Special Offer

Exclusive Weekend Specials

From early September to late May, Sea Colony has two special weekend (Friday-Sunday) packages exclusively for Tennis Resorts Online readers.
"Singles Spectacular": a weekend clinic for one with 10 hours of instruction, match play, a tournament, a 1-hour massage and lodging in a 1-bedroom condo. Cost: $600.
"Double the Fun": a weekend clinic for two with 10 hours of instruction, match play, a tournament, a 1-hour massage and lodging in a 2-bedroom condo. Cost: $850.
To book, phone 302-539-4488 and tell Dave Marshall you want the "Tennis Resorts Online special."

Sea Colony begins as a phalanx of 10-to-14-story towers on the beach, crosses over Route 1, and continues westward as a series of quiet residential neighborhoods consisting of one- to three-story clapboard houses and townhouses. There are some 2,200 condominiums and homes altogether, and during the first week in August, when I visited, I was told that literally every one was occupied, either by its owner or a renting vacationer.

If you live in Greater Washington, D.C., Baltimore or Philadelphia you are far more likely to be familiar with Sea Colony than if you live beyond its traditional drive-in market. Nevertheless, if your passion is tennis and you like nothing better than being around others who share it, then Sea Colony ought to be on the list of places you consider, no matter where you live.

Tennis Features

Pro Shop: 302-539-4488

For a majority of vacationers who come here, the beach is an obvious lure. However, many owners told me that the deciding factor in their purchase of a home was the quality of the tennis, both for them and their kids. That's because after the beach, the most important amenity at Sea Colony is its 34 hard and clay tennis courts and the exceptional enthusiasm for the game generated by tennis director Dave Marshall.

Tennis Staff. Marshall started teaching at Sea Colony during the summers in 1980 under USPTA Master Pro Dave Kozlowski. He would later go on to play for Maryland's Washington College and has won seven Delaware state championships and three Middle States sectional championships. Then in 1989 when Kozlowski moved on, Marshall took over as tennis director and began building today's programs. He was so successful that as Sea Colony grew, the developer recognized the need to continue to increase the number of courts and was even convinced to take the unusual step of adding four indoor.
There are any number of factors you can point to as elements in Marshall's success. His roots in this area go back 400 years, which may help to explain his innate grasp of what draws people to the shore. But many guests I talked to said it was his staff that impressed them most. "The pros are great with kids," one mother told me. "It's just a great family place."
Although there are several seasoned pros on the roster, much of the teaching and pro shop staff are the children of owners, kids who have themselves come up through Marshall's programs and return each summer. He may have as many as 20 pros on his summer roster, many of them college players who learned their technique from Marshall. "I try to organize things in a way that people know what to expect when they come back," says Marshall. "I try to keep everything high energy and high movement." Marshall himself is so much in demand that he's likely to be on court from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in summer. Asked how he keeps from burning out, he answers, "I just love it." Meanwhile, he has found time to complete a doctorate in education and was named "USPTA Pro of the Year" for the Middle States.
Tennis Programs. During the busy summer season, there are adult clinics each weekday morning and junior clinics each weekday afternoon (on Fridays the junior clinic becomes a midday cookout and round robin), both divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced sections. There are also 90-minute junior academy sessions three days a week. Designed for tournament players these are also open to adults. And there are three round robins weekly. Then during spring and fall the emphasis shifts to weekend minicamps. And at any season the staff is there to help set up games. (See Sea Colony Recreation for a complete list of activities, tennis and otherwise.)
On paper, that appears to be merely a solid roster of options, but what sets them apart is the number of participants. On a day in August when temperatures had soared above 95 degrees, more than 30 adults and juniors turned out for the 10 a.m. intermediate clinic and another 30-plus attended the 11 a.m. advanced clinic. I also counted 20 beginners in the 1 p.m. junior clinic which Marshall astutely scheduled for the indoor courts. "People told me they liked to be able to get their kids and themselves out of the sun during the middle of the day," says Marshall.
Courts & Fees. The vast majority of the courts are at the tennis center, where there are 12 Har-Tru and 10 hard courts outdoors (4 with lights) in a semi-circle around the building housing the four indoor courts and pro shop. A path across the street leads to four more courts (the so-called "Doubles Courts" because they can be booked only for doubles on summer mornings). Finally, there are 4 hard courts next to the midrise towers on the beach side of the development. Court fees: None.

Your Call

Here's what others have had to say about Sea Colony Resort.

• "We took a group from our tennis club to Sea Colony to the Dave Marshall Tennis Camp. Boy did we have fun!! We did the 8 hour camp and learned so much- you have to remember playing tennis is like playing blackjack- you are playing against the dealer and not to 21- so find what your opponent can't do and go after that- those words will ring in my head for the coming summer months. This is my second trip, with more to follow- thanks Dave!"—H.O.,  May 2008

• "excellent teaching. Very pretty facilities, pleasant accomodations, all for a very fair price."—M.S., Int., May 2008

• "My Usta team and I have just return to sunny Florida from the most amazing tennis camp ever at Sea Colony with tennis Pro Dave Marshall and his staff. Thats right we are from Florida and have a choice of several tennis resorts most in our own backyard which we have attended. This year we decided to take a road trip, or I should say airplane trip North to not only have a long girls weekend but to work on our game.
  We are a very active USTA team and did some research and found out that not only is Dave Marshall an excellent teacher but he was captain of last years mens USTA open team that won the nationals, last years USTA mens 5.5 team that I think place second and the year befores mens 5.0 USTA team that won the nationals. Did I mention that not only was he captain but he also played. So we selected this resort in great hopes of improving.
  Well thank you Dave and staff we are now off to the state tournament. We will be back for another weekend session before the states."—J.B., Adv., April 2008

• "I have returned to Sea Colony and Dave Marshall's Tennis Camp for the 6th time. The drills are never the same always fast moving and never boring. There are plenty of teaching pros on the courts so there was never more than a four to one ratio. It is amazing how much tennis you actually get in a mini camp and the fact that Dr Dave is there teaching you all the time is exceptional. If you are looking for a place for plenty of tennis no matter your level Sea Colony is the place."—T.B., Adv., April 2008

• "Beautiful, coaches are personal and very nice."—S.Y., Adv., March 2008

• "Particularly for those in the Mid-Atlantic region looking for reasonably challenging, well-paced, and personal instruction, Dave Marshall's program at Sea Colony in Bethany Beach, Deleware fits the bill.
  I am a 3.0 league player and I am planning my 3rd trip to Sea Colony. I have been pleased with the level of instruction. The instructors appeal to players at varying levels. But, I didn't sense that anyone was over or underwhelmed with the drills or the pace at which the were conducted.
  The downside? The indoor courts are limited and if there is a large class, it can get a bit crowded if the weather limits the participants to drilling/playing indoors. It helps that there is an alternative facility available. But, it is several miles away from the main location and getting there can be a bit of a hassle. The sessions have gone from 10 hours to 8 hours for the "mini-weekend camp" . That might not be a bad thing as most participants have driven a considerable distance to get there and might welcome a condensed version of the camp in order to be able to recover from the weekend.
  The accomodations are very reasonable, comfortable, (particularly if you're traveling there during the low-season) and convenient to the tennis facility.
  Overall, I rate the experience an 8.5 out of 10."—S.B., Int., March 2008

• ""—S.O., Adv. Int., January 2008

• "Great group of tennis pros, with varied backgrounds, teaching styles and drill formats. I have attended this camp three separate times, and it has been different each time. This is good and bad. My first visit was the most intensive and - for me - enjoyable, therefore the subsequent visits were a bit of a lte down, albeit still enjoyable. I guess the fact that I have attended three times speaks for itself..."—W.S., Adv. Int., December 2007

• ""—D.H., Adv., December 2007

• "The staff was very accomodating of our group plans and very flexible. They also were great in offering specialized instruction for two of our beginners greatly enhancing the experience for them. The courts were great at the resort location. However, courts at the alternate site we had to use on Day 2 were aweful--unheated, poor surfaces, and bad lighting. Overall, it was a very good clinic and an exceptional value for the money. I came out much better for the experience."—D.H., Adv. Int., December 2007

• "My northern virginia-based USTA team has taken an annual trip to Dave Marshall's weekend tennis camp for the past three years and just finished another one. Dave and his pro staff do a great job with drills, strategy discussions, and technique "tweaking" for us. I highly recommend this - we always have a blast!"—D.D., Adv. Int., December 2007

• "Just came back from a Thanksgiving weekend of minicamp with Coach Dave's staff.(Our third time in two years) Although it was much slower than summer time, the pros matched player's levels and grouping well. Coaches are informative, patient and some played in during game situations. My wife and I learned different things each time and cannot wait to come back. Another big thumbs up for Coach Dave and his staff."—E.W., Adv. Int., November 2007

Other Recreation

Beach. Sea Colony fronts ½ mile of Bethany Beach, a broad boulevard of soft sand washed by the Atlantic Ocean. A free shuttle takes guests from Sea Colony West (where the tennis center is) across Route 1 to the beach.

Fitness Center. A short walk from the tennis center is a multi-use fitness center with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a snack bar, basketball court, and a workout room containing roughly a dozen pieces of cardiovascular equipment, Paramount weight stations, and free weights. classes vary with the season but in summer include kick boxing, tai chi, Pilates, yoga, and drop-in basketball and volleyball.

And ... Bike paths lace Sea Colony West making it easy for kids to get from houses and townhomes there to the tennis courts, fitness center, or marketplace (though to reach the beach they have to cross busy Route 1).

Children's Programs

The exact schedule for the Summer 2006 Children's Programs hasn't been set yet but typically includes such activities as Dinner & a Movie, Teen Meet & Greet, bonfires, sandcastle contests, junior lifeguards, swim meeting, money hunts, junior tennis clinics each weekday afternoon, a junior tennis academy three days/week, and more.

Lodging

Lodging at Sea Colony ranges from one-bedroom condos to four-bedroom homes, all of them privately owned and decorated. Prices vary partly with location and partly with the category of the units: Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. There are nine different types. All have fully equipped kitchens, washer/dryers, central air conditioning, and cable TVs with VCRs. Be aware that a bronze unit, while functional, may not meet your personal criteria for elegance and comfort. Some have readier access to swimming pools than others. Check the web site for details.

Restaurants

The Marketplace at the entrance to Sea Colony has two restaurants: Gary's Beach Cafe, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner; and the Big Easy, which serves seafood and steaks. Locals, however, are much more likely to suggest places like Sedona and the Parkway (both with big city cuisine and big city prices), and DiFebos (Italian), all in Bethany Beach; and the Grove Market, a shack in Bishopville, Maryland so popular for its superb fish—some smoked on the premises—duck, and seafood pasta that this tiny place can book out weeks in advance in summer.

See Also

Among the other tennis resorts similar to Sea Colony are:

• Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina
• Palmetto Dunes Resort, South Carolina
• Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort, Florida
• Sea Pines Resort, South Carolina
• Wild Dunes Resort, South Carolina

Travel Essentials

Rates.

Reservations:

Sea Colony Resort
Kent Avenue
Bethany Beach, DE 19930
302-539-6961
Toll-free: 800-732-2656
Web Link: Sea Colony Resort

 

Travel Instructions. The nearest major airports are Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), each roughly a 2½-hour drive from Bethany Beach. The alternative is to fly into Wicomico Regional Airport (SBY) in Salisbury, MD, which is approximately 45 minutes' drive south of Bethany Beach and is served by US Airways and United.

General Tourist Information. Apart from other reasons to visit Bethany Beach there is also the fact that Delaware does not charge sales tax. Rehoboth, 14 miles north of Bethany Beach, has some 140 factory outlet stores along a two-mile stretch of Route 1 to help you better take advantage. For general information about travel within Delaware, visit the Delaware Tourism Office web site or contact them at 99 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901. Phone: 302-739-4271 or toll-free 866-284-7483. For specific information about the Bethany Beach area, visit the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce web site or contact them at Delaware Rt. 1, Bethany Beach, DE 19930-1450. Phone: 302-539-2100 or toll-free 800-962-7873.

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