Broadkill Beach is an unincorporated beach community in Sussex County, in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

, located on the

Delaware Bay Delaware Bay is the estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the northeast seaboard of the United States. It is approximately in area, the bay's freshwater mixes for many miles with the saltwater of the Atlantic Ocean. The bay is bordered inland ...

north of the mouth of the

Broadkill River The Broadkill River is a river flowing to Delaware Bay in southern Delaware in the United States. It is long and drains an area of on the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The Broadkill flows for its entire length in eastern Sussex County. It issues fr ...

. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. The word kill is from the Dutch word kil. The small community is an increasingly popular vacation destination. It consists primarily of vacation homes, although there are a significant number of year-round residents. During the spring, summer, and fall months, many properties are offered for weekly rentals, or for weekends during off peak seasons. A major

beach replenishment Beach nourishment (also referred to as beach renourishment, beach replenishment, or sand replenishment) describes a process by which sediment, usually sand, lost through longshore drift or erosion is replaced from other sources. A wider beach can ...

project was completed in 2016 which significantly expanded the size of the beach, constructed a large, new dune, and spurred increased interest and investment in the community. Broadkill Beach offers direct waterfront beach access to the Delaware Bay for swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddleboard, surf fishing, and other water-oriented activities. Due to limited public parking, however, the beach remains sparsely populated even on the busiest summer days. The community is surrounded to the west by

Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge is a sanctuary for migratory birds located east of Milton, Delaware, United States. It was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1963 on along the western shore of Delaware Bay. The refuge contains a var ...

, making it a haven for nature lovers and bird watchers in addition to other wildlife. Broadkill Beach is an official sanctuary for

horseshoe crabs Horseshoe crabs are marine and brackish water arthropods of the family Limulidae and the only living members of the order Xiphosura. Despite their name, they are not true crabs or crustaceans: they are chelicerates, most closely related to arac ...

, the state marine animal of Delaware and a "signature species" of the Delaware Bay Estuary."EcoDelaware.com: Broadkill Beach, an official horseshoe crab sanctuary"
/ref> Broadkill Beach borders Beach Plum Island Nature Preserve on the south end of Bayshore Drive. The community offers vacationers a more private, quiet, and less crowded alternative to renting in the larger Delaware beach communities, while still being close to the resort towns and activities.

Rehoboth Beach Rehoboth Beach ( ) is a city on the Atlantic Ocean along the Delaware Beaches in eastern Sussex County, Delaware. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the population was 1,327, reflecting a decline of 161 (11.2%) from the 1,488 counted in the 2000 ce ...

is approximately 20 minutes south of Broadkill Beach. The older section of Broadkill, dating from the mid-20th century, lies just south and north of the intersection of Delaware Route 16 (DE 16) and Bayshore Drive. This area includes cross streets named after presidents (south of DE 16) and Southern and Southwestern states (north of DE 16). Many older, small cottages can be found in this area. Farther north and south along Bayshore Drive are larger, more modern vacation homes. Many first time visitors compare Broadkill Beach's remote feel to the

Outer Banks The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separating ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

, but much smaller and with easier access to

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, and

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

. The only business located in Broadkill Beach is The Broadkill Store, a general store which sells sandwiches, grocery items, bait & tackle, beach toys, souvenirs and homemade donuts on the weekends. Rentals for kayaks and stand-up paddleboards can also be arranged at the store. A family friendly

Fourth of July Independence Day (colloquially the Fourth of July) is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States ...

parade is held by residents in Broadkill Beach each year and with the right views, fireworks from Cape May, NJ, Lewes,

and other towns can all be visible.

References

{{authority control Beaches of Delaware Unincorporated communities in Sussex County, Delaware Unincorporated communities in Delaware Landforms of Sussex County, Delaware Populated coastal places in Delaware