Maryland's Ocean City Boardwalk
What is it - For generations, families have flocked to beach destinations featuring wooden boardwalks along the east coast of the United States. Coney Island and Atlantic City were the rage for years and many baby boomers grew up spending their summers visiting or working at places like Wildwood, New Jersey, or Virginia Beach. Boardwalk-based attractions now line beaches from Maine to Florida, and from the shorelines of Texas to the California coast.
Ocean City is a small city on Maryland's Eastern Shore with a year-round population of about 7,500 people. However, it boasts ten thousand hotel rooms and attracts more than seven million visitors throughout the year, especially families and retirees. The boardwalk is one of the city’s core attractions and has been critical to the community's reputation as a family destination for more than 100 years.
Like many boardwalks, the one at Ocean City runs parallel to the ocean only a few blocks from the main coastal highway of Route 1. Constructed from wood planks, the boardwalk is approximately forty feet wide at most places and runs from the inlet at the southern end of Ocean City all the way to 32nd Street. This three-mile stretch is bordered by dozens of hotels, attractions, amusements, stores, bars, and restaurants. Most establishments open on weekends during the spring and all week long during the season.
Activities at the Boardwalk - A distinguishing feature of Ocean City's boardwalk is the breadth of the activities available there. Here are just a few:
The Beach - The clean beach at Ocean City is wide and long with golden sand and plenty of room for people to sunbath, swim, play volleyball, parasail, fly kites or enjoy the day. The water temperature remains at or above 70 degrees for four to five months each season. The waves are gentle enough for children and the elderly to enjoy while still providing a place that surfers and wave boarders can enjoy. A cavalry of over 200 lifeguards patrols the beach and carry on a tradition that dates back over a century. The small but interesting Ocean City Life Saving Station Museum located at the beginning of the boardwalk chronicles the activities of prior members who watched out for mariners in distress and served as the forerunners for today's boardwalk beach patrol.
Attractions and Amusements - There are two large amusement parks on the boardwalk. Trimper's Amusements, located along the inlet, boasts a huge roller coaster and a famous carousel which has been operating on site or over a hundred years. The Jolly Roger amusement park located on the old pier also features over a dozen large rides and children's rides. Between the two attractions, kids and adults who enjoy roller coasters, Ferris wheels, bumper cars, and various other thrills will have plenty of rides to enjoy. Other establishments along the boardwalk present entertainment ranging from a haunted house to a virtual reality ride and carnival contests.
Food - Food is never far from reach at any point along the boardwalk. In addition to a variety of restaurants offering burgers, crab cakes and local brews, there are many places which focus on one specialty. Everyone has their own opinion as to which places are truly worthy, but some of the best-known establishments are Thrashers for French fries, Dumser’s Dairyland for ice cream and milk shakes, Dolle's Candyland for candy, and Fisher's for popcorn.
Shops - There is also no shortage of shops at the boardwalk. Most of them focus on low-cost t-shirts, hats, and footwear, but some offer interesting goods not always easy to find like a surf shop and a kite store. For people who enjoy browsing the air-conditioned shops are a pleasant respite from the sun.
Events - Instead of just relying on the beach and the boardwalk to provide entertainment, the community has organized many different types of events to enhance the Ocean City experience. In addition to occasional fireworks displays, musical drone shows are offered near the old pier on Thursday nights and family movies are shown on the beach on Fridays and Mondays. Events such as road races, bike races, a skate bash, and car shows attract people of all ages to the boardwalk.
Interesting Facts - The boardwalk is just one of the attractions available at Ocean City. There is a convention center and a 1200 seat performing arts center at 41st Street, which are used for conferences, trade shows and live performances. There are also several popular venues that attract party goers from around the region. Seacrets is a casual waterfront spot located on Isle of Wight Bay at 49th Street with Caribbean inspired food and tropical drinks. Patrons can sit at tables in the water or hang out on the deck during the day and party on several dance floors with DJs at night. Fager's Island is another venue on Isle of Wight Bay at 60th Street known for several restaurants, an adjoining nightclub with live bands on stage, and sunset views from a gazebo pier.
When to Go - Ocean City generally has warm weather with temperatures above 70 degrees from mid-May to Mid-October with only five or six rainy days each month. So, while the crowds are larger during the three summer months, pleasant weather can still be found in late spring and early fall to enjoy the beach and the attractions of the boardwalk on weekends. The water temperature generally does not hit 70 degrees until late May but remains there until October some years. The many new attractions and events being held in the city are helping extend the season into the fall as well.
How to Get Here - Ocean City is roughly 2.5-to-3-hours away from the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. metro areas depending on traffic and the timing of your visit. With no major commercial airports or rail systems on Maryland's eastern shore, the closest access point for domestic air service and Amtrak service is two hours away in Wilmington, Delaware. Given these distances, most visitors drive here on Route 1 from the north or by Route 50 across the Bay Bridge from the west.