Ocean City Events
7 Steps for a Perfect Ocean City Fourth of July
By Tony RussoMay 27, 20254 min read
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Step 1: Catch the sunrise
If you are going to wring every drop from your Fourth of July celebration, it is best to start early. There always are plenty of good parking spots at that hour and, if you fill your car with bottled water and make sure to bring an umbrella, you can pretty much turn your vehicle into a home base for the day. Sticking with the New Year’s Eve motif, you can walk to the water’s edge (keeping in mind the “Feet in the Sand” precept) and get your ankles baptized. Think in terms of traditions throughout the day. Many families already have them, but it is free to start your own, or to add one. Maybe welcoming the sun to your own personal summer can be one.
Step 2: Overdo it on breakfast
Certainly there was a lot of eye-rolling when I mentioned sunrise, given that it comes pretty early in the day, but what if you make getting up early part of a larger plan to engage in one of the great pleasures? Napping on the beach. Get up early, hang out in the sand a bit and then treat yourself to a large, heavy breakfast. There are a million great breakfast places in Ocean City and, let’s face it, eggs are hard to mess up. Have some coffee, too. It won’t keep you all the way awake if you don’t want it to. Here's some suggestions of great breakfast places.
Step 3: Stake your beach claim
Step 4: Take a nap on the beach
There’s really nothing like it. Bring a book if it helps. For my part, I sleep with my feet pointed toward the ocean because the sun is most likely to prevent me from oversleeping if it hits my face as the umbrella’s shadow creeps past it. Again, it takes a little planning, but it is worth it if you avoid getting burned.
Step 5: Water, Boards, Beach, repeat
Wake at your leisure and hit the water again. It will invigorate you and knock that midday nap out of your head. Afterwards, hit the boardwalk or the shops if you’re uptown and stretch your legs a bit. Get a little proper respite from the sun before venturing out to do it again. Reapply your sunscreen. I can only say that so many times.
Step 6: Seek shelter and sustenance
Shower off and treat yourself to a late lunch. If you have a place that’s local, get a real shower and maybe cook something up and enjoy the A/C for a bit. If you’re camping out of your car for the day, go someplace dark, order a beer or something else that’s cold and summery and plan out the rest of your adventure. Check out some restaurants here that may fit the bill.
Step 7: For your viewing pleasure
There’s a ton of stuff going on at Northside Park throughout the day, and lots of free stuff all around town. Depending upon the median age of your party there are more things to do than can be listed here. By 6 p.m. or so, at the latest, you want to have decided where you’re going to sit for the fireworks display. There’s one at Northside Park, one at the Inlet. If you’ve driven in from points west, here’s a pro tip: there’s no point rushing to be the first one back over the bridge. Let the area clear first. Let other people sit in line to get out of town. Kick back, enjoy the cool dark of the night and savor the sanity. Drive home at your leisure.
About Tony Russo
Tony Russo has worked as a print and digital journalist for the better part of the 21st century, writing for and editing regional weeklies and dailies before joining the team that produces OceanCity.com and ShoreCraftBeer.com among other destination websites. In addition to having documented everything from zoning changes to art movements on the Delmarva Peninsula, Tony has written two books on beer for the History Press. Eastern Shore Beer was published in 2014 and Delaware Beer in 2016. He lives in Delmar, Md. with his wife Kelly and the only of his four daughters who hasn't moved out. Together they keep their two dogs comfortable.
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