Ocean City, Maryland, is one of the most popular resort towns in the area. It has a busy boardwalk, an eight mile (13 kilometre) long beach and a wide range of family activities, including amusement parks and an ice-skating rink.
Wander along the three-mile (4.8-kilometre) boardwalk and take in the view. Visit one of the amusement parks for a roller coaster ride, water slides and a range of games and shops.
Car lovers will want to explore Wheels of Yesterday, a classic car museum that is home to vintage cars such as a shiny gold 1960 Studebaker Hawk. For a different kind of museum experience, head over to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum and be wowed by all kinds of unusual exhibits. Not far from this “odditorium,” you can take a dizzying look through Ripley’s Mirror Maze. At Carousel Resort, there’s an ice-skating rink open to the public year-round.
Once you’ve finished with all the activities on the boardwalk, head to the beach, which is well maintained and patrolled by lifeguards. Beach tags are required during summer for children aged 12 and over and can be purchased from beach-tag inspectors.
Stroll along the beach and watch the waves roll in. If you get hungry or want to pick up a souvenir, duck into one of the many shops and restaurants along the way.
For something a little more adventurous, organise surfing lessons or go scuba diving. Fishing enthusiasts can jump aboard a charter boat and try their luck. Ocean City is known for its excellent marlin, tuna and wahoo fishing.
Learn about some of the local history at the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum, located at the south end of the boardwalk. This museum has exhibits on storms, sea life and life-saving, and displays old-style equipment used to rescue people from shipwrecks.
Ocean City has much to offer, from clean beaches to lots of arcade fun.