Surfing in Delaware

Most people would think that the Delaware Beaches are not great for surfing, and its not hard to see why. Lewes barely has enough waves to boogie board on, let alone surf (it is a really great place to paddle board however). Rehoboth has nice swell, but it breaks so late that it’s unsurfable. However, there are a few secret spots that are great for surfing. I cannot guarantee that any of these will have great waves when you visit (it is still Delaware after all), but most times there is surf that you can catch at some of these locations.

Indian River Inlet

Probably the best spot for surfing in all of Delaware, the Indian River Inlet offers the best swells in the state. The surf scene here is a blast for experienced surfers, with awesome waves and a southeast swell that creates perfect hollow curls. It’s an ideal spot for surfing and tube riding with the family. It can get a bit crowded, so I’d recommend beginners to usually stick to other Delaware beaches while they learn. Summer sees more surfers, but it tends to quiet down later in the year.

Bethany Beach

Bethany Beach is a great surf spot, especially in winter (with a wetsuit). Bethany can get some pretty powerful waves at certain points, since it is on the right swell. While still a good place to surf in the summer, more people and some restrictions that get lifted in the offseason results in it being a great offseason surf spot

Cape Henlopen

In my opinion the best place for beginner surfers, there are two pretty good surf spots in Cape Henlopen State Park due to their jetty beach breaks. I would recommend avoiding them during high capacity times, especially holiday weekends or midday on Saturdays, as there will be much too many people to effectively surf. The more well known surf spot is Gordon’s Pond, which offers pretty good beginner to intermediate surf. You can’t access from the main Cape Henlopen entrance, you have to go through Rehoboth to get there. Once you park, you should be able to see the swells next to the jetty.

My personal favorite laid back surf spot is at Herring Point. Deep into Cape Henlopen, its a common place for families to go to for a beach day. After exiting the path to the beach, there is a jetty on your left, and after climbing across it, there is a great place to catch some waves without much interference. Most non surfers stay out of the way, and there are never a ton of people at this secret spot.