dewey Beach around 7PM. The return trip to Lewes leaves the Rusty Rudder dock at 9PM and arrives at Fisherman's Wharf at 10:15PM. $22, seniors age 60+ $21, children under age 11 $15. (updated Dec 2017)

Get around

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By bus

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  • DART First State Beach Bus, toll-free: +1 800 652-3278. DART First State operates two Beach Bus routes that serve Dewey Beach. Route 203 runs from Ruddertowne in Dewey Beach north to the Rehoboth Beach Park and Ride, the Tanger Outlets, and the Lewes Park and Ride. Route 208 passes through Dewey Beach and heads north to the Rehoboth Beach Park and Ride and south to Bethany Beach, Fenwick Island, and Ocean City. Motorists can park at the Rehoboth Beach Park and Ride, which is located on Shuttle Road off of Route 1 outside of Rehoboth Beach, for the day for $10.00 and get four daily bus passes offering unlimited rides. At the Lewes Park and Ride, which is located along Route 1 southbound past the Five Points intersection, free parking is available, with the bus fare paid upon boarding. Buses are air-conditioned and have wheelchair lifts. $2 one-way, $0.80 reduced fare, blind and children under 46 inches free, $4.20 daily pass, $18 for a 7-day pass. (updated May 2017)

By trolley

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  • Jolly Trolley, ☏ +1 302 227-1197. Memorial Day weekend-Labor Day: 8AM-2AM daily, weekends in shoulder season before Memorial Day and after Labor Day. The Jolly Trolley operates every half hour between Dewey Beach and Rehoboth Beach, with more frequent service during peak times. $3 one-way, $5 round-trip. (updated Apr 2017)

By car

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It is not advised to travel around Dewey Beach by car. Park the car when you get here and don't use it again until you leave. Between May 15 and September 15, parking in Dewey Beach is enforced by parking permits or parking meters. During this time, parking permits and parking meters are in effect from 10AM to 2AM daily, with parking free on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 5PM to 11PM. Parking meters are located on Saulsbury Street bayside, New Orleans Street oceanside, Bellevue Street oceanside, Dagsworthy Avenue bayside, McKinley Avenue oceanside, Read Avenue bayside, Dickinson Avenue oceanside and bayside, and Van Dyke Avenue oceanside and bayside. Parking at meters may be paid with coins or through the Parkmobile app. Parking permits may be purchased at the Dewey Beach Town Hall at 105 Rodney Avenue. Seasonal parking permits may be purchased Monday through Friday from 9AM to 5PM while weekly, weekend, and daily parking permits may be purchased 24 hours daily at the kiosk adjacent to the Dewey Beach Town Hall parking lot. Parking permits cost $200 for a seasonal permit, $55 for a weekly permit valid for seven consecutive days, $10 for a daily permit on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, $15 for a daily permit on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, and $35 for a weekend permit valid on a consecutive Friday-Sunday. Parking permits are not valid at parking meters. The rate for parking meters is $2 an hour.

By ride-hailing services

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Ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft can be used to get around Dewey Beach.

Dewey Beach is a natural sandbar community that boasts an ocean on one side of the street and a bay on the other.

Sunsets over the bay provide a romantic atmosphere and enhance the nightlife.

  • 1 Indian River Life-Saving Station, 25039 Coastal Hwy, Rehoboth Beach, ☏ +1 302-227-6991, fax: +1 302-227-6438. Nov 1-Mar 31: W-F 8AM-4PM, Sa 9AM-3PM; Apr 1-Oct 31: 8AM-4:30PM daily. Located within Delaware Seashore State Park, the Indian River Life-Saving Station is a museum operated by the state park system with life saving station restored to its 1905 appearance. A tour of the life saving station is offered. Museum is also home to a gift shop. Located approximately one mile north of the Indian River Inlet Bridge. Indian River Life Saving Service Station (Q6021479) on Wikidata Indian River Life Saving Service Station on Wikipedia 

Dewey Beach offers water sports such as skimboarding, windsurfing, and catamaran sailing.

  • Alley-Oop, 1904 Coastal Hwy, ☏ +1 302-227-3087. Retail store and clinic that offers lessons for skimboarding, skateboarding, and surfing 
Beach at Indian River Inlet at Delaware Seashore State Park
  • 1 Delaware Seashore State Park, 39415 Inlet Rd, Rehoboth Beach (Rte 1 south of Dewey Beach), ☏ +1 302-227-2800, fax: +1 302-227-7400. 8AM-sunset daily. A long stretch of natural beach that offers several areas for four-wheel vehicle access and surf fishing. A popular activity is treasure hunting on the beach with metal detectors. The park is home to two ocean swimming areas that have bathhouses that offer showers and changing rooms, concession stands, and rental of umbrellas, chairs, and rafts. The beaches are patrolled by lifeguards from 9AM-5PM between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day. A surfing beach is located north of Indian River Inlet. The inland bays offer activities such as boating, windsurfing, and sailing, with some areas allowing crabbing and clamming. A boat launch is available for boating access to the bay. The Indian River Marina is located to the north of the Indian River Inlet. The state park also has a nature trail on Burton's Island and two picnic pavilions. Delaware Seashore State Park offers year-round camping for tents and RVs. Mar-Nov: $5/day Delaware vehicle, $10/day out-of-state vehicle; Dec-Feb: Free. Delaware Seashore State Park (Q5253350) on Wikidata Delaware Seashore State Park on Wikipedia (updated Jan 2018)
  • Dewey Beach Parasail, 113 Dickinson St, ☏ +1 302-227-9507. The largest parasail operator in Delaware. (updated Mar 2018)
  • Indian River Inlet Marina, 39415 Inlet Rd, Rehoboth Beach (Rte 1 south of Dewey Beach), ☏ +1 302-227-3071. Marina located on the north side of Indian River Inlet at Delaware Seashore State Park, with a 24-hour boat ramp. 
  • Rehoboth Bay Marina, 109 Collins St, ☏ +1 302-226-2012. Marina located along the Rehoboth Bay in Dewey Beach. 
  • Rehoboth Bay Sailing Association, 38747 Rehoboth Bay Sailing Association Ln, Dewey Beach (Rte 1 south of Dewey Beach), ☏ +1 302-227-9008. The Rehoboth Bay Sailing Association is a membership sailing and tennis facility that offers a sailing school and rentals along with tennis tournaments and clinics. 

Drink

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  • Bottle & Cork, 1807 DE-1, ☏ +1 302-227-7272. 
  • Dewey Beer Company, 2100 Coastal Hwy, ☏ +1 302-227-1182. Brewpub that offers craft beers and American cuisine in a rustic setting 
  • Northbeach Restaurant, 125 McKinley St, ☏ +1 302-226-8673. Seafood restaurant with outdoor bar overlooking the bay, offering a view of the sunset. 
  • Woody's East Coast Bar & Grill, 1904 Coastal Hwy, ☏ +1 302-260-9945. Dive bar that serves great food, including seafood dishes such as fish tacos, shrimp quesadillas, and ahi tuna salad, a large selection of sandwiches and burgers, appetizers such as nachos, egg rolls, and onion rings, and most notably their excellent crabcakes which have been awarded the "best crabcake in Delaware." 

Sleep

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The following realtors offer vacation rentals in Dewey Beach:

Go next

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  • Rehoboth Beach is just north of Dewey Beach and offers beaches, dining, shopping, a boardwalk, arcades, and amusements.
  • Ocean City is south of Dewey Beach and has 10 miles of beaches, a 3-mile long boardwalk, arcades, amusements, shopping, dining, and nightlife.
Routes through Dewey Beach
Lewes ← Rehoboth Beach ←  N  S  → Bethany Beach → Ocean City


This city travel guide to Dewey Beach is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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