Dewey Beach lies immediately south of Rehoboth Beach, separated by just a few blocks but with a noticeably different atmosphere. Where Rehoboth is family-friendly and increasingly upmarket, Dewey has maintained its reputation as the party beach of the Delaware shore — a strip of bars, beach music, and late nights that draws a younger, louder crowd from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
The beach itself is narrower than Rehoboth's and the sand a little coarser, but the surf is similar and the water temperature is the same. The attraction here is less the beach than the scene: the open-air bars with live music, the deck parties, and the general air of organised chaos that makes Dewey Beach a summer institution for a particular kind of Delaware visitor.
Parking is limited and expensive in summer; arriving by bike from Rehoboth on the Junction and Breakwater Trail is both practical and saves the hassle of finding a spot.