I made sure to start my 37th year off right…with a trip to the beach!

Since I don’t live a block away from a coast with salt water anymore, I clearly understand how I’ve taken it for granted in the past.

My birthday jaunt to Bethany Beach, Delaware was only a long weekend, but it was perfect and definitely worth the drive.  I recommend not following your initial GPS directions if you are traveling from the north and told to use Route 1.  Take the hint from the one road sign that says “DE beaches, use 113.”

The town center is adorable, boasting small businesses, local restaurants, and novelty shops all along the strip that is located one block back from the beach.  Every side street along the strip has access to the beach and also has plenty of metered parking.

A nice sized boardwalk is the barrier between shopping, food access and the beautiful sand that beckons.

Unfortunately, I did not snap any photos of the pod of dolphins playing in the ocean just beyond the people playing in the ocean…that would have been awesome.  In any case, it was a beautiful thing to watch and it was the only time I saw dolphins from the shore so clearly.

Delaware was good to me so it may be a location I frequent in the future.