When you think of Ocean City, what comes to mind? It’s more than likely that your first thoughts are of the Boardwalk, the nightlife and dining and, of course, the beautiful beach. But what you might not think of — aside from how beautiful the beach and the Atlantic Ocean are on a sunny summer morning, because we all know that — is what natural beauties await you in the creeks, the wetlands and the general landscapes around Ocean City.
There’s no better place to take in such beauty than on Ayers Creek, just under seven miles south of Ocean City in Berlin, Md. On Ayers Creek you’ll find Ayers Creek Adventures, billed as OC’s premiere paddlesport and kayak outfitter, which offers everything under the sun and on the water from group kayaking expeditions to SUP to Floyo (that’s stand-up paddleboarding but with yoga. For those who aren’t afraid of losing their balance and getting a little wet).
The best way to marvel at mother nature and appreciate the abundant wildlife that Delmarva has to offer is through one of Ayers Creek’s many Eco Tours: Explore the salt marshes. Trek through the forested wetlands. Paddle out at sunset, wake up early for the sunrise paddle or wait til darkness hits and go out on a full moon paddle, followed by a bonfire complete with wine, cheese and desserts. Because you didn’t think you could possibly enjoy the scenic views of the Eastern Shore any more until there was wine involved.
Rebecca Hardy and Seth Irwin were lounging in the shade, enjoying a pair of the adirondack chairs placed strategically around the Ayers Creek Adventures property. A couple, Peter and Linda Hutchinson, already was out on the creek. The next school tour wouldn’t arrive for another few hours, so there were some minutes of quiet to …
The following are some photos that owner Suzy Taylor has taken during her many Ayers Creek adventures. It’s the next best thing to actually being there on the creek… Though once you’re there, the photos don’t even compare.
A picturesque sunset view.Lots of kids come to Ayers Creek with their schools. Here, students are excitedly searching for creek critters.Someone found a baby blue crab.And someone found a baby flounder, too.A beautiful bald eagle perched on a tree branch.An Eastern Painted Turtle spotted in the grass.Kayaking makes for a perfect team building excursion.A view from the kayak with the sunset reflected in the water.Paddling out during a full moon.
Most long-time Ocean City visitors and residents are familiar with “Arts Alive,” the weekend-long fine arts show in Northside Park each summer where artists showcase their work and families walk around enjoying food, drinks and live music. This year you may have noticed a gap in the Ocean City events calendar that Arts Alive used to fill every June, but that’s only because the annual art stroll is being replaced with a larger-scale arts festival this August: ArtX.
ArtX will take place on August 25 and 26, from 12 – 8 p.m. that Saturday and 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sunday. Like Arts Alive, ArtX will be held at Northside Park on 125th Street bayside, and admission is still totally free.
While Arts Alive was a juried art show that focused on the artists selling their works, mostly visual art, in addition to food, live bands and kids’ activities, ArtX will branch out to incorporate other forms of artistic expression like performance art and film. ArtX, like Arts Alive, is a partnership between the Town and the Art League of Ocean City. According to the Art League’s Executive Director Rina Thaler, the festival will include activities for audiences of all ages to take part in.
“Not only have we expanded the types of art that are being offered, but we’ve added a lot more interactive experiences like workshops, film and things where people can participate in creating and collecting art,” Thaler said.
Said Ocean City’s Special Events Director Frank Miller, ArtX will feature “a wide swath of talent,” including films by local filmmakers presented by the Ocean City Film Festival, local musicians performing on the outdoor stage throughout the weekend and, of course, artisan tables lining the walkways of Northside Park.
Interactive kids’ activities will be scattered throughout the park, and the Art League will host several mixed-media workshops that families can take part in, including making a windchime, painting a beach scene and printing a fish pattern on t-shirts or paper.
Food trucks will provide food on-site available for purchase, and a Shore Craft Beer Garden will feature samples and pints of local craft beer available for purchase.
“We’re excited for the future [of the festival],” Thaler said. “It’s going to grow over the years, and it’s going to be great for OC and for getting the community involved.”
Though it’s only entering its first year, ArtX will have something for everyone and is an “Xpressive and Xciting” event that you won’t want to miss.
OCEAN CITY, MD – (June 27, 2018): Every year, Ocean City, Maryland proves to be one of the best Fourth of July celebration spots on the Eastern Shore. Bring your family and friends, your beach chairs and blankets, and watch the fireworks sparkle over the beautiful water in one of two great locations in Ocean City offering concerts and fireworks displays for free.
At Northside Park on 125th Street and the bay, the tradition kicks off with The Reagan Years, the East Coast’s Premier 80’s tribute, at 8 p.m. The spectacular fireworks display may be viewed from anywhere in the park at 9:30 p.m. with the National Anthem leading the show.
“Northside Park is a spectacular place for families’ to watch the colorful displays light up the evening sky and lagoon,” said Mayor Rick Meehan. “We encourage spectators to get there early to claim their spot to watch the fireworks.”
On the south end of town, guests can head to Ocean City’s famous Boardwalk with its bright lights and assortment of food, family fun, for more fantastic fireworks. Mike Hines & The Look will start off the evening’s modern show with a performance on the Caroline Street Stage at 8 p.m. and fireworks lighting the sky beginning at 9:30 p.m.
“The July 4th Celebration in Ocean City is a unique opportunity to watch fireworks sparkle over the ocean,” Meehan said. “Our stage on Caroline Street allows visitors to bring beach chairs or blankets and claim a spot on the sand where they can enjoy the live performance and capture a special and patriotic fireworks display set to a modern mix of music.”
Parking operations for the Inlet Parking Lot will stay the same for the holiday, Wednesday, July 4. Visitors are reminded that parking is extremely limited at both fireworks locations. It is recommended that visitors take the bus. Bus service is $3 ride all day. The West Ocean City Park & Ride on Route 50 is just west of the Route 50 Bridge and offers free parking and $3 ride-all-day shuttle service to downtown. Also, area boaters should note that on the evening of July 4th, the span of the Route 50 Bridge will remain closed to marine traffic at the usually scheduled 10:25 p.m. and 10:55 p.m. opening times. The Route 50 Bridge will reopen for boaters at 11:25 p.m. on the evening of July 4th.
“The Fourth of July holiday is a great opportunity for residents and visitors to stay and play in Ocean City,” Meehan said. “With a beautiful setting and two great fireworks events, we hope our guests will come early and stay late to celebrate America’s birthday at the beach.”
For more information about July 4th activities, call the Ocean City’s Special Events Department at 410-250-0125 or the Ocean City Department of Tourism at 1-800-626-2326.
Each year OceanCity.com readers vote on the best of everything in Ocean City. We also have a panel of experts around Ocean City who pick their favorites based on local experiences, which we refer to as Editor’s Choice. Click here for the 2019 voting.
This article was updated on 6/21/18 to reflect the Best of Ocean City’s 2018 results — ed.
Whatever you’re in the mood for, there’s a restaurant for it in Ocean City (especially if you’re in the mood for crabs). With seafood, buffet, pub-style and pizza joints on every corner, the possibilities are endless.
Restaurants who have placed in a “Best Of” restaurant category for 5 straight years include Harrison’s Harbor Watch, Dumser’s, Kohr Bros, 28th Street Pit n Pub, Smokers BBQ, Anthony’s Carryout, Fish Tales, Macky’s, Hooper’s, The Crab Bag, Crab Cake Factory, Tequila Mockingbird, Horizons Oceanfront Restaurant and Belly Busters. Congrats to those fine award-winning establishments, and to all of those listed below!
Where are you getting your pizza from? There was no clear winner in this category, with about 28% of voters choosing a favorite pizza place that wasn’t on our poll. To be fair, there are a lot of pizza options in Ocean City. The runner-up for best pizza was Lombardi’s Trattoria, for their delicious, traditionally Italian pies. The family-friendly pizzeria is located on 94th street and also offers subs, salads, pastas, a full bar and an authentic atmosphere that’s unlike anywhere else.
If you’ve never tried Mione’s Pizza, don’t admit that to anyone, or you will be met with an incredulous, “you’ve never had Mione’s?!” It’s just about the most authentic Italian pizza you’ll find in Ocean City, based on recipes that were passed down through the Mione family over generations from Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, before the Miones finally brought their pizza to Ocean City, Maryland. Get it by the slice, the whole pie, gourmet or stuffed, or get a stromboli if you’re especially hungry.
They say that crab is on the menu all day at Crabcake Factory USA, and so are their Bloody Marys, which make the perfect complement to a crabcake. It’s no wonder that with five locations (their original location at 120th street, bayside in Selbyville, DE, a seafood house across from the original restaurant, an express store at the boardwalk and poolside at the Tidelands Hotel) and an option to get their crabcakes shipped straight to your door, Crabcake Factory is the clear winner for the Best Seafood of 2017.
Shrimp happens at The Shrimp Boat — big, juicy, delicious shrimp cooked with the heads on to preserve the juices and offered as a sample to anyone who stops by The Shrimp Boat in West OC. And The Shrimp Boat offers even more, equally fresh, seafood options from crabs to clams to even live lobster. Stop by sometime for a great meal paired with a local craft beer on tap, or one of their delicious fresh-squeezed orange crushes, and ask for a seat out in their new outdoor seating area when the weather’s nice.
Just don’t open the crab until it’s been doused in Old Bay.
The Crab Bag’s “fattest crabs ever” are, according to the seasoned crab pickers and “Best Of” voters, by far the best crabs in Ocean City. With so many crab restaurants on the Eastern Shore, the Bag must be doing something right to garner so much support for their male blue crabs, which are steamed for 20-30 minutes and offered with sides like fries, corn and fried chicken in their “Feast” entrees. Pick a picnic table and get pickin’.
When driving on 50 toward Ocean City, you’ll pass Crabs-to-Go on the corner of 50 and 589. Stop in for a meal next time you’re there — you can get crabcakes, steamed clams, steamed shrimp and more, but what you’ll really want to take home with you are the crabs. They’re fresh from the Choptank River in Cambridge, MD, which is said to produce some of the fattest, sweetest crabs on the Eastern Shore.
Are you surprised? In addition to taking home the Best Seafood award, the Factory has also been crowned Best Crabcakes, winning by a landslide thanks to their signature entree. Whatever underwater creature you’re craving, Crabcake Factory literally takes the cake.
Southside Deli is one of Ocean City’s hidden gems, located in the South Gate of Ocean Pines and serving up daily specials that include sandwiches, soups, chili and, most importantly, their jumbo lump crabcakes. Get your crabcake served on a kaiser roll or on crackers with lettuce, tomato and your choice of a side, and rest assured you’re eating one of the best crabcakes that Ocean City has to offer.
Vanilla with sprinkles is a safe but very delicious choice.
An Ocean City staple since 1939, Dumser’s Dairyland wins Best Ice Cream yet again. The ice creamery has expanded to seven locations throughout OC since the 30s, when Mrs. Gladys Dumser made her first homemade batch on the boardwalk, and today the family-owned-and-operated business offers every flavor and topping under the sun. Whether you’re dining in at their 49th or 123rd street locations or getting your dessert to go, Dumser’s is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
The ice cream at Island Creamery is well worth the 20-minute hike to Berlin, Md (a historic town that makes for a lovely stroll while you eat your cone!). The ice cream is exceptionally fresh and comes from the milk of Lancaster County cows, spun with flavors from locally-grown fruits. A few flavors they offer that are especially worth a try: Wallops Rocket Fuel (made with chili pepper!), Whiskey Brickle, Pony Tracks and Java Jolt.
The motto at Bull on the Beach is pretty simple: “Great food, great service and a clean environment to enjoy it in.” It’s all true, but such a simple slogan almost underscores the fantastic fare that can be found at the Bull: tender baby back pork ribs, brisket smoked over charcoal for 12 hours, Bull Wings — those are just a few of their barbecue options, not to mention fresh seafood, sandwiches, salads and more that are offered on the Bull’s menu. You’ll want to try it all.
“Best BBQ” is always one of the hardest categories to choose a winner for, since Ocean City has several barbecue restaurants that are top-notch, but editor’s eventually decided on the restaurant that was 2017’s runner-up. Smoker’s continues the tradition of pork, beef, chicken and fish smoked on wood on-site, and offers fried chicken, catfish, smoked tuna, breakfast sandwiches and homemade banana pudding in addition to their famous barbecue and ribs.
What’ll it be, beer, wine or beer? Whatever it is, add a sub to the order.
The shop on 33rd street with the dancing light-up beer cans isn’t just a liquor store. Anthony’s also carries beer and wine, and the best subs in Ocean City. For 45 years, their deli has been serving top-quality sandwich meats from Boar’s Head and Critterio, so when you’re in the mood for a hoagie, Anthony’s is the place to go. Be sure to stop at the bar for a cold brew on your way out.
Since 1959, Billy’s Subs has had “a reputation you can taste.” Their extra-large subs are made on fresh rolls delivered daily from Philadelphia, their signature pizzas include traditional topping combinations like the buffalo chicken, Hawaiian and meat lovers, and they also offer vegetarian options, milkshake and salads. Billy’s has locations in Ocean City and Selbyville, and they deliver to all of Ocean City, Fenwick Island and West Fenwick.
Down at the Sunset Grille… you’ll find some of the best deals in town, including $6.99 lunch specials Monday through Thursday and half-priced drinks at Happy Hour. But those deals aren’t even the best part of dining at the Sunset Grille. The best part is being able to enjoy your meal sitting dockside under an umbrella, watching boats roll into the harbor while the sun sets over the bay. Combine that view with a couple of drinks from Teasers Bar and you’ll never want to leave.
“Laidback” and “upbeat” are words used often in reviews of Macky’s, likely because of the restaurant’s casual and fun atmosphere. You can chill at a table outside and just watch the sunset over the water, drive your boat right to the side of the building or dip your toes in the bay. Be sure to come during happy hour and stay for whatever event is happening that night, be it a theme party on Tuesday, wing night Wednesday or Little Black Dress Night Thursday where a black dress can get you a half-off cocktail.
Best Raw Bar
When you’re craving raw shellfish, a restaurant or buffet with a raw bar is your best bet.
The Harrison family has been local to the Ocean City region for over 100 years, and maybe that’s why they’re so dedicated to offering the freshest shellfish in all of OC. Fish on the restaurant’s menu are often served the same day they’re caught, and in the summer, produce comes freshly picked from the Laurel Produce Market in Laurel, DE. Chow down on the oyster stew while enjoying one of the best bay views the island has to offer.
Seacrets is best known for its nightlife and being such an integral part of Ocean City’s bar scene, but if you’ve ever dined at Seacrets while hungry for fresh raw seafood, you know their raw bar is excellent, too. Find mussels fresh from Prince Edward Island, spicy steamed shrimp, middleneck clams, oysters and hard-shell lobsters from Maine.
The Bonfire has been serving up a large and diverse array of food since 1973. At their 70th street buffet, pretty much any craving can be sated, whether it be with seafood, steak, ribs, crab legs or any other fresh buffet staple. The Bonfire proves to be Ocean City’s best buffet (and there are lots in this region!) because here, as you sit under their beautiful stained glass with a view of the restaurant’s tropical fish tanks, all your senses will be satisfied.
In the summer, the Bonfire has reduced prices during the first hour they’re open. Get there early.
Inside the Clarion Hotel is Horizons, an award-winning oceanfront buffet with two all-you-can-eat selections as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. Spend your Sunday morning at the Deluxe All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast Buffet, or come for dinner to enjoy a prime rib, crab legs or the seafood buffet. Either way, you’ll be treated to a beautiful view of the ocean and maybe even live entertainment while you eat.
In the barn-style building formerly home to the Pirate’s Den, Barn 34 continues the tradition of delicious breakfasts and other great meals throughout the day, too. Downstairs you can dine-in or order a drink at the Rum Bar, or upstairs, hang out in the Loft Dining Room and Bar. Either way, your experience will be accented with great food, live music and maybe even a game of ping-pong.
The bread can make or break the breakfast, and at Bad Monkey, bread is baked fresh in-house every morning and comes straight out of the oven right before it hits your plate. Eggs and omelettes, french toast and pancakes, breakfast tacos and chipped beef are all on the menu, and morning libations include organic Mexican coffee, Tito’s cucumber-infused Bloody Marys and fresh-squeezed mimosas.
The top words you’ll hear to describe Kirby’s Pub are “reasonable prices,” “unpretentious” and “great wings!!!” with, yes, three exclamation points. Come on a Tuesday for Wing Night and get your house, BBQ or Bangin’ wings. The Bangin’ is tangy BBQ mixed with Kirby’s hot sauce and is highly recommended by locals.
Shotti’s Point is a new restaurant in Ocean City, but it won’t be long before they’re known for their delicious and super-unique offerings. Their wings are no exception. You can get them in 14 different flavors ranging from Zippy Cana (smoked paprika, chipotle, brown sugar, agave and sriracha) to Boardwalk (Old Bay, malt vinegar) to Taekwondo (Thai BBQ, orange zest, Thai basil, scallions, sesame).
Best Carry Out was a close race between 17th Street Anthony’s and the other Anthony’s, but the audience choice ultimately goes to Anthony’s at 17th street. Tried and true and owned by the same family for 45 years, Anthony’s serves the best takeout breakfast, fried chicken, subs and pizza in Ocean City. They’re cash only, so be sure to hit up an ATM before you go!
No shirt, no shoes, no problem! That’s how casual the atmosphere is, so you can carry out your Belly Busters straight from the beach. Since the 1950s they’ve offered delicious subs, sandwiches and seafood, and they’re also the only restaurant in Ocean City that delivers crabs. We might need to add a “Best Delivery” category for that reason alone.
OC Wasabi wins Best Asian Food in a landslide. Come try the freshest sushi and sake on the beach, dine-in or carryout, or hit up the bar for happy hour specials on beer and house margaritas. If you’re feeling adventurous, be sure to order the fried ice cream for dessert, or the mochi, a sweet Japanese classic.
Whether you’re dining in the Emperor’s Dining Room or at the sushi bar, Rice House Bistro offers a family-friendly atmosphere with some of the best Asian food around. Their menu includes steak, Chilean sea bass served with honey wasabi sauce, chicken fried rice, sushi and more. Come on Tuesday night for sushi specials and try the volcano roll–spicy salmon and avocado wrapped in rice paper, topped with spicy mayo, lump crab meat and Old Bay.
Hands down some of the best pizza you can get on the beach. Touch of Italy started out as a Lewes, DE exclusive in 2010, but today their artisanal pizza can be found in Ocean City and Rehoboth Beach, too. Check out their pasticceria, better known as a pastry shop with biscottis, pastries and cakes, or their salumeria, the Italian version of a deli. And whatever you do, be sure to treat yourself to an authentic Touch of Italy pizza.
DiFebo’s is a modern Italian restaurant with roots in Delaware, Bethany and Rehoboth Beach to be exact, that recently opened up a third location in Berlin, Md. DiFebo’s is another restaurant known for their authentic cuisine that’s been passed down through the generations, and with one taste of Big Bob’s famous homemade gravy and meatballs or their hand-rolled raviolis, you’ll understand why the recipes have worked for so many years.
Mother’s Cantina prides themselves on their bold flavors and local, organic ingredients that make their Tex-Mex entrees so delicious. Mother’s Cantina is not only authentic but also affordable, so when you’re in the mood for a Mexican meal, you can dine-in, carry out or hit up the market at their 28th street restaurant. Happy hour is every day from 4 – 7, so keep in mind that a margarita is the perfect complement to a spicy fajita.
It should be noted that there was only a one vote difference between Mother’s and Tequila Mockingbird!
Plaza Tapatia has locations all over the Eastern Shore, which comes in handy when you’re day-tripping up and down the coast and suddenly start craving their chips and salsa. Plaza has delicious margaritas, burritos, chimichangas and sopapillas all at reasonable prices, and when you’re craving some good, authentic Mexican food, there’s not much else you could ask for.
Each year OceanCity.com readers vote on the best of everything in Ocean City. We also have a panel of experts around Ocean City who pick their favorites based on local experiences, which we refer to as Editor’s Choice. Click here for this year’s voting.
Ocean City’s iconic Boardwalk is known for many things, especially its amusements. Beyond the amusements though, some of the best summer memories have to do with the sights, experiences, tastes and smells that make the boardwalk the boardwalk. Read on for a list of last year’s “Best of the Boardwalk” winners.
Boardwalk businesses who have placed in a “Best Of” Best of the Boardwalk category for 5 straight years include — there’s a lot, are you ready? — Fishers Popcorn, Dolle’s, The Kite Loft, Quiet Storm, Golden Plate, Alaska Stand, Shenanigan’s, Harrison’s Harbor Watch, Captains Table, The Purple Moose, The Dough Roller, Tony’s Pizza and Thrasher’s. Congrats to those fine award-winning establishments, and to all of those listed below!
While they may have a few flavors, caramel popcorn is a boardwalk classic.
Fisher’s has been around for over 80 years now, proving that a bucket of caramel popcorn on the boardwalk never goes out of style. Originally a corner store on Talbot Street, Fisher’s soon gained popularity for their delicious secret caramel recipe, and today they’ve expanded the popcorn flavors to include white cheddar, cinnamon caramel, caramel chocolate drizzle and the old Maryland favorite, Old Bay.
There are plenty of shops lining the boardwalk from the Inlet to 27th street, but the Kite Loft has been one of the best for 42 years. The Kite Loft is pretty unique for a boardwalk store, with an inventory of kites and kite accessories, aerial toys, windsocks, yard ornaments and general fun stuff for kids and adults. You’ll know you’re near the 5th street Kite Loft as soon as you get close to the high-flying kites on the edge of the beach, and if you’re lucky, you might just be in town for one of their International Kite Festivals.
Sometimes you just don’t have time to sit down and eat when there’s so much fun to be had on the boardwalk, but you need to refuel and maintain your energy for the rest of the day. That’s where the Golden Plate comes in. They’ve been winning the Best Boardwalk Stand award for years, and their gyros and funnel cakes are the best you’ll find in all of Ocean City.
With all the food the boardwalk has to offer, Harrison’s Harbor Watch offers the best seafood, local produce and fresh raw bar, with the added benefit of a classic, family-friendly atmosphere and gorgeous views of the ocean. You won’t find a sit-down restaurant on the boardwalk like Harrison’s Harbor Watch.
Take a seat at the Shenanigan’s bar and refuel with your favorite brew.
On the third floor of the Courtyard by Marriott on the Boardwalk is where you’ll find Captain’s Table, a sit-down restaurant on 15th Street that offers some of the freshest seafood, best vegetables and juiciest steaks in town. Hear the sounds of their very own Piano Man when you dine on Friday or Saturday nights, or stop by during Happy Hour (5 – 7 p.m. daily) for $1.50 Miller Lite drafts and $1 off house wine and rail cocktails.
Best Boardwalk Bar
Be sure to check the Moose’s live music schedule for an extra-fun night.
For decades, the Purple Moose has been a landmark of Ocean City nightlife. Take shelter from the heat and enjoy a cold drink at the saloon on Talbot Street, where DJs spin classic rock hits all night long, or else a touring band is providing live music ambiance.
The Cork Bar celebrated its big 5-0 back in 2014, but still proves to be one of the best dives in Ocean City four years later. Maybe not a whole lot has changed in its 54 years on the Ocean City Boardwalk, but maybe that’s why it’s remained a favorite of locals and travelers alike. When you visit the Cork Bar, you know exactly what you’re going to get: reasonably-priced drinks, a game of pool, your favorite song on the jukebox and walls packed with 50 years of photos and firefighter memorabilia.
Pancakes, pizza and everything that belongs under a rolling pin is on the menu at the Dough Roller. The restaurant also serves Dayton’s boardwalk famous fried chicken and a full breakfast menu, but you don’t come to the Dough Roller without at least getting one slice of pizza.
You don’t have to be on the boardwalk to grab a sweet treat from Candy Kitchen, but it’s definitely a boardwalk tradition. Find whatever kind of candy your heart desires, or satisfy your chocolate cravings with a block of delicious fudge–just have a cooler on hand so it doesn’t melt!
When it comes to Boardwalk candy, Dolle’s has it all — and has had it all since 1910. Dolle’s specializes in caramel corn, salt water taffy and fudge and also carries other sugar-rush inducing treats like caramels, gummies and mints (and sugar-free treats, too!). No matter what you’re craving, there’s a 99.9% chance you’ll be able to find it at Dolle’s.
Every year we award Thrasher’s the obligatory Best Boardwalk Fries award because, let’s be honest, who’s going to vote for someone other than Thrasher’s? Since 1929 Thrasher’s has been a staple of the Ocean City Boardwalk and could probably keep Heinz Vinegar in business by itself.
It should be noted that “Best Fries” is an additional category to Best Restaurants this year, so if you think Thrasher’s has the best in all of Ocean City (or if you think they don’t), vote here. But don’t worry — Thrasher’s will always be the Best of the Boardwalk!
Each year OceanCity.com readers vote on the best of everything in Ocean City. We also have a panel of experts around Ocean City who pick their favorites based on local experiences, which we refer to as Editor’s Choice. Click here for this year’s voting.
Whatever the weather and whatever your preferred form of entertainment, there’s always something to do in Ocean City. The bay is riddled with watersport centers for the adventurous vacationers, just as Coastal Highway hosts an abundance of mini-golf courses for those who prefer a more relaxed kind of fun. Either way, you’re sure to have a great time.
If you’re looking to reel in sea bass, cod, trout and everything else the Atlantic Ocean has to offer, sign up for one of the Angler’s Deep Sea Fishing Trips and set sail on their 65-foot fiber glass party boat with your fishing rod in hand. If you’re looking for more of a scenic adventure, their Nature Cruise will take you around Assateague Island to see the ponies and waterfowl, and the Evening Scenic Cruise treats boaters to a trip around OC and the bay as the sun sets.
Since 1965, Old Pro has been treating professional and amateur golfers alike to challenging games at all four of their locations. Fuel your imagination with whatever your heart desires, whether that be underwater, safari, Renaissance castle, dragon, dinosaur or pirate-themed courses. You’ve seen all of Old Pro’s fantasy sculptures every time you drive down Coastal Highway – the dinosaurs don’t bite, so why not get to know them a little?
At OC Parasail, you can choose high up you go, so whether you’re looking to relax while watching the sunset or experience a wild ride over the ocean, your flight will be smooth, safe and tons of fun. Nothing compares to the feeling of flying over the water while dolphins swim beneath your feet, and OC Parasail offers the best parasailing adventures in all of Ocean City.
For the ultimate thrill on the bay, Odyssea’s jet skis are the best Ocean City has to offer. Family owned and operated for 20 years, Odyssea has a private beach, experienced guides to assist watersport newbies, and top-quality jet skis, pontoon boats, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards.
Located on the picturesque Isle of Wight Bay, 48th Street Watersports is one of the only places in Ocean City that offers kayak eco tours, where guides will help you get out on the water and catch an intimate glance at all the plant and animal life that the bay has to offer. You can see diamondback terrapins, Maryland blue crabs, ospreys, egrets, horseshoe crabs, jellyfish and sometimes even stingrays and skates as you glide over the shallow waters of the bay.
Surfers rejoice at Malibu’s Surf Shop, where you can find the best surf gear and boards that Ocean City has to offer. If you’re new to surfing but looking to ride the waves, Malibu’s offers private lessons every morning with seasoned instructors who are local to the Ocean City area. If you don’t have a board of your own, Malibu’s has rentals, too.
For over 20 years, Chauncey’s has been offering top-of-the-line surfing and skating equipment and is an old favorite for lovers of any kind of board. Even if you don’t surf or skate, Chauncey’s offers unique gifts, trendy clothing, jewelry and shoes and souvenirs that you’re not likely to find in any other shop on the beach.
For once, the odditorium on the Boardwalk beat out the movies for Ocean City’s Best Rainy Day activity! When the rain starts pouring down and you’re seeking shelter near the Jolly Roger pier rides, head inside Ripley’s to be amazed by all their weird collections — a model of the world’s tallest man, shrunken heads and two-headed animals among them. The kids will be entertained for as long as their attention spans allow them.
Brush up on your Ocean City history at the Life Saving Station Museum located on the southern end of the Boardwalk overlooking the Inlet. Exhibits include Surf’s Up, which documents the evolution of surfing in Ocean City over the years, Sands From Around the World, the Boardwalk of Yesterday and more, plus a Kids Corner makes the museum fun for visitors of all ages — children can learn all about Ocean City through games and puzzles while parents tour the exhibits.
It’s Friday, and you know what that means — Photo Friday, the greatest day of the week. This week we received a good amount of family-fun-in-the-sun pictures, as always, in addition to some really cool shots from the 11th OC Air Show last weekend. While last week’s theme was The Natural Wonders of Ocean City, this week’s is Air Show Photos and Other Fun Things. After this one we’re going to take a break for a week or so, but when we come back, we hope to see all your patriotic and fun 4thofJulyPhotos!
Aaand now for the weekly spiel: If you don’t see the picture you submitted in this week’s lineup, don’t fret. We’ll always come back with a new theme and will be pulling newly submitted photos in addition to those that haven’t yet made the blog. You’ll still be in the running for whatever we’re giving away in the weeks to come, as long as you included your name and email address in your submission.
This week’s winner is Regina, Air Show Photographer extraordinaire, who will receive two Jolly Roger Amusements gift certificates for her great shots.
OC airshow from Ocean city beach.
Come on take the pic we have waves to catchOne of the things I love about OC is how it brings people together. I am a 2-year breast cancer survivor and this was my first awareness walk. It took my breath away!Sophia and Cami July 2017 94th Street Candy KitchenEnjoying SeacretsKohrs custard in Oct! It tastes just as good in the off season! Oct. 2017Under the Pier
The following study compares 2017 and 2018 between the dates of January 1 and June 19, for each of those years.
In Worcester County, the number of single family home sales declined by 20.19% between 2017 and 2018. In contrast, however, the price of the average home sold increased by 10.6%! That trend was extended to condominiums and townhouses as well. The number of condos sold in 2018 decreased by 13.9% in 2018. However the sold price was 3.7% higher than in 2017.
That being said there was only a 1.66% difference in unimproved lots and land, with 60 sales in 2017 and 59 in 2018. Conversely, one more farm sold in 2018 compared to 2017.
The following are some interesting statistics for our county with more specificity than previous reports (by popular request);
SINGLE FAMILY HOMES
Single Family Homes
Jan 1-June 19, 2017
416 single family homes were sold.
List price
The lowest list price of these homes was $23,900 (215 Laurel St. Pocomoke)
Average list was $292,400
Highest list price was $2,600,000 (9 Beach Walk Mews Ocean City).
Sold price
The lowest sold price was $12,500 (348 Winter Quarters Dr. Pocomoke)
Average sold price was $279,681
Highest sold price was $2,300,000 (9 Beach Walk Mews Ocean City)
The days on the market (DOM) for these properties:
Low 0 days – there were 8 units that sold in 0 days:
12506 Sea Buoy Ct, Ocean City
11836 Man O War, Berlin
179 Sandy Hook Lane, Ocean Pines
102 Seafarer Lane, Ocean Pines
90 Matinique Circle, Ocean Pines
13 Junniper Ct, Ocean Pines
118 Austin Circle, Berlin
92 White Sail Circle, Ocean Pines
Average 129 days
Highest DOM was 2,136 (369 Walnut Hill in Berlin)
Compare these sales to the same time period in 2018:
332 singles family homes settled in 2018.
List price
Low was $14,900 (700 Clarke Ave, Pocomoke)
average was $309,337
highest was $1,699,000. (12972 Inlet Isle Lane)
Sold price
lowest sold price was $10,500 (700 Clarke Ave., Pocomoke)
Average sold price was $295,936
Highest sold price was $1,725,000. This property (12972 Inlet Isle Lane in Ocean City) sold for $26,000 more than the asking price after 634 DOM!!
The days on the market (DOM)for the single family homes sold in the first half of 2018:
Low was 0 days. There were 6 properties that sold in 0 days:
7 Bimini Lane, Berlin
1 Avon Ct, Ocean Pines
275 Woodhaven Ct, Berlin
7628 Downs Rd, Newark
10 Juneway Lane, Ocean Pines
9 Watergreen Lane, Berlin
Average DOM was 124 days
Highest number of DOM was 1,946 (12240 Swan Lane in Bishopville)
CONDOS AND TOWNHOUSES
Condos and townhouses
January 1 – June 19, 2017
638 condominium or townhomes were sold
List price
Low $79,900 (719 142nd Street, Ocean City)
Average $289,059
High $1,700,000 (#2 48th Street unit 1701, Ocean City)
Sold prices:
Low $70,000 (719 142nd Street, Ocean City)
Average $276,794
High $1,400,000 (#2 48th Street Unit 1701, Ocean City)
DOM
Low 0 – There were two units that sold in “0” days:
13201 Wight St #304, Ocean City
5801 Atlantic Ave #501, Ocean City
Average 183
High 1,903 (Sunset Bay Phase II unit 407 54th Street Ocean City)
January 1 – June 19, 2018
549 units were sold
List price
Low $74,900 – (206 8th Street #32, Ocean City)
Average $299,941
High $1,499,900 – (2 48th Street #1706, Ocean City)
Sold price
Low $70,000 – (206 8th Street #32, Ocean City)
Average $287,150
High $1,425,000 – (2 48th Street # 1706, Ocean City)
DOM
Low 0 – there were 6 properties that sold in “0” days
14500 Wight Street #302, Ocean City
107 Convention Center Dr #48B, Ocean City
11 36th Street #302, Ocean City
5101 Atlantic Ave #301, Ocean City
705 Edgewater Ave #705, Ocean City
11431 Manklin Creek Rd, Ocean Pines
Average 147
High 4,027 (106 16th Street 2 Ocean City,)
Lots/unimproved land
The first half of 2017 showed 60 parcels of land that changed hands.
List price
Low $5,000 (Lambertson Rd Pocomoke)
Average $162,989
High $ 1,500,000 (N Baltimore Ave Ocean City)
Sold price
Low $5,000 (Lambertson Rd., Pocomoke)
Average $142,867
High $ 1,500,000 (N Baltimore Ave, Ocean City)
DOM
Low 4 (132 Pine Forest Dr Ocean Pines)
Average 523
Highest # od days 3152 (323 Walnut Hill Dr, Berlin)
2018 There were 59 land parcels sold
List price
Low $4,999 (507 Bonneville Ave Pocomoke)
Average $117,545
High $440,000 (Lot 3 Saddle Creek Dr Berlin)
Sold price
Low $3,000 (507 Bonneville Ave Pocomoke)
Average $98,222
High $425,000 (Lot 3 Saddle Creek Dr Berlin)
DOM
Low 0 (704 Edgewater Ave Ocean City)
Average 518
High 3,854 (lot 11 Croppers Island Rd Berlin)
Farms
Two farms were sold in 2017:
Lot 3, Backcreek (36.35 acres) Rd Bishopville was listed for $200,000 and sold after 2,107 DOM for $175,000
6641 Whitesburg Rd (28.22 acres) Snow Hill was listed for $450,000 and sold for $400,000 after 66 DOM.
Three farms sold in 2018:
4723 Stockton Rd (8.76 acres) in Pocomoke was listed for $529,000 and sold for $455,000 after 48 DOM
10442 Katelyn Lane (33.76 acres) in Berlin was listed for $799,000 and sold for $700,000 after 921 DOM
6033 Tyson Lane (245 acres) in Snow Hill was listed for $1,100,000 and sold for $925,000 after 13 DOM
In review: While fewer properties were sold, overall, the properties showed a slight increase in price.
For further information, please feel free to reach out to me:
(joanna@oceancitybeachproperties.com), or call your local REALTOR for assistance.
Each year OceanCity.com readers vote on the best of everything in Ocean City. We also have a panel of experts around Ocean City who pick their favorites based on local experiences, which we refer to as Editor’s Choice. Click here for the 2019 voting.
It’s that time of year again: Time to announce the winners of the Best of Ocean City contest, where tens of thousands of Ocean City lovers place their votes every year in categories related to the Best Bars, Best Restaurants, Best Activities and the Best of the Boardwalk. And for many OC visitors, the most important part of any Ocean City vacation is the bar-hopping. “Best Bars” almost always proves to be the category that we get the most votes in, and we totally understand why. There are some great bars in Ocean City. And some not-so-great bars. But we’re here to concentrate on the positive.
Without further ado, here are 2018’s Best Bars in Ocean City, Maryland! If you don’t agree with the results — or even if you do agree, but want them to stay the same next year — it’s not too early to start voting in the Best of Ocean City 2019.
Taking home the gold, the “Best Bar Overall” is Fish Tales — again! It’s always neck-and-neck between Fish Tales and Seacrets for this one, but Fish Tales ultimately won out for its colorful marina atmosphere and overall family-friendliness. Bring the kids along to play in the sandy playgrounds on the bay, and as I said last year, be sure to try Fish Tales’ signature Pink Warrior, the official drink of the Poor Girls Open where proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society.
Harborside is a treasure of West Ocean City’s commercial fishing harbor, where sailors dock their boats and head straight to the bar for a plate of fresh seafood and a fresh-squeezed Orange Crush. And when it comes to the crush, accept no imitations! Harborside is home of the original Orange Crush, which tastes best when you’re out on their patio watching the sun set or seeing a live band perform, both of which happen quite often at Harborside.
Seacrets always makes this list, and they even have their own beer brewed by Evo.
Seacrets pulled through in this category last year, but in 2018, Fish Tales is not to be beat. On their drink menu you’ll find “Tales Originals,” which includes the Pink Warrior (again, see above), the Upside Down Pineapple (“sorority girls unite!”) a Sexy on the Bay (where a portion of the sales are donated to the Humane Society), the always delicious Big Fish ( Bacardi pineapple rum, Bacardi orange, Malibu banana, and Malibu coconut rum mixed with orange and cranberry juice) and more. Are you salivating yet?
It’s a well-known fact that Harborside makes some of the best crushes in town, and there are 16 variations of the crush on their drink menu. There are also three special crushes made with moonshine, plus a wide selection of mules, margaritas and Ketal Botanicals that come without the carbs, sugars, GMOs and artificial flavorings that are found in most drinks. At Harborside’s happy hour, get a crush for $5.50 and pair it with happy hour food including steamed shrimp, steamed clams, steamed mussels and buffalo wings.
Head inside the Castle in the Sand hotel on 37th Street and that’s where you’ll find Coconuts, a frequent winner of Ocean City’s “Best Happy Hour.” Happy Hour at Coconuts is every day from 5 to 6 p.m., where drinks are 2-for-the-price-of-1. It’s the best and the fastest hour in Ocean City, often enjoyed alongside live music and, of course, beautiful views of the ocean.
At Mother’s, Happy Hour prices aren’t just for drinks — although you can’t beat $1.50 draft beers and $3.50 house margaritas — but they’re also for tacos, which are only $1.75 daily from 5 – 7 p.m. There are additional Happy Hour specials depending on the day of the week, so it’s very rare to go to Mother’s Cantina and not get a good deal on at least some part of your meal.
It would be blasphemous to not award Ocean City’s Best Sunset View to Fager’s Island. They time it perfectly every evening so that the 1812 Overture bellows from the bar just as the sun is setting, and if you haven’t stood on their gazebo on the water to enjoy this phenomenon, you haven’t really had the full Ocean City experience.
The Angler steals the editor’s pick for Best Sunset View this year, due to their location by the 50 bridge bayside and their Evening Scenic Cruise on the boat that goes by the same name as the restaurant. Aboard the Angler, you can experience a 45 minute cruise of Ocean City’s waterways for just $4 with the purchase of a $12 lunch or dinner entree. And there’s no better way to enjoy a sunset than that.
No one in Ocean City does live music better than Seacrets. Whether an act is performing at Morley Hall, the Tiki Stage or the outdoor Beach Stage, you can bet there will be a huge crowd with seemingly limitless energy and dance moves. You can even watch live cams and pre-recorded videos of the bands that regularly rock the Seacrets stages right on their website.
Fager’s Island is one of the few businesses in Ocean City that can perfectly balance fine dining with explosively entertaining live music. Bands and DJs frequent Fager’s all weekend long, but even on the weekdays there’s entertainment to be enjoyed: specifically at their Monday Night Deck Parties, where live music accompanies drink specials and a beach party atmosphere all night long.
Pickles has been a favorite sports bar among locals since the joint first opened up in 1989. Open year-round and providing Ocean City with a dose of casual pub atmosphere downtown, locals and visitors alike are known to catch a game on their giant high-def TV, and maybe enjoy a fried pickle or two. Or 12.
The Original Greene Turtle in North OC is often a winner or runner-up of “Best Sports Bar,” but the Turtle’s location in West Ocean City is not to be forgotten! The Greene Turtle West is family-friendly and a hub year-round for live music, craft beer on tap, sports on the TV and always a game of pool.
OC Brewing Co. is not only a brewpub, but a full-scale family restaurant, too. Stop by the brewery on the corner of 56th Street and Coastal Highway and you’ll find up to 16 craft brews on tap at any given time, ranging from light lagers to dark ales, best enjoyed with an order of “Almost Famous” egg rolls. They serve their own craft beer brewed in-house in addition to local beers from all over the Delmarva peninsula and beyond.
Located in Salisbury, MD, just a short drive west from Ocean City is Hopper’s Tap House, a bar that boasts what’s probably the largest selection of craft beer on the Eastern Shore, if not the entire world. At Hopper’s there are over 40 craft beers on tap, many of them local, on any given day, plus live music on the weekends and “Hoppy Hour” from 3 to 7 p.m.
Burley Oak in Berlin, MD draws thousands of visitors to the area every year just for their craft beer alone. According to Burley, “Our goal is to produce distinctive beers whose quality is unsurpassed using new and traditional brewing methods,” a goal that they’ve certainly accomplished: Their brews are as unique as it gets, and made largely with local ingredients. Stop in for an IPA or, for those feeling adventurous, a JREAM: a sour beer made with fruit and milk sugar, offered in a variety of flavors.
All Backshore beers are brewed in the salty air, right on the Ocean City boardwalk! Backshore is constantly changing up their beers on tap, although the Boardwalk Blonde ale and the Downtown Sugar Brown ale are consistently available, and consistently delicious. With names like “Turn Down for Wheat” and “It’s Getting Hot in Beer!,” the brews are as tasty as they are original.
Karen Connolly has been bartending at the Original Greene Turtle in North Ocean City since the place first opened in 1976. Kind of.
On June 18, 2018, the Turtle held a 42nd Anniversary Party for the now-chain’s original location, except it wasn’t so much a party for the Turtle as it was a retirement party for Connolly. She’s been a loyal Turtle bartender for 42 years (at least, for all intents and purposes), and now she’s hanging up her shakers and strainers to work in the Turtle’s t-shirt shop next door.
So she’s really only retiring from bartending. Because after over four decades working at what some might consider to be OC’s first locals bar, with a friendly pub atmosphere “where everybody knows your name” as Connolly puts it, how could you ever really retire?
She’s such a staple of the Turtle and Ocean City culture as a whole that at the party on June 19, Mayor Rick Meehan presented her with a key to the city, on behalf of himself and the City Council, for making Happy Hour especially happy at the Greene Turtle for four-plus decades. A video of the ceremony can be viewed here.
“Congratulations on 42 years…I can tell you who has a lot to do with that, that’s Karen,” Meehan said.
“I told you, no fanfare!” said Connolly, who goes on to describe how she, hilariously, purchased a pair of blue denim snakeskin bell-bottoms from Meehan many years back when he owned a shop on Dorchester Street.
Connolly with one of the restaurant’s owners, Steve Pappas. The cover image is courtesy of the Greene Turtle.
(Full disclosure, Connolly really came on as a bartender at the Turtle after they’d already been open for about a year.
“It’s actually been 40 years, but Steve told everyone that I’d been working here the entire time and when I said, ‘Steve, I didn’t work here the entire time,’ he said, ‘don’t tell anyone that.’ I’m not gonna lie to ‘em!”
Since Connolly’s not going to lie and the Mayor sort of spilled the beans in the video above, I feel that this information can be safely published here.)
I met up with Connolly during the first half of the Monday night party to talk to her about her life and career in Ocean City, and what makes the Greene Turtle (aka the Cheers of Ocean City) such a special and long-lasting place. She was hard to talk to, but only because she’s so popular among the Turtle’s staff and clientele that someone was pulling her away for a photo or a chat every few minutes. Aside from that, the bartender — who is as sassy and friendly as she describes herself in the interview — was an easy and open conversationalist, and it’s easy to see why she’s a fan favorite among the Turtle’s guests.
A brief Q + A session with Karen Connolly
What is it about the Greene Turtle that made you stick around for so long?
I ask myself that a lot. When this bar first opened, it was 30 x 30, 40 x 40 maybe. We did not sell food, I think the year after they’d just changed the drinking age to 18, but this place, it rocked. And then I was 23 or 24, and there weren’t that many restaurants where the place was packed every single day.
We talk about the restaurant Cheers, you know the show Cheers, where everyone knows your name? We were like the original Cheers, and not Cheers on TV. The Greene Turtle was the neighborhood bar, it really was.
How’d you end up in Ocean City?
I was from Pennsylvania but when I was four or five my family moved to Baltimore. My family built a home down here in 1962 when I was a little kid. So I did grow up here every summer and when I graduated from college, we never moved back. A lot of people end up here that way.
And then ironically our one daughter, she moved up to Harford County, and our younger daughter, she’ll never leave Worcester County. But a lot of people, they migrate here and then their kids migrate back to the city. I think when they get older they’ll probably end up coming back to the Eastern Shore. It’s what they call the circle of life or something.
And how did you end up here at the Turtle?
I was friends with the wife of one of the original owners, not Tommy or Steve, and they offered me a job. I worked for two years, every winter I would travel around the world and so one winter they got mad at me because I guess the girl who was working every day, they resented that I would work hard for eight months and then I’d travel for four months. So they didn’t hire me back, but then the next year, I guess it was in ‘80, they heard I was back in town and was tending bar somewhere and they said, do you wanna come back to the Turtle? And I said sure, because I felt very comfortable here.
This place was not a meat market. It was not a pick up joint. I cannot tell you how many weddings, baptisms, unfortunately funerals, because I’ve worked here for so long. I do have a lot of long-term ties. Makes it interesting.
You’re obviously an expert bartender after being in the business for so long. What advice do you have for other bartenders here in Ocean City?
Save your money. You make $200, but then you go out that night and you blow $150. You do that and then after July 4th you’ll go, “oh [shoot], I haven’t saved a nickel yet.”
I told Steve, let the younger girls take my place. So the one girl said to me, ‘Karen, I don’t know how you do this for so many years. I talk to the guest and after five minutes of talking to ‘em, I don’t know what to say to them anymore.’ Well, it’s because of this thing! [Motioning to cellphone] People don’t have the gift of the gab anymore. [Steve] said to me, well so-and-so’s young, and most of the customers are old — I said Steve, I was young and I was waiting on 50, 60, 70-year-old men. I figured out what to say to them.
What do you think you’ll miss the most about working here?
One of the main ingredients: The tourists. Since I’ve been in the t-shirt shop just for a few weeks, I’ve had more guests from the bar come down and say, you were our bartender 10 years ago. They’ll say, I’ll never forget you, you made our visit so great, blah blah blah, ‘cause I’m sassy, friendly, and a bartender can be sassy and friendly.
Where now everybody’s so politically correct and I can’t look at you funny ‘cause I’m going to hurt your feelings, at the bar you can get away with being — you can be involved with your customers. You can be sassy at the bar. But say you work at a Denny’s and you’re sassy, and you got sassy, people could be offended and go on Yelp and be like, ‘meeeh!’ We had a lot of laughs behind the bar. People were not as needy back in the old days.
I will miss all the people that I love. But I can stop and get a drink, so I still will see the locals. And like I say, the tourists that I’ve been waiting on for, some families I’ve known for 30 years now, their children are grown and now they have their own children. But they normally stop in the t-shirt shop, so I’m pretty sure I will see almost everybody.
OCEAN CITY, MD – (June 18, 2018): Anglers in the resort town are celebrating as the highly coveted “first white marlin” of the season has been caught. Ron Bennett reeled in the first white marlin of 2018 on Saturday, June 13. The marlin was caught at approximately 8:27 a.m.while the crew of “Stalker” was fishing off the shore of Ocean City. The fish was released after the catch.
As the angler reeling in the first white marlin of the season, Bennett will receive a $5,000 prize awarded by the Town of Ocean City.
“Ocean City is proud to be the White Marlin Capital of the World,” said Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan. “The first white marlin catch of the season is a symbolic start to the fishing season and hopefully a sign of many more for our offshore fishermen this summer.”
The $5,000 prize money will be awarded to Bennett at a future Mayor and Council Regular Session. The angler is also expected to receive a $5,000 prize from the Marlin Club and $5,000 from a local fishing group.
OCEAN CITY, MD — June 15, 2018— The Ocean City Film Festival in collaboration with the Art League of Ocean City is presenting a challenge to filmmakers and aspiring filmmakers across Delmarva and beyond: The Ocean City Film Challenge.
The Ocean City Film Challenge — the first of its kind for the Festival and the Town of Ocean City — is open to any artist who wishes to make a short film that takes place in Ocean City and is in some way about the resort. The film can be of any genre, and the only other parameters are that it not exceed 20 minutes in length and be made between June 16 and July 16, 2018.
“We love seeing all the talent that comes from local artists, but we’d always love to see more films that are shot right here in OC,” said Film Festival Director William Strang-Moya. “Ocean City is a beautiful landscape, and there’s so much that artists can take advantage of right here in town.”
The Ocean City Film Festival is entering its third year after its premiere festival in June 2017 and its second in March 2018. The OCFF additionally holds $5 Film Night events on the third Saturday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Ocean City Center for the Arts on 94th St., where local filmmakers showcase their talents to an audience of film lovers and movie buffs.
Anyone who participates in the Ocean City Film Challenge will have their film screened at the $5 Film Night on July 21, and also at the third Ocean City Film Festival in March 2019. The first-place winner of the Challenge will receive an Ocean City-related prize package including a hotel stay, a restaurant gift card, and OC swag.
More information and updates on the Festival and the Film Challenge are available online at ocmdfilmfestival.com/oceancityfilmchallenge. Contact OCFF Co-Director Kristin Helf at kristin@artleagueofoceancity.org with any questions.
The Ocean City Center for the Arts at 502 94th Street is the home of the Art League of Ocean City, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the visual arts to the community through education, exhibits, scholarship, programs and community art projects.
Happy Photo Friday! We get so many submissions of sunsets, wildlife and the general landscape of Ocean City that it only made sense to make this week’s theme the natural wonders of Ocean City. Most of these photos were submitted within the last few weeks, but we threw in a few from Halloween and the winter months for a more diverse look at all the beauty our readers have captured over the last year.
If you don’t see the picture you submitted in this week’s lineup, don’t fret. Next week we’ll be back with a new theme and will be pulling newly submitted photos in addition to those that haven’t yet made the blog. You’ll still be in the running for whatever we’re giving away in the weeks to come, as long as you included your name and email address in your submission.
This week’s randomly-selected winner is Rhiana, who will receive two Jolly Roger Amusements gift certificates for her incredible osprey photos. Great shots!
My mom in OC in the 1950sDewey the gnomeSunset in Northside ParkAn osprey on a successful hunt for lunch. Taken from the balcony of our condo on 103rd St.A successful lunch grab.Butterflies enjoying goldenrod in the dunesI found my very first sand dollar on 103rd st. I felt like I won the lottery!Under the pier at sunsetSunset over the bay during a dolphin cruise originating from Talbot Street Pier.
In June 2017 I was staying at The Quay on 107th street and was able to capture this sunset .BeachBeachHey how are you doing. This photo was taken at the end of summer last year in downtown ocean city. I believe it was around 3 or 4 street. Came herw after graveyard shift and did some Beachscape photography. Photography by Doug BrownMemories will ALWAYS BE SEEN FOR GENERATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!.Ocean City Themed Pumpkins! Taken on 36th Street at dawn.Horses in the dunesHorses in the dunesHarbor shot. Ocean City.After the storm this week, at Northside Park, Ocean City. Only the seagulls and me!The crew from “Chasin’ Tails” looks on as day five of The White Marlin Open draws to an end. Photo by : John DuerrOcean City Beach sunrise yoga on 8/21/17! Heather Rovder is featured in this photo flowing to the amazing sunrise the morning of the solar eclipse. Heather recorded her session on her iPhone 7+ and was able to capture this beautiful moment.
OCEAN CITY, MD – (June 13, 2018): The Town of Ocean City is reminding residents and visitors to expect traffic delays during the 2018 Ocean City Air Show on Saturday, June 16, and Sunday, June 17. Traffic congestion is expected in the downtown area from the Route 50 Bridge to north of 33rd Street each day from 11 a.m. through 5 p.m.
Traffic patterns will be altered on Philadelphia Avenue at 17th and 19th Streets from 11 a.m. through 5 p.m. each day restricting eastbound turns. Additionally, northbound traffic on Baltimore Avenue will be rerouted at 9th Street and 12th Street each day beginning at 3:30 p.m. to allow all patrons to leave the event. Traffic patterns will also be altered at 12th Street and Philadelphia Avenue, 15th Street and St. Louis Avenue, and 21st Street and southbound Baltimore Avenue from3:30 p.m. until cleared on both days.
The Route 50 Drawbridge will be skipping the scheduled opening at 4:25 p.m. on both days of the event to allow traffic to flow out of town.
To avoid traffic delays, spectators are urged to arrive before 10:30 a.m. or take advantage of the municipal bus system to get to and from the event. In addition, significant pedestrian traffic is also expected near the event and in surrounding areas. Pedestrians are encouraged to Walk Smart, use crosswalks, and cross with caution.
It was late February of this year when Cole Taustin, Jay Taustin and Frank Raffo initially closed the deal on West Ocean City’s newest restaurant. It was then almost instantly that construction crews came to the scene, appropriate licenses were garnered and in what might be the quickest restaurant turnover in Ocean City history, the old Ocean City Fish Company was transformed into Mad Fish Bar & Grill in just 10 short weeks.
“I’m not crazy, my reality is just different from yours,” says the fish on the wall.
The new restaurant’s owners are building upon the success of The Embers Restaurant and Blu Crab House & Raw Bar, two of their businesses which happen to be located side-by-side in downtown OC. That’s the scariest part of this new venture, Cole Taustin said: opening a new location that’s literally in a new location.
“We’re new to West Ocean City, but we’re new to the whole area in the fact that what we’re providing is something unlike anything else in town,” he said.
The downside of their new location is the daily trips the restaurant’s owners now have to make between West OC and over the bridge to downtown. It’s a minor setback compared to what most new businesses face — but then again, Ocean City’s summertime traffic can be pretty killer.
Finding its place in a sea of restaurants
They don’t see themselves as being in direct competition with other West OC businesses, Taustin said. Instead, they’re targeting a “different niche,” and are adding new dining elements to the Ocean City restaurant scene rather than taking away from anyone else’s.
“Harborside has theirs, Sunset [Grille] has theirs, Crab Alley, everyone has their own niche, and I think we just add to that,” he said. “I’ve had conversations with all the neighboring owners, and they’ve all agreed that this should be a ‘rising tide’ situation.”
Theme-wise, there’s nowhere in Ocean City that’s quite like Mad Fish.
For their quirky name-and-logo combination, Taustin and co-owner Frank Raffo were simply tossing names back and forth and mocking up images online before they decided they needed the word “fish” in their branding. They made their lists of potential fish-name ideas, and finally converged on Mad Fish, which for Raffo was inspired by his kids and Dr. Suess, and for Taustin evoked Mad Hatter/Alice in Wonderland vibes.
Inside Mad Fish, local collabs: Table designs were printed by Ocean City print shop Plak That, and the beautiful glittering wall art was made by local artist Abbi Custis. Even two of the restaurant’s bars were built by Jason Hearn of Tall Tales Brewing Company.
All are welcome to this Mad Tea-Party
The theme and the aesthetic of the restaurant is a welcome change of pace in West O, not that there’s anything wrong with the decades-old dives and restaurants on the bay that are tried-and-true for their sunset views, their signature crushes and, what else, their fresh seafood selections. Mad Fish docks another boat in the harbor to ride the rising tide of a local dining scene that only gets better with age. Their doors are open to any local or tourist looking to have a good time.
View from the outdoor seating area, taken during one of the restaurant’s soft openings.
“Our demographic is pretty wide in that we can take everybody from your dive bar fans to your white collar golfers. We want to keep things fun and fresh, but there’s an element of class to everything that we’re doing.”
The menu is new, but much of it adds on to selections that have already proven to be successful at Blu Crab House. Like Blu, they’ll serve halibut, tuna, crabcakes and crab dip, and they’ll also feature a Fish of the Day, synonymous with the restaurant’s name. There’s a full raw bar, steamer pots and “great ceviche,” Taustin said, and Executive Chef John Latta has been experimenting with different land options as well: Chili nachos, slow-cooked ribs and filet mignon plates are all on the menu.
At the bar, of which there are three throughout the restaurant, diners will find classic crushes, margaritas, Moscow mules, Tall Tales and other craft beers on tap and creative specialty drinks including the MF’in Punch and the Mad Tai, a variation of the classic Mai Tai.
Out at the bar.
After 10 weeks, a grand opening
Rather than throwing their new staff right into the lion’s den, the restaurant has conducted a number of soft openings to give chefs a chance to familiarize themselves with the menu, bartenders practice with their specialty drink-making muscle memory and servers the opportunity to get to know the place’s layout and its POS system. The grand opening and ribbon cutting, open to the public, will take place on Friday, June 15 at 4 p.m.
The response at the soft openings has been phenomenal, Taustin said. He has his staff to thank for getting Mad Fish off the ground, from their general contractor through the building process to their in-house culinary team, managers and waitstaff.
“They’re the ones who make things happen day in and day out,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how good your vision is, what kind of systems you put in place, if you don’t have the team to execute. And thankfully we do.”
A good restaurant can’t exist without a good team.
Ocean City, Maryland – (June 13, 2018): The Town of Ocean City is reminding visitors that there will be heavy traffic and delays coinciding with the Air Show weekend, June 16 – 17, 2018. Traffic congestion is expected in the downtown area from the Route 50 Bridge to north of 33rd Street each day from 11 a.m. through 5 p.m.
One way to avoid maneuvering through traffic is to take advantage of Ocean City’s municipal bus system. Buses leave every few minutes from the Park and Ride Lot on Route 50 and the Tanger Outlets across the street, both in West Ocean City.
Regular bus service on Coastal Highway starting at 144th Street at the Ocean City Northside Transit Station will be leaving southbound every ten minutes or less. Buses may be boarded at any stop, located every other block between the 144th Street Station and 17th Street where the Air Show can be accessed.
“This is the absolute best way to avoid traffic and parking issues,” said Ocean City Transit Manager Mark Rickards. “Leave your home, condo or hotel and board the bus with $3 dollar per person all day pass. Buses run 24-7 with no worries about missing the last one. Drivers are there to help as well. Just look for the blue barrels and the Beach Bus sign on both sides of Coastal Highway.”
Make your life even easier when leaving the Air Show: Head back to 17th Street for the Park and Ride buses that will take you back to your personal transportation at the Park and Ride Lot on Route 50. Police Officers will be available to direct buses out in the traffic. Buses and bikes have dedicated travel lanes of coastal highway from 15th Street to the 144th Street Station. Bus stops along Coastal Highway will also be available for your trip back to the north Ocean City and mid-town areas.
Special ticket agents will be available at the Park and Ride Lot on the 16th and 17th to allow for easy and quick access to the buses. Restrooms are available. If boarding a bus to buy an all-day pass, one must have exact change to purchase a pass. Remember to have your pass/ticket ready to go when boarding the bus to speed boarding and get everyone back to where they want to go.
Finally, remember to Raise Your Hand to Ride the Tram. The Boardwalk Trams will continue to operate except at the full height of the air show given crowd levels on the Boardwalk. Trams will operate from the 27th Street Station on the Boardwalk to the First Street Station near the Inlet. The tram stops upon request.
“Our goal is for everyone to have a safe and fun Air Show and Father’s Day Weekend,” said Rickards. “And don’t forget your bus ticket!”
