Broadkill Beach is an unincorporated beach community in Sussex County, in the U.S. state of

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 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 fro ...

. 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 Surf fishing is land-based game fishing while standing on the shoreline or wading into the surf zone. A general term, surf fishing may or may not include casting a lure or bait, and refers to all types of shore fishing – from sandy and rocky be ...

, 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, making it a haven for nature lovers and bird watchers in addition to other wildlife. Broadkill Beach is an official sanctuary for horseshoe crabs, 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 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 Delaware Route 16 (DE 16) is an east-west state highway in Delaware, mainly across northern Sussex County, with a small portion near the Maryland border in extreme southwestern Kent County. It runs from Maryland Route 16 (MD& ...

(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 of

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 So ...

, 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 largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. 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 parade is held by residents in Broadkill Beach each year and with the right views, fireworks from

Cape May, NJ Cape May is a city located at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations, and part of t ...

Lewes Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. It is the police and judicial centre for all of Sussex and is home to Sussex Police, East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, Lewes Crown Court and HMP Lewes. The civil parish is the centre of ...

, Rehoboth Beach 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