Three of Sussex County’s five state parks touch the inland bays. They share a shoreline type but almost nothing else.
Delaware Seashore is the full-service park: ocean and bay, camping, marina, lifeguarded swimming. Fenwick Island is the opposite: largely undeveloped, with ocean and bay both accessible and almost no built amenities. Holts Landing skips the ocean entirely: it’s a bay-only park built around a crabbing pier and a boat ramp, with no swimming beach at all.
Every fact here links to its official source. The two remaining parks, Cape Henlopen (ocean flagship) and Trap Pond (inland cypress), are not bay parks and are outside this comparison. The full five-park guide covers them.
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The three bay parks at a glance
| Park | Best for | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware Seashore | Ocean + bay, watersports, camping | Indian River Inlet, marina, lifeguarded ocean swim, tent/RV camping |
| Fenwick Island | Quiet undeveloped beach + bay paddling | Ocean swim + surfing, Little Assawoman Bay side, no developed hiking, windsurfing |
| Holts Landing | Crabbing + kayaking, no swimming | 220-ft crabbing pier, 2-lane ramp on Indian River Bay, Sea Hawk + Seahorse trails, no beach |
Quick Answers
- Best for swimming: Delaware Seashore has two lifeguarded ocean swim areas with full facilities; Fenwick Island has an ocean beach but no lifeguards mentioned in official sources.
- Best for crabbing: Holts Landing, which has a purpose-built 220-foot crabbing pier open 24 hours. Delaware Seashore allows crabbing in some bay areas.
- Best for paddling: Holts Landing for Indian River Bay (two-lane ramp, the only public south-shore access between Millsboro and Indian River Inlet); Delaware Seashore for the marina launch; Fenwick Island bay side is carry-down only.
- Best for quiet: Fenwick Island (largely undeveloped, per Wikipedia) and Holts Landing are both small and undeveloped compared to Delaware Seashore.
- Camping: Delaware Seashore has tent and RV sites; Holts Landing has three wilderness campsites; camping at Fenwick Island is unconfirmed, so check the official park page.
Delaware Seashore State Park
The widest range of any bay park in the county: 2,722 acres of barrier strip holding ocean, two bays, a marina, and a campground in one address.
The park was created in 1965 as Indian River State Park and renamed in 1967, per Wikipedia’s Delaware Seashore entry. Its 6 miles (9.7 km) of shoreline run along the Atlantic Ocean, Rehoboth Bay, and Indian River Bay.
Two lifeguarded ocean swim areas come with bathhouses (showers, changing rooms), concession stands, and rentals of umbrellas, chairs, and rafts. A dedicated surfing beach sits north of the Indian River Inlet. On the bay side, the inland waters offer windsurfing and sailing, and clamming and crabbing are allowed in some bay areas.
The Indian River Marina, on the north side of the inlet, anchors the paddling side of the park. A boat launch gives access to the bay and is covered in the kayak launches guide for Sussex County.
One trail exists on the bay side: the Burton’s Island nature trail, which offers views of salt marshes and bay islands, per Wikipedia. No length is given in official sources.
The standout historical feature is the Indian River Life-Saving Station, established in 1880, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and open to the public as a museum, per the Life-Saving Station Wikipedia entry. The inlet itself was stabilized by two jetties built in 1939.
Camping (tent and RV) is available on site. Current fees are on the official Delaware State Parks page.
Rules differ park by park. Check the one you’re visiting, not the one you visited last.
Fenwick Island State Park
The less-developed alternative: 375 acres on a narrow strip between the Atlantic Ocean and Little Assawoman Bay, between Ocean City, Maryland and South Bethany, Delaware.
The park was established in 1966 as the southern part of Delaware Seashore and became its own park in 1981, per Wikipedia’s Fenwick Island entry. It’s managed in conjunction with Holts Landing State Park.
The park is largely undeveloped compared with the beach communities around it, per Wikipedia. There are no developed hiking trails.
The ocean beach is open for swimming, surfing, and surf fishing. On the bay side, Little Assawoman Bay supports fishing, recreational crabbing, clamming, sailing, windsurfing, and kayaking. The bay side has no formal ramp, dock, or launch facility; access is carry-down only, per the kayak launches guide.
One landmark stands at the northern end: a WWII-era observation tower. The park also marks the start of the Trans-Peninsular Line, Delaware’s southern boundary with Maryland. The island is named for Thomas Fenwick, who was granted rights by Lord Baltimore in 1682.
Camping at Fenwick Island is unconfirmed: it isn’t mentioned in the Wikipedia article, and the full Sussex County state parks guide notes the same gap. Check the official park page if camping matters for your visit.
Holts Landing State Park
The county’s dedicated crabbing and kayaking park: 205 acres on the southern shore of Indian River Bay, 5 miles (8 km) northwest of Bethany Beach, with no swimming beach.
The Holt family sold the land to Delaware in 1957; the park opened in 1965, per Wikipedia’s Holts Landing entry. It shares management with Fenwick Island State Park and has 2,000 feet (610 m) of bay shoreline.
The anchor is the 220-foot (67-meter) crabbing pier, built in 2001 and open 24 hours a day for crabbing and fishing. From the pier, common catches include sea trout, flounder, bluefish, and perch. Visitors can also wade into the shallow bay waters to harvest clams.
The two-lane concrete boat ramp, rebuilt in April 2016, is the only public boat and kayak access on the south shore of Indian River Bay between Millsboro and Indian River Inlet. The channel it leads into runs 60 feet (18 m) wide by 4 feet (1.2 m) deep and accommodates boats up to 25 feet (7.6 m). Full launch details are in the Sussex County kayak launches guide.
The Assawoman Canal, dug in 1891, runs through the park connecting Indian River Bay to the north with Little Assawoman Bay to the south. The canal was not dredged from the 1950s until 2006, when the state undertook a dredging project that restored it to navigability; the project ran through 2010 and left a channel 35 feet wide and 3 feet deep, per Wikipedia. It remains a popular kayaking route.
Two marked trails make Holts Landing the most hikeable of the three bay parks. The Sea Hawk Trail is a 1.3-mile (2.1 km) three-quarter loop through mixed hardwood and conifer forest, past freshwater ponds and a grassy meadow, finishing near the bay shoreline. Ospreys are reported along this route.
The Seahorse Trail is a 1.8-mile (2.9 km) packed-earth loop that passes the campsites and runs through dense forest areas including freshwater ponds. Three lesser trails bring the combined length to 3.1 miles (5.0 km); all are open for hiking, biking, and equestrian use.
Three wilderness campsites, each 20 acres, sit within the forest. A pavilion with a large grill seats up to 80 people and is available to rent.
Which one should you pick?
Swimming goes to Delaware Seashore. It’s the only one of the three with lifeguarded beaches, bathhouses, and full facilities. Fenwick Island’s ocean beach is also open for swimming, but with fewer amenities and no lifeguard presence mentioned in official sources.
Camping with bay access also points to Delaware Seashore. It’s the only park in this group where tent and RV camping and a marina coexist. Holts Landing has wilderness campsites and a two-lane ramp, but no ocean beach and no RV hookups.
Crabbing goes to Holts Landing. The 220-foot pier is purpose-built for it, open around the clock, and the shallow bay waters are wadeable for clams. Delaware Seashore allows crabbing in some bay areas, but without a dedicated pier.
Paddling depends on what you want to launch. Holts Landing’s two-lane ramp is the most capable launch on the south shore of Indian River Bay. Delaware Seashore’s marina launch gives access to the inlet and bay. Fenwick Island is carry-down only on the Little Assawoman Bay side, which suits kayaks and smaller craft rather than trailered boats.
For paddling across all three parks and the wider county, the Sussex County kayak and canoe guide has the full picture.
Quiet splits between Holts Landing and Fenwick Island. Holts Landing is a small, facilities-light park; Fenwick is largely undeveloped compared with the beach communities around it, per Wikipedia. Both sit at the opposite end of the crowd spectrum from Delaware Seashore.
Check each park’s official page before you go for fees, parking, dogs, and restroom details.
Sussex County’s best outdoor spots are public land; you just need to know they exist. For all five parks, the Sussex County state parks comparison is the starting point. For free options across the county, the free outdoor activities guide has more routes and spots that charge nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Which Sussex County bay park is best for swimming?
Delaware Seashore State Park. It has two lifeguarded ocean swim areas with bathhouses, concession stands, and equipment rentals, per Wikipedia. Fenwick Island’s ocean beach is also open for swimming, but it’s undeveloped by comparison.
Holts Landing has no swimming beach.
Where can you go crabbing in a Sussex County state park?
Holts Landing State Park has the county’s most dedicated crabbing setup: a 220-foot (67-meter) pier built in 2001, open 24 hours a day, per Wikipedia’s Holts Landing entry. Delaware Seashore allows crabbing and clamming in some bay areas. Fenwick Island’s bay side on Little Assawoman Bay also supports recreational crabbing.
Which bay park is best for launching a kayak?
Holts Landing for Indian River Bay. Its two-lane concrete ramp, rebuilt in 2016, is the only public south-shore launch between Millsboro and Indian River Inlet, per Wikipedia. Delaware Seashore’s marina provides an alternative launch with inlet and bay access.
Fenwick Island’s Little Assawoman Bay side is carry-down only, no ramp. The Sussex County kayak launches guide covers all three in detail.
Can you camp at Delaware Seashore, Fenwick Island, or Holts Landing?
Delaware Seashore has both tent and RV camping, per Wikipedia. Holts Landing has three 20-acre wilderness campsites within the forest. Camping at Fenwick Island isn’t mentioned in available official sources; check the park’s own page to confirm before planning an overnight visit.
Which of the three is the quietest?
Fenwick Island is largely undeveloped compared to surrounding beach communities, per Wikipedia. Holts Landing is also quiet, a small bay park with no beach crowds. Delaware Seashore is the busiest of the three, with two lifeguarded swim areas, a marina, and camping all in one place.
Photo of Holts Landing State Park by SheepNotGoats (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
Last verified: 2026-06.