Brand new brewery in America’s Coolest Small Town of Berlin, Maryland. More Details...
Berlin, Maryland Guide
Berlin, Maryland is only 10 miles from Ocean City.
but it's worlds away
Voted the "Coolest Small Town in America"
Berlin offers shopping, dining, and drinking options
Home to Burley Oak Brewing, the Buzz Meadery, and a distillery is coming soon.
Known for it's spectacular events.
Berlin is worth a visit.
Berlin, Maryland
Berlin is an historic small town on Route 50 10 miles outside Ocean City
Berlin, Maryland was part of a 300 acre land grant patented in 1677 by William Tompkins called Burley Plantation. It was incorporated just after the Civil War and is now home to the Atlantic Hotel, Burley Oak Brewing, The Globe Theater (now just the Globe specializing in craft beer, mixed drinks and barbecue), lots of shops, more restaurants, the Buzz Meadery, Island Creamery. New businesses are opening almost daily. The Events in Berlin are expanding and include favorites like Oktoberfest, the Fiddlers Convention, the Berlin Christmas Parade, and the Berlin Farmers Market that runs every Sunday May-September.
Arts & Culture in Berlin, MD
From events, to the Art League, to live music and museums - Berlin celebrates arts & culture
Berlin worked with the Beach to Bay Heritage Area to have a mural painted of Dr. Albert Tindley which will join other public art projects the Town of Berlin has undertaken like Pollinator Way near Island Creamery and the Yellow Brick Road at the Berlin Welcome Center. Many artists live in the Town of Berlin and own businesses or sell their work in the local shops.
The History of Berlin, Maryland
Berlin is an historic small town on Route 50 10 miles outside Ocean City
The village of Berlin (accent on the first syllable), began in the 1790s around the original 300 acre 1677 land grant that became Burley Plantation. The town’s Main Street was originally part of the path connecting the Assateague Indians with the neighboring Pocomoke tribe. In colonial times the path became the Philadelphia Post Road, the main travel route up the shore to the centers of commerce to the north and west.
It is believed that the name Berlin was derived from a contraction of “Burleigh Inn,” a tavern at the crossroads of the Philadelphia Post and Sinepuxent Roads. In the early 1900s Berlin’s bustling commercial and tourist business supported more hotels than neighboring Ocean City.
Berlin boasts 47 structures on the National Register of Historic Places spanning two centuries of architecture. The town is the 1885 birthplace of the Reverend Charles Albert Tindley who composed the now famous song “We Shall Overcome” among his many achievements. Berlin is also the birthplace of Stephen Decatur, the 19th century naval hero.
The downtown area had three devastating fires in 1895, 1902 and 1904. This area is now a National Register Historic District. Some of the older buildings in town include Burley Manor and Burley Cottage, located on South Main Street and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, “Robins Nest” on West Street, the Chandler House on North Main Street across from the Museum, and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Church Street (1825).
Some of the most successful industries here were Harrison Nurseries, the Berlin Milling Company and Phillips Cannery. The first school here, Buckingham Academy, a boys’ boarding school, was established in 1765 by Rev. Charles Tennent, a Presbyterian minister whose grave site is in Buckingham Cemetery.
Today, the downtown commercial district is a true success story. Tree lined streets, art galleries, antique shops, the restored Atlantic Hotel and the Globe once again captivate and attract visitors. Berlin was the filming location for Paramount Pictures Runaway Bride and Disney’s Tuck Everlasting.
Restaurants in Berlin
Berlin is an historic small town on Route 50 10 miles outside Ocean City
Whatever you’re in the mood for, you’ll find it in Berlin. Some restaurants, like the Globe, recently purchased by Burley Oak Brewing and located in a 100-year-old building in historic Berlin, seem to have been around forever – and for good reason. At Rayne’s Reef Soda Fountain & Grill you can step back in time with a classic burger and milkshake. Other restaurants, like the relatively new Sterling Tavern and Boxcar on Main, have only recently added new flavor to Main Street’s lineup and are keeping the community on its toes.
Bars & Restaurants in Berlin, MD
Berlin Events
There are many events throughout the year that attract thousands
Berlin events are totally, uniquely, sometimes weirdly, Berlin. Take, for example, the Bathtub Races, where local businesses and competitors have been turning ordinary “tubs” into decked-out racing vehicles since 1992. There’s also the annual Peach Festival, a staple of summer that includes pie-baking contests, live music, various vendors, and juicy peaches galore. The Berlin Farmers Market runs every Sunday May – September 9am-1pm and is a producers only market featuring 35+ farmers, food cultivators, bakers, distillers, seafood, meat, eggs and so much more.
Shopping in Berlin, Maryland
Known as an antiques capital, there are also boutiques to browse
Amongst many other awards, Berlin was voted Best Small Town in America for Shopping by USA today in 2020. All the shops are locally owned and operated and carry a variety of locally made products and artwork making your Berlin shopping experience truly unique. You will certainly find some treasures from the past in their well-known antique stores, but there is something for everyone including an independent bookstore, home goods, boutiques, jewelry stores, two glass blowing studios, provisions, records, and so much more.
Shopping in downtown Berlin, Maryland
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[…] Berlin’s local history or its haunted past. The strip also hosts a farmers market and a monthly art walk with open-air exhibits, music, murals, and vendors. Horse lovers take note — the wild […]