REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - A busy summer feeling, even busier than normal. It is no surprise that Rehoboth Beach is filled with visitors, but some say the coast is now just plain congested. It has become so bad that it was the topic of conversation at the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk and Beach committee on Monday morning.
"It's even hard to walk or even get a spot on the beach," said Christina Barley from York, Pennsylvania.
The group discussed the city's crowding especially on the 4th of July.
"In my 28 years I've never seen it so crowded," Rehoboth Beach Police Chief Keith Banks said about Independence Day.
Many visitors share the same sentiment.
"It was crazy because 4th of July weekend I was down here, there was just people everywhere on the boardwalk. When there is that many people, its really not that fun," said Evan Annone from Wilmington.
"It's busier than the past few years, it's people wanting to get back out there because of COVID," said Leo Marini from Wilmington.
While there is no official explanation as to why the small beach town is filled with people, "I think some it could be from the pandemic but really its just about the development in the area. So people are moving in and working from home, and they decided to stay there and work at the beach," said Chief Banks.
Committee members said people will get to the beach at around 8:30 in the morning to claim a spot and some won't leave until 8 or 7 p.m.
The larger crowds may make it harder to park, or make your wait for boardwalk treats longer, but Chief Banks says the crowds are not a threat to public safety.
"We are doing well. We have a clean, safe, and friendly environment so we are encouraging people to come," said the chief.
The Boardwalk and Beach committee plans to specifically address security and safety at future meetings.
Chief Banks says during the holiday, some drivers have gotten out of their cars while gridlocked downtown, thinking the drawbridge was up. But really, traffic was just that bad. So give yourself more time, and more patience when visiting.