Essential Ocean City: 50 things every visitor must experience

For over a century, Trimper’s Rides have made kids (and their parents) squeal with excitement. The carousel, in particular, is a real piece of Ocean City history. Even if you’re not up for a ride, it is a sight to behold, with nearly 50 intricately carved pigs, tigers and other animals.

Trimper’s Rides, South First Street and the boardwalk, 410-289-8617, trimpersrides.com

Fireworks aren’t just for the Fourth of July — in Ocean City, there’s reason to celebrate all summer long. “What’s more exciting than sitting on the beach and seeing fireworks?” asks Meredith Herbert, event coordinator with the OC Beach Lights Spectacular, an organization that puts on fireworks displays over the beach at North Division Street throughout the summer.

OC Beach Lights Spectacular, south end of Ocean City beach and boardwalk, 410-798-6304, ocbeachlights.com

Assateague is a short drive from Ocean City, but its wild sandy beaches and quiet embrace of nature feel like a world away from the bright lights. Learn about the environment on a ranger-guided program or seek out the wild horses on your own. Give them a wide berth, though: These wild animals need space and respect.

Assateague Island, 410-641-1441, nps.gov/asis

The boardwalk is three miles of nonstop entertainment. Rent a bike or grab your walking shoes and eat your way up and down the boards, people-watching, checking out performers and shopping for at least one cheesy T-shirt and a few extra souvenirs to remember your trip.

oceancity.com/boardwalk

It’s tough to imagine an Ocean City vacation without a few crustaceans, steamed and coated in spice. “Ocean City is Maryland, and Maryland is crabs,” says Albert Levy, owner of The Crab Bag, one of O.C.’s most well-known crab houses. “We also have another staple: Natty Boh beer.”

The Crab Bag, 13005 Coastal Highway, 410-250-3337, thecrabbag.com

If you’ve haven’t heard it already, ask around to find out the story behind the iconic bar’s name while you toss back a “Chug-a-Duck” — amaretto and Natural Light served in a duck decoy drinking vessel. And don’t forget to pick up a T-shirt to wear back at home.

The Crab Bag, 13005 Coastal Highway, 410-250-3337, thecrabbag.com

In addition to racking up awards for its craft beer, Burley Oak has become a go-to spot for good times just outside Ocean City. “We do brewery tours and have live music on Friday and Saturday nights,” says owner and brewer Bryan Brushmiller. “I think of it as an educational brewery. Our bartenders and brewers are always talking to customers, giving knowledge about what we do and how we do it.”

Burley Oak Brewing Co., 10016 Old Ocean City Blvd., Berlin, 443-513-4647, burleyoak.com

There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of a Skee-Ball hitting its target — unless it’s nabbing the high score after a crazy round of the latest video game. “There’s something for everyone in our arcade,” says Marty’s Playland office manager Cindy Trimper. She especially likes seeing people who started coming to Marty’s as kids visiting again with their children or grandchildren. “It’s really fun to watch,” she says.

Marty’s Playland, 5 Worcester St., 410-289-7271, martysplayland.com

Not all beach vacation souvenirs need to be sandy or sunny. Break out the credit cards one day and head to the Tanger Outlets for the full shopaholic experience. Taking home a whole new wardrobe might make the end of your trip a little easier to swallow.

Tanger Outlets, 12741 Ocean Gateway, 410-213-7898, tangeroutlet.com/oceancity

There’s treasure to be found in that messy drawer, when it offers up a decades-old plastic “scope” photo. Capture some new memories in plastic this summer with your family and friends — then toss the little time capsule in a drawer for discovery sometime down the road.

Telescope Pictures, multiple locations, mytelescopepictures.com

One of the little luxuries of a beach vacation is taking the time for a leisurely restaurant breakfast. Spots up and down Coastal Highway cook up omelets, pancakes and waffles for families and friends gearing up for a long day at the beach. Go for bagels at Uber Bagels, pancakes at Happy Jack Pancake House, omelets at Bayside Skillet — or find a favorite of your own.

By the time you’ve spotted Fisher’s Popcorn, you probably already know it’s there — you can smell it from a mile away. “We have that smell that just lures you in,” says manager Erin Mumford. The shop has flavors from spicy and savory to sweet, but it’s the classic caramel that keeps people coming back.

200 S. Boardwalk, 888-395-0335, fisherspopcorn.com

All summer long, yoga enthusiasts will find opportunities to practice their craft in and out of doors. Yoga studios have popped up all over town, some of which hold classes outdoors. Find a class or practice on your own on the beach or in a local park. Sunset yoga in Sunset Park, anyone?

Paddleboards are available for rental at shops throughout Ocean City (most of which also offer lessons), but for the best experience, you might want to head out of town.

“Assateague is the best for flat-water paddle,” says Walk on Water Paddleboard Company employee DJ Kazmaier.

Walk on Water, 9808 Stephen Decatur Highway, Unit 6, 410-289-8787, walkonwatersupco.com

From sopping fun at SplashMountain Water Park to the Ferris wheel, Jolly Roger is nonstop family-friendly fun. The park, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014, continues to add attractions and events including, just last year, the wild ride that is the five-story Cyclone Cart Coaster.

Jolly Roger Amusement Park, 30th St. and Coastal Highway, 410-289-3477, jollyrogerpark.com

After fueling the kids with dinner and fruit punch (served in a souvenir cup), Mom and Dad can settle in with cocktails of their own, while the kids burn off all that sugar in the restaurant’s pirate ship play structure.

Dead Freddies Island Grill, 105 64th St., 410-524-3733, deadfreddiesoceancity.com

Go for a hole in one, putt-putt style at one of Ocean City’s many famous miniature golf courses. “It’s something that everybody from the littlest person to the oldest can enjoy,” says Larry Shockley, general manager of Old Pro Golf. “It’s a great family event. I’ve seen generations grow up here — kids go from being little ones to bringing their own kids.”

Old Pro Golf, multiple locations, 888-653-7761, oldprogolf.com

Class it up one night with wine, cheese and charcuterie at Liquid Assets. “They have a huge wine selection,” says Baltimore resident Ashley Jacinto. “And a menu with multiple pages of cheese and charcuterie options available that week. It’s the best place in O.C.”

9301 Coastal Highway, 410-524-7037, la94.com

“Ocean City is the kite capital of the world,” says Chris Maxa, general manager of The Kite Loft. “It’s a great family activity — easy to do, cheap to do and fun. All you need is a great kite and some wind.” Maxa loves kiting on the Ocean City beach, but he also recommends Assateague Island for more privacy.

The Kite Loft, multiple locations, kiteloft.com

There are bloody marys and then there are bloody marys. Crabcake Factory USA’s version is definitely the latter. Dubbed Da Triple Threat, this bloody starts with an Old Bay rim and is topped with a quarter pound of lump crabmeat, thick-cut bacon and five steamed shrimp. It’s serious meal of a drink.

Crabcake Factory USA, 120th Street and Coastal Highway, 410-250-4900, crabcakefactoryonline.com

Find another way to dig in the sand at Ocean City’s beach volleyball courts, located just off the boardwalk. Reserve a court by the hour for a fee or, if you’re especially serious, organize a daylong tournament. Then spike away!

Beach Volleyball Courts, between Third and 10th streets, 410-250-0125

Ghost tours offer “a chance to learn the stories of Ocean City in an entertaining way,” says Mindie Burgoyne, owner of Chesapeake Ghost Walks, which conducts a weekly ghost tour of historic Ocean City. “It’s storytelling at its best, and the history is very interesting,” she says. (The tour pictured here is not the one in Ocean City, but you get the idea)

Ocean City Ghost Walk, 443-735-0771, chesapeakeghostwalks.com

Explore your artistic side with a class at the Art League of Ocean City’s Center for the Arts. Classes include everything from pottery to jewelry-making and are appropriate for a wide range of skill levels. Kids can get in on the artsy action, too, with fun pottery and painting classes.

The Art League of Ocean City Center for the Arts, 502 94th St., 410-524-9433, artleagueofoceancity.org

Take in a show at the new Performing Arts Center at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center. This summer’s lineup includes a concert from hometown rockers The Ravyns and an August visit from the Misako Ballet Company, featuring a ballet based on a Japanese folk tale.

Roland E. Powell Convention Center, 4001 Coastal Highway, 410-289-2800, ocmdconventioncenter.com

It might be hot on the beach, but it’s cold inside the Carousel Hotel. Visit the hotel’s ice rink for some skating (skate rentals are available at the hotel) or to check out a free ice show. The professional ice shows take place every evening from June 15 through Aug. 25 (except July 7-8).

Carousel Hotel, 11700 Coastal Highway, 800-641-0011, carouselhotel.com

On Sunday evenings from mid-July through August, pack a picnic and head to Northside Park for Sundaes in the Park. The whole family can enjoy live, family-friendly entertainment, a great bayside sunset, nighttime fireworks and, for a small fee, make-your-own sundaes that will leave kids sticky, giggling and happy.

Northside Park, 125th St., 800-626-2326, ococean.com/events/sundaes-in-the-park

Perched on the bay near the Route 90 Bridge, Fager’s Island has a prime spot for viewing steamy summertime sunsets — and they make the most of that location. The bar and restaurant provides sundown with the soundtrack it deserves — Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” — imbuing the everyday occurrence with the kind of drama usually reserved for movies.

Fager’s Island, 201 60th St., 410-524-5500, fagers.com

From the make-your-own-sundae station to the stacks of fudge, Candy Kitchen is a sweet-lover’s paradise. Beachgoers especially shouldn’t leave town without a box of chewy, stringy saltwater taffy. Everybody has a favorite flavor; half the fun of plowing through a box comes from hiding your faves from the rest of your family.

Multiple locations, candykitchen.com

In 2014, Budget Travel named Berlin “America’s coolest small town.” “The whole town is pretty awesome,” says Burley Oak Brewing owner Bryan Brushmiller. He is especially a fan of the town’s restaurant scene, but the hamlet, a quick drive from Ocean City proper, is also home to great shopping, cute galleries and an annual bathtub parade.

berlinmd.gov

The White Marlin Open, which starts this year on Aug. 8, draws crowds and headlines, but Ocean City is a fisherman’s dream all year long, with tons of tournaments and opportunities to get out on the water and haul in dinner. Head to one of the town’s many marinas to charter a boat — then wait for the fish to start biting.

Multiple locations and dates

Bull on the Beach has been feeding O.C. locals and tourists meaty pit beef sandwiches since the summer of 1980; they’re every bit as popular today as they’ve ever been. Owner Phil Houck attributes that success to his staff’s friendly service and the quality of the sandwiches themselves. “We start with a very good product — the best top rounds we can buy,” he says.

Multiple locations, bullonthebeachoc.com

Frozen drinks taste better with reggae blasting and your backside planted in an inner tube. Lounge around all day listening to tunes and keeping your eyes peeled for beachy weddings, or head over at night, when the maze of an outdoor club starts to get wild.

Seacrets Bar & Restaurant, 117 W. 49th St., 410-524-4900, seacrets.com

The Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum “is a very special building that has a lot of the culture and history of the town,” says curator Sandra Hurley. The building, an old lifesaving station, tells all sorts of stories, from tales of shipwrecks and rescues to the history of how the boardwalk began.

813 S. Atlantic Ave., 410-289-4991, ocmuseum.org

No stroll down the boards is complete without a stop into Ocean Gallery, the jam-packed art gallery that has been an O.C. staple for decades. “We’re an icon of the boardwalk,” says owner Joe Kro-Art. Lucky visitors might just find themselves on film, too. “Ocean Gallery is globally famous,” says Kro-Art, rattling off TV shows and movies that have featured the spot.

Second Street and the boardwalk, 410-289-5300, oceangallery.com

At first glance, Anthony’s Liquors seems like a great place to stock up on beer, wine and booze for your week at the beach. But locals and experienced vacation-goers know the shop’s real strength is hidden in the deli case, where the fixings for its famous subs and sandwiches are stocked.

Anthony’s Liquors, Beer, Wine & Deli, 33rd Street and Coastal Highway, 410-289-7853, anthonysliquors.com

If Ocean City had a food mascot, it might be a Thrasher’s french fry. Hot, salty and doused in vinegar, their taste and scent are inextricably linked with beach vacations. Easton, Pa., resident Cherie Cincilla shares her fries with her family during evening walks down the boardwalk. “Usually, by the time we reach the bottom, we are finished. Luckily, there’s another Thrasher’s there for our walk back up the boards.”

Multiple locations, thrashersfries.com

Fish Tales’ adults-only swings let even the most grown-up adults feel like kids again. “Once you sit in them, you do not want to get out,” says front-of-house manager Julie Hemp. “They’re super fun and you have a cocktail waitress that comes to you, so you don’t have to get out at all.”

Fish Tales, 2207 Herring Way, 410-289-0990, ocfishtales.com

Dumser’s Dairyland has been part of the Ocean City landscape since 1939, so it’s no surprise the ice cream parlor and restaurant has earned fans from every generation. Dumser’s ice cream is made fresh daily. On any given vacation day, the biggest challenges you might face are whether to go for a shake or a cone, and what flavor to choose.

Dumser’s Dairyland, multiple locations, beach-net.com/dumsers

Everyone has an old favorite restaurant they like to visit every time they go to Ocean City. But with a surge of new restaurant openings, including spots like Ropewalk Ocean City and Hooked, there’s never been a better time to break out of your comfort zone and try something new.