After four years of construction along its main drag, Rehoboth Beach is especially ready for its annual seasonal close-up. There's a refurbished bandstand at the boardwalk for evening concerts, a new high-end hotel scheduled to open by the end of the summer and a new farmers' market setting up in the park behind the visitors' center.
It's yet another new chapter for a destination that's had as many incarnations as Madonna -- Rehoboth Beach started as a Methodist prayer camp, has been known as a gay mecca, and now sees its share of families.
Hotels
Rehoboth has lots of choices in accommodations, from beachfront hotel rooms to off-the-beaten-path cottages. Extensive listings can be found at rehobothtoday.com, beach-fun.com and beach-net.com. A few places worth mentioning:
Hotel Rehoboth, 247 Rehoboth Ave., 302-227-4300; hotelrehoboth .com. The hotel is scheduled to open in August with 53 suites.
Brighton Suites Hotel, 34 Wilmington Ave., 800-227-5788; brightonsuites.com. This is an affordable, close-to-the-beach option for families. It has a small indoor pool (key for those rainy days). The upside: 66 suites that offer separate but adjoining space for adults and kids. The downside: paper-thin walls. Rates: $139-$299.
The Lighthouse Inn, 20 Delaware Ave., 302-226-0407; light houseinn.net. A cozy bed-and-breakfast half a block from the boardwalk. There are four rooms in the main house; a private cottage sleeps four and rents for a minimum of three nights, breakfast not included. Wine and cheese are served Saturdays in season. Rates: $135-$225.
Restaurants
Dining in Rehoboth runs the gamut from guilty-pleasure beach eats to Mediterranean tapas to Asian fare. Here's a short list of what's on the menu this season:
The Pig & Fish, 236 Rehoboth Ave., 302-227-7770. A sleek new restaurant decorated with - you guessed it - pigs and fish. Entrees range from $15.95-$23.95.
The Cultured Pearl, 301 Rehoboth Ave., 302-227-8493. This popular, pretty Japanese-American restaurant with fine sushi is due to move this month from its former Wilmington Avenue spot to space in a new retail complex. With entrees priced $21-$38, there will be rooftop dining, along with a waterfall and the koi pond its regular diners will remember.
Fisher's Popcorn, 48 Rehoboth Ave., 302-227-2691. The maker of the famous Ocean City caramel corn is opening a downtown Rehoboth store.
Nightlife
