Beyond the Boardwalk: Ocean City, Maryland

You'll never guess all of the treasures that can be found on this stretch of beach

The Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum is located at the southern end of the boardwalk and seeks to preserve the local cultural and natural history of this coastal area of Maryland. Ocean City Life-saving Station Museum

The name says it all: Ocean City. Vacationers from Maryland and Washington D.C. frequent this popular 10-mile stretch of the coast, although dealing with beachgoer traffic on the Bay Bridge is something of a hassle. That annual summer trek is made anyway because the three-mile boardwalk and ocean waters just lure you in on those hot, humid summer days.

The boardwalk has plenty of sights and sounds to fill the senses. This is especially true as you approach the Trimper Rides and Amusement Park. Located on the southern part of the boardwalk, it’s celebrating 130 years as one of the longest-operating amusement parks in America. A living museum, Trimper Rides has rides from bygone years. The founder, Daniel Trimper, purchased a 1902 carousel that’s still in use today and is claimed to be the oldest continuously operating carousel in the country. The Ferris wheel, haunted house, and balloon ride are but some of the rides that have withstood the test of time and the elements.

For a bit of maritime history, visit the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum. The station was built in 1891 to respond to distress from sea vessels and swimmers. It reopened its doors in 1978 as a museum that houses artifacts from its time as a life-saving station, as well as a collection of sand from various beaches and a mini-aquarium for the little ones. The boardwalk’s history is bottled in this time capsule of a building.

Although it’s tempting to stay put on the boardwalk, there are other nearby places to visit if you want to take a morning off or two.

Mystified by mermaids? Learn about the lore at the Mermaid Museum where they have paintings, a timeline of mermaid sightings, and even oddities such as a mermaid-shaped Cheeto. Courtesy of Alyssa Maloof

Berlin

About 10 miles west of Ocean City is the town of Berlin, Maryland. Smithsonian has named it one of the “20 Best Small Towns to Visit.” With a population of a little more than 5,000 residents, its size isn’t a deterrent to the amount of fun that can be had in this “cool” town.

Stretch out those sea legs for a stroll along its award-winning Main Street. Boasting 60 retail spots, including coffee shops, boutiques, restaurants, art galleries, and crafts stores, Berlin has been voted one of USA Today’s Best Towns for Shopping and was twice voted onto the Top 10 Great American Main Streets list. Established in the 1790s, the town boasts 47 structures in the National Register of Historic Places.

The fictional town of Hale where Maggie (Julia Roberts in “Runaway Bride”) comes from is actually set in Berlin, Md.’s Main Street. The Cinemaholic

Visit the park and playground dedicated to Stephen Decatur, a 19th-century naval hero, and learn about the Rev. Charles Albert Tindley, who composed the hymn “I'll Overcome Someday,” credited as the basis for the popular gospel song “We Shall Overcome.” Both Decatur and Tindley are native sons.

Movie buffs may recognize the streetscape from the 1999 movie “Runaway Bride” (starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere) and the 2002 Disney production of “Tuck Everlasting,” for which many scenes were shot in the downtown area.

If you’re into mermaid myth and folklore, a stop at what’s said to be the East Coast’s first Mermaid Museum is a must. It features anything and everything to do with these half-fish, half-women hybrids, which may just propel you to buy some mermaid tails at the museum store. Although you may feel like breaking out into Ariel’s signature song “Part of Your World” from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” the museum is geared toward the more classical depictions of these mystical creatures, so beware of “fish nudity.”

Sand sculptures on the beach in Ocean City, Md. Keri Delaney/Shutterstock

Assateague Island

If you prefer the more realistic version of creatures, then Assateague Island is the place to be. You can walk the trails or ride your bike on the paths. Watch out for the wild horses that roam its shores; visitors are advised to keep a 40-foot distance. For a better chance of catching sight of these magnificent creatures, camping overnight may be the way to go. Book way ahead of time or be on the lookout for cancellations if you want a choice campsite. This trip is worth planning ahead for.

Wild horses roam free on Assateague Island in Maryland. nathaniel gonzales/Shutterstock

Overlooking Assateague Bay is the historic Rackliffe House, which was constructed in 1740 by Capt. Charles Rackliffe, the son of one of the earliest English immigrants to the Maryland seaside. Costumed docents explain what life was like on this coastal plantation. It’s located a mere half mile from the Assateague Island Visitor Center, so it’s hard to miss.

Breakfast by the Beach

The Dough Roller has four locations in Ocean City. It specializes in pizza, which it advertises as award-winning. However, don’t discount its breakfast menu. It serves specialty items such as sausage rolled in buttermilk pancakes (think pigs in a blanket) and pancakes with mixed-in bacon, shredded coconut, and pecans, among other ingredients. It’s worth getting out of bed for.

The Dough Roller was opened by local Bill Gibbs and has been serving award-winning pizza for 23 years now. Courtesy of Lynn Topel

The beach weeks may be coming to an end sooner than we would like. But it’s the hope that many memories were made and that they'll last longer than a sand castle before being washed away by the tide.