It’s an interesting fact that many people who visit Ocean City on an annual basis haven’t seen some of the best places the resort has to offer, so here is an incomplete list of places you should definitely visit, and things you should absolutely experience, when all this is over and it’s safe to do so.
Visit during the off season. If all you know of Ocean City is summertime, you are missing an altogether different view of Ocean City. Visit off season, where you can have the Boards and beach almost to yourself (and it has nothing to do with Coronavirus). Not all the restaurants are open, but those that are will have no hour long wait for a table, and they may have really good specials on offer! Hotels also have prices at a greatly reduced rate compared to their summer rates.
Visit Northside Park, on 125th Street in North Ocean City, no matter what season you are here. It really is a beautiful place whether you have children who want to play in the playground, or you want a solitary stroll or jog around its many paths. You may want to try your hand at fishing from the pier, or just sit and enjoy the pond, flowers, ducks and peacefulness. This is also the park that is home to the Winterfest of Lights in December, ArtX in August, and Sundaes in the Park through out the summer.
Use the Park and Ride in West Ocean City and WALK across the Route 50 Bridge. Leave the car behind in the parking lot, and instead of taking the bus, walk across the Rt 50 Bridge. It’s a great walk, with fantastic views that go by just too quickly when you are in the car or on a bus. And there is the thrill of crossing the draw bridge which freaks kids (and some adults) out each and every time!
Get up early to watch the sunrise over the ocean. This is a spectacular thing to do, no matter what time of year you visit. If you are lucky enough to stay in an ocean front hotel or condo, you can watch it from your room. But anyone can grab an early morning coffee and make their way to the beach to sit and admire this daily miracle.
Find your spot to watch the sunset! From Northside Park, a bay front restaurant, or from your own secret location, there are a million places to watch it from, but take the time to be still while you watch. It goes down fast when you don’t pay attention.
Get up high! The view is well worth it. You can ride the Roller Coaster and catch a quick glimpse, or for something a little less extreme, admire the view from the Ferris Wheel. Or find a hotel with a restaurant on the top floor, and go sit there to take in the view. It really is an amazing thin little strip of land that 300,000 people fit onto during the summer months.
Take a walk around some of the more residential areas in Ocean City. No matter where you are staying in town, this is easy to do. They are mostly located on the Bay side, but the further north you get, the more residential areas there are, so get yourself an ice cream, a walking companion, and take a walk on the bayside.
Pay a visit to America’s Coolest Small Town, Berlin, Md. It’s just a hop, skip and a jump from Ocean City, but a world away in character. Take a stroll down Main Street and visit the unique gift shops, antique shops, small bars, restaurants and coffee shops, and learn the history of the town. It’s like stepping back in time…..
How many times have you planned on coming down for a visit, only to hear they are calling for rain the whole weekend, so you change your plans? Don’t! Visit us during a rainy, windy weekend, find a seat in a restaurant with a view of the Bay or Ocean, and watch Mother Nature at work. Take your kids out in the rain to splash through the huge puddles that always form throughout the resort and just have fun in the rain!
Have you ever looked at the beach from the Ocean? It takes on a whole different image when viewed from afar. If you have never gone for a boat ride around the Bay or up the coast of Ocean City, this is a sight you need to see! It can be an hour long ride, or a day long ride, it can be on a fast speed boat, or on a slow sail boat, it can be for sightseeing or fishing, with friends or strangers. Have dinner at the Angler then let them take you on an after dinner cruise up the coast. You might even share the experience with the dolphins!
So there you are, an incomplete list of things you really should do on your next visit to Ocean City, which will hopefully be sooner rather than later, so long as it’s safe to do so. And while we are waiting for that day, be a hero, stay home, and enjoy Ocean City from your living room.