In its June/July 2014 issue, National Geographic Traveler, the world’s most widely read travel magazine with a readership of nine million, selected Bethany Beach as one of seven beaches nationwide where “the essential beach experience endures.” Bethany is the only beach between Massachusetts and North Carolina to be recognized.

Author Bruce Schoenfeld, in enumerating his selection criteria, writes “A great beach town must have shores that are spacious, picturesque, relatively uncrowded, and clean. Beyond that, its local culture not only has to service tourism, but also transcend it. The town must have a prettiness about it that makes even a stroll to the grocery store an occasion for delight. Finally, it has to be timeless, meaning that though restaurants come and go and shops get sold, the contours and vistas around them remain recognizable through generations.”

Sound familiar? If so, it’s probably because his description suits Bethany Beach to a T.

Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kristie Maravalli is delighted but not surprised that Bethany appears among Schoenfeld’s selected beaches. “This accolade from National Geographic is a wonderful distinction for our community. But it’s no surprise to anyone in the Quiet Resorts that Bethany Beach is recognized as a quintessential American beach town. Bethany’s beautiful five-star beaches and our active, friendly community of residents and businesses create a small-town, beach-town feel that makes Bethany unique.”

Southern Delaware Tourism supports and encourages the identification, development and promotion of sustainable, year-round tourism in Southern Delaware that contributes to economic growth and improves the quality of life. For more information, call Southern Delaware Tourism at 302-856-1818 or go to www.VisitSouthernDelaware.com.