Holiday Activities at the Delaware Beaches
Embrace the magic of the holiday season at the Delaware beaches with some festive cheer. While summer may take a backseat, the coastal charm remains vibrant with twinkling lights, seasonal treats, and unique holiday activities near Rehoboth. Whether you're a local in search of new traditions or a visitor craving a coastal escape, winter in Rehoboth Beach and the surrounding area has something special for everyone. From charming holiday shopping to cozy seaside celebrations, bundle up, grab a hot cocoa, and join us in exploring the warmth and joy that define the holiday season at the picturesque beaches of the First State!
See a Live Holiday Show: Rehoboth, DE
Clear Space Theatre in Rehoboth is presenting Estella Scrooge, a modern Christmas story of the great granddaughter of the infamous Ebenezer Scrooge. Estella Scrooge is a modern retelling of A Christmas Carol includes additional characters and plot lines from Great Expectations, Little Dorrit, Bleak House and other great Dickens’ novels. The talented cast at Clear Space will be sure to entertain and warm your hearts with this twist on a holiday classic running from November 24th-December 10th.
Watch Christmas Parades: Lewes & Rehoboth, DE
After watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, aren’t you in the mood for more? Enjoy a few local parades at the beaches. In Lewes, the parade takes place on at 5:00pm on December 2nd right through Historic Downtown. The theme is “Celebrating Old Fashioned Christmas in Lewes”. The float judges will be located at the Zwaadendael Museum. A couple days later, the Rehoboth Beach Fire Company hosts the Rehoboth Beach Hometown Parade on December 4th, at 6:00pm. Guests are encouraged to stop by the Rehoboth Beach fire house to visit with Santa himself. Both parades are sure to be dazzling!
Gather around the Campfire: Lewes, DE
Crooked Hammock is bringing the magic this year. Walk through their “Buddy the Elf” decorated space to enjoy their “Let it Snow Campfire Experience” in the backyard. Roast marshmallows for s’mores as snowflakes fill the air and enjoy holiday music while sipping cocoa. This ticketed event is going on Friday-Sunday November 24th-December 30th.
Join the Santa Crawl: Rehoboth Beach, DE
Join the Santa Crawl! Dress like Santa and hit the Downtown Rehoboth streets with your fellow St.Nick pals to enjoy libations at Rehoboth restaurants. It is a fun way to get into the holiday sprits— if you know what we mean! Plus, this bar hop benefits the Toys for Tots charity.
Christmas Tree Lightings: Lewes, Dewey, Bethany, & Rehoboth
Rocking around the Delaware Beaches! Tree lighting ceremonies are happening in a few of the beach towns. The City of Rehoboth’s Tree Lighting and Sing-Along, hosted by Clear Space Theatre, will take place at the Bandstand on Friday, November 24th, from 6:30-7:00pm when they illuminate a 20ft spruce to kick off the season. Dewey Beach will hold its Tree lighting at Fifers on November 25th from 5:30-7:00. Lewes’ tree lighting will occur at Zwaanendael Park after the annual parade on December 2nd. On that same day, Bethany Beach lights its tree at 5:00pm, preceded by trolley rides, face painting, and Santa photos starting at 1:00pm.
Visit Schellville: Rehoboth, DE
Back for another year, Schellville by Schell Brothers is Hallmark movie meets Whoville and it’s the perfect way to get into the holidays in Rehoboth! Enjoy kid friendly activities like roller skating, tubing, train rides, “snow ball” fights, and an interactive kid-size Christmas village. For the whole family, there’s live music, fire pits, shopping with local vendors, and yummy food and beverages. Check out the winter edition of our Catch a Glimpse: A Delaware Beach Guide available for free in early December for more details and answers to Frequently Asked Questions!
Shop for Gifts: Lewes, Dewey, & Rehoboth, DE
Tax free Delaware shopping around the holidays is the best and Rehoboth and the surround towns are home to great finds! Check out the hundreds of stores Tanger Outlets have to offer. You can also do some local shopping in town at Rehoboth Mews, for example where you can find a store aptly named Christmas Spirit. Lewes Merchant night is another great event in quaint downtown Lewes! Businesses provide food and spirits, the band plays festive songs, and the community comes together to support small business. We also can’t forget shopping from local artists like the Rehoboth Art League Holiday Fair or Developing Artist Collab’s Dewey Sip&Shop.
Marvel at the Lewes Lights: Lewes, DE
The community truly comes together to make the season bright in Lewes. Hundreds of homeowners and businesses go all out lighting up the town to get into the holiday spirit. On December 3rd, the City of Lewes will release its annual tour map on leweslights.org which includes all of the registered addresses. Grab a cup of cocoa and make fond memories with a car rides to see one of our local beach towns go all out with Christmas lights.
Stop by Santa’s House on the Boardwalk- Rehoboth Beach, DE
Even Santa likes to spend the holidays at the Delaware Beaches! He set up his beach house on the boardwalk with a perfect view of the ocean. Bring your camera and visit Santa at his waterfront property from November 24th-December 23rd. On the 23rd, Santa is welcoming pups to visit. Talk about the perfect Christmas card opportunity!
Cheers at the Dewey Ball Drop: Dewey Beach, DE
Ring in the New Year at Delaware Beaches! Dewey is a great spot to spend New Years Eve with many of the local bars hosting bands and pouring an abundance of champagne! The ball drop festivities begin at 11:30pm on New Orleans Street (one block past The Starboard).
These are just some of the festive Rehoboth holiday events and activities! Be sure to check on our “events” tab for a complete calendar of area events with all the details you need to enjoy Christmas in Rehoboth Beach.