North Shores Beach

North Shores is Rehoboth Beach's second gay beach, set north of town along the shoreline toward Cape Henlopen State Park and the Gordons Pond area. Reached by a short walk from the Gordons Pond parking lot or up the sand from the boardwalk, it draws a crowd that skews toward women, couples, and bears — the long stretch just north of the rock jetty has been known informally for years as "Bear Beach." Quieter and more natural than the livelier Poodle Beach scene at the boardwalk's south end, it is backed by protected dunes with basic pavilion facilities and a pack-in, pack-out ethic. Together with Poodle Beach, North Shores has anchored Rehoboth's reputation as a mid-Atlantic gay beach destination for decades.