Are There Hot SpringsAre there hot springs in Delaware?
No. No natural hot springs reach the surface in Delaware. Most of the state lies on the Atlantic Coastal Plain, layers of sand, silt and clay where groundwater stays at ordinary temperature, and the USGS records no appreciably warm springs on the Coastal Plain.
The nearest natural warm soak is in Bath County, Virginia, about 240 miles from Dover in a straight line. In Delaware itself, two inns in Rehoboth Beach have indoor hot tubs and spas.
Nearest hot springs to Wilmington and Dover
Virginia's Bath County is the obvious target: it is under 300 miles from anywhere in the state.
| From | Nearest hot springs (straight line) | Next nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | Bath County, Virginia260 miles | Hot Springs, North Carolina, 480 milesHot Springs, Arkansas, 1,030 miles |
| Dover | Bath County, Virginia240 miles | Hot Springs, North Carolina, 460 milesHot Springs, Arkansas, 1,020 miles |
Dover is slightly closer than Wilmington. North Carolina's hot springs are roughly twice as far, and everything beyond is a flight rather than a drive.
Why Delaware has no hot springs: the rocks underneath
Delaware has two kinds of ground. North of the Fall Line, which runs roughly through Newark and Wilmington, the hard, ancient rock of the Piedmont is at the surface. South of it, unconsolidated sediments of the Coastal Plain cover about 94 percent of the state and thicken toward the ocean.
Those sediments are layers of sand, gravel, silt and clay laid down by the sea and by rivers, much of it beach, dune and marsh deposits. Water moves through them slowly and stays close to the average temperature of the ground, which is why Delaware's wells and springs run cool.
Warm springs in the eastern US need something different: rainwater that sinks thousands of feet into folded rock, heats up with depth and then rises quickly along faults. That happens in Bath County, Virginia, and Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. Delaware's flat, soft ground has nothing like it.
Delaware spas
Two inns near the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk with indoor hot tubs and spa treatments.
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Inn spa
Avenue Inn & Spa
Rehoboth BeachA boutique inn steps from the boardwalk with a spa, indoor saltwater pool, hot tub and steam room.
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Inn spa
The Bellmoor Inn and Spa
Rehoboth BeachA day spa, an outdoor family pool and an indoor hot tub, a block from Rehoboth Avenue.
Delaware spas on a map
All 2 places on this page, with pin shapes showing the type. Open the larger map to zoom in.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Questions about soaking in Delaware
Are there hot springs near Wilmington, Delaware?
No. The nearest are in Bath County, Virginia, about 260 miles away in a straight line, and then Hot Springs, North Carolina, about 480 miles away.
Why doesn't Delaware have hot springs?
About 94 percent of the state sits on loose Coastal Plain sediments. There are no deep faults to carry heated water back up, so groundwater stays cool.
Are there any warm springs in Delaware?
No. Neither NOAA's list of US thermal springs nor the USGS records any in the state.
Where can I use a hot tub in Delaware?
The Avenue Inn & Spa and the Bellmoor Inn and Spa, both in Rehoboth Beach, have indoor hot tubs.
What is the Fall Line in Delaware?
The boundary where the hard rock of the Piedmont dips under the sediments of the Coastal Plain, roughly along a line through Newark and Wilmington.
Seasons, costs and access in Delaware
When to go
The hot tubs are indoors, so any season works. Rehoboth is quietest, and cheapest, outside the summer beach season.
What it costs
Both inns are overnight stays with spa services priced separately. Check whether the hot tub is open to day spa guests or only to hotel guests.
Getting there
Rehoboth Beach is on the Atlantic coast in Sussex County, about 40 miles south-east of Dover. Both inns are within a short walk of the boardwalk.
Safety and etiquette
Hot tub courtesy at a beach inn.
- Rinse off sand firstShower before you get in; sand and sunscreen clog filters and cloud the water.
- Keep it at 104°F or belowThat is the CPSC's upper limit for hot tubs; lower is better for children and after a day in the sun.
- Soap up after the tubA soap shower afterwards, as the CDC advises, helps prevent hot tub rash.
Pictures of places to soak in Delaware
Photos of Avenue Inn & Spa, a place to soak in this guide. We only use photos whose license allows reuse and credit the photographer under each one. The full credits are on our photo credits page.
Sources
Information here was checked on against the sources below.
- USGS: Delaware ground-water quality (Open-File Report 87-718) (Coastal Plain under 94% of the state)
- Delaware DNREC: Delaware habitats in a watershed context (Fall Line, Coastal Plain sediments)
- USGS: Thermal springs in the United States (no appreciably warm springs on the Atlantic Coastal Plain)
- Virginia Energy: Geothermal energy in Virginia (how the Bath County springs are heated)
- Visit Delaware: Avenue Inn and Spa (saltwater pool, hot tub, steam)
- Visit Delaware: The Bellmoor Inn and Spa (day spa, indoor hot tub)
- CPSC: Hot tub temperatures
- CDC: Preventing hot tub rash
Other states with hot springs
Every other state with a hot springs guide.