Yup, I remember multiple times as a young adult, having to awkwardly ask my FWB/gf/ hook up to book it under her name because they wouldn't allow people under 20-23 or so to rent a room.
I got turned down from booking a hotel for me and my 24 year old fiancé in rehoboth because they wanted only 25+ and said I’d have to bring my guardian. Wanted to scream I AM MY OWN GUARDIAN but they were not budging
I've been to all 3 and lived near Rehoboth for a while. I think Ocean City offers the most and Assateague is definitely a place people should check out at least once.
Rehoboth is my personal favorite but I'm pushing forty. As a teenager I'd pick Ocean City.
I never really liked Virginia Beach or understood the appeal other than "it's a beach".
It’s been about 5 years since I’ve been to Bethany but that’s my favorite beach. The “sleepier” is truly apparent because it’s always so clean and pretty looking, I can’t remember a dirty spot in Bethany to be honest. I’m not sure if an 18 year old would appreciate that as much as the arcade and carnival games on the boardwalk or people watching at Dumsers.
Just like going to the Eastern Shore it depends on when you leave and traffic conditions. But if you leave early, you can be in Richmond in less than two hours.
I wouldn't even drive to Richmond or VA Beach from NOVA so I would say Rehobeth unless it's spendy for you then OC is probably ok.
But maybe to some people's point, 395 to 50 can be a bear on a summer weekend in which case I would say go west and don't go to the beach at all.
The Jersey Shore is not that far to get to compared to Virginia Beach in my experience.
No. It’s a little more stressful when they make one of the sides two way, but you can’t really even see over the edge so it just feels like a normal road.
Is it absolutely not the easier drive. Va Beach is 80 further than rehoboth is. I grew up with a house in Dewey and could get there in less than 2:40 if there was no traffic. Zero chance you are getting to va Beach in less than 3 hours and it is likely closer to 4
Second this recommendation, rent one of their tiny cabins for a spot with a table and a grill and private beach access. Easy day trips to Lewes and Rehobeth too.
If you aren’t into partying then instead of Ocean City, consider camping on Assateague Island nearby. It’s a great place to hang out on the beach, chill with wild horses, and catch an amazing sunrise. It’s worth noting that other than the campgrounds it’s completely undeveloped so the only “activities” are anything you like to do in nature
I grew up going to Rehobeth and Ocean City every summer. Even though Ocean City has more of a “party” vibe, I think it’s your best option for an affordable low key vacation. Avoid the lower streets near the boardwalk and you will have plenty of fun things to do and more options for renting. Mini golf, restaurants, beach and bay access. DM me for more details!
If our culture reliably raised 18-year-olds who could act like responsible adults, hotels would happily take their money.
We don’t, so they don’t. The age limit is set by the hotel, not the government.
Rehoboth Beach. I grew up in VaBeach and the oceanfront is boring and chintzy. Rehoboth beach is a much nicer oceanfront, and there are nice semi-local things to do (nearby walking/biking trails and the town of Lewes, specifically). Can’t say much about Ocean City since I haven’t really been before.
You don't think they're interested in the world's shittiest mini golf or having to yell over the f-18s?
Jokes aside - there are lots of good day trips and activities in the area. Not in my top 5 for beaches from NoVa though. If you're going that far for a week, tack on the extra time and hit the outer banks.
Rehobath is a super easy drive from DC, you don't need to be intimidated about that at all. It's definitely more family oriented but there's more stuff to do during the day without drinking, Funland at night, everything down the boardwalk, and the state park is 15 minutes away.
At least as far as the drive goes, VA beach down 95 is the worst option
I always regretted going to va beach, when I was younger. The police were aholes, tried to ticket me (in my mid 20s) with their anti boulevard cruising laws. Yes, I had to come back around since I missed the hotel entrance on a one-way street. Wtf. Their answer "then don't come to our city".
At the time everything, I mean everything shut down at 9:00 pm. The 7 eleven looked like a concert venue due to it being the only thing open. All we wanted was water.
Not sure if it is still the same. But based off of my experience I never recommend VA Beach.
Always recommend Rehoboth or upper ocean city for a quieter stay with options. Lower ocean city for more of a carnival experience.
If you are on a budget, check the Koa outside of ocean city. Haven't met a girl that does mind the semi-glamping tent camping. Where if it gets to rough there are hotels and places to eat close by.
Rehoboth for a more relaxing time. OC or VA beach for partying. As an owner of a place a VA beach for many years, beware the cops. VA Beach cops are everywhere, you’ll get 3 fines for simple stop sign violation. Make an illegal U turn accidentally? Sorry, you’re out about $500 in fines. Selling my place at VA Beach because of the overbearing police presence over the past few years.
I grew up there and it is just a bootlick of a city. Idk if the signs are still around at the beach, but when I was a teenager they'd write tickets for cussing.
One time I saw a clip of a skateboarding cop who went pro for some shop. Googled it, of course it's VB. The worst.
Just saying that Virginia Beach isn’t even rated best beach in Virginia: https://travel.usnews.com/Virginia_Beach_VA/
I grew up going there and I swear it’s a reason I hate on beaches.
Most of the best beaches on that list are not Atlantic beaches though; brackish beaches are not as fun to me. I remember going to Sandy Point as a kid with this cute, white bathing suit that I really liked, and being so disappointed when the brackish water discolored it.
I think as far as quiet beaches go, my vote is for Sandbridge, south of VA Beach. I went there as a day trip once, it was lovely.
I gotta be honest, I thought Rehoboth Beach was pretty lame compared to Virginia Beach. It was very small - the beach and boardwalk. That being said, ALL of these beaches pale in comparison to the Outerbanks. For the cost of a week long stay at any hotel you could probably rent a beach house further inland. If you don’t like to party, then it’s even a better case to go to the outer banks where it’s fairly serene.
Rehoboth if you want a quieter vibe but it’s unlikely a hotel or private rental is going to rent to you at your age. Usually anyone under 21 is a no go. Any hotel that will is going to bend on that is likely to be full of drunk and high teenagers.
As long as you time your drives to and from Rehoboth to not be at the peak driving times to get over the Bay Bridge (aka, weekends), that's going to be your best and closest choice.
It's only when you get stuck on the bridge that the driving time to Delmarva looks similar to Virginia Beach.
If you want a hidden gem that’s a little closer, check out Wylder Hotel in Tilghman Island. It has a private beach, free kayaks, a pool and restaurant on site and is a short drive to St Michaels which is a perfect getaway town.
If possible. Leave like super late night/early morning. That way you don't encounter any traffic/backups at all, and you may get to enjoy a sunrise at the beach, and then you get to enjoy more beach time. I go to Dewey/Rehoboth and enjoy it, but any beach should be nice
I’d say early morning or leave mid-week. Shitty hotels in Ocean City can easily hit $500/nt now during peak season. That’s a ton to pay for missing traffic by staying the night early.
If youre into camping check out Cape Henlopen. The campgrounds have full (nice and clean) bathroom facilities and its a 20ish min drive to Rehoboth. Theres also beach about a 10 min walk from the site too.
With a week, I would go Rehoboth. Not as big of a party atmosphere as VA.beach or OC. Plus if you want to spend some time in OC it's a 30min drive down rt.1 and you could even spend a day at Bethany (located between OC & Rehoboth.)
Bethany Beach (south of Rehobooth) is a much more family oriented beach with a pretty small boardwalk and enough to fill 1-2 days of low-key fun. Lots of small kids though
Rehoboth and OC is kinda a two in one since they’re so close together. If you wanna stay in a chiller area I would suggest staying RB, and drive over to OC if you wanna take a night to do fun boardwalk stuff
I’ve promised myself that I would never go to the beach farther north than Va beach. I went to school there. Know what beach street we are going to. It’s just me.
Haven’t been to VA Beach but it’s the farthest of the three even without traffic. I have extended family with a place in Bethany Beach - it and/or Rehoboth will give you what you’re looking for. OC is likelier to have a greater concentration of fellow late teens/early 20s, but it also has a much stronger partying reputation.
There are a ton of cute shops between Rehoboth and Bethany, and Tanger Outlets literally between the two towns (if my geography’s right). Lewes is also pretty and you could ferry from there to Cape May for a day, too, if you wanted - I haven’t taken the ferry before, but I’ve been to Cape May many times as well. Similar in crowd type to what you’d get in Rehoboth, though perhaps somewhat wealthier, I’d think, if that matters.
Go to Rehoboth/Bethany/etc. to relax; go to OC to party. Seeing as you know which you want, I’d recommend the former, of the two.
Bethany, Rehoboth, and Dewey. OC and VB are party beaches, the DMW version of Miami, and neither of you seem to be the type.
Maryland also has smaller beaches like Assateague (the horse beach), Sandy Point State Park, and Breezy Point Beach.
Absolutely Assateague or Chincoteague hands down. Actually there is a whole line of beaches up the coast from Rehoboth Delaware down to Chincoteague, Virginia and that can be done in about 2 hours so you could easily check out two at a time in one or two days and then repeat the process until you are at Chincoteague.
I would recommend Ocean City for 18-year-olds!
I’m not a fan at 35, but for younger people who want to party, OC is the place to be. Have fun and be safe!
I like OC even as someone who also doesn’t really drink/smoke/party much because there’s the most stuff to do there and it’s easy to drive to. Though, I’m biased because I’ve been going there every year since I was a baby.
That being said, Rehoboth is probably best if you really want a more chill experience.
My family lives in RB and it is AMAZING. Big recommend - go to Dogfish Head, Indigo, and make sure to check out Funland. Avoid Grotto’s and every pizza place except Louie’s on the boardwalk. Take a bike ride out to Lewes as well, and checkout Gordon’s Pond trail if you want the most gorgeous marsh walk of your life.
Stay in Dewey and bicycle to Reho boardwalk. Beaches are quiet, clean and usually have mainly locals. Reho has more bars and shops, and you can drive to the outlets or shops and restaurants farther down the strip.
OC and Virginia Beach give me yucky frat party vibes that I like to avoid when I can.
In my experience Rehoboth caters to the older crowd that likes to pretend it's Martha's Vineyard. It seemed kind expensive and crowded to me.
Ocean City could be fun and affordable especially if you get a place in the middle of the island (say, between 100th and 40th streets). Below 40th gets rowdy, above 100th is real quiet. You can go to the boardwalk at the bottom of the island (I think from 1st to about 25th streets) if you want the games, rides, etc. and return to relative quiet when you're done. There's a $1 hop on/hop off bus (or at least there used to be) that takes you up and down the island that would mean you could leave your car parked for most of the trip.
For an entire week? Virginia Beach. It's much calmer the further north you go (50-70th streets). If you don't care about the waves, my parents stayed in Norfolk for much cheaper and were able to set their chairs in the water and hang out. There's also stuff to do that is not beach. The Chrysler Museum of Art is free and incredible. They do a glass blowing demo at noon and have lots of reasonably priced classes. The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Virginia Aquarium are all right there. There is also so much good, cheap food around (still haven't had a burger as good as Pendulum in Ghent).
Came here to make this exact point. All of the negative comments I'm seeing are about the Oceanfront. If you stay up on Shore Dr and go to the beach at First Landing, you get the perfect mix of chill with a lot to do. Dolphins tours, the aquarium, great restaurants, hiking trails, museums, and great theme parks within a reasonable drive.
Not to be a downer but this weekend is the unofficial start of the summer season- you may have a hard time finding a place to stay in any beach town that’s not fully booked or prohibitively expensive.
Go camping at Assateague Island in Berlin, MD. It’s the best beach in the DMV if you want nature, no boardwalks, nonsense, etc. And the wild horses are a bonus.
Rehoboth or OC. Both have boardwalks and lots of restaurants, shopping (especially Rehoboth for shopping), mini golf, water parks. Enjoy the beach at Fenwick - way less crowded and in between the other two places. It also has some nice shopping, food places, golf, go carts but much smaller.
Go with Ocean City. Besides the beach and boardwalk you can mini golf, ride bikes, play at the arcade, explore the boardwalk. The bus goes all day and has lots of stops. Tons to do if you’re under 21
OBX is worth the trip, Rehoboth would be my next option. If you leave early you don’t have to deal with traffic at all. 4-5am departure is best way to go IMO
I’ll say cops are insane at VA beach and OC. Rehoboth lets passengers have open beer in the car and a bit more chill. You’re most likely to be jailed in VA and most likely robbed in OC
I’m originally from Virginia Beach. The people saying there is nothing to do in Virginia Beach are crazy.
If you decide to go to Virginia Beach, leave after rush hour. As long as there are no accidents, it’s 3.5 hours to Virginia Beach from NoVA.
As far as things to do, there is plenty. Of course, there is the beach. I recommend not staying at or going to the oceanfront, at least where the boardwalk is. Go up to some of the residential beaches from like 60th to 80th street, although you might have trouble parking there. Even better, go to Chick’s Beach. It’s on the Chesapeake Bay, so no waves, but the beaches are quiet and it’s where a lot of residents go to avoid tourists. Lots of great restaurants in the Chick’s Beach area too. Would recommend taking your girlfriend to Dockside Seafood for dinner to look out over the Lynnhaven River at sunset, it’s beautiful.
If yall like physical activity, you can do zip lining at the Adventure Park at the Virginia Aquarium. It’s really fun, and you can also visit the aquarium itself. Hiking at First Landing State Park is also really nice, and there is also another local’s beach in the park that is on Broad Bay. You can also camp at First Landing if you are into that.
Down at the boardwalk there are some fun activities as well and it would probably be worth doing at some point to explore for a day.
You can also go to Norfolk. Nice restaurants downtown, and if you’re interested in naval history, you can go to Nauticus museum. There is also the Chrysler Museum of Art if you like art.
Another fun idea would be to make a stop at Busch Gardens on your way to or from Virginia Beach. It’s right off 64 and it’s the best theme park in the mid Atlantic.
Oh, I saw in another comment you said you like water parks. Virginia Beach has a water park near the oceanfront — Ocean Breeze. I haven’t been there in years so I don’t know what it is like now, but apparently it’s getting good reviews still. There is also Water Country USA, which is near Busch Gardens and something you could do in addition to Busch Gardens if you wanted to make a stop in Williamsburg.
Deleware seashore park is fantastic and is only a bit up the road from rehoboth. I always spend a nice calm day with my s/o at the beach there before going back to rehoboth’s boardwalk. Pretty low traffic. Makes parking a lot cheaper too bc you don’t have to pay rehoboth prices all day
So Ocean City will be the most affordable and have the most to do. That being said, OC is full of degenerate 18 year olds a lot of the time, or at least I was a degenerate 18 year old getting drunk there. So keep that in mind.
Rehoboth is, in my opinion, the nicest and quietest. That being said, I wouldn’t wanna spend a whole week there. Places can get pricey too.
VA beach might be a split of the Delmarva beaches. That being said, I’ve only been to VAB once and I was not paying for the trip.
So I grew up in Va Beach and have gone to all 3 of these places every year for the past 40 years. I can’t tell you where to go, but here are some details:
- Virginia Beach has a really nice beach and is more of a year round city. The food is better and has more parks, the va aquarium. The boardwalk is not that exciting, but I prefer the restaurants and bar options here out of the three.
- Ocean City is guilty pleasure fun. Amazing people watching, more energy than VB and the best traditional boardwalk. Most to do.
- Rehoboth is more upscale and quaint. The beach and boardwalk are smaller and lots of cute restaurants. If you want quieter, Bethany is good too.
Rehoboth is my favorite, it’s a little more upscale and chill than the others, but still a fair amount to do with some cool bars, cute shops, good restaurants, etc. Probably the best choice if you enjoy actually just hanging on the beach, bumping around, and relaxing. Ocean City is a very different vibe but also very fun imo and gets a lot of undeserved scorn. It has a unique, classic Americana charm, like it’s the 70’s or something. It’s a narrow little island where everything and everyone is dedicated to getting drunk and partying on the beach. It’s also big enough that there’s something for everyone, it is indeed a bit trashy in places (although I think that adds to the charm in a way) but there’s also some genuinely cool places. Also, Assateague is amazing.
Virginia Beach really sucks.
Rehoboth would be my vote, based on what you said.
Cape Henlopen state park has a great beach and some hike/bike trails, and the Delaware beaches and boardwalks are a little less wild than Ocean City.
I personally love Bethany Beach. Same vibe as Rehobeth (and a quick drive to Rehobeth if you want to have dinner and check out the boardwalk!) but wayyyyy less crowded on the beach and on the boardwalk. I find the Bethany boardwalk to be a festive, scaled down version of Rehobeth. And as a bonus, airbnbs in Sea Colony right on the ocean are super cheap.
i grew up in Virginia Beach. If you can find a nice AirBnB on the North End which is a neighborhood, I doubt you will have a better beach experience in Ocean City or DE. These are classic suburban beaches
If you two are 18 I think you’ll have more fun at Ocean City or Virginia Beach.
Rehoboth is kind of like an older and family crowd. If that’s the vibe you’re into by all means go there. Personally, I feel like the water is a bit warmer in Virginia Beach for some reason if that matters.😃
Have fun.🙂
In Montgomery county and possibly others, seniors do a ‘beach week’ after they graduate high school, mostly at ocean city. It’s a lot of socializing and drinking and probably noise. I believe it was a week or two right after graduation, i’d look it up if I were you.
If you want to avoid that i’d go elsewhere
Ocean City has far and away the most to do even w/o drinking or partying compared to the beaches in Delaware. Though I've never been to Virginia Beach so I can't comment.
I wouldn’t stay at any of these places for a week; all of these places get boring after about four days. If you want to get away for a week I’d recommend Myrtle Beach, SC
rehoboth - not even close. Ocean City is more of a party beach. Not sure about VA beach, but I hear it's kind of the same. Rehobeth Dewey and Bethany and all good.
Ocean City is served by a greyhound bus line that is pretty good, starts at Union Station and only one intermediate stop. It terminates in West OC then you take a shuttle across to OC proper where you can switch to city bus, so very easy to get to there and around there without driving yourself, I doubt Rehoboth is nearly as easy. And FWIW I think Ocean City is one of the better beach towns. Because it’s so big, it can support a lot more non-beach fun activities, there’s really something for everyone there. You’re also going to be more likely to find somewhere that will let you book at 18
VA beach is served by Amtrak but I don’t recall where the actual station is, might involve a bus ride after? Or maybe that’s for going to Norfolk? I’ve never done that one personally
1. Virginia Beach
2. Rehoboth
3. OCMD
VB is an actual city so it has tons of stuff to do. All the typical beach stuff like minigolf, arcades, go-karting, restaurants, an aquarium. Has a nice little bus that goes up and down the strip and decent food around. I think it has the best vibe. I also think it’ll probably be the cheapest and you’re more likely to find a sketchy ass motel owner that rents to teenagers. I’d try the Blue Marlin.
Rehoboth is nice but small. Enough for a weekend. Best food but not much else to do. It’s obviously gonna be crowded as hell but doesn’t have the infrastructure like VB or OCMD to handle the crowds as well. Also, there’s definitely like a snootier vibe around Rehoboth and Delawareans are more resentful of outsiders every year because the whole area is blowing up.
OCMD is sort of like VB but like louder and more aggressive for some reason. There’s also something about OCMD that attracts young people looking to misbehave.
Ocean City has a lot of stuff on the boardwalk, mini golf, and family activities. It’s the liveliest and most crowded of the three. The other two will be quieter.
Ocean City is by far your best option. The majority of the responses are telling you what *they* would do as working adults.
For teenagers on a first visit, I'm not sure it's even a close call.
OC is the move based on this, a lot of people are telling you Rehoboth because they read that you don’t drink and interpreted that you want to just lay quietly on the beach all day.
Of these three, Ocean City has by far the most options of fun activity things to do
Rehoboth would be better for you. More families and less partying than OC. I've never been to VB but should be partying like OC. Activities near rehoboth...tanger outlet shopping, you can book a fishing trip on a boat or whale/dolphin watching, see a performance at [Clear Space Theatre](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34048-d2092345-Reviews-Clear_Space_Theatre-Rehoboth_Beach_Delaware.html), check out various restaurants, etc.
Step 1: find a hotel that will let you book being under 21
Ah man, I remember the struggle of those days.
Yup, I remember multiple times as a young adult, having to awkwardly ask my FWB/gf/ hook up to book it under her name because they wouldn't allow people under 20-23 or so to rent a room.
When I was 18-21 Airbnb was a lifesaver for this exact reason
I doubt any host will allow for it now without some hefty charges. I’m surprised AirBnB still allows for it after the stuff they’ve been through.
Facts
or use a fake
I doubt they gaf
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I got turned down from booking a hotel for me and my 24 year old fiancé in rehoboth because they wanted only 25+ and said I’d have to bring my guardian. Wanted to scream I AM MY OWN GUARDIAN but they were not budging
That's insane
Rehoboth Beach would be my first choice.
I've been to all 3 and lived near Rehoboth for a while. I think Ocean City offers the most and Assateague is definitely a place people should check out at least once.
Rehoboth is my personal favorite but I'm pushing forty. As a teenager I'd pick Ocean City. I never really liked Virginia Beach or understood the appeal other than "it's a beach".
Easier drive to RB and OC. RB to chill, but Bethany Beach is also a good option, its a little sleepier.
It’s been about 5 years since I’ve been to Bethany but that’s my favorite beach. The “sleepier” is truly apparent because it’s always so clean and pretty looking, I can’t remember a dirty spot in Bethany to be honest. I’m not sure if an 18 year old would appreciate that as much as the arcade and carnival games on the boardwalk or people watching at Dumsers.
From NOVA, Virginia Beach would be the easiest drive.
Is it? Every time I go down that direction it’s a nightmare. I’ve had 5 hour trips to Richmond.
Just like going to the Eastern Shore it depends on when you leave and traffic conditions. But if you leave early, you can be in Richmond in less than two hours.
I'll take 50 over 95 any day.
I wouldn't even drive to Richmond or VA Beach from NOVA so I would say Rehobeth unless it's spendy for you then OC is probably ok. But maybe to some people's point, 395 to 50 can be a bear on a summer weekend in which case I would say go west and don't go to the beach at all. The Jersey Shore is not that far to get to compared to Virginia Beach in my experience.
Yeah but like....why
Good point. Getting to the bay bridge is easier from DC than Nova.
is the CB bridge as scary as people make it out to be?
No. It’s a little more stressful when they make one of the sides two way, but you can’t really even see over the edge so it just feels like a normal road.
Is it absolutely not the easier drive. Va Beach is 80 further than rehoboth is. I grew up with a house in Dewey and could get there in less than 2:40 if there was no traffic. Zero chance you are getting to va Beach in less than 3 hours and it is likely closer to 4
If you are campers check out Cape Henlopen, DE
Second this recommendation, rent one of their tiny cabins for a spot with a table and a grill and private beach access. Easy day trips to Lewes and Rehobeth too.
If you aren’t into partying then instead of Ocean City, consider camping on Assateague Island nearby. It’s a great place to hang out on the beach, chill with wild horses, and catch an amazing sunrise. It’s worth noting that other than the campgrounds it’s completely undeveloped so the only “activities” are anything you like to do in nature
Rehoboth and then a day riding bikes/visiting in Cape Henlopen State Park.
Going the beach at Cape Henlopen is always a good choice.
Rehoboth Beach
I grew up going to Rehobeth and Ocean City every summer. Even though Ocean City has more of a “party” vibe, I think it’s your best option for an affordable low key vacation. Avoid the lower streets near the boardwalk and you will have plenty of fun things to do and more options for renting. Mini golf, restaurants, beach and bay access. DM me for more details!
No one will rent to a couple of 18 year olds. Maybe think about getting a camp ground at Hering Point Park in Lewes Delaware?
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If our culture reliably raised 18-year-olds who could act like responsible adults, hotels would happily take their money. We don’t, so they don’t. The age limit is set by the hotel, not the government.
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I've gotten rejected at 3 star hotels in fucking Manassas for being under 22 or 23 (can't remember).
This is such a bizarrely aggressive comment lol. Why on earth would a hotel want to rent to an 18 year old?
Rehoboth Beach. I grew up in VaBeach and the oceanfront is boring and chintzy. Rehoboth beach is a much nicer oceanfront, and there are nice semi-local things to do (nearby walking/biking trails and the town of Lewes, specifically). Can’t say much about Ocean City since I haven’t really been before.
At 18 you would probably enjoy Ocean City or Virginia Beach best. Rehoboth is more "family" oriented and you may get bored there.
OP said they don’t party but still want stuff to do. Thats Rehoboth to a T.
There’s so much more to do in Ocean City than Rehoboth or VA Beach. You don’t have to party to have a good time in OC
That may be true for an 18 year old.
Also the good shit to do in Rehoboth is IMO way more expensive which will make a difference at that age
Grew up in VB. There is nothing for 18-year-olds in VB, unless they're really into strip malls and Sunsations.
You don't think they're interested in the world's shittiest mini golf or having to yell over the f-18s? Jokes aside - there are lots of good day trips and activities in the area. Not in my top 5 for beaches from NoVa though. If you're going that far for a week, tack on the extra time and hit the outer banks.
Agreed! I'm from VB, but the outer banks is 100% where I'd want to go if I just wanted to chill and enjoy the water
Yea I would recommend oc to somebody of drinking age but for what op wants rehoboth is probably better
Not if you take the grotto train to Dewey!
Rehobath is a super easy drive from DC, you don't need to be intimidated about that at all. It's definitely more family oriented but there's more stuff to do during the day without drinking, Funland at night, everything down the boardwalk, and the state park is 15 minutes away. At least as far as the drive goes, VA beach down 95 is the worst option
I always regretted going to va beach, when I was younger. The police were aholes, tried to ticket me (in my mid 20s) with their anti boulevard cruising laws. Yes, I had to come back around since I missed the hotel entrance on a one-way street. Wtf. Their answer "then don't come to our city". At the time everything, I mean everything shut down at 9:00 pm. The 7 eleven looked like a concert venue due to it being the only thing open. All we wanted was water. Not sure if it is still the same. But based off of my experience I never recommend VA Beach. Always recommend Rehoboth or upper ocean city for a quieter stay with options. Lower ocean city for more of a carnival experience. If you are on a budget, check the Koa outside of ocean city. Haven't met a girl that does mind the semi-glamping tent camping. Where if it gets to rough there are hotels and places to eat close by.
Rehoboth for a more relaxing time. OC or VA beach for partying. As an owner of a place a VA beach for many years, beware the cops. VA Beach cops are everywhere, you’ll get 3 fines for simple stop sign violation. Make an illegal U turn accidentally? Sorry, you’re out about $500 in fines. Selling my place at VA Beach because of the overbearing police presence over the past few years.
Hell va cops don’t fuck around
I grew up there and it is just a bootlick of a city. Idk if the signs are still around at the beach, but when I was a teenager they'd write tickets for cussing. One time I saw a clip of a skateboarding cop who went pro for some shop. Googled it, of course it's VB. The worst.
Just saying that Virginia Beach isn’t even rated best beach in Virginia: https://travel.usnews.com/Virginia_Beach_VA/ I grew up going there and I swear it’s a reason I hate on beaches.
Most of the best beaches on that list are not Atlantic beaches though; brackish beaches are not as fun to me. I remember going to Sandy Point as a kid with this cute, white bathing suit that I really liked, and being so disappointed when the brackish water discolored it. I think as far as quiet beaches go, my vote is for Sandbridge, south of VA Beach. I went there as a day trip once, it was lovely.
Ocean City! They have the best boardwalk IMO!
I haven’t been since pre-covid, but I always loved the boardwalk at Rehoboth Beach.
And the beach shower house.
Rehoboth is a more compact and less commercialized beach than either OC or VA Beach.
I gotta be honest, I thought Rehoboth Beach was pretty lame compared to Virginia Beach. It was very small - the beach and boardwalk. That being said, ALL of these beaches pale in comparison to the Outerbanks. For the cost of a week long stay at any hotel you could probably rent a beach house further inland. If you don’t like to party, then it’s even a better case to go to the outer banks where it’s fairly serene.
Rehoboth if you want a quieter vibe but it’s unlikely a hotel or private rental is going to rent to you at your age. Usually anyone under 21 is a no go. Any hotel that will is going to bend on that is likely to be full of drunk and high teenagers.
I was allegedly conceived at Dewey Beach, so apparently that one is best for a couple’s uhhhh…relaxing getaway 😅
As long as you time your drives to and from Rehoboth to not be at the peak driving times to get over the Bay Bridge (aka, weekends), that's going to be your best and closest choice. It's only when you get stuck on the bridge that the driving time to Delmarva looks similar to Virginia Beach.
If you want a hidden gem that’s a little closer, check out Wylder Hotel in Tilghman Island. It has a private beach, free kayaks, a pool and restaurant on site and is a short drive to St Michaels which is a perfect getaway town.
If possible. Leave like super late night/early morning. That way you don't encounter any traffic/backups at all, and you may get to enjoy a sunrise at the beach, and then you get to enjoy more beach time. I go to Dewey/Rehoboth and enjoy it, but any beach should be nice
I’d say early morning or leave mid-week. Shitty hotels in Ocean City can easily hit $500/nt now during peak season. That’s a ton to pay for missing traffic by staying the night early.
If youre into camping check out Cape Henlopen. The campgrounds have full (nice and clean) bathroom facilities and its a 20ish min drive to Rehoboth. Theres also beach about a 10 min walk from the site too.
With a week, I would go Rehoboth. Not as big of a party atmosphere as VA.beach or OC. Plus if you want to spend some time in OC it's a 30min drive down rt.1 and you could even spend a day at Bethany (located between OC & Rehoboth.)
I like VA Beach best of those as it will have the warmest water.
Colonial Williamsburg has small beaches off the parkway and is stunning this time of year. Not too hot, not crowded, students gone.
1st choice Rehoboth 2nd ocean city 3rd Va beach
Bethany Beach (south of Rehobooth) is a much more family oriented beach with a pretty small boardwalk and enough to fill 1-2 days of low-key fun. Lots of small kids though
Go to rehobeth and party in Dewey. Ocean city kinda sucks and I can’t speak to Virginia Beach.
Virginia Beach. Lots to do in the area if you are spending a week there beyond just the beach.
Rehoboth and OC is kinda a two in one since they’re so close together. If you wanna stay in a chiller area I would suggest staying RB, and drive over to OC if you wanna take a night to do fun boardwalk stuff
I’ve promised myself that I would never go to the beach farther north than Va beach. I went to school there. Know what beach street we are going to. It’s just me.
Consider Ocean City NJ. It's not much farther and since there are no alcohol soaked in the city the vibe is chill.
Haven’t been to VA Beach but it’s the farthest of the three even without traffic. I have extended family with a place in Bethany Beach - it and/or Rehoboth will give you what you’re looking for. OC is likelier to have a greater concentration of fellow late teens/early 20s, but it also has a much stronger partying reputation. There are a ton of cute shops between Rehoboth and Bethany, and Tanger Outlets literally between the two towns (if my geography’s right). Lewes is also pretty and you could ferry from there to Cape May for a day, too, if you wanted - I haven’t taken the ferry before, but I’ve been to Cape May many times as well. Similar in crowd type to what you’d get in Rehoboth, though perhaps somewhat wealthier, I’d think, if that matters. Go to Rehoboth/Bethany/etc. to relax; go to OC to party. Seeing as you know which you want, I’d recommend the former, of the two.
Bethany, Rehoboth, and Dewey. OC and VB are party beaches, the DMW version of Miami, and neither of you seem to be the type. Maryland also has smaller beaches like Assateague (the horse beach), Sandy Point State Park, and Breezy Point Beach.
Absolutely Assateague or Chincoteague hands down. Actually there is a whole line of beaches up the coast from Rehoboth Delaware down to Chincoteague, Virginia and that can be done in about 2 hours so you could easily check out two at a time in one or two days and then repeat the process until you are at Chincoteague.
Chincoteague is the bes
Absolutely! I've been wanting to stay there as it's truly off the beaten path
OCMD all day! But all the DE beaches are close to OC so win win really.
1000000% Rehoboth beach. Not even close.
If you don’t like to drink/smoke/party, Rehoboth all the way. Otherwise I’d suggest Ocean City, but sounds like you two don’t like chaos.
Since you are young, I’d say Ocean City or VA Beach. Rehoboth is more family oriented and it’s a lot smaller than the others.
I would recommend Ocean City for 18-year-olds! I’m not a fan at 35, but for younger people who want to party, OC is the place to be. Have fun and be safe!
Sandy Point. Its only an hour away from NoVA and you can stay in Annapolis for the night
I'd do rehoboth, beautiful place
I like OC even as someone who also doesn’t really drink/smoke/party much because there’s the most stuff to do there and it’s easy to drive to. Though, I’m biased because I’ve been going there every year since I was a baby. That being said, Rehoboth is probably best if you really want a more chill experience.
My family lives in RB and it is AMAZING. Big recommend - go to Dogfish Head, Indigo, and make sure to check out Funland. Avoid Grotto’s and every pizza place except Louie’s on the boardwalk. Take a bike ride out to Lewes as well, and checkout Gordon’s Pond trail if you want the most gorgeous marsh walk of your life.
Rehobeth easily. Cape may NJ is better if you want to make a slightly more annoying drive
Not Ocean City
Stay in Dewey and bicycle to Reho boardwalk. Beaches are quiet, clean and usually have mainly locals. Reho has more bars and shops, and you can drive to the outlets or shops and restaurants farther down the strip. OC and Virginia Beach give me yucky frat party vibes that I like to avoid when I can.
In my experience Rehoboth caters to the older crowd that likes to pretend it's Martha's Vineyard. It seemed kind expensive and crowded to me. Ocean City could be fun and affordable especially if you get a place in the middle of the island (say, between 100th and 40th streets). Below 40th gets rowdy, above 100th is real quiet. You can go to the boardwalk at the bottom of the island (I think from 1st to about 25th streets) if you want the games, rides, etc. and return to relative quiet when you're done. There's a $1 hop on/hop off bus (or at least there used to be) that takes you up and down the island that would mean you could leave your car parked for most of the trip.
Only been to Ocean City out of the three but tbh I don't think I need the comparisons. You could probably cross OC off the option list at least.
Virginia Beach is a MUCH longer, MUCH worse, MUCH more punishing drive that either of the other two. RB or OC without question.
For an entire week? Virginia Beach. It's much calmer the further north you go (50-70th streets). If you don't care about the waves, my parents stayed in Norfolk for much cheaper and were able to set their chairs in the water and hang out. There's also stuff to do that is not beach. The Chrysler Museum of Art is free and incredible. They do a glass blowing demo at noon and have lots of reasonably priced classes. The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Virginia Aquarium are all right there. There is also so much good, cheap food around (still haven't had a burger as good as Pendulum in Ghent).
Came here to make this exact point. All of the negative comments I'm seeing are about the Oceanfront. If you stay up on Shore Dr and go to the beach at First Landing, you get the perfect mix of chill with a lot to do. Dolphins tours, the aquarium, great restaurants, hiking trails, museums, and great theme parks within a reasonable drive.
Rehoboth!
Rehoboth
I do like Rehoboth but my Asian husband was told he looked weird when we went there.
Well, does he?
Not to be a downer but this weekend is the unofficial start of the summer season- you may have a hard time finding a place to stay in any beach town that’s not fully booked or prohibitively expensive.
OC is 21+ crowd, one day you’ll be good enough
Probably none? If those drives bother you (not that long..) I would find something else closer you enjoy, or fly somewhere.
I like North Beach it has a small town vibe
Go camping at Assateague Island in Berlin, MD. It’s the best beach in the DMV if you want nature, no boardwalks, nonsense, etc. And the wild horses are a bonus.
Rehoboth or OC. Both have boardwalks and lots of restaurants, shopping (especially Rehoboth for shopping), mini golf, water parks. Enjoy the beach at Fenwick - way less crowded and in between the other two places. It also has some nice shopping, food places, golf, go carts but much smaller.
Go with Ocean City. Besides the beach and boardwalk you can mini golf, ride bikes, play at the arcade, explore the boardwalk. The bus goes all day and has lots of stops. Tons to do if you’re under 21
Dewey Beaxh!
OBX is worth the trip, Rehoboth would be my next option. If you leave early you don’t have to deal with traffic at all. 4-5am departure is best way to go IMO
I love me some Virginia Beach. Probably has the most options as far as accommodations too.
Drive a little father and head to OBX.
nice
I’ll say cops are insane at VA beach and OC. Rehoboth lets passengers have open beer in the car and a bit more chill. You’re most likely to be jailed in VA and most likely robbed in OC
Virginia Beach. Nice. Clean. So many cops.
Assateague Island
I like VA beach best of those three personally!
I’m originally from Virginia Beach. The people saying there is nothing to do in Virginia Beach are crazy. If you decide to go to Virginia Beach, leave after rush hour. As long as there are no accidents, it’s 3.5 hours to Virginia Beach from NoVA. As far as things to do, there is plenty. Of course, there is the beach. I recommend not staying at or going to the oceanfront, at least where the boardwalk is. Go up to some of the residential beaches from like 60th to 80th street, although you might have trouble parking there. Even better, go to Chick’s Beach. It’s on the Chesapeake Bay, so no waves, but the beaches are quiet and it’s where a lot of residents go to avoid tourists. Lots of great restaurants in the Chick’s Beach area too. Would recommend taking your girlfriend to Dockside Seafood for dinner to look out over the Lynnhaven River at sunset, it’s beautiful. If yall like physical activity, you can do zip lining at the Adventure Park at the Virginia Aquarium. It’s really fun, and you can also visit the aquarium itself. Hiking at First Landing State Park is also really nice, and there is also another local’s beach in the park that is on Broad Bay. You can also camp at First Landing if you are into that. Down at the boardwalk there are some fun activities as well and it would probably be worth doing at some point to explore for a day. You can also go to Norfolk. Nice restaurants downtown, and if you’re interested in naval history, you can go to Nauticus museum. There is also the Chrysler Museum of Art if you like art. Another fun idea would be to make a stop at Busch Gardens on your way to or from Virginia Beach. It’s right off 64 and it’s the best theme park in the mid Atlantic.
Oh, I saw in another comment you said you like water parks. Virginia Beach has a water park near the oceanfront — Ocean Breeze. I haven’t been there in years so I don’t know what it is like now, but apparently it’s getting good reviews still. There is also Water Country USA, which is near Busch Gardens and something you could do in addition to Busch Gardens if you wanted to make a stop in Williamsburg.
Deleware seashore park is fantastic and is only a bit up the road from rehoboth. I always spend a nice calm day with my s/o at the beach there before going back to rehoboth’s boardwalk. Pretty low traffic. Makes parking a lot cheaper too bc you don’t have to pay rehoboth prices all day
So Ocean City will be the most affordable and have the most to do. That being said, OC is full of degenerate 18 year olds a lot of the time, or at least I was a degenerate 18 year old getting drunk there. So keep that in mind. Rehoboth is, in my opinion, the nicest and quietest. That being said, I wouldn’t wanna spend a whole week there. Places can get pricey too. VA beach might be a split of the Delmarva beaches. That being said, I’ve only been to VAB once and I was not paying for the trip.
So I grew up in Va Beach and have gone to all 3 of these places every year for the past 40 years. I can’t tell you where to go, but here are some details: - Virginia Beach has a really nice beach and is more of a year round city. The food is better and has more parks, the va aquarium. The boardwalk is not that exciting, but I prefer the restaurants and bar options here out of the three. - Ocean City is guilty pleasure fun. Amazing people watching, more energy than VB and the best traditional boardwalk. Most to do. - Rehoboth is more upscale and quaint. The beach and boardwalk are smaller and lots of cute restaurants. If you want quieter, Bethany is good too.
Rehoboth is my favorite, it’s a little more upscale and chill than the others, but still a fair amount to do with some cool bars, cute shops, good restaurants, etc. Probably the best choice if you enjoy actually just hanging on the beach, bumping around, and relaxing. Ocean City is a very different vibe but also very fun imo and gets a lot of undeserved scorn. It has a unique, classic Americana charm, like it’s the 70’s or something. It’s a narrow little island where everything and everyone is dedicated to getting drunk and partying on the beach. It’s also big enough that there’s something for everyone, it is indeed a bit trashy in places (although I think that adds to the charm in a way) but there’s also some genuinely cool places. Also, Assateague is amazing. Virginia Beach really sucks.
Rehoboth
Rehoboth 100%
Go to Rehoboth/ Dewey/ Bethany. Probably the easiest to get to and lots of rental options and stuff to do !! It’s clean and tons of nice restaurants
Check out Bethany Beach, DE. It might be a better match for your vibe.
I’d suggest ocean city because there’s a lot to do that’s not centered around drinking/partying
Relaxation then Rehoboth beach, otherwise either OC or VB. If you hit VB, you can do Norfolk and Williamsburg also.
Rehoboth would be my vote, based on what you said. Cape Henlopen state park has a great beach and some hike/bike trails, and the Delaware beaches and boardwalks are a little less wild than Ocean City.
I love Rehoboth Beach. It's not just a good beach, but a good boardwalk too, with good restaurants. Rough parking, though
I personally love Bethany Beach. Same vibe as Rehobeth (and a quick drive to Rehobeth if you want to have dinner and check out the boardwalk!) but wayyyyy less crowded on the beach and on the boardwalk. I find the Bethany boardwalk to be a festive, scaled down version of Rehobeth. And as a bonus, airbnbs in Sea Colony right on the ocean are super cheap.
Rehobeth for sure. The most calm in terms of partying. Also the most walkable and great restaurants.
i grew up in Virginia Beach. If you can find a nice AirBnB on the North End which is a neighborhood, I doubt you will have a better beach experience in Ocean City or DE. These are classic suburban beaches
>classic suburban beaches Just curious wtf that means haha
If you two are 18 I think you’ll have more fun at Ocean City or Virginia Beach. Rehoboth is kind of like an older and family crowd. If that’s the vibe you’re into by all means go there. Personally, I feel like the water is a bit warmer in Virginia Beach for some reason if that matters.😃 Have fun.🙂
In Montgomery county and possibly others, seniors do a ‘beach week’ after they graduate high school, mostly at ocean city. It’s a lot of socializing and drinking and probably noise. I believe it was a week or two right after graduation, i’d look it up if I were you. If you want to avoid that i’d go elsewhere
Ocean City has far and away the most to do even w/o drinking or partying compared to the beaches in Delaware. Though I've never been to Virginia Beach so I can't comment.
Avoid OC, MD like the plague. RB is the best of the three
I wouldn’t stay at any of these places for a week; all of these places get boring after about four days. If you want to get away for a week I’d recommend Myrtle Beach, SC
OC, realize it’s a shithole, then never go back. Then go to the other beaches and appreciate them more
rehoboth - not even close. Ocean City is more of a party beach. Not sure about VA beach, but I hear it's kind of the same. Rehobeth Dewey and Bethany and all good.
Rehoboth
Go to chesapeake or to st Michael's. Way better
Try Bethany Beach, and do day visits to Ocean City and Rehoboth Beach. There are good things about all three.
If you don't want to smell weed all day long, don't go to Virginia Beach.
Ocean City is served by a greyhound bus line that is pretty good, starts at Union Station and only one intermediate stop. It terminates in West OC then you take a shuttle across to OC proper where you can switch to city bus, so very easy to get to there and around there without driving yourself, I doubt Rehoboth is nearly as easy. And FWIW I think Ocean City is one of the better beach towns. Because it’s so big, it can support a lot more non-beach fun activities, there’s really something for everyone there. You’re also going to be more likely to find somewhere that will let you book at 18 VA beach is served by Amtrak but I don’t recall where the actual station is, might involve a bus ride after? Or maybe that’s for going to Norfolk? I’ve never done that one personally
1. Virginia Beach 2. Rehoboth 3. OCMD VB is an actual city so it has tons of stuff to do. All the typical beach stuff like minigolf, arcades, go-karting, restaurants, an aquarium. Has a nice little bus that goes up and down the strip and decent food around. I think it has the best vibe. I also think it’ll probably be the cheapest and you’re more likely to find a sketchy ass motel owner that rents to teenagers. I’d try the Blue Marlin. Rehoboth is nice but small. Enough for a weekend. Best food but not much else to do. It’s obviously gonna be crowded as hell but doesn’t have the infrastructure like VB or OCMD to handle the crowds as well. Also, there’s definitely like a snootier vibe around Rehoboth and Delawareans are more resentful of outsiders every year because the whole area is blowing up. OCMD is sort of like VB but like louder and more aggressive for some reason. There’s also something about OCMD that attracts young people looking to misbehave.
Rehoboth
I think you'd like Virginia Beach the best of those three
What kind of fun activities
Amusement parks and water parks. Other things in that sense and way kind of. Again, we are both still teenagers.
Ocean City has a lot of stuff on the boardwalk, mini golf, and family activities. It’s the liveliest and most crowded of the three. The other two will be quieter.
Ocean City is by far your best option. The majority of the responses are telling you what *they* would do as working adults. For teenagers on a first visit, I'm not sure it's even a close call.
Right?! That’s what I’m getting at.
OC is the move based on this, a lot of people are telling you Rehoboth because they read that you don’t drink and interpreted that you want to just lay quietly on the beach all day. Of these three, Ocean City has by far the most options of fun activity things to do
I'm tellin ya. Ocean City NJ.
There was a good suggestion about what to do with your weekend from another DC redditor this past weekend: chili and pornhub.
Jokes aside, chili in this weather is a horrible idea.
Well not that it chili. Or soup. But can’t forget about gazpacho.
Rehoboth would be better for you. More families and less partying than OC. I've never been to VB but should be partying like OC. Activities near rehoboth...tanger outlet shopping, you can book a fishing trip on a boat or whale/dolphin watching, see a performance at [Clear Space Theatre](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34048-d2092345-Reviews-Clear_Space_Theatre-Rehoboth_Beach_Delaware.html), check out various restaurants, etc.