Ever-evolving Rehoboth is top LGBT, family destination
There's no denying that Rehoboth Beach has a certain reputation.
The city has become known for two things: fine dining and being LGBT-friendly.
But Steve Elkins, executive director of CAMP (Creating a More Positive) Rehoboth, remembers a time when that was not the case.
"Things here really started to change in the 90s," he said, recalling the large influx of LGBT-inclined vacationers. "There was this bumper sticker that read, 'Keep Rehoboth a family town' and we all knew what it meant.
“But the fact of the matter is that families come in all shapes and sizes. Rehoboth is more gay-friendly than ever, and it's still a family town."
Rehoboth Beach recently earned online recognition for the city it has become.
A survey named the city as one of the world’s top travel destinations for gay visitors, just behind Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and Tel Aviv, Israel.
SCRUFF, a gay dating app with more than 10 million members, collaborated with The New York Times to survey members about their off-the-beaten-path travel destinations, as well as their impressions about safety in places with a history of anti-LGBT discrimination.
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The poll received 1,333 responses, ranking Rehoboth Beach as the third most "gay friendly" destination, tied with Saugutuck, Michigan.
Christopher Chandler, manager at Purple Parrot, a gay bar and restaurant in downtown Rehoboth Beach, was not surprised.
"There's no judgement here," he said. "Rehoboth is a very welcoming, loving community, and has come a long way."
Like Chandler, Elkins believes the accepting atmosphere — complimented by its beaches, wooden boardwalk, eclectic shops, amusements and unparalleled fine-dining — is why the city ranked so high on SCRUFF's survey.
What was once a summer-only resort, has evolved into a vibrant, year-round and inclusive community.
"We literally have something for everyone," said Krys Johnson, Rehoboth Beach's communication specialist. "Straight, gay, families, retirees ... come one, come all."
It's numerous features and unspoken policy of acceptance have enticed business owners, like Helen Fausnaught, co-owner of Swell Tiki Bar & Grill, to set up shop and thrive.
"I saw what Rehoboth Beach was about and I wanted to be part of it," she said. "I wanted my children to to be a part of it, too."
Revered as a culinary mecca and gay-friendly destination, Rehoboth Beach features more than 200 LGBT-owned businesses in the community, a feat credited to a handful of influential individuals.
In 1974, three restaurateurs, one gay (Victor Pisapia) and one straight couple (Libby and Ted Fisher), opened The Back Porch restaurant on Rehoboth Avenue, introducing contemporary cuisine to the beach town. In 1980, Pisapia and Joyce Felton opened The Blue Moon, Rehoboth's first gay bar.
Thanks to their "radical" business moves, Rehoboth Beach has never been the same, said Elkins.
"The LGBT community is seen as part of the entire community," Elkins said. "Unlike other destinations where that population is a separate identity, we have a seat at the table. We are a part of the atmosphere and the conversation."
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