Rehoboth does brisk summer business
Even with the economy hovering on the verge of recession and high gas prices continuing to dampen cross-country and national tourism, beach resorts closer to home have experienced a profitable summer. Rehoboth Beach is certainly among them.
Philadelphia resident Joe Hoffman has a share in a beach house with 10 others who carpool to the beach every week-often for three day weekends. He said Rehoboth provided him with a more affordable option this summer.
"I scaled back all my vacation plans this year," Hoffman said. "Gas prices are disgusting, but you all ride together and stay for a longer weekend. It becomes more affordable."
Rehoboth has seen an increase in younger visitors from both Washington and Philadelphia over the last two summers. Local realtors point to plentiful and still affordable housing as a major draw.
"There’s more housing than ever," Rehoboth real estate agent Chris Riss noted.
He further pointed out the building boom between 2000 and 2006 attracted a significant number of gay home owners and renters.
"With more properties available to rent for the season, the price to rent a house or a share in it is less in real terms today than it was 10 years ago," Riss said.
The much feared real estate bust that has hit other resort communities hard has yet to make it to Rehoboth.
"Most Rehoboth Beach property owners are second home owners who typically didn’t have subprime loans and have the wherewithal to pay their mortgage in bad times, so the market here is far more stable than South Florida, Las Vegas, etc," Riss said.
Rehoboth also saw an increase in the number of hotel rooms during this period. The Hotel Rehoboth, for example, opened earlier this summer and has been brisk.
Other attractions dot the beach. These include 10 gay bars, gay-friendly restaurants, gay-specific shops, gay beach houses, two gay beaches and a variety of gay social events each weekend.
Visitors also have a variety of new nightlife venues from which to choose. These include MASS, a nightclub in a former church that has drawn large crowds since it opened earlier this summer. It joins Aqua, the Blue Moon, Double L, Partners, Frogg Pond and Cloud-9.
"We are having a great summer, both in the restaurant and the bar," Cloud-9’s Kelly Harp noted. "Greater options only seem to bring larger crowds."
Washingtonian Jonah Carbonero said he continues to enjoy Rehoboth.
"It’s been my favorite summer in four years," he said. "There is a real strong buzz to the beach this year."
