3 Things Delaware Beaches Allow in October That Are Banned All Summer
Once the summer crowds head home, Delaware’s beaches feel like a different place.
Tourists who stick around for the off-season may find that some summer rules no longer apply, though each beach town sets its own dates.
Here’s what you can do on the sand in October that you couldn’t in July.
Note: This is general information, not legal advice. Beach rules and seasonal dates are subject to change.
1. Alcohol on the Sand
Alcohol on the beach is allowed in Dewey Beach in October, and the town bans it there from May 15 through September 15.
The town’s off-season runs from September 16 through May 14, so October 24 falls inside it.
Fenwick Island’s beach rules ban alcohol on the sand during the same stretch, from May 15 to September 15.
Dewey Beach says glass bottles are always prohibited, and Fenwick Island bans glass containers on the beach at all times.
If you bring a drink to either beach, leave the glass at home.
2. Designated Smoking Areas
Rehoboth Beach bans smoking, vaping and marijuana use on every part of its beach from May 15 to September 15.
Once the off-season starts, you can light up in a few marked spots, since the city allows smoking in up to four designated locations from September 16 through May 14.
If you smoke, you’ll find those locations marked on the beach.
3. Dogs on the Sand
You can take your dog back to Delaware state park beaches in October, since state law bars pets from lifeguarded beaches from May 1 through September 30.
Rehoboth Beach allows leashed dogs on its beach and boardwalk from September 16 through May 14.
Under Bethany Beach’s town code, dogs are allowed on the beach from October 1 through May 14 on a leash.
Fenwick Island bans pets from its beach at any time between May 1 and September 30.
Pet Rules at Delaware State Parks
Delaware State Parks also restricts pets from surfboarding and sailboarding beaches and from shorebird nesting areas.
Beach Plum Island Nature Preserve bans pets year-round.
Pets aren’t allowed on bathhouse boardwalks.
To reach a beach open to pets, use the pedestrian crossings at the designated parking areas.
Dewey, Lewes and South Bethany Dogs
Dewey Beach bans dogs on its beach from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through the Sunday after Labor Day.
Even then, your dog may be on the sand before 9:30 a.m. and after 5:30 p.m.
Lewes bans dogs on any beach from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. between May 1 and September 30.
South Bethany bans pets on its beach, strand and dune from May 15 to October 15, so its ban runs through mid-October.
If you’re bringing a dog to Dewey Beach, the town requires that all dogs be licensed with the town.
Boardwalk Bikes and Skateboards
Bicycles are banned on Bethany Beach’s boardwalk from May 15 through September 30, except between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.
The ban ends with September, so on October 24 you can ride the boardwalk at any hour.
Rehoboth Beach’s code bans bicycles on the main Boardwalk between 10 a.m. and daybreak from May 15 to September 15, both dates inclusive.
Rehoboth Beach also bans skateboards on all streets and sidewalks from May 15 through September 15, while the boardwalk stays off-limits to them all year.
Bethany Beach bans bicycles on its sidewalks at all times, so use the marked bike lanes.
How Rehoboth Beach Set Its Dates
Rehoboth Beach announced its current seasonal dates on January 16, 2026.
The city says the restrictions now align with its parking schedule, May 15 to September 15.
Its dog, smoking and bicycle rules all use those same two dates.
The same notice says parking is restricted in certain summer locations from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. between May 15 and September 15.
If you plan to sleep on the beach, the notice bans that at all times of year, from 12 a.m. to daybreak.
Rules That Don’t Lift
Several Delaware beach bans have no end date.
You still can’t drink on Rehoboth Beach’s sand, boardwalk or public streets, since the city bans alcohol there all year.
Bethany Beach bans drinking or possessing alcohol on its beach year-round too, and the Lewes beach FAQ lists alcohol as “None allowed.”
Dewey Beach prohibits smoking and vaping on its beach.
Fenwick Island prohibits smoking on its beach with no dates attached.
Rehoboth Beach prohibits marijuana in the city at all times.
Bonfires vary by town.
Rehoboth Beach bans fires on its beach and boardwalk all year, and Delaware Seashore State Park bans campfires at any time.
Lewes, Dewey Beach and Fenwick Island issue bonfire permits instead.
In the off-season, a permitted bonfire in Lewes can start after 4 p.m., two hours earlier than the 6 p.m. start between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
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Lifeguard-Hour Limits
Lifeguard season in Rehoboth Beach ran from May 23 through September 20 this year.
Guards covered 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays, with limited coverage after Labor Day.
Rehoboth Beach's beach rules say kites aren't permitted on the beach while lifeguards are on duty.
South Bethany bans fishing on its beach while lifeguards are on duty, and it bars surfboards, windsurfers and canoes in the water then too.
Fenwick Island bans fishing from the beach during lifeguard hours as well.
Bethany Beach adds a September rule on top of its lifeguard hours.
You can't fish from its beach between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. that month, lifeguards or not.
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