Ocean City travel guide
Ocean City Tourism | Ocean City Guide
You're Going to Love Ocean City
Ocean City, Maryland is a very popular summer resort area due to its many amusement parks, water parks, nature parks, and busy boardwalk activities along the 10-mile beachfront.
Top 5 Reasons to Visit Ocean City
1. Ocean City Boardwalk
The main attraction of the town lies on the central boardwalk with many museums, restaurants, bars, and street performances.
2. Jolly Roger Amusement Park
Spend a day in this amusement park/water park with pay-as-you-go games and a historic train ride available for visitors.
3. Ocean Downs
This small local casino offers horse racing simulations, slot machines, and a restaurant.
4. Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum
Visit this strange museum of odd paraphernalia, including shrunken human heads and animal skeletons.
5. Fenwick Island Lighthouse
Located just over the state line in Delaware, this lighthouse is located within a larger state park that features many beaches, restaurants, and shopping opportunities.
What to do in Ocean City
1. Ocean City Boardwalk: Fun Under the Sun
Dating back to 1902, the Ocean City Boardwalk was named by The Travel Channel as America's Best Boardwalk. Featuring three miles of shops, restaurants, entertainment, nightlife and accommodations, tourists can choose to walk the length of the footpath or rent a bike. An ideal family destination, the boardwalk includes arcades, a Ferris wheel, a roller coaster and a spectacular 1902 carousel. The boardwalk also serves a number of local food favorites, including crab cakes, fried chicken and smoky pit beef.
2. Ocean City Beach: Kick Off Your Sandals and Relax
Stretching along 10 sandy miles, Ocean City Beach offers a variety of leisure options, including swimming, sunbathing, surfing and fishing. The beach also hosts nightly concerts and movies during the summer. Free to the public all year round, the beach is available for horseback riding in the winter and early spring. The beach is a favorite among surfers and boogie boarders looking to catch a wave along the Maryland coast.
3. Trimper's Rides: Hold onto Your Hats!
Founded in 1893, Trimper's Rides is a celebrated amusement park on the Ocean City Boardwalk that features a year-round Haunted House as well as three outdoor areas. Favorite rides include the WWI Flyer Airplanes, the Big Dodgem Bumper Cars, the Water Boats (which circle the park's fishing village), The Freakout, a pendulum thrill ride, the Whip (a favorite among thrill-seekers), Aladdin's Lamp, a funhouse with trick doors and moving bridges and the Castle, where visitors aim to reach the tower and slide to the ground.
4. Assateague State Park: Get to Experience Island Life
Located on the ocean, Assateague State Park on Assateague Island features two miles of beaches for swimming, beachcombing, sunning, surfing and fishing. There's also Rackliffe House overlooking Sinepuxent Bay: an 18th century coastal plantation building housing the Coastal Maryland Heritage Center. Explore the bayside hidden coves by canoe or kayak or discover the deer, waterfowl and feral horses in the marshes. The park also provides a campground with 350 sites.
5. Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum: Take the chance to explore the High Seas
Built in 1891, the Ocean City Life-Saving Station -- situated on the boardwalk -- is a museum that displays exhibits on notorious storms, colorful sea life and harrowing life-saving expeditions in Ocean City. The museum also showcases beach artifacts, shipwreck treasures, mermaids and hundreds of sand samples from around the globe as well as dollhouses depicting local landmarks and tanks housing marine life.
1. Ocean City Boardwalk: Fun Under the Sun
Dating back to 1902, the Ocean City Boardwalk was named by The Travel Channel as America's Best Boardwalk. Featuring three miles of shops, restaurants, entertainment, nightlife and accommodations, tourists can choose to walk the length of the footpath or rent a bike. An ideal family destination, the boardwalk includes arcades, a Ferris wheel, a roller coaster and a spectacular 1902 carousel. The boardwalk also serves a number of local food favorites, including crab cakes, fried chicken and smoky pit beef.
2. Ocean City Beach: Kick Off Your Sandals and Relax
Stretching along 10 sandy miles, Ocean City Beach offers a variety of leisure options, including swimming, sunbathing, surfing and fishing. The beach also hosts nightly concerts and movies during the summer. Free to the public all year round, the beach is available for horseback riding in the winter and early spring. The beach is a favorite among surfers and boogie boarders looking to catch a wave along the Maryland coast.
3. Trimper's Rides: Hold onto Your Hats!
Founded in 1893, Trimper's Rides is a celebrated amusement park on the Ocean City Boardwalk that features a year-round Haunted House as well as three outdoor areas. Favorite rides include the WWI Flyer Airplanes, the Big Dodgem Bumper Cars, the Water Boats (which circle the park's fishing village), The Freakout, a pendulum thrill ride, the Whip (a favorite among thrill-seekers), Aladdin's Lamp, a funhouse with trick doors and moving bridges and the Castle, where visitors aim to reach the tower and slide to the ground.
4. Assateague State Park: Get to Experience Island Life
Located on the ocean, Assateague State Park on Assateague Island features two miles of beaches for swimming, beachcombing, sunning, surfing and fishing. There's also Rackliffe House overlooking Sinepuxent Bay: an 18th century coastal plantation building housing the Coastal Maryland Heritage Center. Explore the bayside hidden coves by canoe or kayak or discover the deer, waterfowl and feral horses in the marshes. The park also provides a campground with 350 sites.
5. Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum: Take the chance to explore the High Seas
Built in 1891, the Ocean City Life-Saving Station -- situated on the boardwalk -- is a museum that displays exhibits on notorious storms, colorful sea life and harrowing life-saving expeditions in Ocean City. The museum also showcases beach artifacts, shipwreck treasures, mermaids and hundreds of sand samples from around the globe as well as dollhouses depicting local landmarks and tanks housing marine life.
1. Ocean City Boardwalk: Fun Under the Sun
Dating back to 1902, the Ocean City Boardwalk was named by The Travel Channel as America's Best Boardwalk. Featuring three miles of shops, restaurants, entertainment, nightlife and accommodations, tourists can choose to walk the length of the footpath or rent a bike. An ideal family destination, the boardwalk includes arcades, a Ferris wheel, a roller coaster and a spectacular 1902 carousel. The boardwalk also serves a number of local food favorites, including crab cakes, fried chicken and smoky pit beef.
2. Ocean City Beach: Kick Off Your Sandals and Relax
Stretching along 10 sandy miles, Ocean City Beach offers a variety of leisure options, including swimming, sunbathing, surfing and fishing. The beach also hosts nightly concerts and movies during the summer. Free to the public all year round, the beach is available for horseback riding in the winter and early spring. The beach is a favorite among surfers and boogie boarders looking to catch a wave along the Maryland coast.
3. Trimper's Rides: Hold onto Your Hats!
Founded in 1893, Trimper's Rides is a celebrated amusement park on the Ocean City Boardwalk that features a year-round Haunted House as well as three outdoor areas. Favorite rides include the WWI Flyer Airplanes, the Big Dodgem Bumper Cars, the Water Boats (which circle the park's fishing village), The Freakout, a pendulum thrill ride, the Whip (a favorite among thrill-seekers), Aladdin's Lamp, a funhouse with trick doors and moving bridges and the Castle, where visitors aim to reach the tower and slide to the ground.
4. Assateague State Park: Get to Experience Island Life
Located on the ocean, Assateague State Park on Assateague Island features two miles of beaches for swimming, beachcombing, sunning, surfing and fishing. There's also Rackliffe House overlooking Sinepuxent Bay: an 18th century coastal plantation building housing the Coastal Maryland Heritage Center. Explore the bayside hidden coves by canoe or kayak or discover the deer, waterfowl and feral horses in the marshes. The park also provides a campground with 350 sites.
Where to Eat in Ocean City
BJ's on the Water offers freshly caught seafood and a revolving events schedule, including duck feedings and canoe races in the summer. A meal for two costs $40.
When to visit Ocean City
The best time to visit is between June and September when the city comes alive with its many beach sport activities, concerts, and other seasonal cultural events.
How to Get to Ocean City
Plane
Ocean City Municipal Airport (OCE) is located five miles outside of downtown, serving regional domestic flights. Most visitors will then transfer by taxi or private rental car to Ocean City.
Train
Amtrak offers connections to Maryland from neighboring states such as Delaware and Pennsylvania. A one-way ticket from Washington D.C. to Ocean City costs $140 and takes 9.5 hours.
Car
Follow the US-113 N and DE-1 N Highways from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to make the journey to Ocean City in three hours.
Bus
MegaBus and Greyhound offer routes to Ocean City from various East Coast destinations. A one-way ticket from Washington D.C. to Ocean City costs $25 and takes 5.5 hours.
Airlines serving Ocean City
Where to stay in Ocean City
Ocean City Beachfront - most tourists stay around this waterfront area for its swimming opportunities, outdoor events, and many food and lodging options.
Popular Neighborhoods in Ocean City
Fenwick Island - located just a 20-minute drive across the border in Delaware, this park offers many more beach, hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor sports opportunities.
Assateague Island - this park is located just a 15-minute drive away from Ocean City and is famous for its wild pony population.
Where to stay in popular areas of Ocean City
Most booked hotels in Ocean City
How to Get Around Ocean City
Public Transportation
The Ocean City Municipal Bus covers routes to all corners of the town. A day pass costs $3.
Taxi
Taxi fares start at $2.60 and will total around $10 for a trip between major Ocean City attractions.
Car
Enterprise and Xpress Rent-A-Car offer daily rental vehicles starting at $60 a day.
The Cost of Living in Ocean City
Shopping Streets
The boardwalk and oceanfront strip offer a variety of small stores where you can buy souvenirs and beach-related items for your stay. Tanger Outlets Ocean City is the largest shopping mall in the area with indoor stalls and international brands.
Groceries and Other
Food Lion and Acme Market are the two largest grocery stores. A dozen eggs costs $3.