Delaware has some beautiful beaches, and the ocean is probably my favorite subject to photograph. After living here for almost 3 years, here are my top 6 favorite places to take photos of the beach.

 

1. The Point at Cape Henlopen State Park

Location: Cape Henlopen state Park, Lewes, DE

Unique feature: Lighthouse, sunset over the water on the east coast

Best time to go: Sunset and when Sunset and low tide happen at the same time

The Point at Cape Henlopen is hands down my favorite place in the state of Delaware to take beach photos. The Point is unique because it separates the Delaware Bay from the Atlantic ocean, and curves in a way that the sun sets directly over the water on the Bay side even though you’re on the east coast. Think about that for a second. It’s super cool.

The Bay side is much calmer, and gives you an excellent view of the East End Breakwater Lighthouse. During low tide, the bay turns into a series of tide pools and sand bars. The absolute best time for photos is when low tide and sunset happen at the same time. You can find tide charts here.

You can also access the ocean side of The Point for more classic beach photos. On the ocean side, the waves are larger, and you can see the Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse in the distance.

Note: If you want to hike around the Point, go between October-February. While photos are amazing year-round, you can only hike on the actual point during the winter.

 

2, Gordons Pond Beach

Location: Cape Henlopen State Park, Rehoboth, DE

Unique feature: WWII Fire Control towers on the beach

Best time to go: Sunrise or sunset

The Gordons Pond Beach is a good choice for sunrise and sunset. This beach is unique because it sports 2 fire control towers from WWII literally built right on the beach. To access this beach, enter Cape Henlopen State Park from the Rehoboth entrance and then walk onto the beach.

3. Herring Point

Location: Cape Henlopen State Park, Lewes, DE

Unique feature: Rock jetties and ocean waves

Best time to go: Sunrise

Herring Point at Cape Henlopen State Park is my favorite place for sunrise. With Delaware being on the East Coast, you have to go to the beach for sunrise to see the sun come up directly over the water. Herring Point is a good choice for sunrise because the waves crash over the rock jetties, making for interesting photos.

 

4. Kitts Hummock Beach

Location: Dover, DE

Unique feature: Bay beach, horseshoe crabs, mud flats

Best time to go: Low tide at sunrise or sunset, horseshoe crab spawning season

Kitts Hummock is actual a Delaware Bayshore beach, meaning that the water is the Delaware Bay, not the ocean. However, bay beaches make for incredible photos as well, and Kitts Hummock is my favorite bay beach. My favorite thing about Bay beaches is low tide, when the beach turns into a giant mud flat. That might sound weird, but hear me out. The mud last create amazing reflections and photo opportunities. The best time to go to Kitts Hummock is when sunrise or sunset happen at the same time as low tide.

Another great feature of Kitts Hummock (or bay beaches in general) is horseshoe crab spawning season. Every spring in Delaware, thousands upon thousands of horseshoe crabs come to the shores of the Delaware Bay to spawn. You can’t miss it. It’s my favorite time of year, and you can learn more about it here.

 

5. Delaware Seashore State Park

Location: Delaware Seashore State Park, Rehoboth DE

Unique features: Open ocean, jetties, bridge, Inlet

Best time to go: Anytime, sunset, sunrise, or after dark for the bridge to light up.

Delaware Seashore State Park has some of my favorite large open beach space in Delaware. If you’re looking for classy photos of a sprawling beach, this is your place. Check out the north or south side of the Indian River Inlet, and catch a few photos of the Indian River Inlet Bridge.

 

6. Rehoboth Beach

Location: Rehoboth, DE

Unique features: Wooden jetties, boardwalk

Best time to go: Sunrise, Anytime, off season for less people

Rehoboth is another great place for classic beach photos, but is also a good spots for catching beach culture. As one of Delaware’s top tourist attractions, you can people watch all day, and capture the culture of a classic ocean boardwalk. Rehoboth also has these cool wooden jetties that extend into the water, and make for great sunrise photos.

 

Do you have other favorite beach locations in Delaware? Let me know! You can also check out my 10 tips for taking better beach photos.