Rehoboth Beach, Delaware is known as "The Nation's Summer Capital" because it is frequently the summer vacation destination for residents of Washington, D.C. It is only three hours away from the capital, in addition to Baltimore, Maryland and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The town’s population swells with the influx of visitors; from just under 1,500 residents to a whopping 75,000 in the summer. Visitors mostly come from the aforementioned areas, but people worldwide come to Rehoboth Beach to get away from it all. Rehoboth Beach is famous for its sandy beaches, mile-long wooden boardwalk (built circa 1873), activities, eclectic shops, and sporting activities—there’s something for everyone. People looking for a smaller-scale vacation site will adore Rehoboth Beach. Rehoboth Beach serves as a smaller, more personal alternative to nearby Ocean City, Maryland. In May of 2006, Reader's Digest named the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk the "Best of America" in appreciation of its amazingly quirky atmosphere. In addition, AARP named Rehoboth Beach as one of five "Best Places to Retire". A properly-timed Rehoboth Beach vacation will allow you to visit one of their several annual festivals. These include the Chocolate Festival, the Sea Witch Halloween and Fiddler’s Festival, the Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival, the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival and the Hometown Christmas Parade. One thing you can’t overlook on your Rehoboth Beach vacation is, of course, its incredible beach. This miles-long stretch of clean, uncrowded sand is inviting to say the least. The ocean around the beach is home to dolphins all summer long, not to mention a side variety of seabirds. It is a naturalist’s paradise. No Rehoboth Beach vacation would be complete without checking out its famous boardwalk. Rehoboth Beach’s wooden boardwalk is a mile-long, wooden structure that stretches along both sides of Rehoboth Beach’s main drag, Rehoboth Avenue. The boardwalk allows you to take a leisurely stroll down “The Avenue” and see all that it has to offer. There are over seventy restaurants (including the world-famous Thrashers French Fries) and numerous boutiques, small kitschy shop, and souvenir stands for you to visit on the boardwalk and elsewhere in Rehoboth Beach. The best part is that you can walk to it all. A great place for the whole family to visit is the Playland Family Fun Center. This park, located on the boardwalk, offers eighteen rides, an electronic shooting gallery, thirteen Midway games, redemption games, video games and pinball machines. This is a great place for the parents to appease the kids and have a great time as well. So if you’re considering taking a break from your everyday, hectic life this year, consider a Rehoboth Beach vacation. Rehoboth Beach has the best of both worlds, in that it is popular, yet still remains quaint. You and your family won’t feel overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the place, yet there is still plenty to do and see. Rehoboth Beach has something for just about everyone. Give it a try, your family will thank you and want to return again and again.