Bowers Beach
Bowers, DE
Bowers Beach sits where the St. Jones and Murderkill Rivers meet the bay, a small fishing town that once saw 300 boats a day at its docks. The shallow, calm water here makes it one of the easier bay beaches for wading and swimming, and the town still runs on fishing and crabbing more than tourism.
The calm, shallow water and real working waterfront give it genuine local character, though there's no boardwalk or amusements, so it's a destination for people who already know what they're looking for.
How we score beachesPair a beach stop with lunch at one of the small seafood spots near the marina. Bowers is more of a working waterfront than a resort, and the food reflects it.
Free public parking is available near the beach and marina, rarely an issue outside of major fishing tournaments.
The beach is flat and open, a short walk from street parking near the waterfront.
Shallow bay water warms up quickly, comfortable for wading by June, inside the same June through November hurricane season as the ocean beaches farther south.
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