Rehoboth Beach walking tours to kick off May 10
The Rehoboth Beach Historical Society will kick off its walking tours at 9 a.m., Thursday, May 10, at the bandstand. This year the tours will be held every other Thursday morning with a few exceptions. Interested visitors may look for the pink umbrella held by tour guide Jean Brolund or the black umbrella held by new tour guide Gerry Beaulieu. The tour is a two-hour, gentle stroll around downtown. The cost of the tour is $10. Reservations are required. To reserve a place, call 302-227-7310. While the museum is closed, callers may leave names and telephone numbers on the answering machine.
This year, an occasional evening stroll will be incorporated into the schedule. In years past, after a long day of surf and sand, families would often take a walk on the boardwalk after dinner, sometimes stopping for ice cream. To re-create that traditions, join tour leaders at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 7, or 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 6. To make arrangements for a private group walking tour, call the museum.
Tours provide general information about the history of Rehoboth Beach while touching on several of the storms that have shaped the coastline and the beachfront in town. The tour guide will lead walkers from the bandstand along Rehoboth Avenue, pointing out landmarks and providing photos of historical sites and events. Topics covered are the native peoples of the area, the Methodist camp meetings, hotels and railroad service, and Horn’s Pavilion.
Other topics on the tour may include shipwrecks such as the Falmouth, the Merrimac, the Severn and the SS Thomas Tracy, along with the railroad, the Belhaven Hotel, restaurants such as the Robert Lee and Snyder’s and, of course, Funland.
Tour goers are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes and bring a bottle of water or fill up a water bottle at the historic Women’s Christian Temperance Union Fountain on the boardwalk, one of the landmarks mentioned on the tour. There are restrooms available at the bandstand area.
