After a harsh winter, Delawareans and out-of-state visitors are ready to relax at First State beaches, season-opening weekend parking revenue suggests.

While slightly lower than last year's Memorial Day weekend figures, beach town officials report strong collections from the holiday weekend.

"It was a rough winter; if they can afford it, they want to get away," Rehoboth City Manager Greg Ferrese said.

Flavio Amaya doesn't own a car, so the Washington resident must rely on the kindness of friends, or a rental, to get to Rehoboth Beach to soak up the rays.

Dior Toney does have wheels, but a few hours before he was supposed to drive out to Dewey for Memorial Day weekend, the hood flew straight up, sabotaging his holiday plans.

Now, Pat Avery possesses a car, and it works; however, she and her partner find that halfway through the return trip from Rehoboth, drowsiness sets in, forcing them to pull off the road for a catnap. The Fairfax couple would prefer to drive straight through, but their circadian rhythms say otherwise.