What you need to know about summer beach rentals in Delaware

In a winter buffeted by snow, ice and cold, summer feels far off. But at the Delaware beaches, the 2026 rental season is already underway.

More than 10 million visitors are expected to visit Sussex County beaches this year, with rental rates expected to remain largely stable, according to the U.S. Travel Association, a Washington D.C.-based trade group. Coming off the heels of last year’s slightly down market, this year is a balance of early birds and folks who haven’t lined up their vacation nest.

“We have the early people who rent year after year, and the other folks who are waiting for their family members to make up their minds,” said Sharon Palmer-Stauffer of RE/MAX in Rehoboth Beach, who has spent nearly four decades in the coastal real estate. “The good news for the procrastinators is we still have plenty of inventory.”

That inventory spans an increasingly wide spectrum.

At the high end, Palmer-Stauffer points to a show-stopping rental in Indian Beach: an 11-bedroom home with a pool, hot tub, and two full-size kitchens. “It is amazing,” she said. “It sleeps 26 people and the kitchens are so gorgeous you can’t tell which is the primary kitchen and which is the secondary.” Even at a price of $32,000 a week, only a handful of weeks remain available.

At the opposite end of the market, renters can still find efficiency apartments and condos for around $1,000 a week, a reminder that affordability remains a priority for many. In fact, about 79% of travelers say they are making budget-conscious choices due to ongoing concerns about inflation, according to U.S. Travel.

Those concerns are influencing not only what type of accommodations people rent but how they will get there, with nearly half of travelers are expected to drive rather than fly. That makes Delaware’s beaches—within a few hours’ drive of major metro areas—especially attractive.

The downside is congestion. Route 1, already notorious in peak season, is expected to be even more crowded this summer thanks to a proliferation of new construction.

Ian Blyth of SeaScape Residential Services describes the current pace as slightly softer than the frenzy of Covid, when beaches became a preferred get away.

He notes that rental demand dipped by about 5% last year, partly due to wide-scale government layoffs that disproportionately affected Washington, D.C.-area renters who traditionally favor Rehoboth Beach. This year, government workers who are still on the job feel more secure, and travel forecasts suggest renewed momentum.

Following a 2025 dip, domestic travel is expected to resume growth in 2026, surpassing pre-pandemic records. High-profile events—including the World Cup in June and the nation’s Semiquincentennial celebrations in July in nearby Philadelphia—are expected to further boost regional travel.

Meanwhile, rental supply at the beach has grown. New construction continues, and a slower home sales market has nudged more owners into renting.

“People who haven’t sold their houses are now renting them,” Blyth said.

He noted that option could be reduced in coming years as newer developments mandate restrictions on owners’ ability to rent out their properties.

“Some of them don’t allow anyone to rent for less than seven days. Some places won’t let anyone rent for less than 30 days,” he says.

For the upcoming season, timing is critical. Large homes that can accommodate multiple families or groups of friends tend to book early, particularly those with premium features or locations. Condos, by contrast, often go closer to the deadline. Blyth uses Easter—April 5 this year—as his barometer.

“If properties are still sitting after Easter, that’s when we start calling landlords with suggestions on lowering rents,” he said. “Then we can move the needle a little bit.”

This is the first full season for the state’s rental tax, which adds 4.5% on top of hefty local taxes, including 7% in Rehoboth and 6% in Ocean View.

“In round numbers, it means if you rent a place for $4,000, you will be spending an extra $400,” Blyth said.

In many cases, owners are absorbing the increase.

“Most of our rental rates stayed the same because of the 4.5% increase,” Palmer-Stauffer said.

Location continues to command a premium. Oceanfront and bay-view properties top the most ambitious wish lists, followed closely by back-bay access homes, Broadkill Beach, and amenity-rich communities like the Peninsula, with its lazy river, golf, and resort-style living.

Blyth finds renters are less impressed by developments far inland that tout proximity to the coast. He chuckles at roadside signs at communities west of Route 1 and north of Milton advertising that they are “minutes to the beach.”

“In reality, it’s 59 minutes from there to the beach,” he said.

With high temperatures and the prospect of tropical storms in August, renters are seeking such practical amenities as kid spaces with TVs to help wile away a rainy day. Other popular sizzle features: pools and hot tubs; outdoor showers; outdoor kitchens; fenced areas for pets; and extra parking.

So what’s still available for summer 2026? There’s a wide variety of choices.

A contemporary oceanfront house in South Bethany sleeps nine, with an open-concept living and dining space, wrap-around deck, and sweeping views. Renting for $9,000 a week at peak season, it’s booked through mid-September, except for the first two weeks in June.

In Lewes, a dog-friendly four-bedroom, 3.5-bath home overlooking the canal and wildlife refuge offers a pool and parking for five vehicles, with remaining availability in June, July, and August ranging from $3,005 to $3,605 a week.

In Rehoboth, a two-bedroom condo just steps from the boardwalk—but without an ocean view—rents for $2,580 a week in August. That total reflects a base rent plus a $135 processing fee, a $145 damage waiver, $81 in Delaware rental tax, $133 in local tax, and a $179 linen fee, a breakdown that highlights how fees and taxes now factor into final costs.

Kenneth and Adele Gregory of Middletown researched two options for summer travel: a week at a great beach hotel or a high-end cruise to Bermuda.

“They cost almost exactly the same, so we are going to the beach and having some really nice dinners out,” he says.

In the future, expect more hotels for visitors who want to spend a few days seaside. Two iconic businesses on the Rehoboth boardwalk, Grotto Pizza and Dolle’s Candyland, have relocated to make way for luxury lodgings.