Rehoboth Beach in the Running for America’s Happiest Seaside Town

At ShoreBread, we are consistently on the lookout for mentions of our local towns on the national level, so when we heard that Rehoboth Beach, DE was in the running for Coastal Living Magazine’s ‘Happiest Seaside Town’ contest, we knew we had to jump on board with as much voting as possible. It also got us thinking about all of the reasons that we LOVE Rehoboth Beach, which includes just about everything from the beautiful beaches to the local cuisine. So in case you aren’t already convinced that Rehoboth should be deemed the Happiest Seaside Town in America in 2016, here are a few points of interest to persuade you…

Top Five Reasons We Think Rehoboth is America’s Happiest Seaside Town

1. Fantastic Food: First and foremost…the food! Summer or winter, traffic or no traffic, we are always up for a trip to Rehoboth for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The restaurant selection is superb in the small resort town, with something for all tastes from British-style fish and chips to sushi to pizza. There are the typical boardwalk staples, but there is also a fantastic selection of fine dining establishments. Dogfish Head Brew Pub, Victoria’s Restaurant at the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel, The Point Coffeehouse, Pickled Pig Pub, Cultured Pearl, DiFebo’s, a(MUSE.), Big Fish Grille, Henlopen City Oyster House…we could go on ad infinitum about our favorite culinary hotspots in Rehoboth…

2. Beautiful Beaches: Did you know that Rehoboth was ranked fourth in the ABC Travel Guide selection of the best family East Coast beach destination for 2014? Well, it’s true! The beaches in Rehoboth are heralded for family-friendly fun thanks to the clean shoreline and attentive lifeguards. Come summertime, the beaches are teeming with locals and visitors, but there’s also the nearby Delaware Seashore State Park and Cape Henlopen State Park to enjoy as well!

3. Shopping…Did Someone Say Tax Free?? Truth be told, we find ourselves venturing over the state line quite often to take advantage of the tax-free shopping in Delaware. Rehoboth is home to the Tanger Outlets, boasting discount shopping for every style and interest. Or head to Main Street Rehoboth for an eclectic mix of small, local shops. Jewelry, books, kids clothing, novelty items…you’ll find it all during a day of shopping in Rehoboth.

4. Small Town Charm: One of our favorite aspects of Rehoboth is the local architecture. Rehoboth has done a fantastic job of preserving that small town beach charm by not going the way of massive condos and hotels. Take a drive, walk, or bike ride through the town and you’ll find yourself admiring street after street of quintessential beach houses.

5. Award-Winning Boardwalk: Rehoboth’s one-mile boardwalk was named ‘Top U.S. Boardwalks’ by National Geographic Magazine and ‘America’s Best Boardwalk’ by American Profile Magazine. Take a stroll along the boardwalk and revel in the sights, sounds, and smells of the beach and the Atlantic Ocean in the summer, enjoy the tree lighting and festive fun during the holiday season, or partake in the highly-anticipated Sea Witch Festival each fall. Fun abounds on the boardwalk in Rehoboth, no matter the time of year.

Contest Details

There are 10 finalists in the running for ‘America’s Happiest Seaside Town in 2016,’ with voting available every 15 minutes through 11:59pm PST January 25^th. That means there are just a few days left to help Rehoboth clench the top spot (currently, the Southern Delaware town is in second place). The magazine narrowed down their list by accepting nominations from readers and giving nod to the places that they have lauded as Dream Towns in the past. According to the site, from there, “we looked at the rank on the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, percentage of clear and sunny days, healthiness of beaches, commute times, walkability, crime ratings, standard of living and financial well-being of the locals, geographic diversity, and our editors’ assessment of each town’s “coastal vibe.” The result: an all-star list for 2016 from every coast!” The final rankings will be revealed online at 7am EST on April 5^th, followed by a feature in the May issue.

Other Contenders:

Capitola, CA

Fairhope, AL

Hermosa Beach, CA

Hilo, HI

Portland, ME

Seaside, OR

Stuart, FL

Sturgeon Bay, WI

Sullivan’s Island, SC

Now Vote!

Voting is easy and just a few clicks away. Rehoboth’s small town charm coupled with their beaches, boardwalk, dining and shopping, make it our obvious choice of the ten contenders. What do you think??