Cape Henlopen State Park Reviews

Campsites were ridiculously close together! You are literally on top of your neighbors. A little more space would have made for a much more pleasant experience.

Mary at the front gate is rude. God forbide you don’t have your annual pass stuck to the outside of your window. Mine was on the inside and she wanted to put me in jail. They get stolen on the outside of your window or blow off. This park and it’s employees are not customer friendly, it’s like they don’t care about their guests. Will not be back, like they really care, and won’t be buying a pass for next year. This park is the worst, thank you Mary for ruining my camping experience.

We went here on a day trip, as we live about 2 hours away. It was a beautiful day in mid-September, and we had no trouble finding a place to park. The beach right by the entrance was pretty full of people, but if you walked a little way away from the bath house and parking area, you could easily find a more open space. The bath house was large and clean. Since it was technically “off-season,” it’s hard to judge how our experience may have been different in July or August, but overall we were very happy with the beach. It was peaceful and clean, and we definitely plan to go back.

If you are in the area, don't miss this. Truly the most beautiful state park I have ever been in. So much to do and see, we went twice and didn't see it all. Beautiful unspoiled, a real gem! Don't miss It! Great walking path, bike riders will love it!

Awesome park with biking/hiking trails, great tent camping and beaches. You can take your dogs to the beach at Herring Point (on leash), and on most trails. Absolutely fantastic park.

There is so much to do have this park. Great biking on the Breakwater Junction trail. Great for beachcombing and walking around The Point even in the winter. A lot of interesting history. So many areas to explore.

We were there in early May and there were very few other visitors around. This is a gorgeous spot and we truly enjoyed the peace, tranquility and unspoiled landscape this park offers. We would revisit whenever possible.

Peaceful, beautiful park with lots to do! Hiking and biking trails throughout. Nature center, hawk watch tower, and more. Awesome fishing pier with lovely views. Bathing on the beach or bay side. Close to the ferry and Lewes.

Pluses...
Beautiful beach that is dog friendly. Lots of room to spread out, waves are great and the water is cool but not too cold.
Interesting walk to the beach through an old military installation.

Minuses
The most claustrophobic State Park we have ever RV’ed at. They literally pack them in here. Understandably cause it is a popular spot.
Difficult and long walk to the beach especially on a hot humid day. Literally goes forever, with no shade

This was our first visit... had such a nice time, looking forward to the next time we can come back, and we will be bringing our bikes! We arrived early so we had to pay the out of state $10 entrance fee since we couldn't check into the campground until 1pm.
There are several nice trails / bike trails to walk, we actually walked the Gordons Pond trail from Herring Point to the end and then walked back on the beach... it was really nice!
Our stay at the campground was nice as well. The staff was friendly at check in and our site was nice.

Park is nice with the option of many things to do. Can relax at the beach, bike ride or go jogging. Lots of wildlife to see. Lots of parking a available. Worth the entrance fee to avoid the crowds on a busy beach day. We went on the 4th and the beach was relatively empty.

Fees: $5 for Delaware residents and $10 for out of staters.

Who knew there were 25,000 troops here in WW2, fending off U-boats and invasions? Although it was cold and windy, we enjoyed the visit. Tours on weekends are free.

Love it
Love it
Love it

$5 for Delaware residents $10 for out of state. Fishing pier is always a great place to go fishing and you can swim not to far from it. Bay side is always a great place for the kids. The ocean side has all the waves you need. Concession stand for drinks and snacks as well as bait. 🐟. Go have a great time. I did today . . . Beats sitting on the couch.

Came at Sunset to see the lighthouse at this time of day. The Sunset was not that great due to some clouds, but the lighthouse was beautiful and so was the scenery

Even on a foggy damp day, the beauty of this park was readily evident. They weren't charging for admission on the day we visited, so we were able to drive through the parking area and admire the dunes and get a quick look at the ocean.

Borrowed bike and rode the trails, really nice and peaceful saw the military Barracks from WW II and went down to the bathhouse.

We stayed here two nights. The campground is a short walk to the beach and the area is really isolated. They have big crowds at the day use area but it’s a couple miles from the campground. The campground has more trees than we expected. The only problem was some of the sites have very short driveways and the bathhouse gets too crowded.

They have several bathhouses but the one in the Kidd of the campground next to the camp store is where everyone goes. The other two are on the perimeter of the campground.

It was quiet at night and the camp store is well stocked and has friendly folks.

This is a nice park with multiple options to engage with history and nature. Easy trails bring you along the beach and across the cape. Also opps for activities like camping.

Stopped here on the way home from vacation after taking the Cape May-Lewes Ferry.
Nice enough. but Ocean City, NJ where we went first was so much better.

What we loved about this place was the super close parking, a bathhouse and short walk to the beach. Not overcrowded. We did have to pay $10 since we are out of state. But everything was so clean, we didn't mind.

The beach is rocky though. Waved were a but aggressive. We have three kids -ages 3, 5 and 7- and I was in the water with them, but worried the whole time. It's not super soft sand, it's more like super tiny pebbles. They kept getting stuck in my boys swim shorts.
We did see one Maryland blue crab that was kind of cool! and we saw some small shells.

If we could take their limited crowd, clean bathhouse and close parking and mix it with the soft sand and calmer waves of Ocean City, NJ- it'd be the PERFECT place!

My husband, adult son and I are all history buffs. We had seen the WW2 towers for years but never knew we could actually go up in one. Enjoyed the museum in the bunker, the large cannons and scenery. Everyone was very nice and it was all free with our Delaware Parks pass! After the historical sights we went to the beach area, parked the car and walked in the massive crowds down to the beach where there was not room for a chair or umbrella! Won’t go back on a Saturday in the summer haha! We should have known better. Went back to where we were staying and went in the pool! But totally enjoyed Cape Henlopen!

This beach visit never gets old.
The Point oceanside or bayside is the top get-away-from--it-all spot to enjoy nature.
From light house bayside to lighthouse ocean side, that's right 2 lighthouses can be seen from this vantage point of Cape Henlopen State Park’s "Point". Just follow the signs passed surf fishing beach and past the pilot watch tower.

This is one of my favorite places to camp! Great place to bike around, fantastic beaches, large enough camp sites for RV or tent. Just a beautigul area. Great bay side too, and low tide you can walk out pretty far!

My friends and I have visited this park many times, spending days on the beach to riding through enjoying seeing the wildlife and to outlooks to watch the beautiful sunsets.

Gorgeous beach to relax, excellent summertime Instagram sunset shots. Cape Henlopen is clean, not as crowded as other beaches and is dog friendly. There are plenty space for parking. If you only have a few minutes, grub ice cream at Rita’s truck and enjoy the view.

Unspoiled beauty. You can find many activities at this great state park - swimming, surfing, fishing, hiking, biking, free bike rentals, picnicking, observation tower, Fort Miles, nature and history tours, kids events in the summer, bird watching, great sun rises and sun sets, and some I probably forgot.
Take the time to visit, you will enjoy!

This is one of our favorite state parks. From the history and war relics to the bike trails and views. There is no other place like it!

Fort Miles is a sub-destination within the park that tells how this area participated during WWII. Plenty of large cannons to learn about, towers, and a panoramic view of the ocean (unfortunately this was under refurbishment in December 2018, but we’ve seen it before and it was amazing).

Entry to the park is free in December, January, and February.

Other favorites include the aquarium, extensive bike trails, fishing pier, and the point of Delaware. (The point is closed while birds are nesting in spring and summer)

The state park is 5000+ acres of preserved seashore, with beautiful, natural, and untrampled dunes and vegetation. Yes, there are spots that require a long walk or bike ride to get to the beach, but it’s worth it to be in a relatively unspoiled setting. Miles of paved trails for biking and walking are in the park and extend from Lewes to Rehoboth. The campground has been renovated, so each site has water and electric, and access to clean bathhouses with private rooms. However, the sites are tight! Very little privacy. Our next visit will be in the off season!

We were vacationing in Lewes and visited the park because they had a program on Snake and Turtles at the visitor center and my nephew got excited about it. Out of state day pass is $10 and it's well worth it! The visitor center is so cute and they have a free aquarium you can check out. They even have fish you can touch when you first come in! The program was $2 a person, but cute, informative and the staff couldn't have done a better job, we got to touch turtles and a snake - how cool is that!?! Directions through the park can be a bit confusing and we wound up at the campground, but the guard at the station kindly stopped us and got us turned around with directions on where to go. Would love to go back and stay at the campground - awesome security for families!!! We drove around and found an overlook of the ocean and public beach, so pretty. We also saw where you can drive your vehicles directly on the beach! Highly recommend this park, well worth the visit!

This is a drive on beach with a permit. You must also be fishing to drive onto the beach. It is a nice beach and well patrolled.

state of DL gem on the shore, at a price of $10 per car for out of staters. You got the open ocean, and the calm bay side with tital pools... and the walking and bike trails, and the history....

Both sheltered beach and wider Atlantic coast beaches with bigger waves plus good visitor centre. Good for birds, cycling and plenty of parking

GREAT place to visit any time of year! The park services offer many different classes and events throughout the year. Wonderful opportunities to fish off the pier or beach. Enjoy a swim or paddle boarding. During Chirstmas the have a FABULOUS light display. Check out their web site for mor information!

For only $5 per car for DE residents you get the best family day for your money. Trails, beach and activities galore. Check the website for a list of all the things going on at the park.

We had a fun time riding bikes on the trails through the park. We rode our bikes onto the ferry in Cape May and got off at Lewes. Cape Henlopen park is across the street from the ferry. The campground looks very nice as well. We saw the beach, saw some history with the cannons on display, and got exercise. It was a nice family adventure!

Everyone had a great time! We all rode bikes around, walked some trails, went on a fun tour, and camped here! Our camping experience was great, but the sites were very cramped. It was so interesting, and we even saw a skunk! The beach is amazing, not too crowded, and we had a great day there too, and there is a snack bar nearby.

Park, history, walking/biking trails and beautiful beaches - Cape Henlopen has it all. My family and I visit frequently and its a great part of living in the area!

Such beautiful landscape, great views, dolphins, trails, observation towers, biking, beaches - love it all. Was here to camp in previous years - great place for families and dogs. You can have dogs at Herring Point!

Stopped by Cape Henlopen Park in the late afternoon. We climbed the watch tower, and boy it was a nice view. Driving threw the park we saw a lot of deer (drive carefully)! We capped our visit by walking out onto the pier as the sun was setting. Very nice attraction.

We did some hiking and visited the beach. The kids especially enjoyed the shallow waters and horseshoe crabs, etc. Then came home with a tick. Be careful!

Great trails, beaches and scenery. Very beautiful, peaceful, friendly and gorgeous park with lots to do.

If your in the area, come see the beautiful beaches and undisturbed sand dunes. There is great day beaching spots with parking, food, and bathrooms. Also camping with group sites available. It’s the New Jersey pine barrens, meets the North Carolina beaches.

My family went to the Cape Henlopen State park beach on two occasions in June 2019. Though this is a nice beach venue I found that some people left their trash as there are no trash or recycling cans. They do have bags for people to take the trash back with them, but it doesn't seem right given the park-beach has a consession stand serving food items in cups, plates, etc. Still, it is a nice beach.

Cape Henlopen is a beautiful park right on the ocean in Lewes, DE. There is a really nice beach house, snack bar and lifeguards. You can even use free bikes if you get there early enough. It gets really crowded though, but you can get away from the crowds by walking a bit down the beach towards he area where fishing and vehicles are allowed. The town of Lewes is 5 minutes away and is a great way to end the day.

Absolutely a fantastic state park with great facilities. Visited years ago with pet and returned with new beagle pet as park and portion of beach is pet friendly. Parked near the drive on area for surf fishing( we walked ). Had a fantastic time during pandamic June 10 thru 14. Everyone was very cordial and we had a great experience. Walk to beach is long so I recommend not hauliing a lot unless u can drive on. Bought out of state senior pass ( great deal) and will return a few times this year. Next year will purchase drive on as it looked like a great time. Found restrooms and bathhouse at main beach very clean( compliments and thanks to staff).
Joe Kalista

This is definitely a worthwhile destination for a day trip. There are several trails to choose from (some paved, some sand, some single track, etc). The Fort area has a lot to offer to those interested in WWII history. We visited in early October and although the parking lots were packed with cars we didn't see another person on the trail we chose until we got to the paved trail and beach area. We will definitely be up to explore more of the trails, especially in the off season. There is a fee to enter the park $5 DE residents, $10 Out of State.

We've been coming to Cape Henlopen for four years now. It is by far our favorite beach in the north east. We love the family friendly atmosphere, the variety of beaches and the bay (perfect for young children!), trails, camp sites and historical areas. Current entry prices are $10/day or $25 if buying three day passes at the same time. No bugs as long as the wind is blowing off the ocean. Not into camping but traveling on a budget? Check out the Driftwood Motel which is literally 5 miles away and has a full kitchen, Wifi, AC, etc at a great value.

We have a yearly pass. There is sooo much to do. There is a secret beach that my family loves, but I will not be telling anyone where it is. Love that you can do bay and ocean. Camping if that is your thing. We love riding bike here. Great playground for the kids. The tiny little museum is just so damn cute.

Really enjoy our visits to CHSP. We always get the annual pass and visit frequently. This time we visited the Nature Center with a question about something we found at the Lewes Bay beach that resembled a moulted snake skin. The excellent naturalist told us it was a Horse Conch egg case and explained how the mother creates the case containing thousands of miniature conch shell babies in the egg case disks. She was very knowledgeable and they also had a Horse Conch in their touch tank and encourage visitors to examine the specimens after hand washing. The park also offers free bike rentals, hiking trails, playgrounds, ultimate frisbee course, bird watching and some of the nicest beaches in the mid-Atlantic. Highly recommended for a fun and educational experience.

The 5th & last state on our East Coast trek is Delaware!

We took the ferry from Cape May & it was a novelty for us. We enjoyed it so much! The state park is just a half mile on the left when you pull out.

For Delaware I had my heart set on Cape Henlopen State Park. The sites go fast & I felt lucky to get the site I ended up with. When we got there we found out a water main broke & there was no water. Fortunately, we only went a day without.

There are cabins & primitive sites with their own bath house.
The water/electric sites are in rows A-F. We were in B 14.
The sites are laid out at an angle, but some were a straight backin..
The even A sites - you park your rig or car on the road in a straight line & you get a big wooded site. Not sure if these sites have electricity.

There's 2 dump stations on the way out.

There's shower houses for E/F/T, the G loop & on the B loop road. There's an asphalt trail leading through the main sites for bathroom access. It's clearly marked on the map, so keep it in mind when you pick a site.

There are some pullthroughs that can take big rigs.
The sites are not uniform, some larger, some smaller. Watch the site dimensions or you might not be able to fit your vehicle AND camper on the site. It HAS to all be on the asphalt behind the white line.

There are combo toilet/showers which I'm not fond of. You're a tenter & want to go for your morning BM & all the doors are locked with people showering. 🙁
They're clean.
The camp store/ laundry is the building next to that. The playground is also right there.

This was my husbands favorite campground on our trip. It was a very enjoyable place!

This park has a LOT of activities : the beach, a nice nature center. Fort Miles for WW 2 history. Biking is hugely popular & they have bike rentals at the nature center if you forgot yours.
You can climb a WW 2 watchtower. There's hiking trails, a fishing pier. So much to do. Lots of good restaurants in the area also.

We had a great time there. Sorry we had to leave...

This is a place I will visit often! There is no boardwalk, no concession stands, no restaurants--but there is history and multiple easy-access points to the beach with parking. My favorite part, however, is closed all summer: the northern end of the park is a bird preserve, and is closed during nesting season.

Site states pet friendly. There is nothing pet friendly about the place. Signs everywhere stating no pets. The guard and employees at nature center were so rude and clueless. The ticket discharge slot was jammed. No beautiful greenery. It looked like a dirty sandy dried up vegetation area. A waste of money.

We were there at early evening, and the view from the actual cape was stunning. There is a lighthouse, and it was low tide, which had lots of tidal pools and sand bars. There are hermit crabs, snails, and small fish in the tidal pools. Horseshoe crabs too. And sand crabs that hide in the sand and scurry away. Parts of the beach were roped off, for the shore birds to tend their nests. Children were there, but this is not the "main beach", so it was very quiet and beautiful. The main beach would have more swimming, less walking. There was a $10 entrance fee for out-of-state cars, $5 for in-state, but this was well worth it, as they allowed swimming on the beach. And a walk on the cape at dinnertime was really amazing.

We lucked out and weather was great this weekend. Very much enjoyed hiking around the park and seeing the beautiful sights. People were biking also on bikes you can use from the nature center for a donation.

We planned our trip around going to this state park due to the WWII history. The park itself did not disappoint, beautiful scenery and beaches. We were able to take our dogs out to the water. They loved it. We were very disappointed in the lack of care and maintenance of the WWII items. The signs were out of date, one by around 20 years, and in poor shape. At least two were not even readable. We camped in the area for six days and the museum was never open except the day we were leaving opening 1 hour before we had to check out. Battery tours were also not offered during this time.

Very sad that these historic landmarks are not accessible to the public and are not being maintained. Most sit there empty and in need of love while a brand new building is being built in the park just so a president can put his name on it. Such lack of respect for our greatest generation.

The only place I really enjoyed during my short visit in DE ! Skip Rehoboth beach and come here !
Ticket is $10 for out of state cars( cheaper than anywhere else ) !
The beach is much quieter than Rehoboth and at the park is more to do !
There’s the war museum ( surroundings are lovely too if the museum is closed )
There’s the lighthouse - pretty sunsets from there
And the observation towers are cool too :)
Enjoy !

Don't miss this. Fun place. Borrow a bike and ride around. Gordon's Pond is a nice place to check out.

Cape Henlopen State Park is big and beautiful. There are many biking and walking trails throughout the park, or one may drive from one area to another. Herring Point is a great area to watch surfers, fish off the fishing pier, explore Fort Miles, or enjoy the beach. Climb the 100+ steps to the top of a WWII lookout tower and enjoy the panoramic view. One may spend a couple hours there or a day or two.

This park has a lot more to see than just the beach. Great trails for waking, biking, running. Deer every where. Some dunes to check out, weird leftover towers and artillery from WWII, fun to see that. Definitely a good place for day trips.
The campsite is a problem though, as it is very low on restrooms. All the stalls are also showers, and it can be a long wait till one is available. Plus, when you are using one, other people are always knocking and trying the door. Small sites also, very close to neighbors.

Loved our visit here on a hot day. People were surfing and playing volleyball and having so much fun. Perfect for flying a kite or doing anything! Gorgeous views at Herring Point. Highly recommend.

Loved this delightful, educational area with easy access to history and the beach. They have free bikes to enjoy.

This is a huge state park. They have a very nice campground. One day is not enough time to see what the whole park has to offer. The nature trail leads to an aquarium in the Nature Center. The 11am Battery 519 tour is excellent, informative, and fascinating. There are many beautiful beaches, plenty of parking, restrooms, and nice play grounds.

This is a huge state park with a lot of history and a lot of things to do. We visited in the off season so things were quiet. There was not a charge to enter in the off season. Hiking, biking, camping, beaches.... it is all here.

There is an entrance fee -- for non residents it's $10 per car, but it's well worth the fee! Be sure to get the park map. It's not great, and we found it hard to follow. There is lots of parking, many different entry points for the beach, a fishing pier (not too crowded and people were catching a variety of fish & crabs). The bait shop was open, but it was about the only public facility (less rest rooms) that seemed to be open. Can't speak for the bath houses. The dunes are lovely -- lots of small flowers, miscellaneous low bushes and grasses. it would have been pretty bare in the WW-2 period. We sat on a bench and watched dolphins for maybe half an hour -- but they are really hard to photograph!! Sort of accidental if you get a photo.

We stopped by this nature center. There’s a mini aquarium that we could learn what kind of fish lived around the beach, it’s educational and fun.

One of the best run, most welcoming and positive camping experiences we have ever had! Took out Airstream and granted, its early season, but the bike riding access, museum at Fort Miles, and others nearby coupled with a well ordered and calm campground made our experience and our neighbors, too, one to remember! Just excellent administration and reception... great camp store staff, laundry, showers, etc. Go Camping!

Walked a loop through the park… appreciated the good signage and friendly people. Lots to do in the park for people of all ages. This is a treasure!

We walked on an almost deserted beach for hours here! The sunset was phenomenal from the peak of the cape, with the lighthouse in the background. We saw dolphins very close to us. We saw an old shipwreck in the sand as well. Highly recommend for peace, tranquility and beauty.

nice swimming beach and loads of activities available within the park, basketball courts, nature center, walking trials, wild life

Nice beaches, walking trails and historic bunkers that were used to protect the Delaware river mouth and coast.

Interesting history, plenty of paths. Great views. You can borrow a bike for free to ride for up to 2 hours. We enjoyed the park.

Was satisfied with all areas of the park. We only stayed one night on our way to NY. Love state parks! Would rather support state parks. They are the BEST!

Cape Henlopen has a a great location with water all around the peninsula (bay and ocean) and plenty of wooded and sandy areas for camping, sunning, swimming, etc.

This place was recommended to me by a friend some years ago and this is the first time that i have been able to check it out. Initially my expectations were low, but i was i pressed. What an outdoor playground that is perfect to take advantage of during the covid era. Lots and lots of trails for biking and walking. Lots and lots of beach to spread out on. The museum is closed and the observation tower is closed due to the pandemic unfortunately. The $10 entry fee for out of state visitors is still in effect. It would be nice to camp here for 4-5 days to really get to explore this park and enjoy it.

This Delaware State Park has much to do besides enjoying the ocean. There are multiple trails, an open lookout tower, nature center, and a developing military museum. The beach is still beautiful and there's plenty to do when/if you get tired of the sun and sand.

They offer a free bike rental for two hours, which I used to bike throughout the park. The world war II watch towers were interesting. I enjoyed this more than the typical crowded boardwalk setting that you typically experience at the beach.

We bicycled around the park and enjoyed the path through the park. We also took a tour of Fort Miles Museum and around the area outside the museum. It was very educational and a wonderful part of WW II history in the Delaware bay and state. Highly recommend this park and history.

We enjoyed our day at the beach. Very clean and dog friendly. $10 per car to park only down fall is the Rent a John for bathrooms. Will be plan on coming back

We packed up and headed to Cape Henlopen only to find the park closed after a 3 hour car ride. We’ve been going to the park for years and never had this happened to us before. Somehow we managed to keep our cool and luckily one of the rangers, who was directing traffic back out the park, suggested we come back in an hour. Good advice, after a refreshing lunch and stroll in Lewes, we came back and order was restored. Though our favorite spot was still closed - Herring Point. Never-mind, we got to go a new part of the beach, The Point and had a great rest of the day. Big plus there were ‘real’ bathrooms where we could rinse off our feet at the end of the day! We also discovered that the park is pretty big and has many, many bike trails and looks ready for the season. In my opinion, still the best beach to visit.

This park is gorgeous! There’s so much to do. Bring a picnic and eat at the beach. We are from NY and loved this place. The history, the beaches, the nature center- it’s all great

The pools which hold the horseshoe crabs for touching are absolutely the best fun for young children! The large aquariums are perfect for viewers of all ages and sizes. Down the way, not far, is an excellent playground. The swings, slides and climbing options are without parallel. The water fountains work (!) and the bathrooms have soap are very clean.

Cape Henlopen St Park is a good place to take a hike on the beach, especially in the off-season when it's peaceful. Watch the ships sail up and down Delaware Bay and lots of birds of many varieties. Free in the winter and well worth the trip. Check out the Nature Center and the cool aquariums.

I love to come here and will keep coming back. There is so much to do here if you enjoy the great outdoors. Hiking, cycling, fishing, birding, kite-flying, photography, historical exploration,picnicking, and MORE. To get the most of your experience, bring a cooler. Water, snacks, and meals are a must if you plan to spend your entire day here. Wear proper footwear, have a first-aid kit on hand, wear sunglasses. Exploring the trails. There are many types of trails to explore. I really like the one that goes through the salt marshes. Wear bug spray or the flies and mosquitoes will bite you.

My son and I loved our time at Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware. It includes a military museum and remnants of the defence of the coast. There is a great nature centre with fantastic friendly and informative staff. We borrowed a free bike and my son rode along the wetlands. We walked along trails and the clean white sand along the beach. Well worth a visit. Camping grounds and the summer activity program looks wonderful

Love this state park. Borrowed a bike and rode the bike trail. One of the volunteers at the bike check out said Delaware has the best state parks and I think he may be right. We enjoyed touring the park via bike trail. Enjoyed the main beach - beach house was nice. If you want crashing waves, go to the main beach. If you want calmer water, go to a beach on the bay side. Watching the sunset at the point was beautiful. Loved the WWII museum. Did a dolphin kayak tour with Quest Adventures - definitely worth the money and getting up early (started at 8am). Only cost $10 per car per day (out of state plates). Would definitely go back if the opportunity arises.

If you want a true beach experience...this is the place to go...all of the Delaware State Beach Parks are wonderful, well kept beaches. No commercial boardwalks, vendors ..just the sun and sand

We got off the ferry and went to explore this state Park. We drove in and paid $10 for out of state. Well worth it. We walked to the beach, walked up to Hawk Watch, and sat on a bench enjoying the nice weather. People were very friendly. Beautiful views. We saw someone wind surfing. Pretty cool!

The beach has nice sand, great surf and generally isn't too crowded. They have made access fairly easy. There are usually nice breezes.

We usually vacation in South Beach when we want some time by the ocean, but with the pandemic, it will be quite a while before we visit Florida again. Friends suggested we meet up in Lewes, so we decided to give it a try. The facilities are great - the free showers work well and the bath house is much cleaner than such places usually are. The beach itself is also very clean and well-kept. One warning: the waves here are intense, or at least they were during our visit. I went out in a swim ring and was dunked so many times I ended up losing my best beach hat and a pair of prescription sunglasses. The next day, the surf was so strong that swim rings and such were forbidden and I lost the inexpensive sunglasses my friend had loaned me! Still, we had fun playing in the water and hanging out in the sand with our besties, who we hadn't seen in five months as we live in different cities. We will definitely be back.

Took the ferry down to Cape Henlopen to get away for the day. From the minute I left the ferry's parking lot, I knew exactly where I was going. The park was clearly marked and practically right across the street. Cape Henlopen Park welcomed me with their beautiful bike paths, breathtaking views and clean roads. For out of state visitors, the fee was $10, which I was able to pay with my debit card at the machine on the way in. I drove directly to the peninsula to check out the beach and lighthouses. Parking was easy. Bathrooms were open right in the parking lot. Hiked up through the path to the beach through the well protected dunes to see lots of fisherman that had set up gear at the water's edge. After catching a few shots of dolphins and gulls I started to make my way around the peninsula. As I was walking, I met many friendly locals, enjoying the beautiful day. Caught some more shots of dolphins, gulls, pelicans, burrowing ghost crabs and washed up horseshoe crabs. Can't wait to get a day when I can enjoy the southern end of the state park. Definitely worth the trip down!

My husband and I came to this state park to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We wanted an actual beach that we could drive to in a few hours, that wasn't crazy busy! We have spent most of our days off visiting local lakes in PA but really missed going to a salt water beach. This was perfect for our needs.

All you have to do is pay a daily fee (I believe it was $10 for people out of state), but it's SO worth it. You don't have to worry about paying for parking, you can leave the park as many times a day as you need to and still get back in!

This state park has everything that we needed and more, and would be great for families. They have campsites and cabins that we did not use, but loads of nature trails. They even have FREE bike rentals if you choose to ride on the trails instead. On the way in and out, they have the Seaside Nature Center. Inside is a small gift shop, some restrooms, and a 495-gallon two-level touch tank. There's a lot of educational information in there, along with a bunch of windows to see horseshoe crabs, sting rays, etc. It's very neat!

The beaches themselves were beautiful. It did rain, but the time we were there (we went two days in a row), I loved it so much! It isn't too crowded (especially if you want to walk a bit away from the wooden path), the waves are nice, there are seagulls, and there's plenty of space to throw a Frisbee!

This facility also has a snack bar, bathrooms, showers, and changing stalls. We can't WAIT to go back!

Very nice park with lots to do. Camp Miles was closed the day we were there but put on future list of To Do.
Nice beaches with short walk to surf, guarded, bath house and concessions. Nature center very nice, bike rentals available.

We enjoyed the Gordon Pond Trail which goes from the cape into Rehoboth. Follow trail to Rehoboth. At stop sign make left and follow to boardwalk. Beautiful trail!

It seems vast to me because I am not a hiker or a biker but, for you athletic-types, there are multiple routes through the park to extend your experience into a long pleasurable workout. The park has hills to slightly challenge and roads to treat your wheels nicely. Amenities are available but not obtrusive to the beauty. From late November until New Year's Eve, a local charitable coordinating group sets up a very nice display of Christmas/fairy-tale lighting -- around 50 different scenes over a 1.5 mile loop starting at the park's gate. Thanks to the "labor" of many high school and local volunteers, admissions are distributed to various local charities to assist those less fortunate. The park is beautiful, the lights are beautiful, and you can still fish from the pier or bike and hike the park even while the light display and fund-raiser is being shown. The event is called "Winterfest." Check it out on the Web. Subsequent informational points in this review refer to the Park specifically, but not the Winterfest.

A true day at the beach. But, there is so much more to do. Hiking, biking...all great things to do to keep active. And there are many more events to get involved in. If nature becons...go here
We actually saw a shark beach itself. Lifeguards are spot on heros!

I took 8 teenagers here yesterday. Two of them had never been to an ocean! We had a wonderful day! I loved that we could have a beach experience without heavy crowds and all of the commercialism that comes with the other nearby beaches. Plentiful parking and just a short walk through the facilities to the beach. It was so nice to have bathrooms, showers, a snack bar (didn't buy anything but it was nice to know it was there), and lifeguards. Nice family environment. We also popped into the nature center on our way out and petted the rays. We will be back!

beautiful at any time of day - any time of the year - always something new to see - and so many memorable place

Great Beach. Sometimes the Park closes due to beach overcrowding. Has restrooms and concession stand.

We took the Cape May ferry from nj to de - we got right on the trials from the terminal and got to the park trails. Had a great 16 mile ride all over that day - in and out of the park. Trails are very well marked and give a nice ride. Would do again!

Very interesting self guided tour of park and old fort.
State park fee of $10 for out of state car one day pass.

Am continually impressed with Delaware's efforts to make their State parks "people friendly". Henlopen is located at an exceptional location - Atlantic Ocean meets the mouth of Delaware River. Lots of wildlife, fishing, beaches and kayaking . Disappointed in pathway to beach - a long convoluted path with deep sand making passage difficult for disabled or elderly to maneuver and saw several people with kayaks struggling. It would have been so much easier with the sand coverings used at South Inlet or slats used in so many Southern beaches. Great location

Good sized beach with beach house with showers. Lots of dolphins. Great walking/biking trails and plenty of parking.

The hiking trail was paved completely until we went to the beach. That was obviously sand. We saw lots of different raptors, deer, and even a pod of Atlantic white-sided dolphins. Couldn't believe that we saw dolphins since we were on the beach for less than 5 minutes and I spotted a fin. Then several more find. It was so nice to see them. The lookout points gave nice views and there were even military guns and bunkers which was unexpected. It was rainy and cloudy but we were still able to see across to New Jersey. Definitely recommend.

Great bike riding and plenty to see. There is a flat bike trail running through the park connecting Lewes with Rehoboth.

Last night we had a beach picnic to kick off summer at the beach in Lewes, Delaware. With a group of friends this has become an annual event, always on this same beach in Cape Henlopen State Park. It was a beautiful evening with blue skies and bluer water. We spotted some dolphins and watched some families packing up from their day on the beach. The ocean wasn’t rough but the current was moving. This is one of my favorite spots in Delaware.

We do get a season pass and love coming here at all times of day. Great walking and biking paths along with stunning beaches. From fishing to shell and sea glass collecting and dolphin watching - something for everyone.

Wonderful park to take in the sights and give your family a little history lesson while enjoying beach time.

My wife and I visited here in the spring. It took me a while to get oriented even with the map but that's more on me. We walked the Gordon's Pond hike, a back-and-forth hike of about 6.4 miles. It was an easy walk, just a bit long. We also took in the views at Herring Point, walked the nature walk and visited the remains of Fort Miles. The World War 2 history of the area is fascinating. My wife even climbed one of the observation towers. There is a nature center with tanks of fish and a touch tank with several species of rays. The park is big and someone could easily spend the day there. The beaches are wide and clean, there is camping and picnic areas. It is a great place to visit.

The best State Park my wife and I have ever been in. It makes me feel like I am on Cape Cod and we both were born and raised in Massachusetts with a great love for Cape Cod. The people are friendly and the weather is better so we moved here.

Came around 11 am and easily got the free bike borrow for a lovey ride around the park. They had small bikes for the kids and the center had a cute little aquarium and petting area that they loved. Our 9 year old kept up great on the ride, the bikes are fixed gear so it’s best if the kids are good riders since it took a little getting useful to for him. After some practice in the parking lot he did great. The paths were well paved and maintained, only needed the map a couple times since they were well marked. Went up one of the towers and had a nice view. We greatly enjoyed our visit and would definitely recommend!

I love Cape Henlopen State Park beach because there are no commercial vendors anywhere in sight; all you see is ocean, beach and dunes!

So it's nice park with much to see in it from the beach to the old WWII watch towers to old Ft. Miles. The bathroom amenities are nice along with a camp store and 3.5 mile bike track that they rent bicycles for. The only thing you can really pick on is that despite the size of the park the camping circle is packed tight. People are almost on top of each other. No privacy what so ever. You also have the nearby beach towns of Lewes and Rehobeth to visit or hop the Ferry over to Cape May NJ.

Wonderful spot to get a good bike or hike in during the day.

The nature center is fun with fish tanks and good information. You can climb one of the old observation towers and get a great view of the cape. There are lots of people around and playgrounds for the kids. I would come here for a nice long run when I return. You can also explore the old WWII guns and read lots of placards.

There is an entrance fee of $5 for in-state an $10 for out-of-state. They have lots more here too-campground, fishing, boating, kayaks, etc. Great spot for anyone spending a day around Rehoboth or Lewes.

We have visited several beaches in the Delaware State Park system. They are all nice and there is plenty of room to enjoy the outdoors.

There is so much history here! It is a must see if you are traveling to the area! Its $5 for in state plates, $10 for out of state and well worth it! There are great spots to the beach too!

Beautiful beach area, very clean. Nice short walk to beach and to see the lighthouse. Nature center was informative also.

We arrived later in the afternoon after the crowds filtered out. We had no problem getting a parking spot at Herring Point, grabbed some ices at Rita’s truck and enjoyed the view.
We then drove to the main beach area , brought our chairs and hung out on the quiet beach from 5-745pm, just perfect. There were others on the beach but it was not crowded. Very easy to hear the crash of the waves and the song birds. FYI we had gone to a different beach earlier in the day and left as it was sooo crowded and noisy, not Cape Henlopen at this time of day.

This is a beautiful park with stunning views of the coast and sunrise. There is a bike path too that offers equally breathtaking views of the area.

Great clean park and pier. Will defintley be visiting again. The fishing on the pier is good, weather was very hot and humid while we were there visiting. The staff at the little pier strore are very friendly and knowledgable.

While in Lewes, we visited this beach to get a feeling for the ocean and Lewes beach to get a feeling for the bay. Both were great. The waves at Cape Henlopen beach were fun, but the water is much colder than the bay. (72F v 80F) The “bathhouse” has water fountains, bathrooms, showers, and food for sale. There is car parking as well as bike parking.

The park also has a nature center, playground, bike trails, WW2 towers and an info center, and more. You could spend a couple days exploring if one day was dedicated to the beach.

My husband and daughter enjoyed walking the trails. My SIL showed us how to find mole crabs. I enjoyed my first ocean swim in far too long. The water was beautiful and clear. I did have to pull a crab off my toe, but to be fair he was there 1st.

We enjoyed the beach next to the pier. The crowds were manageable with families, fishermen and strollers.

I enjoyed this park. The deep wooded trails are amazing, and the plant life is great. I love the sand dunes near the beach. There's a WWII tower that was used to look for any German invasion. Today you climb the tower and look out. Amazing views. The best is the point that overlooks the water and a lighthouse. However four stars because out of state residents have to pay $10 admission while Delaware residents pay $5. Not good hospitality.

Great facilities everywhere. Many restrooms closed due to COVID as of November 2020,

The campground(s) is/are wonderful. The bathrooms are heated (this is November), and are perfect for COVID times. Individual rooms, with showers and the "necessary" all for individual people. Designed for COVID, way before it arrived.

The campground store is open year-round, with firewood available almost always.

I'm not sure about freezing weather, but the RV sites have water in addition to electric hook-ups. We travel with an Aliner now, tent campers will have the usual limitations but the sites are quite wonderful.

There are bike trails for miles around, and the geography is quite flat. You can go far with very little effort. The park itself offers various beaches and viewpoints. From the campgrounds, everything is within a 5-minute drive, or a 12 minute bike ride.

We go camping here almost every year and love the place. It's great for families, the amenities are great.

Something for everyone from the beautiful ocean beaches, the wonderful nature trails and bike paths, Cape Henlopen State Park has it all and is our local treasure for all to enjoy in all seasons.

Had some time to explore July 4 weekend before wedding festivities started so we decided to check out the Gordons Pond Trail. It cost us $10 out of state to park our car ($5 if you have Delaware plates). With holiday/summer traffic, it took way too long from our hotel on Coastal Highway to get there. Was expecting it to be somewhat protected from the sun but it wasn't ... and it was hot. Had we known this, we probably wouldn't have visited. Might be nice for a hike on a cool fall day. Lots of bikes on the trail and I think that's the way to visit in the summer. That said, most of the bikers seemed rather inhospitable to walkers. Saw a few birds. Not particularly scenic.

Beautiful and natural-looking beach. The nature center was also a nice surprise--with a touch tank and the only place I could find a Cape Henlopen shirt for a family member who really wanted one.

We enjoyed our visit. A combination of history and the beach. I really enjoyed visiting the historic bunkers from the wars.

We took a nice walk on the beach.

Reasonable park fee.

Go enjoy

We mostly went to the beach. They have a good set up with the bath houses but it can be crowded.

There are also lots of bike trails, a campground, etc...

The museum doesn't seem to have a lot to it.

Some wonderful, easy hiking trails combined with fascinating artifacts from WW2 make this a very cool place to spend a day.
Trails vary from ocean front dunes to wetland boardwalks -especially liked the Gordan's Pond trail. Park contains remains of WW2 army base which patrolled the Delaware coast for U boats and enemy aircraft. Bunkers, barracks, and observation towers dot the park and make for a unique history lesson.

This state park is well worth the entrance fee. Miles of biking and hiking; beautiful beaches (with bath house and concessions); camping; nature center and history. You can spend all day and definitely more than one day. We're looking forward to going back with our bikes!

I love a beach that has amenities!! like shower, food and toilets. beach was nice, had a nice time there.

Interesting state park at the southern tip of Delaware. The cape separates Delaware Bay from the Atlantic. Interesting activities including hiking, biking, nature walks, ranger activities, bird watching. The nature center has a number of fish tanks and an open tank for touching rays and horseshoe crabs. Fishing pier allows you to get a nice view of Lewes and the bay. There is also Atlantic beach access for warm summer days.

Located on the coast at Lewes, this state park is interesting as grows out of a beach sand environment which makes its trees and vegetation quite fragile. Inside you can find deer, paved paths, remnants of the previous military base (still have sealed bunkers built into the earth), pine forest and sand dunes and you can also go up a fire lookout tower. You can camp or just day trip.
At the time of year we came it was free to enter and no issues to park.
Car routes are a little confusing but there are decent signs.
Overall: A nice spot for an easy walk.

This place has a Beautiful Beach, clean bath house, not a far walk to the water, very nice snack bar with reasonable prices. They have a wonderful bike path. We had so much fun we have been back several times!

A very pretty spot, except for the trash. It was wonderful to spend time at an undeveloped site with beach, dunes, flora and fauna. However, we found not a single trash bin on the beach, nor in the parking lot, not even in the bathhouse. Trash washes up on the beach and is not picked up, despite a visitors fee to enter. Install trash cans. We picked up a few most dangerous items like planks with rusty nails, balls of string that can entangle wildlife, etc. but had nowhere to throw them away.

Great biking trails, camping & access to non-commercial pristine beaches. We visited during the Park’s off season so the concession stands were closed.
We are now fore warned to bring our own water & snacks if visiting & exploring Cape Henlopen outside of the summer Beach Season.

This park is beautiful with trails, Fort Miles, beaches and a fishing pier. Art the pier we saw sting rays, crabs, gar fish and flounder. We did some fishing from the pier and watched others feel in their fish as well. An added bonus is that entrance to the pier is free. You can even rent bikes and drive around the park..how cool is that?

We love to grab the bikes, pack up the RV and head to CHSP. We have a larger RV and have found the campsites easy to pull through or back in. Full electric and water hook ups. Dump station available upon exiting. The sites are large enough that you don’t feel “on top of” your neighbor. The camp store is nicely equipped. Service is friendly. Safety practices are in place. The Gordon Pond Trail is beautifully kept. Bring your camera as there is always something new to photograph along the way. Herring Point is a perfect spot to spend an afternoon enjoying a good book, watching pelicans and dolphins and listening to the ebb and flow of the waves. Sites book up quickly and I hear some reservations are made up to one year in advance. It’s worth it.

Lots of paths through wetlands that are great for pedestrians of cyclists. The path is plenty wide to accommodate both easily. Porta potties in strategic spots make it an easy place to exercise. Pancake flat, with a smith macadam surface or packed dirt with fine stone that is so fine it doesn’t count as rock. Great outdoor area.

We spent a day at Cape Henlopen in August. We started at the beach for 3-4 hours, visited the nature center, took a few short hikes, visited some of the military sites in the park, and closed at two overlook sites.

The beach was crowded for a Tuesday, and felt very much like northern beaches - people clustered around one spot. If you walk a ways, you'll have some space to yourself.

The nature center is small but has a touch tank and a few exhibits about the different marine zones in the park.

The military sites are among the coolest I've seen. Rehabilitated WWII-era artillery, barracks, lookout towers (including a rehabbed one that you can climb) - it was all really nice.

The overlooks were very nice. There were tons of dolphins - maybe more than we've seen anywhere from land. Bird watching wasn't great, but we may have timed it poorly.

One of the best parts of the park is that there is so much beach here. If you want to stay by the bathhouse (which was simple but very clean for a state park), it's going to be crowded. But the other access points were much less so.

We always come to Cape Henlopen Park when in the area. It is a very nice park with lots to do and see. Go visit the old WWII bunkers and towers. Check out the ocean over looks or just relax on the beach. Great place for the family and kids.

A definite "must see" when visiting Lewes DE. From the quiet bay beach side to the rolling waves on the ocean side, a beach for all families. My favorite part is Herring Point with rock jetties. The other "point" past the comfort station and radar tower, offers expansive views of the dunes and my favorite lighthouse. If you're a WWII buff pay a visit to Fort Miles and even climb the tower used them to spot enemy ships off the shore. Gordon's Pond trail is a nice long hike through salt marshes where you'll see some native wildlife. There also is a guarded beach with showers and concessions.

We hiked the Gordons Pond trail twice, did the point trail and sat at the hawk watch, great location with lots of habitat for birds and even a WW II historical site.

It's a very nice and scenic beach. Even on the 4th of July there plenty of room. However, bring food with you - the snack stand is OK quality, but the prices are insane - $25 for a cheeseburger, fries, and soda.

Cape Henlopen State Park has it all: a gorgeous, uncrowded beach overlooking the bay, biking and walking trails, a variety of wildlife habitat, camping facilities, and lots of WWII era history. It's a gem. Bring your bike, a picnic and a beach chair, and spend the day in this beautiful park. It's a refreshing change from the crowded beach scene in Rehoboth and Dewey. You won't miss the smell of fries, guaranteed.

Travelled to cape Henlopen for a beach day and really enjoyed this place. The cost of out of staters is 10.00 per car. There is a very large parking area. We arrived at noon on a Monday and only about half the parking lot was full. There are bathhouse facilities to shower but it was pretty wet and messy and you can’t hang clothes or towels in the showers and no private area to change but you could at least rinse off good. There is a snack stand with really good smoothies and water ice for reasonable cost along with food items. This is a carry in carry out trash park so whatever trash you have you will have to carry it home in your car so prepare for that with trash bags. Plenty of life guards and a nice clean beach. The water drops off quickly so not ideal for smaller children. They do rent umbrellas and chairs if you don’t want to lug yours down which drops to half price after 2pm. They do close at 5pm. This is a nice family oriented beach and it’s good for a day trip. I did drive through the camp ground to check it out for possible camping in the future but I thought the camp sites were very close to one another and over crowded. Not my idea of camping. But again beach was a nice place to visit

My wife and I stopped at the Cape Henlopen State Park to do a little hiking. There are various trails to walk, bike or horse-ride. There is also a lot of things to do at the park including the beach.

Lots to see and explore here! The tower is a must too! They have a bike barn , and awesome nature center with hands on tanks to pet stingrays and hotshot crabs. The beach is beautiful! We actually got to see dolphins a few hundred feet from the beach ! Clean bathhouses and tons of hiking trails! Highly recommended!

Cape Henlopen is lovely. However, walkers beware. Bicyclists, in groups, pulling children, riding two or three abreast, and speeding, dominate any of the paths where bicyclists are allowed. This makes the walks (and watch the trip up to the long bridge) rather stressful and dangerous to walkers. We were puzzled particularly by young men, who appeared to be racing and just assumed we heard them. Next time we go back, it will be to the few places cyclists are NOT allowed.

We recently visited Cape Henlopen State Park and had a nice quiet experience. Since we do not reside in Delaware, our entrance fee was $10. The beach was not crowded, and we were able to walk to Fort Miles and up the observation tower without crowds. We had some excellent views from several points in the park and enjoyed viewing the wildlife.

We enjoyed the history of the park. The fort museum was a hidden surprise as was the history of the watchtowers. We loved climbing to the top of the tower. The natural setting of the park was really pretty, quiet, and relaxing as well.

This is a very walkable park. It has an ocean side where you can go, a bay side which has a beach and is calmer, walking/bike trails and a visitor center where you can walk from exhibit to exhibit.

Henlopen is a beautifully kept park, worthy of the entrance fee. There is a beach, a lighthouse within view, an old battery with plaques explaining the history behind it and best of all, a nature walk. The highlight of our visit was viewing an eagle serenely perched high in a tree. The path is mostly shaded and level. Bicycles are allowed, too.

Enjoy the water and walking the sand. Family friendly and even a peak, not too crowded. Good facilities kept in clean condition

Being that it’s in a state park it’s not that crowded. It’s very clean and there is a few different beach areas to access. Went for Christmas and Easter with my son and dog. We loved it each time.

While everyone else goes to the big name beaches on the tourists map, you should come here and escape. This is where we can hike, camp, and walk the beaches in peace. After trying many beaches in Delaware, this by far is the most comfortable. We also see a lot of wildlife every time we come!

My wonderful friend introduced me to Cape Henlopen Beach and I thoroughly enjoyed our stroll along the edge of the water. While attempting to turn an upside down horseshoe crab right side up, we were surprised by a sudden high wave and our shoes got soaked. It made for some laughs and a lovely memory of a special day.

Very nice state park with almost exotic sand dunes. Carved from a WWII army base, WWII observation towers and large gun emplacements. Lots of paved bike paths and some hiking trails. Campground is not overly large offering RV and tent sites. Water and electric only with dump station. Possible camp store. OK bathhouses with individual rooms. Excellent beach close by.

Cape Henlopen is absolutely beautiful at any time of the year. It is peaceful and beautiful. If you are a sea glass lover...this is a gold mine! Beautiful beach and one of the best parts of living the beach life.

A very nice park with swimming and camping, also a great fishing pier. Close to the Lewes Cape May ferry.

We loved our time here this past weekend! There's so much to do and see for all ages! We went on an egg hunt with the grandkids...fabulous! Check out the Osprey Cam!

Awesome 3-hour biking tour of the tidal marshlands. Lots of cool vistas, birds, etc. Be sure to stop at the fort and climb the WW2 lookout tower.

Our family (husband, 9yo son, 6yo daughter, and I) were looking for something a little bit different than our typical boardwalk/shopping/beach day in Rehoboth. We had heard great things about Cape Henlopen State Park, so we decided to check it out. We will definitely be back!

For just $10 for the carload of us, we were able to gain admittance to the park for the day. We didn't realize that there would be so much to do there, or we would've left more than 3 hours for the park. We hiked trails, walked the pier and beach, bought popsicles at the bait and tackle shop, toured the nature center, climbed the Observation Tower, and checked out Fort Miles. But we didn't have nearly enough time to stop and enjoy the sites or the beach. Next time, we'll plan to spend most of the day there! It was a really fun, different kind of beach vacation day for us, and we will definitely be back!

We've been coming here for decades and have both old favorites and new things we're always discovering. The kids have always loved the nature center and nature trail, though they're young adults now. We all appreciate the loop of historical defense weapons and the new museum about the Atlantic defenses, and this is one of the best beach bargains for a day trip on the coast in the summer. There's biking, fishing, raptor-watching, horseshoe crab spotting, and spectacular sunsets over the bay!

This park is full of great, well marked bike trails. You can see the ocean, forests and military installations. There are great services for bikers too, with restroom facilities and bike fix it stations. Most trails are flat and it’s very scenic. Enjoyed the trip!

Lovely state park to amble through. Lots of bicyclists and the nature center is closed on Tuesday. Different entrance fees for Delawareans vs out of state. WWII exhibits and museum fascinating from a coastal artillery perspective. Numerous observation towers dot throughout the park but none are accessible. Beautiful, clean beaches are their claim to fame.

Beautiful park- lots to do. Highly recommend a day here. The free/donation based bikes are great. If not in fairly good shape I would recommend just doing the bike loop. You have the bikes for 2 hours. Trying to get in Gordon’s Pond Trail is tough while also trying to sight see. Take water-it can get hot- some shade but lots of sun- often a nice breeze.

The World War II Museum is neat. Slightly confusing-keep going to the path at the top of the hill. They do have a golf cart that can pick up elderly/disabled in the parking lot.

Lots of hiking options. Lots of nice beach access. Several camping options/spots. $10/car gets you in. Overall great place. We would come again.

rolling hills, bike and walking paths, dunes and forests, history and beauty. There is a WW II museum, old armament bunkers, observation towers and absolutely beautiful beaches. Bird watching is always a treat here.

By combining the unction and Breakwater Trail and the Gordon's Pond Trail you get a wonderful 16+ mile Tour of the Cape Henlopen State Park. Suggest you use bikes with wide than road tires and that you have flashing front and back lights, as some of the wooded areas are amazingly dark, as well as cool on hot days. Expect to see many fast riders, and be sure to use caution on curves, stay to the right and announce loudly when you are passing someone!

Nice relaxing park, alot to keep busy, or veg-out. Bring bathing suit, sneakers, fishing,claming gear,outdoor fun games. and hiking gear, and a trusted Horse, if you decide to take the approx. 5000 mile hike. Enjoy either

This sprawling nature preserve offers a multitude of options to enjoy nature. From hiking to fishing to bike trails that go on forever! It is very clean ,safe, and pet friendly. Great place for a family reunion !!

The Cape Henlopen State Park is a lovely park area about four miles long located just a mile east of Lewes town center where the bay meets the ocean. It is open from sunrise to sunset. There are great trails including one to a World War II observation tower, also there is Cape Henlopen Lighthouse.

Beautiful, peaceful spot and perfect weather we enjoyed our time there very much!
The birds, water traffic, and surfers were very pleasant entertainment!

What an amazing state park.
There are so many trails to walk or bicycle in this incredibly beautiful park. The beaches are fantastic and it is tremendous walking on the sand, watching the sea birds, seeing the ships, and listening to the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The Point is our favorite, it is so quiet, peaceful, and absolutely beautiful.

Fabulous bike trails. Excellent signs and markings. Beach access. Public bathrooms. Nature trails. Campgrounds. Something for everyone!

No huge crowds lots of room perfect weather surf was easy and fun 😀
Our favorite beach. We have lived in the area for over 30 years. We've been to literally ALL of them. This beach is the best. Only the beaches of Hatteras Island in North Carolina are better. For all those living in Baltimore Washington area thi IS THE BEST... THE state park is very well run and maintained the roads and trails EXCELENTE and plentiful

Please don't tell anyone because we want it all to ourselves

We love this beach and have gone many times over the years. It's a great place for a lazy day (if you want it to be) or an active one (if you want it to be). We were there in May 2019 and played at the disc golf course. Unfortunately, it seems to be infested with TICKS! Of the four of us, only one was spared a tick bite. One person found four ticks on him, the other two people found two each. Everything about this park is great, but I wanted to warn others to do a tick check and consider other preventative measures if in the wooded areas of the park.

Beautiful area. Beaches nice. Bathrooms clean. Fishing pier great. Hiking trails well marked. Great for biking. Camping area has nice sized lots. Fort is located within the same park.

After reading a couple of the reviews, I do agree that there were a lot of trucks parked directly on the beach in the area that we went to to view the lighthouse; Point Comfort and The Point. There is a parking area at each one and it seems Point Comfort is a popular spot for locals to drive right on the beach with a permit. It's such a large park though It's possible that the family beach areas aren't like this.

We were handed a map at the entrance by a very friendly and helpful employee after paying the $10 out-of-state day use fee and given directions to the Point, as well as to the WWII Observation Tower and Fort Miles. Both of these are worth the trip and the price to walk around the Fort where they have actual artillery to explore with detailed descriptions of their use, as well as an underground museum. The museum hours are very short so I would check the website before going.

If you like to bicycle or hike, there is a 6-mile loop trail in the park.

We moved to Southern Delaware last year so we're permanent residents in the area now. This is a GREAT park! Very nice biking/walking trails in the park and around it. You can even borrow a bike for free. The beach is beautiful and is well maintained. Lots of WWII history (bunkers, static displays, buildings from the era, etc.). There's also a nice little visitors center with interesting info about the park and creatures that live in the park's boundaries or are migratory visitors. Lots of camping sites and amenities, which I can't speak to, but seems very popular. There's a really cool trail to Gordons Pond that meanders down to the Rehoboth Beach terminus. It's gorgeous, with an elevated boardwalk that lets you walk through the marsh areas with scenic, peaceful views, including eagle sightings. I have an America the Beautiful lifetime pass, so I don't pay an entrance fee and other use fees are discounted as a pass holder. Even if you don't have a pass, fees, overall, seem reasonable. Highly recommend.

Great place to ride a bike through. Beautiful nature and history, too. Well worth a visit to ride, walk, go to the beach, visit Fort Miles and the museum.

I just love the quiet drive to point comfort and the bird watching platform. I just go to listen to the waves, reflect and enjoy me time.

This is a great state park. I stayed here one night in the campgrounds in a tent. The bathrooms are great - they each have a private shower, toilet, and sink. Everyone was very friendly. The walking/biking paths are great - very well maintained. You can easily tell where you are going and there are great views at the different lookout points.

Nice clean beach with lifeguards, nice walking and biking trails, a clean changing/bathroom, views of the lighthouses, bird watching... The "bay" side is calm, ocean side is wavy. Some shells to be seen along the bay side coast. Great place to come for a day, a few days, or just a quick stop!

Great trails in the park with beautiful scenery. Multiple areas to park throughout the park. Dogs are allowed. Really great park!

We’ve camped at Cape Henlopen in both November and August, and there is a HUGE difference in experience between them. In August, the campground was full, and campers were basically on top of each other. The campsites are very close together, which we didn’t notice as much in November, as there weren’t many people there at all then. Regardless, the easy access to the beach (which is dog friendly) and amenities such as local breweries makes this trip worth it.

This is a terrific state park! We were visiting for a week and went there four days out of our stay. The beach is clean and long with a bathhouse and concessions. There were lifeguards during August which we appreciated. We hiked, fished, rode free bikes at the Bike Barn (10 -2 PM) that you can ride for 2 hours. They only have about 12 children's bikes and do have helmets. Along the bike path stop at one of the restored WWII Observation Towers that you can climb (all 125 steps) and the Fort Miles museum.

We came off the ferry and decided to check out this park. First we went to the small military museum where they fired off a 3-inch gun at 12:30. Drive out to the cape and go to the beach, There is also a nature center and at that location you can get bikes in the morning. List of bike trails and bikes here. Plenty of hiking.

Negative: The ropes that line the trails to the beach are polypropylene and have degraded in the sun. Now they are covered with plastic micro splinters that are washing into the ocean. Do not touch. Should replace with hemp rope.

We recently rode our bikes from our home in Lewes to rehoboth beach. The cape Henlopen state park has a beautiful bike path that takes you through wooded area, wetlands, and scenic dunes. There are benches for resting, shade if needed and plenty of natural views.

After a ferry trip we stopped in to see the Park’s offerings and were pleasantly surprised with all the Park had to offer-particularly the WWII Watchtowers. One Tower is preserved and open to view the Park. Stop first at the Park office for a map, and allow time to visit the gun battery and tour Battery 519. The staff and volunteers from Fort Miles are knowledgeable and helpful.

I live one mile from the surf and sand at Cape Henlopen State Park. The park offers year round recreation opportunities for fun on the beach. Fishing, walking, bird watching, swimming, sun bathing, etc. The park has a concession on the beach with bathrooms and showers for warm weather. You need a special license (permit) to drive on the beach for surf fishing.

They will loan you and your family bikes for free to ride around the park and see the sites. The beach was pretty nice and had showers and bathrooms and a snack bar, but was a little crowded. Overall pretty nice.

My friends and I came here after a recommendation to go to the beach here from our air b n b host. She was so right. We decided to go to the beach here and we are so glad that we did. We basically had our section to ourselves. The beach was clean and fun to walk along. We also came here on a rainy day and took a bike ride (they are free) around the park. It was one of the highlights of our trip. It is $8 to get into the park for locals and $10 for out of state and it is worth it. You same so much money to go to the beach here than spending $3 and hour at Rehoboth. I cannot recommend this place enough.

Absolutely love the park and scenery. We visit every year. Park is so clean. Currently they are doing construction.

An excellent state park with walking trails, bike paths, and a great view of the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean. If you are a history buff, there is plenty to keep you entertained since Fort Miles, a WWII fortress, was built there and includes numerous bunkers and observation towers. There is a vast array of wildlife which can be a bird watchers delight. Very tranquil and peaceful to walk the beaches.

Okay, this review is going to be a little different. My husband and I climbed the tower, visited the military museum, and walked on the beach, petting every dog we saw. But the best part was watching four kids, three boys and a girl, perhaps 9-10 years old, explore the park on their bikes. They always seemed to be just ahead of us all morning. No adults, no helmets, just kids having fun on their own, the kind of summer day we used to have when we were kids (we're in our 60s).. The kind of day few kids have today. We so enjoyed enjoying the park sorta/kinda with them.

The park has miles of beautiful, well-groomed bike trails that go past coastal dunes and wetlands, through forests, past interesting historic features, all teeming with wildlife. It is serene and peaceful. I went several times in the early morning; it was almost meditative.

Our first day at Cape Henlopen State Park was a Sunday....hiking on the Gordons Pond Trail was somewhat problematic in the boardwalk section, which was really too narrow for social distancing and definitely too narrow for bicycles, parents on bicycles pulling trailers with kiddos, and some cyclists whose speed was inappropriate for their surroundings.

Once we got past the boardwalk area, things improved, but it was late morning on a Sunday and a beautiful day, so of course many people were there. We took the Whiskey Beach trail back, and we enjoyed the beautiful clouds and the observatory towers without fighting the crowds.

A few days later we came back for some more trails. The Pinelands Trail certainly did remind us of the NJ Pinelands! The WWII observation towers and the ammunition bunkers were an interesting aspect of the park.

Both days we had our picnic lunch at the picnic pavilion near the fishing dock, where there were very clean bathrooms.

On Sunday, our first day, since we were going to Delaware state parks all week, we bought the out-of-state annual pass for $35.00. At Cape Henlopen, the annual pass on your windshield allows you to go to the left and avoid any long lines to get in, and at other parks where you are supposed to leave money in an envelope, we were prepaid. The park ranger was very helpful in suggesting activities. Glad we bought the pass!

Cape Henlopen costs $5 and 10 for out of state visitors. The waves are small, which is great if you have small children. It is clean, has lots of parking, and has a bathroom/changing station with snack bar. It's definitely worth a visit or two!!

Brought my 4 yo for the first time here. What's great is that there are no waves so we were able to have him get closer to the water than he does at the southern beaches. I like that there is a boardwalk to get to the beach. What would be great is if the bathroom could be expanded to add more toilets and larger showers with attached dressing areas. There is no place to hang a towel or leave your belongings while showering and it's even more tricky when you're with dependent kiddos! Also, when families leave for the day, there is a long line! Bring your cooler with lots of ice!

Can’t go wrong visiting Cape Henlopen State Park. There’s so much to see and do. Fort Miles, trails, the Nature Center and of course the beach are some of my favorites. Highly recommend.

Great beach and waves. Made sure to go right before high tide so we could do some body boarding. The beach was pretty croweded, but not too crowded. Lots to do at the state park, besides swimming. Highly recommend a visit.

We saw several dolphins in the bay while we were there. We walked the Seaside trail which was 0.7 miles but mostly sandy so not very easy to walk if it had been longer. We just drove to the different sightseeing points and got out to see the different sights. Nice variety from WWII to views of lighthouse, dolphins, etc. Certain areas had swarms of small gnats.

I saw some signs that said Henlopen State Park was voted the best park. It is a nice park, well cared for with friendly personnel. It may take a few minutes to figure out where you are when driving around so be patient. The beaches are beautiful and there were many kite surfers on the bay side. It is close to the Cape Lewes and Cape May ferry. Rehoboth beach is 20 minutes away.

This state park has it all! From the Atlantic Ocean to the Delaware Bay it has everything covered. A drive on beach (just get there early), a nature center, walking & Bike trails, disc golf & open areas provide ample room to explore. You can even camp there. A truly one of a kind park. Don't miss it if you're in Lewes!

Been going here with kids and grand kids for25 years! Still a great, inexpensive getaway for the family or friends. Biking, swimming, hiking, history and fishing are great for all ages. The bike trails in the campground are short and easy. Gordons Pond Trail is further but still an easy ride for a great feeling of remoteness and connection with nature. Swimming at the guarded beach is crowded but not overwhelming. There is better, less crowded, unguarded swimming at Herring Point (map). Small Nature Center is great. Easy fishing for all off the fishing pier. Disc golf. The campsites are great. People are friendly. Only Campground issue is that the newer shower house needs attention: a good cleaning, AC units not working, showers not working properly.

Always Full so plan and reserve ahead. Many sites reserved year to year.

The lighthouse and the view at Henlopen make it definitely worth a visit. A large park with multiple activities but I enjoy the quiet, contemplative side the most.

We have visited Cape Henlopen State Parks many times. It is great for a day trip and it is my favorite campground for overnight stays. Can visit Lewes, DE and Rehoboth Beach, DE from here. SOOO much to do!

Great place to be no matter the time of the year, even in a windstorm... What a blast literally and figuratively. Ample parking, can get very full during prime summer season, get there early.. So many things to see and do. I will attach photos of the peer, the beach, the lighthouse etc. Definitely worth a drive around and through. They have ample parking and even a campground.

We got there after 4:00pm most people leaving. It was great nice breeze...crashing surf. Water was refreshing since it was in the 90’s out of the water. Bring a book and enjoy the beach, bike ride or walk the trails.

Cape Henlopen State Park is a very nice, clean park. Large fishing pier that can accommodate many people.The store has drinks,snacks, bait ,umbrella and chair rentals and a small quiet beach near the pier. The larger beach is clean but extremely crowded on the weekend. A bit of a walk from the parking lot to the beach area. $10 fee for out of state residents but well worth

By all means, rent or take a bike with you. Roll from small, historic Lewes, founded by the Dutch and Swedes, for the three miles or so to the park. '

Take the circular bike path around the northern end of the park. Stop at the friendly ranger station for a map. Gaze at the suprising observatory towers from the Second World War, which kept watch on Nazi ships and U-boats lurking near the Delaware Bay. You can climb up Tower 7 for a good view and cooling breezes. Note the concrete lodgements that likely held ammunition for the military base. Visit Fort Miles, the site of large cannons trained on the German threat.

The McBridge area has a beach and a kitchen with limited fare. Just north of it is the stunning beach near the lighthouse.

If more ambitious, cycle the 3-4 miles along the Gordon Pond estuary, filled with sea fowl and lush, sprawling wetlands to the west and east. On the way back, stop at Herring Point, with its fine fishing beach.

On the return, near compact Lewes Beach, with the summer crowd of sunbathers nestled along its arc of sand, get some ice cream off Savannah Road, then roll the short distance into Lewes for a seafood dinner.

An array of seashore and park delights.

The park reminds one of the beach before the incredible growth from 1960 on. The open dunes without trees, endless beach without people, and beautiful ocean without boats.

We did a hike and then spent the afternoon at the beach. This place has a tremendous amount of land. This was apparent when we did the hike around the pond. I think it was worth the trip there.

got my surf tags and next day I was fishing on the sand and loving every minute of it !!! Only bad thing about it was younger kids getting loud from drinking too much....where were the parents?

This is our go to beach spot as we enjoy surf fishing. Our only complaint would be that they frequently close down entrance to the park due to crowds.

If you have kids and want a really fun fishing day head to Delaware’s Cape Henlopen State Park Fishing Pier. $10 for car/truck non-Delaware residents.

The park gets crowded so go early or late afternoon/evening like we did. Take some snacks, wipes, and fishing gear. Maybe a folding chair (few benches) or an umbrella if mid-day. The pier is huge (1/4 mile) and plenty of social distant space. Fishing is easy with a small bait tackle shop at the pier entrance. There is also a large shady picnic gazebo and restrooms to clean up.

We fished with shrimp and caught Croakers, Spot, and one Flounder. Folks were crabbing too.

The crowd us young and old, novice and daily fisher men & women.

We had a great time and the sunset was spectacular. I thought I was on a Pacific Island with the colorful sunset.

Have fun.

Great for hiking, walking on the beach and learning about history. Enjoyed all that Cape Henlopen had to offer. Worth the trip.

This is a lovely park in Lewes, Delaware. The entrance fee was very reasonable and there is ample parking. The trails are very nice and there is a great boardwalk but beware of very aggressive riders who would seem to find it fund to make you a moving target! Some areas are very shady, others aren't so come prepared with sunscreen and a hat of some kind. Fun place to get some exercise and fresh air while you're in Delaware.

The Cape is always a great place to visit. Both Ocean and Bay beaches, facilities and other bath houses are kept very clean. The employees and volunteers are always friendly and are very knowledgeable of the Park. Visitors should brave the climb to the top of the observation tower to enjoy the view.

Borrowed two bikes to see the Christmas light display. I saw what all the rave is about...at dusk those lights come to life for young and young at heart. Then off to Herring Point to beachcomb and stand in awe in watching full bodied wetsuited men surf the nice curling waves at the jetty. We saw a hugh flock of Snow Geese on the water squawking so loudly and drifting north. Later saw them again near the Point. Squawking and resting for their next leg of flight. Walked the fishing pier...We love Cape Henlopen.

We were excited to ride bikes and had heard they were free to rent for two hours to tour the park. We arrived at 2pm on a Wednesday during the summer and were told they stopped renting bikes at 2. We had been dropped off by an Uber so could not easily go back to town to rent some from a private rental. They did feel sorry for us and let us ride but asked us to bring them back within 30 minutes. I just wish this information had been easier to find so I hope this review will help someone who is planning a trip to the cape park. It was posted on a paper sign that it was open until 3 on Saturdays. We had taken the ferry from cape May so all of this information would have been helpful. The bike loop was almost 3 miles so very doable and we did it in less than thirty minutes but also none of this information was easy to find. Otherwise we had beautiful weather and the overlook was pretty.

Salt air, birding, biking, watching deer graze in the evening in an open field, and beautifully groomed trails—something for everyone. Accessible bath house (as long as someone opens a door for you to get in-needs an automatic door opener). Several beach areas for quiet walks. The fishing pier is terrific for sunsets and an easy (& accessible) stroll with bathrooms and parking right there!

This park is gorgeous to bike ride through and so many trails with either finely crushed gravel or actual paved surface plus lots of little bridges and walkways to ride over with scenery and place to stop and take photos. We went biking there 2x in 2-days because it was such fun.

I like this park but my favorite thing is the WWII Lookout Tower. Years ago I thought what a waste but now we know the Nazis were actually out there. Now I see the towers and am glad they were there.

I came here to visit Ft Miles, but it was closed. However, there are many historic guns around Ft Miles that were used for coastal defense in WW II that you can see round the clock. One of these guns was huge: a 16 inch gun similar to guns on the USS Missouri. There are also a few WW II concrete barracks. The only ones in existence. I was also able to climb a WW II observation tower & get a great view of the surrounding area. This was a neat place to visit.

We had a great visit in cabin 10. It has a fire ring and picnic table outside, and another large table in the screen porch. The first of the two rooms has a queen bed and a queen fold down sofa and there are two bunk beds in the second. Each room has overhead lighting, outlets, and cubbies for storage. The first room also has a mirror, hooks, a mini fridge, and a microwave.

We had no problem with noise, even with the bathhouse nearby, because the cabins are well made.

The bathhouse was fairly clean and has push button showers with warm water.

will return - the sunset is amazing, beaches are great and form what it looks like great bike trails ... next time!

This is the the best state park around. Cape Henlopen has what you desire when you go to a state park at the beach. Beach house for swimming, fishing pier, bird sanctuaries, observation tower and surf fishing. you also can take a peaceful, mind clearing walk around the cape. it has been one of are favorite places to go for the last 50 years.

This one nice piece of Real Estate with a beautiful beach that stretches 2 miles and is where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.
There are bike and walking paths as well in a 5193 acre state park.

This is one of our favorite day trip beaches from Maryland. $10 for the day for out of state residents. It is much less crowded than other DE beaches or Ocean City MD. Has a beachhouse with showers to clean up after a fun day at the beach. As mentioned in other posts, the nature center offers free bikes (first come first serve) to use on the many bike paths in the park. There are campgrounds if you are interested in staying at the park. Not far from Rehoboth if you want to do outlet shopping, eat out, or the boardwalk scene after a day at the beach.

Well worth the $10 fee for out of staters. Great well marked inland trails and long wide beaches for walking and driving

The park is very nice with lots of trails a nice beach a hawk watch area & fishing. We are just surf fishing the beach is very nice. Not far from Lewes which is a great place to stay. Walked some of the trails, had a good time

We have owned a home in Lewes for about 15 years - we love Cape Henlopen so much. Everything you can want and more in this beautiful park

Cape Henlopen State Park requires an entry fee of $10, but you do get something in return. There is a small Nature Center that informs about the area and the wildlife. And then there is the Fort Miles Museum that talks about the area's background mainly around WWII. We enjoyed the beach at Point Comfort Station where there is good swimming "on the ocean side" with showers at the parking lot. On the "bay side", you can see horseshoe crabs (dead ones on the beach and live ones in the water/ in the surf).

We have vacationed many times to this Beach because of the beauty of the area and the relaxed atmosphere. The biking trails are awesome.

Dog friendly and not over run. Clean, plenty of parking and relaxing. Awesome sand dunes and WWII look outs to explore.

Cape Henelopen State Park is a great park to visit for the beach, the sights, the wildlife, and the trails.
I biked all over the park on their well maintained bike paths. Much like the rest of the Deleware Beach area, the paths are easy to ride with well paved trails and gravel paths. Along the paths, you can go out to the bay and ocean either at the main beach or the Point. Deeper into the park, you can see some great war time sights with a museum hidden in a bunker and some of the watch towers that still stand with one you can climb to the top of.
The main beach was great. There is a bathhouse and concession stand and plenty of showers to rinse off after a day on the sand.
Tips:
1. Bring bug spray especially if there is a storm on the way. The bugs are worse on days that there are afternoon and evening storms called for.
2. Get there early for the best spots on the beach and pay attention to the high tide time tables.

The beach was really nice and there was quite a tranquil atmosphere. I went early in the morning, so there weren't many people around. The waves were great and I made sure to check the tidal charts. We went right before high tide, for the big waves.

Take your pick at Cape Henlopen State Park: lay in the sun on miles of beaches just south of the Atlantic Ocean entrance to Delaware Bay or explore World War II observation towers, bunkers and guns designed to keep German ships from attacking Wilmington, Del., and Philadelphia, Pa.

For the latter (WWII), read my review, "Attractions that get your A-ten-hut!". For the former (beaches), read on.

Out of season, entrance is free. From March 1 to Nov. 30, Delaware vehicles pay $5 daily ($35 annual) while out-of-state vehicles pay $10 daily ($70 annual). Pass the fishing pier, the nature center, the playground and the disc golf course to reach the beaches. The northern beach has a bathhouse, changing rooms and a snack bar; the southern beach is used by lesbian women. Farther south, Herring Point is popular with surfers and those driving off-road vehicles. We used the northern beach, but found it incredibly crowded on a scorching July Tuesday morning.

TIPS:
--At the park's northern extreme, near Tower Number Nine, a repurposed WWII observation tower, pathways from two parking lots lead to what look like much less crowded beaches. Don't believe they have lifeguards, though.

--Just above the beach near the Fort Miles Gun Turrets, there's an interesting plaque honoring President Biden's deceased son Beau. Nearby: the Biden Environmental Training Center, named for then-Sen. Biden in 1998.

Cape Henlopen State Park is a large historic park with a variety of attractions. The vista of the ocean and beach from the point is very nice. We did one of the nature trails. It was scenic but the trail base was beach sand - not good for walking.

This area is a fascinating area of forests , water, trails, eco systems , camping areas and historic sites of World War Two. Lots of diversity of things to do for people who have different interests.

We really enjoyed visiting this beach! Just our speed. Out of state cars = $10 to enter park for the day. Beach has tons of parking. There's a bath house with showers & toilets & changing rooms. There's a concession stand w/ fairly wide range of items, from traditional hot dogs/burgers/fries to chicken wraps & apple slices w/ peanut butter, also fruit smoothies, etc. You can rent umbrellas & chairs for the beach & they sell sun screen & bug spray too. Short boardwalk out to the sand. Several lifeguard stands. Alas, the day we went after some rain & cooler nights meant that the water was shockingly cold & the current was very strong (not big waves, just powerful), so we just waded instead of swimming. But it was a fun time & very manageable. Then we walked on the walker/biker path. There's a shop in the park that loans out (& fixes) bikes. It wasn't as shady as I'd hoped, lots of big pines but not shading the path. Last part was uphill,& just as you wonder if it's worth it - there are magnificent views of the sand dunes to the ocean, past where the public beach ends. Really spectacular, be sure to go up to that! There was also a military museum & big guns on display outside it. On the way out we stopped at the small Nature Center, which had some horseshoe crabs & a striped skate in the touch tank, also bathrooms & a gift shop & some more wall tanks of fish & turtles. Very nice park, enjoyed it a lot.

Truly enjoyed the state park. The pier was awesome and meet lots of friendly locals. The beaches were clean and easy access. Staff was friendly. I would ask for recycling containers available and maybe a fishing line bin.

We were on a trip to Rehoboth Beach and had a cloudy cool day so decided to come here. Good decision. Free bike rental was awesome for the younger members of our group and hiking was a great alternative for the rest. Beautiful view of the beach from above in the parking lot where we hiked. All of us enjoyed the history and going up in the WW2 tower, what a unique perspective on what was going on at that time. if you are looking for a break from the beach, would highly recommend this. Be aware though that traffic from Lewes back to Rehoboth is terrible.

I’ve never been here before. I had business nearby and decided to stop and check out the beach.

The beach is pretty crowded on a weekday since it is summer I would expect it. The thing I was most surprised with is how muddy the water is. People were swimming in it, and I can’t understand that I would even put my toes in.
The beach is very short which would explain why it looks so crowded. There were parking spots in the lot. I went to the northern beach where there’s a bathroom and snacks.

I just wish the water is clearer or at least greenish like it is just south of here.

This is a beautiful state park which charges a per car rate to enter for the day. Out of state is $10.00, in state pays $5.00. There are guarded and non- guarded beaches for swimming as well as beaches for surf fishing. The main beach offers bathrooms as well as some food to purchase and access to swimming via a wooden walkway. Other areas have bathroom only or no amenities at all and you need to carry your supplies over the designated section of the dune. Driving onto the beach requires a special permit. Also, there are no trash cans, you must carry out all trash and take it with you. There are biking trails throughout the park as well as some historical points of interest.

The trail system is great. Crowded but great. However, i just can’t understand why so much of the beach is turned over to trucks! The state has allowed miles and miles
of their beach “parks” to become parking lots! It is out of control! You can’t even walk down the beach, because the truckers have to set up fishing poles and pretend that they are fishing. You are constantly battling fishing wire. And the truckers bring in so much gear that the beach is crowded with tents and tables and all manner of stuff. It is the antithesis of a nature experience. You can forget about seeing any shorebirds other than gulls looking for stray bits of food. I grew up in Delaware and spent my summers on these beaches. The change is stark … and very disappointing.

Living in Lewes this is the beach to go. There is plenty of things to do. Bike trails, Nature trails, Look out towers, plenty of parking, showers, bathrooms, life guards, clean beautiful beaches, and concession stands.

My family and I visited the park during the Columbus weekend and had a blast trying out Disc Golf! There is a small fee for entrance into the park and we were able to get discs from the nature center to use for the course. The discs were free for use as long as you bring them back. The course was challenging and you walk through uneven sand, so not for everyone. The park has several trails and access to the beach, along with public restrooms, playgrounds, etc.

I would say this is a great stop if visiting the area, especially with kids. You can make a full day here for the entire family and have plenty to do.

This is one of the nicest state parks we have visited, the testament being that we keep returning when we are able. There is so much to do here... biking trails, beaches, lighthouses, nature center, campground, military history... We stayed at the campground, another in the plus column, as it’s well laid out, facilities clean. A warning for campers... they are strict about the check in time, We arrived 15 minutes before the 1:00 check in, we actually were made to sit there for 15 minutes. We do a lot of camping.. this is outrageous.

We biked the Gordon’s Pond trail thru really nice scenery down to the beach. Walked on the sand for a little while taking pics of the waves crashing on the nearly deserted beach (we were there in late Sept.) Drove around other parts but the bike trail was the highlight. We are in our 70’s and the Trail was easy for us, slightly more uphill coming back but still mostly flat.

Decided to drive to the beach for the day. The 3 teens loved it. I have never visited Cspe Henlopen but heard good things. Would definitely return for a day trip or with my camper! It was a great day!

I was looking for an uncrowded pet-friendy beach for a day trip and Cape Henlopen delivered. Gorgeous views, fairly wide beach. Lots of cyclists on our drive in and out of the Park, but no complaints (just an observation). We had a perfect afternoon on the beach.

This park was recommended to us by a shop owner in Rehoboth who mentioned that they have a Nature Center with hands on exhibits so we took the kids (8 and 5) to check it out. The park is beautiful and so interesting. We stopped at the Nature Center first to check out the manta ray and horseshoe crab tanks and other aquarium exhibits. Right next door is a bike barn. You can "borrow" bikes and helmets for the whole family by just leaving your drivers license at the Nature Center, for 2 hours. There's a 3 or so mile bike path that you can access from the Nature Center that takes you through much of the park. We were all able to ride without any trouble and it takes you past the Army installations from WWII, which were built to defend the coastline from German U-boats. There is a tower you can climb, great scenic overlooks, a museum, displays of WWII era guns, machinery and barracks with other memorabilia. It was very cool and interesting for the whole family. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there.

There is a long fishing pier that you can walk out on and watch the ferry coming in and going out. We didn't go down to the beach, but the beach can be accessed from the pier parking lot.

whether you are local or traveler this is a must to explore on foot or bike.
wonderful camping site for RV or for kids to attend nature camps throughout the summer. Found a sharks too the first time there and love the drive on beach and bike trails to connect Lewes and rehoboth beaches. surf, fish, and you can spend so much time to learn about nature and history of the wars

A lovely experience of woods and water with great views of the Atlantic Ocean. There is also a sandy beach for swimmers.

Great park with beaches, trails, views and a bit of WW2 history all in one place. It is a true gem and well worth the visit. Easily a few days if you use the beaches and trails and stay in Lewes

We biked from Lewes to the park. An easy, mostly flat, mostly protected trail trip. The park is stunning. Many paved bikes paths. Fascinating history. Beach was FAR too crowded for us, zero space for physical distance. I’d recommend a different beach during a pandemic, but the rest of the park deserves a visit.

This was our first visit but not our last. We have already book for May and October 2022. Nice RV sites and clean bathrooms. The bike trails are amazing and beaches stunningly beautiful. Lewes Ferry is very close. Planning to take a ride to Cape May next time.

In early October, we saw yellow rumped warblers, bald eagles, egrets, great blue heron, northern flicker and downy woodpeckers, nuthatches, and a golden crowned kinglet. The WW2 barracks and guns are also very interesting.

The Nature Center was very nice! Staff friendly and answered all questions. Bathrooms were clean and stocked.

We loved the bicycle trails and the beach. The beach was very clean, snack bar was great!

Come early if you want to park a car. They close when they reach capacity.

We drove through this park when we were killing a few minutes before our ferry crossing. The park was really lovely with a tower to climb, an old fort, pristine beaches, and a nice little nature center where the kids could pet a horseshoe crab and buy trinkets. This is just a great place. I wish teh weather had been better and not rainy, dismal,and cold!

Miles and miles of well-maintained trails and lots of parking balance well with the plaques explaining the history of the area.

Great place to bike or walk...beaches are incredible...dolphins abound in the morning hours...very clean...well maintained...Fort Miles was so interesting to learn about. Views, views, views...very pleased...great park!

We went to the very end point of Cape Henlopen State Park where there is access to a tiny beach area. The beach seemed to be popular as there was quite a few people even on a weekday when temperatures were pushing almost 100 degrees! But ....Oh Boy!!!!...... the beach had awesome and big waves that we have seen in a while. It was ofcourse fun for the little ones, but we had a lot of fun being in the water and jumping with the waves. Definitely recommend!

Preserving the old coastal artillery fort which protected the Delaware Bay from World War I until World War II. Some of the artillery emplacements and siting towers are intact and of great interest to boys and people who enjoy history. The park's environment is improving and is a good place to go to the beach which is not crowed.

Very nice and relaxing walk. Enjoyed our visit to For Miles (where my dad was when he was in the Army).

I love the beaches. The bathhouses and the park in general are well maintained and clean. Very busy in the summer. Get there early or be prepared to wait in line and possibly be turned around. It isn't a bad thing it is just something to be aware of. They do it for our protection by limiting the number of people in the park. You won't be disappointed

Main beach area was crazy crowded on a Sunday afternoon. Not even the possibility of finding a spot. I highly suggest driving toward the cape more to another small parking lot and 4x4 access. Much better location, and also has restrooms.

Lovely trails and beach to spend the day either walking or riding bikes . We came when weather was cool and no crowds

We always go to Cape Henlopen State Park when we are near Rehoboth Beach. Clean beach great facilities, like free showers and clean bathrooms, and places to wash the sand off your feet. For out of state residents the fee is $10. A yearly pass is available. There is a snack bar available. Life guards keep a good watch over behaviors. A nice family friendly place.

We've been going to Cape Henlopen State Park for over 30 years, and it gets better and better. The beaches are beautiful, campgrounds clean, and the bike trails are well maintained. If you don't bring your own bike, they will loan you one! Check out the new bike trail that takes you from Cape Henlopen around Gordon's Pond, to Rehoboth. Lots of birds and beautiful views.

There are times when you want to just get away to a place with less people and more nature. This is such a destination. We found several nice seculded (somewhat) beaches and loved the chance to walk and bicycle through the park. Next year we plan to get a season pass and spend more time discovering what the place has to offer.

We love the beach at Cape. The restrooms are always clean and supplied. The beach is beautiful and the lifeguards are very nice but focused.

The park has awesome views, trails, camping, etc. There is so much to do here. Pets are welcome in certain areas. Beaches are clean.

The off season is the best!! Deserted beaches, great, cool temps, and other RVers who have similar interests. Wonderful facilities for biking, pets, varied points of history and history! Host(s) are fantastic!

Decided to take a ride over to the Cape Henlopen State Park to walk around since it was a nice Spring Day. Drove over and headed straight for the Point. This is my favorite area of the state park as I like the view of the lighthouse here. You can also see the ferry going in and out of port all day from this small beach. I enjoy the sunset views from here too. We were here in the morning this time and found it equally enjoyable. There are a few informational signs at the edge of the parking lot. From here you walk down the sand dune to the beach. At the bottom you will see the lighthouse directly in front of you. To the right, the area is roped OFF. To the left you can walk the beach from the Point to the Fishing Pier. On a low tide, nice sand bars form where you can walk out. Often you will see LOTS of sea shells along the edge and sea snails all over the shallows. Often horseshoe crabs can be seen. What shocked me this time was how many busted up razor clam shells were spotted all over the beach and shallows. It was REALLY terrible to the point of almost being disgusting. That did detract from our visit as the beach line was littered with piles and piles of razor clam shells. It made us question what was happening to all of the razor clams.

Overall, we enjoyed our visit with the Cape Henlopen State Park. There are several activities available within this state park: hiking trails, nature center, historic fort miles, fishing pier, swimming beach (bath house), surf fishing, youth camps, wildlife/bird watching, bike riding, kayaking, etc. Today, we just went to walk around and enjoy the views. There is a small daily fee of $5 (in-state) or $10 (out-of-state) for admission to the park. Annual passes are also available. Parking lot at swimming beaches are fairly large, but the one at the Point is pretty SMALL and often FULL. We were lucky to get a spot in the morning, but when we left a few hours later there was NO parking at the Point. We had fun for the few hours we were here. I would recommend and we will be back.

Lots going on at cape henalope, fishing, swimming, hiking, biking, and military and natural history. Great views from the observation tower.

Cape Henlopen is a great park to relax with family. We always enjoy our visits here. Not too crowded. Clean beaches.

And only $5 for the whole car load. It's on a peninsula so there are beaches all around. You can walk or surprise! drive on the beach. Be careful and not get stuck though. There are remains of coastal artillery batteries to explore along the Atlantic side of the park. That side also has much higher surf than the Delaware River side. It was chilly the week we were there so no swimming for us.

Ended up with a free day in December. Not a ton to do here, but decided to try the park. Went up in one of the observation towers used during WW2, walked over and took a look at there outdoor naval guns (most from the USS Missouri). Museum was closed as it operates on limited hours during this time of year. Was able to hit the beach area for a short walk, but turned out to be an enjoyable experience.

The park is wonderful, great for families or just going by yourself ,for a day of peace and quiet. Clean, no parking fee, nice snack bar. I was surprized when I walked the fishing dock and saw tents on the pier and children sleeping while parents were fishing. When I went back to my car, two young couples were getting out of their car at 10:00 P.M. to go fishing and carried chairs laughing and I thought what a great idea and place to have a date.

Cape Henlopen State Park is an Excellent DE state park. I have been there on numerous occasions during the past 5 - 7 years riding my bike on the roads inside the park.

We took the family out to see the fish feeding and hands on tank. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all. The different fish tanks show the local types of fish present in the local waters. Nice for the kids and adults alike.

did a moonlight bike ride by Lewes Cycle shop. fun ride, fun people , well organized and a nice way to meet fellow bikers.

Easy to access and get around.

Beach, dunes, walking paths and bike paths.

Plenty of parking. A bit more difficult on summer weekends.

My husband and I spent a morning and afternoon at the park on a late April Saturday. It's a beautiful park with a great beach and great views. There was an ultimate frisbee tournament happening while we were there. It also happened to be Living History day at Fort Miles located within the park and we were able to go up to the top of one of the lookout towers. There's a small nature center that's a great stop for kids. We also took a walk up to the Hawk Watch area. Great Park!

I enjoyed running a few miles on the trails here during a beautiful morning. There is a water fountain at the entrance, and I located two different areas with portable toilets. Be warned that there are signs warning against poison ivy and ticks, and I did encounter a lot of insects that bite and a snake on the trail, but this is nature at its best! I had a great time outdoors on this beautiful day here!

This little state park is definitely worth the stop. The history was very interesting and the kids liked seeing the 3" gun get "shot". The facilities were clean and accessible.

This park is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. It's great to walk around and it's even a fantastic history lesson.

I drove through the state park and got out briefly. The weather was rainy and overcast, so not ideal for a visit. The views were beautiful.

Cool/cold December camping. Heat was working well in the bath house, water was hot! Only 12 other campers here in mid December. Perfect time to visit here. Wonderful trails and many, many great restaurants nearby as well as the opportunity to cook over the campfire.

The beach was very well maintained and so was the park area. It does get a little confusing driving through the park but, it is a nice view to watch while you are getting lost! We used 3 different bath houses at different beaches and this one was by far the most clean and just the nicest! So, if you want to go swimming i would recommend this beach.

Another wonderful Delaware State Park. Long scenic trails, and plenty of birds to watch. We went on a six mile walk back and forth alongside Gordons Pond. A couple of Blue Herons close to the trail and what looked to be sandpipers with only the benefit of binoculars out on the islands. Bring a scope if you want to see the shore birds farther out. Also, be sure to visit the Nature Center.

Great state park perched on Delaware Sound and The Atlantic. Many hiking and biking trails. Park has free bikes, bike shed is next to science and nature center.

Swimming and relaxing on a beautiful ocean beach (with lifeguards and a bathhouse) - biking a network of accessible trails, with access to both Lewes and Rehoboth - learning about the history of our nation's coastal defenses - viewing birds and other wildlife from beautiful Gordon's pond ... what could be better?!