Announcement from the Rehoboth Beach Museum…
For many summers, locals and visitors alike have flocked to Funland, the popular amusement park on the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk, for games, rides, and naturally, fun. The Rehoboth Beach Museum is now celebrating Funland’s 50th year in business with a display of photographs in the museum’s main corridor. The snapshots illustrate the fascinating history of the popular destination, which was originally an amusement park called the Sport Center before it was bought by the Fasnacht family in 1961. After refurbishing the building and rides in the aftermath of the devastating Storm of 1962, the Fasnachts opened Funland to the public, and since then, it has become one of the city’s treasured pastimes.
In addition to the photographs of Funland in the museum, the main gallery includes displays on the history of the City of Rehoboth Beach. They tell the story of decades of having fun in the sun, from arcade games to fancy hotels. The museum’s exhibit “Skimming the Surface,” a display of vintage surf and skimboards, continues through March 2012.
The Rehoboth Beach Museum is the home of the Rehoboth Beach Historical Society. The Society’s mission is to preserve and showcase artifacts that illustrate the development of the community. Society members receive free museum admission, newsletters, free admission to lectures and other activities, and notice of ticketed events.
The museum is located at 511 Rehoboth Avenue. Winter museum hours are Monday, Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Regular admission is $5 for adults; $3 for seniors, college students and military; $2 for children ages 13-17. Members and children 12 and under are free. Memberships are available. Please call 227-7310 for information.
View "Funland Exhibit at Rehoboth Beach Museum" on its own page.
We always love the Sidewalk Sales in Rehoboth. You too? Then we’ll see you out there this weekend!
Wander down the Avenue with a full wallet and an empty shopping bag and by the time you reach the beach you’ll have Christmas shopping all handled 
More info here.
View "Sidewalk Sale in Rehoboth this Weekend" on its own page.
Room 1 at the Delaware Inn
Spring is (kind of) here, and those not lucky enough to LIVE at the beach are spending valuable work hours daydreaming about beach getaways.
Here are a couple of deals we found to help daydreamers get out of the cube and onto the boardwalk.
Welcome Back At Melissa’s B&B
(800)396-8090
A Washingtonian favorite; the ultimate beach cottage, a block from the boardwalk. GREAT rate of $99/night (2 night minimum), weekends only through the end of April.
Hop into Spring Special Atlantis Inn
302-227-9446
Budget friendly hotel, right on the Avenue in downtown Rehoboth. Double deluxe room for $69 per night plus tax. Valid only Friday and Saturday nights.
Dates 3/11/11 – 4/23/11
Swing Into Spring Special Boardwalk Plaza Hotel
302-227-7169
Victorian-themed hotel right on the boardwalk. 2 nights’ accommodations, unlimited DVDs, breakfast OR Sunday brunch for 2, Boardwalk Plaza beach bag & 2 towels and 2 p.m. check-out. From $499 per couple; includes tax.
Dates 3/20 – 6/11
Easter Weekend Special The Bellmoor
800-425-2355
High-end small inn just two blocks from the beach. $399 for two nights in a Deluxe room, 6PM checkout on Sunday, $75 Spa credit toward one spa service booked on Sunday (Facial, Massage, Body Treatment or Pedicure). Includes fantastic (Rehoboth in My Pocket can personally vouch for that!) Full American Breakfast buffet each morning, plus afternoon tea and baked goodies. Based on double occupancy; cannot be combined with other discounts or specials.
On-line reservations use promo code EAST.Dates Friday April 22, 23 and 24
Spring Weekday Special Delaware Inn
800-246-5244
Top-rated B&B in a charming cottage, right smack in downtown Rehoboth. Stay 2 nights at the Delaware Inn at Rehoboth, receive $50 off; stay 3 nights receive $100 off. (Not valid during Holiday weekends).
Dates April 1- May 13
Tell them you heard about it on Rehoboth in My Pocket!
Support Rehoboth Beach Main Street and Win!
The first 10 people to become a “Friend of Rehoboth Beach Main Street” at $35.00 BY 4:00 THURSDAY (3/24) will get a special bonus: a free download of the Rehoboth in My Pocket app for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch! Call 302-227-2772 between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM on Wednesday or Thursday to win!
Read more about the benefits of becoming a friend or member of Rehoboth Beach Main Street.
Keep the “Main Street” in Rehoboth!
View "Free App for Joining Rehoboth Beach Main Street" on its own page.
The thorny debate about commerce, noise, and neighbors is no stranger to Rehoboth. Over the winter, it appeared as if evenings during 2011 beach season would become a little quieter for downtown residents and renters, and a lot less lucrative for restaurant and bar owners with outdoor patios and late-night business. (Think curtains blowing in the breeze atop Cultured Pearl, the deck high in the trees at Porcini House, the friendly patio at Cloud 9.)
The code required outdoor food service to end by 10 p.m. and patios to be cleared by 11 p.m. After recent debate, a new city council vote suspends that time limit until December, allowing restaurants to use their outdoor spaces until their normal end of business. Safe for now.
Here are a few spots where you can (still) have a drink or a meal outdoors in downtown Rehoboth:
Outdoor dining in downtown Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
View "Late night, outdoor dining in Rehoboth Beach: safe for now" on its own page.
(Probably a tad bigger than the bonfire in Dewey. Just a guess.)
We regretfully admit that we have not personally laid down a blanket for Dewey’s summer bonfire or movie nights, but it’s on the life list.
Pencil this in now. How often do you get to bonfire on the beach in these days of rule overload? And what better way to entertain the kids than a free movie night? They’ll be talking about that when they come to visit you in Florida in a few decades.
Give the kids something to remember.
See the schedules here.
View "Dewey Announces Summer Bonfire and Movie Night Schedule" on its own page.
Bethany Beach no longer allows smoking on the boardwalk or at the bandstand. Lewes bars lighting up at parks and playgrounds.
Now Rehoboth Beach is taking a look at smoking, too.
What do you think? Do Marlboros offend you on the beach? Are Newports spoiling your shopping bliss?
Photo credit: Amy Kosmalski
It’s a wrap!
3,094 people dodged a bullet in Rehoboth today, jumping into the 37-degree Atlantic Ocean for the 20th annual Lewes Polar Bear Plunge. The air temperature was a balmy 42 degrees — a far cry from last year’s Plunge, when a Nor’easter blew, dumping more than two feet of snow and forcing a postponement.
Even better, a record $550,000 was raised for the Special Olympics.
Much-loved Rehoboth restaurant Mariachi took the “best chili” prize for the third year in a row in the weekend’s Chili Contest. Other winners included Finbar’s for “hottest chili” and Hobo’s for “most unique chili.”
This year’s Plunge was sponsored by Wawa and Comcast.
View "Rehoboth Plunge sets record; Mariachi takes “best chili”" on its own page.
If you are planning to join the party throng on the beach on Sunday for the Polar Bear Plunge, get thee to the online registration ASAP, cause after tomorrow (Wednesday at 5:00), the registration snaps shut and you’ll need to make the long hike downtown to register in person. Not that that’s so bad, actually – you have lots of opportunities, including stopping by Plunge headquarters at the Sands Hotel on the boards on Friday from 5 – 8:00PM or Saturday from 11-1:00 or 5-9:00PM. If you wait till the last minute, you can get registered on Sunday starting at 10:00 at the tent on Rehoboth Avenue by the boardwalk. Be sure to bring your minimum $50 in pledge money (for which you get a warm Plunge sweatshirt!).
Once the madness starts Sunday morning, give yourself at least an hour just to wander around, look at the loony costumes, have a shooter at Zogg’s to warm your innards, stake out your spot on the sand, etc. (Here’s a tip: do bring towels to stand on once you’ve taken off your socks, and don’t plop yourself down too close to the water – once that whistle blows and the horde starts to move, they’ll all pound your towel into oblivion. Take a more judicious spot closer to the boardwalk, and you do the pounding.) Count on all the important shops being open to serve you, like Dolles, Thrashers, Candy Kitchen, Go Fish! and Grotto Pizza. See the entire weekend’s schedule of events (and great discounts).
This weekend, pay particular attention to the walking Chili Contest from 3-6 on Saturday, in which 12 restaurants will hand you a sample of their famous, homemade chili. Mariachi has taken the prize for the last two years, and it IS some darn good chili, so don’t miss it. (If you miss it, you miss it, ’cause Mariachi’s doesn’t even do chili on their regular menu, even through everyone begs them to add it).
If you’re waffling, just not quiiiiite suuuure if you’re ready to take the plunge, listen: just do it. The better part of my family has plunged for the last four years, and it’s a thrill you’ll laugh about for years. And the numbness wears off after about an hour. You’ll be fine!! Now go get registered, and be careful out there.
View "Polar Bear Plunge Online Registration Closes Tomorrow" on its own page.
This is not me
Whatever happened to lying on the beach and then drinking like a fish? When did exercise become part of vacation? Do we exercise to shake off the stress from exercising during our entire vacation?
Something to think about on the treadmill.
Here are some choices for a drop-in workout:
SUSSEX FAMILY YMCA
20080 Church St, Rehoboth
302-296-YMCA
YMCA AWAY Members – Daily (adult) $8; (family) $15
Monday – Fri. 6:00 am-9:30 pm
Saturday 7:30 am-5:00 pm
Sunday 8:30 am-4:00 pm
• Drop-Ins are limited to 5 visits per year
BODY SHOP
First Street Station, downtown Rehoboth
Corner of 1st Street and Wilmington Ave.
302-226-0920
Daily $12, Weekly $45, Monthly $75, Annual $379
Off season hours:
Monday through Friday 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Saturday 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
In season hours:
Monday through Saturday 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Sunday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
THE FIRM FITNESS CENTER
803 Rehoboth Ave. Extension., Rehoboth
302-227-8363
$12/day, $30/week
Monday – Thursday 6:00 am–9:00 pm
Friday 6:00 am-8:00 pm
Saturday 8:00 am-5:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am–2:00 pm
Remember watermelon??
Rehoboth Beach Historical Society invites you to visit the Second Annual Watermelon Festival.
Saturday, August 14 from 3 to 6 p.m.
Games, crafts, prizes, music, taste of watermelon.
$3 for ages 13 and up, $2 for ages 5-12. Children 4 and younger free.
At the Rehoboth Beach Museum and Grove Park. 511 Rehoboth Avenue. Call 227-7310 for information.
This is not me.
I work hard to make No iPhone Friday relevant. I don’t just pick some random listing from our Rehoboth in My Pocket iPhone App and toss it out there, untethered and pointless. I mean, I work at it, I sweat, I give it my all! And may I just say that all the effort is paying off, cuz I am looking damn good.
You can look good, too. But the heat this summer has been murder, and your morning jog has probably taken a few impetuous detours to The Ice Cream Store (mmmm…..bacon…..).
So, exercise indoors. Each of the gyms below is a nice, safe, bacon-free zone.
PS – Have you picked up that iPhone yet? You could get all this free No iPhone Friday content for just $3.99. Score!
Gyms for Drop-In Workouts
Whatever happened to lying on the beach and then drinking like a fish? When did exercise become part of vacation? Do we exercise to shake off the stress from exercising during our entire vacation?
Something to think about on the treadmill.
Here are some choices for a drop-in workout:
SUSSEX FAMILY YMCA
20080 Church St, Rehoboth
302-296-YMCA
YMCA AWAY Members – Daily (adult) $8; (family) $15
Monday – Fri. 6:00 am-9:30 pm
Saturday 7:30 am-5:00 pm
Sunday 8:30 am-4:00 pm
• Drop-Ins are limited to 5 visits per year
GOLD’S GYM
3712 Highway 1
Rehoboth Beach Plaza
302-226-GOLD
$12/day, $36/week
Monday – Thursday 5:00 am-10:00 pm
Friday 5:00 am-9:00 pm
Saturday 8:00 am-7:00 pm
Sunday 8:00 am-6:00 pm
THE FIRM FITNESS CENTER
803 Rehoboth Ave. Extension., Rehoboth
302-227-8363
$12/day, $30/week
Monday – Thursday 6:00 am–9:00 pm
Friday 6:00 am-8:00 pm
Saturday 8:00 am-5:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am–2:00 pm
View "No iPhone Friday: Gyms for Drop-In Workouts" on its own page.
Warning: Bonfire appears larger than you'll actually see in Dewey 
In honor of spring, fresh produce, and all that’s right with the world, this week’s “No iPhone Friday” features Rehoboth Farmers Market.
Each Friday, we’ll post one of the reviews from the Rehoboth in My Pocket app here on the website. It’s our way of inviting everyone in, once a week, for free. No iPhone required!
————–
Tuesdays between 12 and 4, from early May to October, check out the Rehoboth Beach Farmer’s Market in Grove Park (you’ll see the white tents in the grove of trees). About two dozen mostly-local vendors sell an interesting variety of eat-here and take-home items (as well as some oops-I-seem-to-have-eaten this-here-by-mistake goodies).
Chapel’s Country Creamery lets you sample the cheeses they make with their own hands, from their own cows (try their new blue cheese); local baker, Pasqualini’s, sells from-scratch breads, Italian pastries and gourmet dog biscuits (!); and you’ll have a tough time choosing between a huge assortment of roasted, glazed, and smoked nuts from Nuts to You (these top the oops-these-seem-to-have-disappeared category). You’ll be drawn to the irresistable aroma coming from Lavender Fields’ lavender plants and cut flowers, then break free only to land in Davidson’s Exotic Mushrooms, which gets you thinking about lunch, and hey! there’s Hobos with their fresh organic salads and wraps, and of course you’ve saved room for dessert – strawberry shortcake from Hamel’s. Jams, free-range eggs, fresh meats, produce, coffee, oysters on the half shell and more.
Buy a truffle, sandwich, or ice cream, take a seat on a park bench, and chill. This farmers market is quite a bit different than some of the weekend scrums/markets you may be familiar with.
(Don’t forget to pick up your Rehoboth in My Pocket SWAG at the Information Desk when you visit – a free signature kitchen towel! More here: http://rehobothinmypocket.com/2010/05/clean-up-with-a-free-signature-towel-at-rehoboth-farmers-market/)
Rehoboth Beach Farmers Market
Grove Park (501 Rehoboth Avenue), Rehoboth Beach
Follow the Market on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rbfarmersmarket
View "No iPhone Friday: Rehoboth Beach Farmers Market" on its own page.
Hobos Restaurant & Bar on Baltimore Ave is busy! Tomorrow night they’re hosting a Georgetown SPCA fundraiser with live music by Cathy Gorman from 6 – 11, and then on Saturday it’s their first ”Meatout” dinner, celebrating a day of plant-based food choices. They’ll feature an open buffet with all you can eat meatless dishes. Catch up on your veggies! $25 per person. Call Gretchen to make your reservation at 226-2226 or email info@myhobos.com.
We had some in-cre-di-ble cream of crab soup at Hobos recently.
And some sweet ‘n spicy hog wings (yes, hog wings) at Pig & Fish that were fall off the bone fatal…
Oh, and some absolutely authentic Fish and Chips at Go Fish!…
And then there was that tasty little BBQ pork sandwich ($2.95!) and the blackened chicken quesadilla ($4.95!) off the bar menu at Summer House during the blizzard…
Who can forget the light, crispy flat bread appetizer at Rigby’s, with the sprinkle of arugula, prosciutto, pecorino, pine nuts, and a few golden raisins?
…the pan-fried rockfish at Salt Air Kitchen…
…French onion soup at Nage…
And we wonder why we can’t lose the baby fat.
Hellooooo out there! I’m Nancy of the Rick & Nancy duo behind Rehoboth in My Pocket – the iPhone app and this web site.
I’ve got a lot to tell you – about the tons of support we’re getting from Rehoboth Beach Main Street and business owners, and about our plans for this site and for the iPhone app, and how we hope they bring out more visitors who love this place as much as we do.
But all that can wait. With Valentine’s Day just hours away, I think the place to start is by sharing some of the love. Here are a handful of things we heart the most about our favorite beach town.
- You don’t have to dial the area code to make a call.
- There are more than 30 restaurants within a 10 minute walk from our house.
- Walking the town. You actually CAN walk the town.
- The Christmas parade is held on a Monday (a true locals event) and includes backhoes with wreaths in their buckets and city trucks lit up like Christmas trees, driven by guys with Santa hats and big smiles.
- Some wonderful person puts up Christmas trees on the lakes! The lakes! Instant romance!
- Nice people, attractive homes, attractive streets, nice sidewalks.
- You can count the number of chain stores downtown on one hand.
- The beach! (And pizza and drinks nearby!)
- If you walk into S&S Liquors and ask Kurt and Tamasin to recommend a bottle of French red for less than $10, they won’t roll their eyes.
- The bike trail to Lewes.
- Café con leche at Café a Go Go.
- The one-mile boardwalk. When you’ve walked it both ways, you feel like you’ve accomplished something.
- Riding bikes back in Henlopen Acres and The Pines. It’s like you’ve fallen into New England.
- Did we mention nice people? Friendly stores?
- Walking down the middle of the street on a chilly December night, catching glimpses of our neighbors reading in their living rooms, knowing we have a fireplace at home, a movie to watch, and a good bottle of cheap red wine.
Rick sums up his appreciation thusly: “Nancy is there, and our workaday lives and worries are not.” Nancy approves.
What are some of your favorite things?
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