A look at the menu in Seaside Deli. Click to enlarge.
In Maryland, the locals like to put their delis inside liquor stores.
Before I began working in the Old Line State, this was a completely foreign concept to me. The first time I entered a liquor store on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, I was instantly overwhelmed by the scent of dill pickles. Astonished and more than a little enamored, I sought out the source. In the corner was a petite counter and two ladies preparing submarine sandwiches to go.
Now I will forever associate a liquor store with sub sandwiches. Seaside Deli, Beer and Wine in Ocean City captures this unique and successful combination with its surfside store.
On 72nd Street and Coastal Highway, you’ll find the deli in a small strip center on the southbound side of the road. It’s unassuming and at first, I wasn’t sure why it came so highly recommended to me. But when I approached the front door, I understood. Liscio’s and Aversa Bakery boxes were waiting outside the door. Their breads are no joke.
And the bread is very important on a sub. Critically important. Too soft and it’s like eating a carwash sponge; too hard and it ruins the sanctity of the ingredients inside. The perfect combo of crispy crust and airy insides is paramount. And both these bakeries are locally known to balance crust and crumb beautifully.
The advertisement of Boar’s Head deli meats and cheeses was also a good sign.
Inside, I was surprised to see not just a liquor store, but also a full-service quick-stop convenience store. The store was hopping, with at least two dozen customers browsing, chatting up the staff or reviewing the overhead sandwich menu. In fact, I heard many guests greeted by name, letting me know that this place caters to a recurring customer base. Promising, indeed.
I was overjoyed to see local brands like Lewes Dairy and Turkey Hill in the refrigerated cases as well. Martin’s Eggs and C.W. Dunnet dairy products filled the squat glass-front case, both Lancaster-based brands. Tossed green and bound side salads were ready to grab and go, and Schmidt breads and rolls, another local name, were available for home sandwich building. Nine fridges of cold beer supply lined the back wall and a full-service bar is set up in the back, too, with six stools and TVs ready for sports viewing.
It was hard to choose a sandwich from those on display. They had the standards like freshly-made chicken salad, Italian-style sandwiches and Reubens, but there were some curve balls in there, too, Oriental Chicken and the Barnyard among them. I ended up choosing the Hungry Kayaker and was overwhelmed at the amount of filling in it. I ate half and was so full, I could barely sit comfortably.
Make sure to stop in for Woody’s Kegs and Eggs too. It’s breakfast served all day at the bar, complete with a pint of beer. Really.
Great sandwiches, inside a liquor store. Only in Maryland, and Seaside’s only in Ocean City.
Have you visited Seaside Deli? What did you order? What other local businesses should I review? Let me know in the comments!
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 watersports for the adventurous vacationers, just as Coastal Highway is home to an abundance of mini-golf courses for those who prefer a more relaxed kind of fun. Whatever fun activities you choose to partake in, 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 the bay as the sun sets.
Since 1965, Old Pro has been treating golfers of every age to fun, 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?
Feel the wind in your hair as you watch the waves move beneath your feet. Paradise Watersports will take you up in the air on their parasails, where you’ll get a birds-eye view of dolphins, sea turtles, Assateague’s wild ponies and the most beautiful views you can imagine of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. You can even choose your own height — but of course, the higher you go, the better your view will be!
Open from May 1 to Sept. 24 each season, Paradise offers a premiere jet skiing experience in Ocean City (you know, to cool off after your parasailing expedition). Navigate the waters near Hooper’s Crab House at the foot of the Route 50 bridge where Paradise is located, reach top speeds and achieve the ultimate adrenaline rush on your Ocean City vacation. Your vacation isn’t a true adventure if you don’t jet ski at least once!
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 help you get on the water to catch an intimate glance at all the plant and animal life that lives in the bay. 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.
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.
Not everyone is lucky enough to have their own boat tied up behind their beach house… That’s why you rent one from Odyssea Watersports. Odyssea offers pontoon boats that hold up to 12 passengers and deluxe pontoons that hold up to 14, available to rent for two, four, six and eight hours at a time. Bring a cooler full of drinks, or bar hop your way down the bay. Whatever you do, you’ll have a blast, especially if you opt to use the boats’ bluetooth speaker radios. Now it’s a party!
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 2020 voting.
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 Ice Cream, Kohr Bros, 28th Street Pit n Pub, Smokers BBQ, Anthony’s Carryout, Hooper’s Crab House, The Crab Bag, The Crabcake Factory, Tequila Mockingbird, Blu Crabhouse, The Bonfire, OC Wasabi 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 over 1,000 voters writing in a favorite pizza place that wasn’t on our poll. That’s typical for this category, one of our most popular (this year it received almost 6,000 votes total), so we wrote about some of the common write-ins that voters chose. To be fair, there are a lot of pizza options in Ocean City. But ultimately the winner was Grotto Pizza, a Maryland and Delaware pizza tradition since the 1960s. The family-friendly pizzeria has locations on 14th and 125th Street and also offers subs, salads, pastas, wings, strombolis, calzones and more.
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.
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’.
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.
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.
For delicious barbecue including house-smoked brisket, pork, chicken, ribs and wings, look no further than 28th Street — the 28th Street Pit & Pub, to be exact. You’ll also find this smokehouse in North Ocean City and, as of this year, in Salisbury, too. The Pit & Pub offers a casual environment where you won’t be ashamed to get your fingers a little saucy, and they also have a great daily Happy Hour from 3-6 p.m.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Shotti’s Point is only a few years old (and their second location on the Boardwalk just opened this summer), but in a short period of time, their wings have taken Ocean City by storm. According to Best of Ocean City voters, their pizza isn’t bad either (it received a ton of write-in votes!) and their fries are second only to Thrasher’s. You might have to schedule several meals at Shotti’s Point just to try all the highly-favored food they have to offer.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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 2020 voting.
For many Ocean City 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. We’re here to concentrate on the positives, of which there are many.
Bars that have placed in a “Best Of” restaurant category for 5 straight years include Seacrets, Fish Tales, Coconuts and Fager’s Island.
Without further ado, here are 2019’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 2020.
‘Best Bar Overall’ voting is almost always a neck-and-neck race between Seacrets and Fish Tales; last year, Fish Tales pulled through. This year, Seacrets took the crown back. Both are incredible bars in their own right, but for very different reasons. Fish Tales is a colorful oasis with a playground for kids, so you can spend hours there with the entire family. Seacrets is known more for its nightlife, especially the local and national musical acts is attracts to its sweeping Morley Hall nightclub. You can eat indoors at Seacrets, or outdoors on the sand, or outdoors in the water as you watch more diners arrive via their boats and Seacrets’ own water taxi. You could spend all day, and well into the night, at Seacrets.
Always another close race between Seacrets and Fish Tales! Seacrets’ drinks are often made with liquor from their distilling company next door, which has won medals from spirits competitions all over the United States. Their spiced rum is especially renowned. Also be sure to try their Tropicale craft beer, brewed specially for Seacrets by Evolution Craft Brewing in Salisbury, Md.
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.
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.
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.
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.
4th Street, 9th Street or 45th Street — whichever Tap House you’re at, you can bet they’ll have an awe-inspiring assortment of craft beer! The Tap House features local and national craft beer brands, which pair perfectly with food selections including the crabby pretzel, wings and a king-sized burger. Happy Hour is every weekday from 3-6 p.m., the perfect opportunity to try your new favorite craft beer.
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.
Some of us like to stay somewhere new every time we go on vacation. After all, there are hundreds of fantastic hotels and motels lining Ocean City’s beach and bayside — for some, it can be hard to commit to just one regular destination.
Others, however, already know what they like. Sometimes it’s a tradition; your family stayed at this hotel for decades and decades, and you know they wouldn’t frequent any place but the very best (this is common, because many of Ocean City hotels have been around for decades and decades). Or maybe you spent summer after summer trying out different accommodations, only to finally find the one that was completely perfect for you and your family. There’s no turning back now!
Either way, if you’re set on where you’re staying, be sure to check if that hotel has a loyalty program that you can take advantage of. You might just find that your favorite locale does offer rewards that you haven’t been rightfully earning. Or, you might find your new favorite hotel based on their amazing loyalty program alone.
Here are some of our favorites, and we can vouch that these are all excellent hotels. They’re well worth the multiple stays that are usually required to start earning points, and to eventually receive that free week in Ocean City you’ve always dreamed of. Let us know what your favorite loyalty-friendly hotels are and we might just add them to the list!
We are part of Choice Privileges which includes Quality Inn, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Econo Lodge and Ascend properties. It is a rewards program where you earn points for your stay based on dollar amount of reservation. They can be redeemed for not only free nights but also many types of gift cards.
The Aloft and Residence Inn are both Marriott hotels, which use the Marriott Bonvoy awards program. Through Bonvoy, guests earn points by staying at Marriott Properties and through credit card spending. Points can be redeemed for a free hotel stay, with awards priced according to the specific hotel, or for airline miles with any of 40 qualifying airline loyalty programs.
Reward points at the Grand Hotel can be earned simply bybooking directly. Guests can earn six vacation rewards per reservation; rewards include Grand Hotel gear, vouchers to local businesses like Jolly Roger, Splash Mountain, Speed World and Thrasher’s, complimentary upgrades and more.
Our signature program is called “Dunes Circle.” If you mention that you are a returning patron, we offer discounts from 5% – 20% depending on season and day of week.
Hilton Honors – Guests earn a certain amount of points per dollars spent, and the amount of points returned to the guest depends on their tier — there’s blue, silver, gold and diamond. Silver members and blue members earn the same return on points, gold members get 20% more and I believe diamond is 25% more on dollars spent. They can use those points at any Hilton property, for an entire free stay if they have enough or they can do a points-and-money combination to get a discount.
Ocean City Hotels Click for Hotel Navigation There are literally hundreds of places to stay in Ocean City, so choosing just one for your Ocean City vacation can feel a bit overwhelming. No need to worry, though.
The quirky catchphrase was exclaimed by Susan Dickerson Mason — at least, the 21st-century reenactment of Dickerson Mason – – when she was told that the first Bank of Ocean City would soon be built.
“Well hallelujah… on a bicycle!” repeated the Ocean Pines Player portraying Ella Phillips Dennis when she heard that the bank would be located across the street from her hotel, the Dennis Hotel, on the corner of Dorchester and Baltimore Avenue.
These women and two others, who played major roles in the making of Ocean City as we know it today, are resurrected every Monday at 10 a.m. outside the Life-Saving Station Museum. The half-hour play presented by the Ocean Pines Players is called the Petticoat Regime, and tells the story of the women who built OC in the early 1900s, including:
Ella Phillips Dennis, who built the Dennis Hotel on Dorchester Street.
Margaret Campbell Buell, who built the Mount Pleasant Hotel, located on the Boardwalk between North Division and First Street, in 1900.
Susan Dickerson Mason, who purchased the Mount Pleasant Hotel from Campbell Buell in 1919.
The Petticoat Regime is named after the term that local historians use to describe the group of entrepreneurial women who ran businesses, mostly hotels, throughout town in the early 20th century. By 1926, in fact, 30 of the 32 hotels in Ocean City were run by women.
Ella Phillips Davis, who first came to the Shore with her husband in 1890 in hopes of improving her ill health, said to the Baltimore Sun, “Ocean City is seventy percent run by women, built by women, and the men are all hen-pecked.” Her health improved upon moving to Ocean City, and she ran the Dennis Hotel for the rest of her life.
History Navigation An Isolated Fishing Village Once an isolated fishing village that has since grown into one of the east coast’s premier vacation destinations, Ocean City, Maryland has a wonderful and storied past. An Englishman named Thomas Fenwick,the namesake of the Delaware resort that borders Ocean City to the north, once owned the land where Ocean City now sits.
The play, written by Karen McClure of the Ocean Pines Players and set in a tea room, is as humorous as it is educational. Rumor has it that Dickerson Mason created quite a stir in town when she arrived in Ocean City by skiff with four children and a cow along with her, and the ladies sitting with her at tea can’t help but wonder — why did you bring the cow?
Learn a little more about Ocean City’s early history, and take a few moments to appreciate the hardy women who helped build the town from the ground up. Our only recommendation is that you arrive to the show early in order to get a seat!
Pushed back from the noise of Coastal Highway, a short bus trip away from the Inlet and all the amusements downtown but far enough away for some likely much-needed peace and quiet — with only the sound of crickets and night herons gently coasting along the bay at nighttime — and evenings spent sitting around the firepit.
Does this sound like heaven to you?
The Home2 Suites by Hilton on 67th Street opened quietly last November, about as quiet as the Assawoman basin that it sits on. But even though the Home2 Suites is new, and somewhat hidden away behind a bayside shopping center and a big, indoor/outdoor Old Pro mini golf, the hotel has had no problem filling up its rooms and suites for the summer.
“It’s kind of surprising how many guests want to be away from the Inlet and all the action,” said Kaitie Cochran, the hotel’s General Manager. “We’re great because we’re conveniently located, we still have the bus stop right out here, and we’re very close to [Route] 90.”
You’re just across the street from the beach, but Ocean City’s beautiful bayside should never be overlooked — unless you’re literally overlooking it from a high-up hotel room.
Most of their guests, Cochran said, come with pets in tow. The Home2 Suites prides itself on its pet-friendliness, and even though pets aren’t allowed on Ocean City’s beach in the summertime, they’re more than welcome to hang out in the Home2’s guest rooms while their owners soak up the sun.
Furry, four-legged guests will probably enjoy at least a few of the hotel’s amenities as much as their owners will. In the backyard, just outside the indoor pool area, is a grilling station that overlooks the bay. Families are encouraged to cook out and enjoy their meal under the shade of an umbrella, all the while enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the marshlands. Dogs will love being outdoors and catching scraps off the grill, and most humans won’t be able to help but gawk at the scenery.
Guide to Ocean City with Dogs 2018 Ocean City is one of those places where you can bring your whole family with you — not just the human members, but the furry, four-legged ones, too.
They might even hear the sounds of motors, the telltale signal that some lucky boat owner is approaching the dock. The Home2 Suites owns the dock outside their building, so guests with a boat are welcome to use it for an additional fee. Even guests without a boat can try their hand at crabbing off the dock, or head next door to the 67th Street Paddle Cove and rent a stand-up paddleboard without having to trek more than a few feet away from the hotel.
Southwest view from outside the Home2Suites.
The major draw of this all-suites, extended-stay hotel is in its very name. Rooms are modern and contemporary and designed to feel more like an apartment than a hotel room, so visitors don’t feel like they’re saying goodbye to all the convenience and comfort of their home when they go away on vacation.
Each room features a pullout sofa, microwave, dishwasher and full-size refrigerator, and although there is no oven or stove, guests can rent an induction burner to cook on for free (though at breakfast time they’ll probably want to take advantage of the continental spread rather than cook for themselves).
Any couple or family who wants to enjoy the quieter side of Ocean City while also being near nature and alongside their beloved pets will find just the rest and relaxation they’re looking for at the Home2 Suites by Hilton. The hotel is just steps away from Old Pro, 67th Street Paddle Cove, Longboard Cafe, SweetFrog, Ron Jon Surf Shop and the Kite Loft, so those looking for something fun to do on a hot summer day won’t have to look far. Plus, the bus downtown to all the shops, entertainment and Inlet amusements is right outside the door. Vacation has never been easier.
[promos][promo name=”Home2 Suites by Hilton” business=”120 67th Street, Ocean City, MD” img=”https://www.oceancity.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/3775_home-2-12.jpg” link=”https://www.oceancity.com/hotels-and-motels/home2-suites-by-hilton-ocean-city-bayside/” cta_text=”Book Now” small_img=”true” top_border=”1″] Stay a while at our new, pet friendly Home2 Suites by Hilton Ocean City Bayside. Conveniently located midway between the Boardwalk and Northside Park. Our excellent location puts you within walking distance of award winning beaches, the Advanced Marina and 67th Street Town Center offering a variety of shops and dining. You’ll feel right at home in our spacious suites offering a well-equipped kitchenette complete with a full-size refrigerator, dishes, microwave and flatware. [/promo][/promos]
We were out on the beach this weekend, and WOW — the crowds have absolutely exploded and summer is obviously in full swing here in Ocean City. Dodging hungry seagulls and weaving in and out of overzealous children on the beach has never been so rewarding; a slew of 80-90 degree days and sunshine seems to have brought everyone down to the water, and luckily, the sun doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.
It’s the perfect time of year for our friendly annual refresher on beach safety! The concerns over Vibrio infection and the potential return of sea lice have some beachgoers worried, but in all honesty, there’s not a lot to be worried about as long as you take simple preventative measures and practice basic safety at the beach. Here is our guide on beach safety that’s short, sweet and to the point, and great to share with kids before you bring them to the beach. And if you have any concerns about lice or flesh-eating bacteria… Keep reading down below.
The beach can be a very safe place if you take the time to understand sand and water safety. Many misconceptions about beach safety exist and contribute to one of the biggest factors behind people getting into trouble: fear.
Last Week’s News and How to Stay Safe on the Beach This Summer
Sea lice might be back soon: Over the weekend, the Baltimore Sun reported that sea lice — which are actually minuscule jellyfish larvae that sting and can cause itchy rashes — have already made an appearance this summer in Virginia Beach, VA. They could reach Ocean City by mid-August, right around the same time they showed up last year.
But don’t waste too much time worrying whether sea lice are swimming in your section of the beach. Just ask a lifeguard if they’re present. It’s advised that swimmers avoid wearing t-shirts and to cover up with sunscreen, which can reduce contact with the larvae. Last summer, the Ocean City Beach Patrol also recommended that swimmers shower after getting out of the ocean. Learn more about avoiding sea lice and treating rashes.
However, the rash-causing, itch-inducing jellyfish larvae are not be confused with the small, parasitic crustaceans which feed on fish to survive (read: actual sea lice), according to marine experts. The parasitic sea lice do not affect humans, only fish, and simply, but misleadingly, share names with the jellyfish larvae form of “sea lice.”
Vibrio is no cause for major concern: Beachgoers became alarmed earlier in the month when a boy swimming in the Sinepuxent Bay was infected with Vibrio, a flesh-eating bacteria. Vibrio is rare — only one case was reported in Worcester County in 2017 — and is caused by undercooked or raw shellfish and by swimming with open wounds. Vibrio can be prevented by avoiding the consumption of undercooked and raw shellfish and by covering wounds with waterproof bandages, and by preventing saltwater contact with open wounds altogether.
Vibrio can be a hazard across Maryland bays and coastal waters, but after a boy was recently infected with the flesh-eating bacteria, concern and confusion has spread about the bacteria. The concern stems from a young boy who contracted Vibrio while swimming in the Sinepuxent Bay at the end of June.
#ThisWeekinOC
Free Movies on the Beach (July 15 and 17, 8:30-10:30 p.m.): Grab and chair and a blanket and enjoy free movies all summer long on the beach. Monday and Friday movies are shown at 27th Street Beach. All movies are subject to change. In the event of bad weather, the movie may be held inside or canceled.
Family Beach Olympics (July 16, 6:30-8:45 p.m.): Fun for the whole family – sand castle contests, tug-of-war, relays, & more!
Ocean Games (July 20, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.): This is an annual event conducted in cooperation with the Town of Ocean City, the Ocean City Beach Patrol, and the United States Coast Guard. The Ocean Games features three main competitions. “Swim Ocean City”, a WOWSA-sanctioned ocean race, features 1-mile, 3-mile, and 9-mile ocean swims, and Ultimate Flight Frisbee (competitive beach frisbee tournament).
Sundaes in the Park (July 21, 7-9 p.m.): Come to Northside Park each Sunday night, and make yourself an ice cream sundae while enjoying live music and children’s activities. This is a free evening, although there is a small charge for the ice cream. The evening ends with a fireworks display at 9 p.m.
Albertino’s Brick Oven Eatery is located at 131st Street in Ocean City.
Have you ever had a pizza that changed your life?
A brick oven pizza is not your standard fare. Allow me to share some pizza industry secrets. As a chef, I feel it necessary to tell you some hard facts: Most commercial pizza eateries use a piece of equipment called an impinger (or impinger oven) to cook their pizzas and baked items. This is basically a metal tabletop or floor oven with a conveyor belt that runs through it. The item is placed on the belt and it is slowly drawn inside. Heating elements above and below, nestled in aluminum casing, bake the item top and bottom at the same time. The result is a quickly, consistently and evenly baked pizza.
While this sounds like an amazing kitchen invention, it lets down a real pizza enthusiast like those in my family. Why? An impinger-baked pizza is nowhere near an oven-baked pizza on many levels, including crust crispness, cheese bubbliness and that slight char flavor that is so utterly craveable. The toppings tenderize and sink into the gooey mozzarella, the edges of the rounded hand-tossed dough turn dark amber and the tap of crust on the plate results in a hauntingly satisfying crunch.
If you’re not drooling yet, I’m not sure we can be friends.
If you want a brick-oven-baked pizza in Ocean City, one that will change the way you feel about pizza, stop by Albertino’s for lunch or dinner. Once you have a pizza baked in a wood-fired, 900-degree oven, you won’t be able to enjoy impinger pizza again. They’re open year-round, offer relaxed, family-friendly service and an atmosphere full of old-world charm, perfect for socializing, so you have no excuses to not spoil yourself a little.
I would be remiss to not mention the other menu offerings, though the pizza is hard to pull myself away from. Abundant pasta selections, including Bolognaise authentically made with pork and veal, hand-filled pastas and seafood-centric offerings will appeal to non-pizza patrons. Allow me to recommend the Lump Crab Mac and Cheese, made with gouda and white cheddar. Draft beer, including local craft brews, are ready to go with your pizza of choice or choose a wine to pair with your entrée.
Specials are offered daily, including half-price pizza and pasta lunches, perfect for quick breaks during your vacation or work days. In addition, Chef’s Specials are offered to capture the best seasonal flavors and finds. On my particular visit, a veggie-centric pasta dish was on offer. Asking for accommodation for restrictions is also fine with the chef and they’ll do what they can to make every member of your crew comfortable.
If you can’t leave a restaurant without a sweet finish, Albertino’s offers some Italian specialties to placate your cravings. Imported sweet cocoa-dusted Tiramisu pairs beautifully with their snickerdoodle-spiked coffee, and though I’d usually recommend The Big Chocolate as a post-meal splurge, the Lemon Berry Mascarpone cream cake, baked with cinnamon streusel then filled with fruit, is pretty spectacular.
Did you enjoy your brick oven pizza? Are there more local places in OC I should check out? Be sure to leave a comment and share this article!
Happy Friday, Ocean City lovers! Every other week in the spring and summertime, we accept photo submissions and compile a blog just like this one. Out of the posted photos, we randomly choose a winner to receive a prize, usually to an Ocean City restaurant or entertainment like Jolly Roger Amusements. This week our winner is Shannon, who submitted a throwback photo from 1981, in addition to two beautiful sunset photos from Blu Crabhouse, and won two tickets to Jolly Roger. Congratulations!
You could win, too — justsubmit your vacation photos here! Even if you don’t win, you get to share your Ocean City pictures with the world. Just remember, you must include your full name and email address in your submission in order to win. (It also helps your chances to submit photos that are large, horizontally-oriented and not pixelated or blurry.)
Picture of the beautiful sunrise from right in front of the boardwalk!Getting ready for a beach movie! Taken at The Carousel hotel on July 3.Under the pier at inletBay Sunset, taken June 30, 2019 at Blu RestaurantSunset Over The Bay, taken at Blu Restaurant, Sunday June 30My kids enjoying some polish water ice!New Baby Pony on AssateagueGrayson love playing in the OC sand! He had a blast during our summer vacation.Double rainbow through a fisheye lense.Follow the rainbow to ocean city boardwalk June 29, 2019.Growing up my family spent my vacations in Ocean City. My best memories were riding Trimpers rides, eating Thrasher’s fries, and camping at Frontier Town. This photo of myself with my sisters and brother was taken in August 1981 on the wall at the inlet. Notice our matching T-shirts?Wild ponies crash our beach bonfire on Assateague Island. Perspective courtesy of chardonnay.Sunset on the bay at Fish tales on our birthday boys 1st birthday!Lightning bolt from a thunderstorm over the ocean at night.9th Street | Spring Break April 2017 | Sunrise w DolphinThis picture was taken of the June full moon over Ocean City Skyline. It was a beautiful night and the picture was taken from the beach at Stinky Beach. I love taking pics of the full moon.
Want to beat peak summertime traffic in Ocean City without sacrificing a prime location and pristine views of the water? Historically, a rental on the other side of the Route 50 bridge, or maybe a private helicopter chartered to drop you off on the roof of your hotel, would have been your best bet. But since the Residence Inn by Marriott opened its doors last May, all you have to do is drive down the 90 bridge and #turnright.
The Residence Inn is made up of eight floors, 150 rooms and amenities including a fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, two bars and a private bayside beach. Even though it’s on 61st Street, its address is 300 Seabay Lane because it isn’t located directly on Coastal Highway, but pushed back into a little bayfront byway across from a strip of townhomes.
“Back here it’s more of a neighborhood feel,” said Sales and Marketing Manager Courtney Blackford. “It’s more of a resort back here, away from the main road where it gets loud and kind of crazy.”
Views of the neighborhood from a balcony at the Residence Inn.
The key word in describing the atmosphere of the year-old Residence Inn is “resort”; its location, amenities and abundance of activities available to guests elevate it high above “hotel” level, and because it is an extended-stay option, guests can stay there for a weekend or months at a time. Or, more likely, plan to stay a weekend and then start dreaming about leaving their responsibilities back home forever and extending their stay at the Ocean City Residence Inn for an indeterminate amount of time.
Family fun on a private beach
On the top floor of the building is an indoor pool flanked by windows that offer spectacular views of the 90 bridge to the west and all of the resort’s outdoor offerings just next to it.
More traffic at the pool than on the road on a Wednesday in July.
In the summer, the outdoor pool deck is replete with swimmers, sunbathers and 21+ guests enjoying cocktails at the tiki bar. Off the pool deck juts a long pier that leads to a small beach, where kids play in the sand, families kayak and those who can balance opt for a SUP lesson.
“We just added kayaks and stand up paddleboards this season,” Blackford said. “So those are available to rent by the hour, and then we also offer classes on Mondays and Wednesdays, which OC Stand Up Paddle Fitness comes in and does for us.”
Even with easy access to the bay and all it has to offer, some guests, understandably, still want to see the ocean. From the Residence Inn, it’s just a short walk and a crosswalk away, and electric carts are available to help families carry their umbrellas, coolers, beach blankets and boogie boards across the street and through the sand.
But you don’t necessarily need the ocean when this lies just outside your door.
Tiki Bar and beer with a Bayview
While the pools and tiki bar are available only to guests — “We’re in the process of naming the tiki bar now,” Blackford said — the inside bar on the hotel’s second floor, the Bayview Bar and Grill, is open to the public.
You don’t even have to be a guest at the hotel to enjoy the Bayview, the Bar and the Grill.
The bar has two taps, one for domestic and one for local craft beer, and also offers a menu of appetizers, with a dinner menu coming soon. The Bayview opens at 4 p.m. in the summer, but the tiki bar is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and food can be ordered right at the outdoor bar.
It’s a great space to eat a flatbread, drink a local beer and enjoy the view of the bay from the window. It’s also a space that has hosted a Valentine’s beer festival with Delaware brewery Big Oyster last winter, a bourbon festival and in the last month alone, three weddings — ceremonies happen out on the pool deck and then guests move inside to celebrate. If it’s late enough, they can enjoy a world-class sunset.
“We always say, the sunrise you have to work for,” Blackford said. “This sunset you just sit back and enjoy.”
Paradise on Seabay Lane
Ultimately, the Residence Inn resort is designed to accommodate any kind of traveler, from the couple who wants to spend a romantic weekend on the bay to the adventurous family looking for a few weeks of fun. Even the family dog is invited to partake in the adventure.
The resort cultivates a family atmosphere in part because their employees make everyone feel like they’re right at home. In fact, out of everything else they offer, Blackford says the staff is what sets the resort apart from other accommodations in Ocean City.
“We’ve come to build an awesome staff here… they’re very engaging and very knowledgeable about the town, and a lot of them have been here for a long time,” she said. “You can stay in any hotel, but it’s all how you feel when you’re greeted when you’re checking in.”
It’s almost a shame that the rooms are so nice since guests spend most of their time outside!
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“When I saw the empty lot, I knew I had to write the book.”
Earl Shores’ “Playland: Greetings from Ocean City, Maryland” first hit the shelves at the beginning of this summer.
Author Earl Shores recalled a moment in 2014 when he was driving down Dorchester Street and saw that the house where he’d spent the majority of his childhood summer vacations had been torn down and reduced to an empty lot. Memories came flooding back: getting up in the morning to go fishing at the docks with his dad, bicycling from the house across the Route 50 bridge to Ocean City.
“It hit me really hard,” Shores said. “Unlike anything I’d ever experienced in my life.”
Seeing the empty lot inspired him to write the book that had been bouncing around in his head since the early 1980s, although he first saw the chapters as scenes from a play rather than what would eventually become a 318-page narrative.
Shores’ “Playland: Greetings from Ocean City, Maryland” is a recollection of the summer of 1980 when he worked at Ocean Playland, a mix of fact and fiction — but heavy on the fact, especially when it comes to the history of the now long-defunct amusement park on 65th Street — and, above all, it’s Shores’ love letter to Ocean City.
A Pennsylvania native, Shores worked at Playland during the park’s last summer of operation. The previous summer he’d had a brief stint at Phillips Crab House (where he hilariously recounts walking out mid-shift on a Saturday night in August with three other employees for an impromptu surf trip — that was the end of that job), but he’d always dreamed of operating rides at an amusement park.
“It was a fantasy that had rattled around inside me since those summer nights when I’d fall asleep in the back cottage of the Ocracoke Apartments on Dorchester Street while listening to the whooshing metallic serenade of the Wild Mouse coaster just blocks away at Trimper’s Rides,” he remembers in chapter two.
Playland, which first opened its gates in 1965, was built to offer uptown visitors a slate of amusements in North Ocean City, which at the time was largely undeveloped and sparse. Some of Playland’s attractions included a monorail that weaved through the entire park, a wooden roller coaster called the Hurricane, mini golf, and over 25 other attractions geared toward park-goers of every age. Playland’s Ghost Ship, a dark ride, was designed by Bill Tracy, the genius behind Ocean City’s iconic Haunted House ride that remains on the Boardwalk to this day; some of the props in Ghost Ship were later purchased by Granville Trimper and added to the Haunted House, where they can still be seen today.
In 1965, construction was completed on Ocean Playland Amusement Park on 65th street bayside, on a large peninsula-type lot that protruded out into the bay at a price tag of over $2 million. The park was only 860 feet long and 375 feet wide and sat behind a 1000-car parking lot off of Coastal Highway.
Unbeknown to Shores and most other Playland employees at the time, the park would close permanently in 1980. There had been no hint that the park wouldn’t reopen as usual for the summer of ‘81 — employees were still getting paid and routine maintenance was still being done on the rides by the end of the summer — but Shores cites the high land value and competition from nearby amusement parks as possible reasons for Playland’s closing.
“Jolly Roger was starting to go the Go Kart route,” he said. “They’d just opened the Malibu Grand Prix setup, and that was part of the Go Kart competition that Jolly Roger and Playland were having at the time. They took a different path and went with a waterpark, and Trimper’s has a long tradition… it’s amazing that it’s still there and it goes back such a long way.”
Ocean Playland was 860 feet long and 375 feet wide. It sat on 67th Street bayside and delighted Ocean City visitors and locals every summer from 1965-1980.
Shores spent about two years writing the book and countless hours researching the park, parsing information from local history books like “Trimper’s Rides” by Brandon Seidl and Monica Thrash and “Vanishing Ocean City” by Bunk Mann, along with his own collection of vintage postcards.
He also had help from the National Amusement Park History Association, which verified that the park did, in fact, close in 1980, and also provided some obscure and surprising facts about Playland.
Shores learned, for example, that when the park first opened in the ‘60s, rides were “booked in” for the summer, meaning they were owned by individuals who would get paid at the end of each week based on how many tickets were collected from their ride.
“That was a novel concept,” Shores said. “Supposedly the amusement park industry was watching to see if this could work, and it didn’t. By 1970 or so the park had taken over the rides.”
“Playland: Greetings from Ocean City, Maryland” isn’t just a memoir of Shores’ summer working at the amusement park. It’s also a collection of Ocean City stories and anecdotes from days gone by, a time capsule from a time in Ocean City’s history that, to Shores, no longer really exists. Younger readers can relate to the passages about biking up the Boardwalk or marveling at the antique rides at Trimper’s, but other parts are more exclusive to Ocean City visitors of the mid-20th century.
“It’s a love letter to my family and the experiences we had in that formative time when Ocean City still was small town-ish in that we knew the people on the Boardwalk,” he said.
Everywhere he and his family went, Shores said, the owners would come and talk to them like they were an extension of the same family. The owner of the Alaska Stand on the Boardwalk would wipe off his apron and give Shores the “banana report,” letting him know whether the chocolate bananas were ready or not.
“Ocean City is built out now, it’s busy… it’s just a different place,” he said. “Not that it needed to stand still. I still enjoy being on the lower end of the Boardwalk and all that, but it’s just a different feeling.”
“Playland: Greetings from Ocean City, Maryland” can be found at the Life-Saving Station Museum gift shop, at Trimper’s Inlet Village store Down Memory Lane, at Bethany Books in Bethany Beach, DE, and online. More information is available on the book’s Facebook page.
Have you ever discussed an upcoming vacation with someone who’s been to that destination before? Inevitably the conversation will turn to their recollections, recommendations and referrals, especially if they had an amazing time. Their goal is to make sure your trip is as enjoyable as theirs was.
Longboard Café is the type of place that friend would bring up. It’s memorable and comfortable, but with a level of subtle class that elevates it higher than its beachside neighbors.
Owner Rick Vach shared Longboard’s inception story with me. He opened a restaurant on Sunset Island, a nearby community in Ocean City, which operated and grew a following in the years before his move to 67th Street. When the restaurant’s current location at the Town Center on 67th became available, Longboard was born. While the café started six years ago as a casual eatery, its style has evolved into the fashionable and festive seaside staple it has become. It’s not hard to see why once you pay this iconic seaside spot a visit.
Beach breeze, thatch chairs, icy drinks, rich laughter. Every time I’m nearby, this is my experience at Longboard. The outdoor seating on their patio is always full, with sun-kissed ladies cradling martini glasses in their hands and polo-clad lads downing pints alongside them. While it’s a bit nicer than your standard family restaurant, the menu includes items for your little ones and options big enough to feed even the most voracious teenager.
The beachy bar at Longboard Cafe.
Their menu is an eclectic mix of traditional tavern food, fresh seafood and rich entrees. Vach was more than happy to share some Longboard secrets, including the fact that their recipes are proprietary, their fish is delivered sometimes multiple times per day and their wings are frequent contest winners. While those around you will likely order one of their amazingly massive burgers or their freshly-made tacos, Vach also recommends their signature Go Fish special, which offers their freshest fish prepared in one of four ways, however you choose.
Their Wrinkled Green Beans and Asparagus Addiction will please your vegetarian tablemates, as will the Mexican Street Corn. And gluten-free folks have an abundance of choices including Salad Stuffed Avocado, Crab Tacos and Crispy Duck. In fact, I think you’ll be hard pressed to find a duck dinner elsewhere in town, gluten-free or otherwise.
In addition to indoor and outdoor rustic, sea-themed seating areas, there is also a barroom ready to entertain you. Draft beer offerings are local, including choices from Burley Oak, Dogfish Head and EVO. If you prefer a mixed drink, there are custom cocktails on the menu too, including Coconut Margaritas, Spiked Lemonades and a frozen newfound friend called Havana Banana. If you’re choosing wine to complement your entrée, their staff is knowledgeable and helpful in finding your perfect match from their extensive list.
Longboard Café is the recipient of multiple awards from TripAdvisor, including induction into their Hall of Fame. It’s also earned high marks from over 300 reviewers on Yelp. Multiple visits during a single OC vacation also shows how addictive their flavors are and how their service sets them apart.
Longboard is open all year and their Sunday Brunch is a fabulous option for off-season celebrating as well.
If you’re looking for a recommendation, grab a Waimea Burger and a Bikini-Tini, tuck in and enjoy the Ocean City sunshine.
If you’ve enjoyed Longboard, leave a comment, or tell me where I should head next!
Fourth of July weekend of 2019 was a success in Ocean City. In fact, the Dispatch reported that the Inlet parking lot had reached 95% capacity by 11 a.m. on July 4 (thanks in part to a restructured holiday fee system). Missed the fireworks? Here’s our view from the balcony of the Residence Inn by Marriott, where we could see the fireworks from Seacrets, Ocean Pines and the beach. The perfect spot for a perfect holiday night!
Today might be overcast and rainy, but tomorrow and Wednesday look like optimal beach days if you’re in town and hoping to catch some sun. Make sure you check out everything going on in town this week, because there’s a ton — from free family movie nights and Family Beach Olympics to the OC Beach Party and Sundaes in the Park, you can schedule your vacation fun down to the minute (and be sure to submit the great photos you capture for this week’s Photo Friday!).
Last Week’s News
Life-Saving Station Museum Offers Free Live Performance on Ocean City History: If you’re yearning to learn more about local history, the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum has always been the place to go. In addition to the exhibits at the museum, they also provide family-friendly programs in the summer that range in topic from beach safety to all about sharks, and now every Monday, they’re offering a live performance on the Boardwalk about four women who helped build the town of Ocean City. Catch the 30-minute one-act play starting this week until Aug. 24.
The Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum has teamed up with local acting group The Ocean Pines Players to produce a FREE live performance called Petticoat Regime. This 30-minute performance will take place outside the museum on the boardwalk on Mondays from 10:00-10:30 a.m. July 8 through August 24.
Man Fishing Near Ocean City, Maryland Catches Glimpse Of Sea Turtle Swimming Nearby: Here’s a feel-good story for the week! A man fishing off the coast of Ocean City captured on video a large sea turtle swimming alongside his boat and shared the video to Facebook.
OCEAN CITY, Md. (WJZ) – It turns out it wasn’t just humans enjoying a relaxing holiday weekend at the beach in Maryland! A Pennsylvania man fishing off the coast of Ocean City, Maryland captured video of a sea turtle swimming alongside his boat.
#ThisWeekinOC
Free Movies on the Beach (July 8, 8:30-10:30 p.m.): Grab and chair and a blanket and enjoy free movies all summer long on the beach. Monday and Friday movies are shown at 27th Street Beach. All movies are subject to change. In the event of bad weather, the movie may be held inside or canceled.
Starpower National Championship (July 9-13): This national dance competition is a world championship competition for dancers who qualified at regionals held across the U.S. Master Classes & Top Gun auditions will be offered with some of the most talented performers and teachers in the entertainment business.
Family Beach Olympics (July 9, 6:30-8:45 p.m.): Fun for the whole family – sand castle contests, tug-of-war, relays, & more!
OC Beach Dance Party (July 9, 7-9 p.m.): Get your dancing shoes on for the weekly dance party hosted by local DJ’s at Ocean City’s Caroline Street Stage on the beach by the Boardwalk! Come early with friends and family to get the best spot on the beach to enjoy the music and dance in the sand every Tuesdays from 7pm to 9pm. This event is for all ages. Please consider using public transportation, as parking is limited in the downtown area.
Free Movies on the Beach (July 10, 8:30-10:30 p.m.): Grab and chair and a blanket and enjoy free movies all summer long on the beach. Wednesday movies are shown on the beach at the Carousel Hotel. All movies are subject to change. In the event of bad weather, the movie may be held inside or canceled.
Sunset Park Party Nights (July 11, 7-10 p.m.): Enjoy FREE concerts all summer long at Sunset Park. Attendees are recommended to bring your own chairs. Drinks, including beer, are available for purchase. 7/11 Jaded Love (Rock Cover).
OC Tuna Tournament (July 12-14, 4-7:30 p.m.): Watch as over 100 boats weigh in their tuna catches at the 31st annual OC Tuna Tournament – the largest tuna tournament in the world! The event is free to spectators and $900 for participant entry. Over $850,000 paid out in 2018.
2nd Friday Art Stroll in Berlin (July 12, 6-8 p.m.): Take a stroll through downtown Berlin and check out the town’s featured artists in their local shops and restaurants. Each month is unique, but you’ll always find great art! Artists can submit their information for 2nd Friday Art Strolls in Berlin here.
Sundaes in the Park (July 14, 7-9 p.m.): Come to Northside Park each Sunday night, and make yourself an ice cream sundae while enjoying live music and children’s activities. This is a free evening, although there is a small charge for the ice cream. The evening ends with a fireworks display at 9pm.
The Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum has teamed up with local acting group The Ocean Pines Players to produce a FREE live performance called Petticoat Regime. This 30-minute performance will take place outside the museum on the boardwalk on Mondays from 10:00-10:30 a.m. July 8 through August 24.
The program will offer a glimpse into the lives of four influential women who were responsible for running some of Ocean City’s largest establishments in the 1920s. These women helped build the town of Ocean City into the bustling destination it is today.
This humorous one-act play written by Karen McClure of the Ocean Pines Players presents a Tea Room gathering between Rosalie Tilghman Shreve, Ella Phillips Dennis, Margaret Campbell Buell and Susan Dickerson Mason. These four feisty and forward-thinking women reveal the unique and heartbreaking trials and tribulations that brought them to Ocean City.
This program is entertaining and educational to all members of the family. Whether you come early to get “good seats” or you want to stop by during your morning stroll on the boardwalk, we encourage you to experience history as it comes to life!
The Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum offers other free hands-on interactive summer programs Tuesday-Saturday. These programs include Tuesday: Beach Safety, Wednesday: Knot Tying, Thursday: All About Sharks, Friday: Land Sky, & Sea, and Saturday: Aquarium Feeding. To learn more about our programs stop by the museum for more information or visit us online at www.ocmuseum.org.
Ocean City will light up the sky once again tomorrow night in celebration of our nations Independence Day. With your family and friends, beach chairs and blankets, residents and visitors can watch the fireworks sparkle over the beautiful water from the beach to the bay.
The northern show, featured at Northside Park, 125th Street and the bay, will offer a classic feel with music kicking off at 8 p.m. The spectacular fireworks display may be viewed afterward 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.”
July 4th Navigation Celebrate the 4th of July in Ocean City! The Perfect Fourth of July in Ocean City, Maryland I’m new at the whole Fourth-of-July-in-Ocean-City thing. My parents might have taken me here for the holidays as a child, but that was so long ago that I don’t remember much, because they ultimately gave up braving the bumper-to-bumper traffic and crowded boardwalk to stay home and watch the fireworks in Annapolis.
On the south end of town, guests can head to Ocean City’s famous Boardwalk with its bright lights, assortment of food, family fun and more fantastic fireworks. The evening’s modern show will begin on the Caroline Street Stage with music at 8 p.m. and fireworks filling 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 continued. “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 firework display set to a modern mix of music.”
Parking operations for the Inlet Parking Lot will stay the same for the holiday, Thursday, July 4, however; the parking rate for the Inlet Lot will increase to $5 per hour for the day. Visitors are reminded that parking is extremely limited at both fireworks locations and significant traffic delays are expected after both shows. It is recommended that visitors take the bus, as bus service is only $3 for a ride all day pass.
The West Ocean City Park & Ride on Route 50 is another great transportation alternative, offering free parking and $3 ride-all-day shuttle service to downtown. Finally, 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.
With safety in mind, the Ocean City Fire Marshal’s Office (FMO) is also urging spectators to leave the fireworks to the professionals. The FMO is teaming up with the Ocean City Police Department to prevent the possession and use of fireworks in the resort community by adding special patrol teams on the beach and in various neighborhoods.
“The power and danger of fireworks should not be underestimated,” said Ocean City Fire Marshal David Hartley. “In addition to causing damage, fireworks can cause injuries and we want people to be safe during their holiday stay in Ocean City. The safety and wellbeing of all residents and visitors of the Town of Ocean City is the primary goal of the Ocean City Fire Department.”
Although the State of Maryland has approved the use of ground-based sparkling devices such as cylindrical and cone fountains, these are not legal to use or possess in Ocean City. Further, all other fireworks that may be sold in neighboring states are not legal for use by the public anywhere in Maryland.
“The Fourth of July holiday is a great opportunity for residents and visitors to stay and play in Ocean City,” Meehan finished. “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.”
