Augustine Beach
Odessa, DE
Augustine Beach is Delaware's only real swimming beach on the Delaware River, part of the Augustine Wildlife Area on the river's west bank northeast of Odessa. It's a callback to a much older resort town here, one that had bathhouses and a hotel back in the 1800s, long before New Castle County's shoreline gave way to farmland and marsh.
A genuinely useful, free river swimming option for New Castle County locals who don't want the drive to the ocean beaches, though the water clarity and river current are real tradeoffs against an actual ocean or bay beach.
How we score beachesThis is river swimming, not ocean or bay, so expect murkier water and a current from upstream rather than a tide. It's a solid option if you're in Wilmington or Newark and don't want to drive two hours to the ocean beaches.
Free parking is available on site with no entrance fee, unusual for this stretch of the state.
The beach is reached by a short walk from the lot through the wildlife area, flat and informal rather than paved.
River water warms up through the summer and swims comfortably by July, without the ocean or bay's hurricane season currents to worry about, though river currents from upstream rain are worth checking before a swim.
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