Going Coastal: Classics & Hidden Gems
By • July 16, 2025 0 747
Take a ride with our writers to East Coast favorites. Whether you’ve been many times or never, consider these summery places. Bring your enthusiasm and curiosity — and sunscreen.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Rehoboth Beach. Courtesy Visit Delaware.
If you enjoy sun, sand and fun, there is no better place to be than Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Rehoboth has something for everyone: a beautiful white sandy beach, a one-mile boardwalk and food for all tastes — from salt-water taffy, cotton candy, Grotto’s pizza and Thrasher’s french fries to restaurants to excite the palate of any real foodie. Generations of Washingtonians have agreed.
I have been going to Rehoboth Beach for more than 40 years. It has changed over time but still maintains the small-town charm it had back then. Contrary to places like Ocean City, Maryland, the town commission has limited the height of most buildings to four stories. If you are going for more than a day, you should look at hotels, but also home rentals. While all are more expensive than they were, everyone will tell you spending time in Rehoboth is worth whatever it costs. If you are a day tripper, you might also feel the pinch, with parking meters costing $4 an hour (if you can find one). Rehoboth does sell parking permits, both day permits and for longer stays.
Those who have been to Rehoboth will miss the iconic Dolles salt-water taffy sign on the boardwalk. It was removed a couple of years ago with the idea a new hotel will be built on that corner of Rehoboth Avenue and the boardwalk. It has now found a home at the Rehoboth Beach Museum, and you will notice it as you drive into town. But what hasn’t changed is the fun you and your family can have on the boardwalk — from eating junk food to your heart’s content, spending time at Funland or playing a round of miniature golf. Nothing beats seeing kids or adults (I call them older kids) having a good time at the beach.
In many ways, Rehoboth has become a year-round community and a retirement community. The pandemic accelerated that momentum. The big plus is that has enabled many restaurants and shops to stay open all year. There are some great new restaurants like Drift, which got a rave review in the Washington Post. For other high-end, superb meals, try the Blue Moon or the Back Porch. Then try the Henlopen Oyster House, La Fable, Eden or a host of others. For more relaxed dining, try the Pines, Summer House or Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, again among so many others.
Rehoboth has three main commercial streets: Rehoboth Avenue, Baltimore Avenue and Wilmington Avenue. Baltimore and Wilmington are each only two blocks long. Rehoboth Avenue runs from the beach to the edge of town. You can, and should, walk them all. It won’t take long, and you will find a myriad of other places to eat and shop.
Rehoboth is known as a LGBTQ-friendly town, and it definitely is. There is the famous Poodle Beach at the very southern tip of the boardwalk. It is known as the gay beach, but, of course, everyone is welcome. Rehoboth also has an LGBTQ community center, CAMP (Create A More Positive) Rehoboth, on Baltimore Avenue.
For those who didn’t bring that summer reading with them, just stop into Browseabout on Rehoboth Avenue. It’s one of the best independent bookstores I have ever been in — and also a favorite of former first lady Jill Biden. The last time I saw former President Joe Biden, an honored resident of Rehoboth Beach, he was standing in front of the bookstore greeting people.
Just around the corner from the bookstore, in the mews between Rehoboth Avenue and Baltimore Avenue, is my favorite coffee shop, the Coffee Mill. There is also the Mill Creamery, with ice cream made locally. Then, for some culture, Rehoboth has Clear Space Theatre. They have some great productions this summer, including “Hairspray” and “Rent.”
So whatever fun you are looking for — relaxing or partying — you can find it in Rehoboth Beach. Try it once and you will be going back again and again.
— Peter Rosenstein
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach. Courtesy Visit Virginia Beach.
Located a mere three and half hours from Georgetown, Virginia Beach is always a popular summer destination. Other than being located fairly close to D.C., people are drawn to go by the miles of coastline, the Virginia Beach Aquarium and the boardwalk.
The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, or Virginia Beach Aquarium, is a collaboration between the City of Virginia Beach and the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation. It has over 800,000 gallons of exhibit space and over 300 species.
The boardwalk at Virginia Beach stretches three miles, holding restaurants, hotels and other attractions. The boardwalk is also where you will find Virginia Beach’s famous King Neptune Statue, standing 34 feet tall.
Despite how touristy it is, Virginia Beach has a fair amount of wildlife. The Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area designed to protect and provide habitat for migratory birds.
Virginia Beach is also home to quite a large military presence, contributing to Virginia Beach’s large population and booming economy.
— Caroline Moore
The Outer Banks, North Carolina
The Outer Banks. Courtesy Visit NC.
Not just the title of a popular Netflix series, the Outer Banks is also a stretch of barrier islands off the coast of North ΩCarolina that begins at the Virginia border and runs south for 120 miles down to Ocracoke Island. Roughly five million people visit the Outer Banks, often referred to as OBX, each year. The island group is renowned for its beautiful beaches, five different species of sea turtles, towering lighthouses, outdoor activities like fishing and swimming and even the Wright Brothers National Memorial — an ode to the site of the first controlled, sustained flight of an engine-powered, heavier-than-air aircraft, on Dec. 17, 1903.
— Grace Cady
The Crystal Coast, North Carolina
North Carolina’s Crystal Coast. Wikipedia photo.
The Crystal Coast of North Carolina, also known as the Southern Outer Banks, spans 85 miles of beaches, barrier islands and historic towns, from the Cape Lookout National Seashore westward to Emerald Isle, where the water is known to be crystal clear. Every town features a host of enticing activities, including a horse safari on Shackleford Banks, an exhibition of Blackbeard’s artifacts at the Maritime Museum in Beaufort and a caviar tasting at Marshallberg Farm. The Crystal Coast is the perfect destination for a weekend getaway. Come for the beach and stay for the food, wine and natural beauty.
— Annabel Taylor
Amelia Island, Florida
Deremer Studios Jacksonville Commercial Photography – www.deremerstudios.com
Amelia Island is a charming beach town and the last barrier island on Florida’s Atlantic coast. This summery destination sports not only 13 miles of accessible beaches and pristine coastal waters, but a rich history under eight different flags first inhabited by the Timucuan Indians and then settled by the French Huguenots in 1562. Today there’s a charming Victorian town filled with boutiques, restaurants and many live music venues, several nature preserves featuring abundant wildlife and the true trappings of southern hospitality with live oaks to canopy the streets. This variety offers a myriad of activities outside of simply lounging on the beach, such as kayaking, paddle boarding, golfing and simply walking around downtown. Amelia Island is a versatile vacation spot, one fit for any type of trip, whether that be a family holiday, a romantic couples getaway or a fun furlough with friends.
— Caroline Woodward
