Delaware’s Shoreline

My excitement starts to build as the sun rises slowly in the morning sky and my car blends into the bumper-to-bumper traffic on Route 1. No matter what the temperature, I roll down the windows to let the salty sea breezes rush in and then I know—I’m at the beach. It’s not summer without sitting, feet dug into the sand, on one of the Delaware beaches. I love the heat, the crash of the waves, the smell of suntan lotion, the looks on kids’ faces who just rode their first wave or who just built their first sandcastle, probably because it reminds me of my firsts. I could sit there all day, just watching. And I do. Until I’m watching the crowd disperse group by group for a slice of Grotto’s Pizza or a sweet treat at the Candy Kitchen. And then, mind and body at peace, I watch the sun drop lower into the ocean, and the waves roll in on a quiet, serene beach.

—Meghan Aftosmis

Meghan Aftosmis is a Traveler associate researcher.