Ocean City, New Jersey calls itself: “The World’s Greatest Family Resort.” With all of the shops along the Boardwalk, Castaway Cove, and beautiful beaches; the slogan is far from a stretch.
Approximately an hour and fifteen minutes drive from Philadelphia, OCNJ deserves a visit if you are in the area. Since there is an abundance of activities in Ocean City, here is your perfect 48-hour trip.
The best way to reach OCNJ is by car, and there is public parking located near the boardwalk. Be sure that when you find a public parking space, it is within walking distance to the beach of your choice.
9th and 10th Street beaches tend to be very crowded because of the 9th Street Bridge which is the most popular way to enter OCNJ. Quieter beaches rest along 24th Street and up, if you are looking for a less packed area to set up.
First, make sure you have a place that you will be staying overnight. Some popular hotels near the beach include: Scarborough Inn, The Flanders Hotel, the Port-O-Call Hotel, and Beach Club Hotel. All of these are located on or right off the boardwalk with waterfront views.
In order to prepare for your beach day, here are a few things to pack that are essential to making sure your trip runs as smoothly as possible. In your beach bag, bring sunscreen as the UV rays are brutal on the beach. Also, bring a book if you like to read, or headphones for music/podcast. You will also need a beach tag because OCNJ is a private beach. You can purchase daily tags for $5 at a beach tag store or buy the beach taggers waiting at the entrances of the beaches. You can also purchase them online at store.ocnj.us.
If you are on 20th Street beach and up, you may want to consider bringing your own food, as the boardwalk will be a bit of a further walk than 19th Street and down.
Sandwiches are the perfect go-to meal for the beach because they are quick and easy to make, not to mention easy to carry. If you are close to the boardwalk, there are many food options available, and you are sure to find something to satisfy your hunger. Also, bring a cooler. Drinks will help you stay hydrated as you sunbathe and swim in the water all day.
If you are more on the adventurous side, boogie-boarding is also popular on the Jersey shores, and the waves are perfect for it. Lastly, bring a towel and a beach chair so that you have something to rest on when tanning or relaxing.
After you spend your day on the water, head back to your room to shower and change for dinner. Whether you choose to go in town or on the boardwalk, OCNJ is full of places to eat.
Piccini Wood Fired Brick Oven Pizza is a popular Italian restaurant located on West Avenue. It serves classic Italian cuisine and seafood, if you are looking to experience OCNJ as much as possible.
Another option would be Clancy’s By The Sea for a nice sit-down meal. It serves anything from salads to burgers to seafood. This restaurant is located right on the boardwalk and provides beautiful views of the ocean, if you are seated outside.
Keep in mind that Ocean City is a dry beach, so if you are looking for a place with alcoholic drinks, head across the 9th Street Bridge to Somers Point or the 34th Street Bridge to Marmora. You can also head to another beach: Sea Isle City is about 25 minutes down the road
Your next day in OCNJ will be your boardwalk day, as there is much more to do than just eat on it.
When you wake up, if you are looking to get some exercise in, the boardwalk has designated paths for bikers to ride along if you want to check out all of the different shops and activities.
Stop for some breakfast at Bashful Banana, serving banana whips made from real bananas, along with many vegan and gluten-free treats.
Once you head back to your room, grab your wallet and get ready to spend your day on the boards. There are numerous stores: jewelry, souvenir’s, T-shirts, and more. Keep your eyes peeled for something you want, as you will be sure to find it on the boardwalk.
Along the way, stop at Congo Falls for a game of miniature golf. It is hard to miss, as there is music playing from a fake helicopter with two gorillas at entrance. The course is not too tricky and lots of fun.
After mini golf, you may want a snack before your next activity. The perfect boardwalk snack is fries, and you will find multiple places to get them, such as Jilly’s French Fry Factory and Chickie & Pete’s for its famous Crab Fries. Be careful, though, as the seagulls in OCNJ are always on the hunt for fallen Crab Fries.
If you are looking for another adventure on the boardwalk, stop at Castaway Cove for rides or OC Escape for escape rooms. There is also Gillian’s Wonderland for more kid-friendly rides. At Castaway Cove, you will have an adrenaline rush on the ferris wheel, the claw, or the famous Double Shot from which you can see miles away from the boardwalk.
At OC Escape, you can pick one of two escape rooms- Alien Encounter and Time Machine- both of which are 30 minutes each for 2-8 people. At this point, you will probably be getting hungry again.
Perhaps the most popular place on the boardwalk, Manco & Manco is the perfect restaurant to get some pizza for a quick meal. Locations include 9th Street & Boardwalk, 8th Street & Boardwalk, and 12th Street & Boardwalk.
After you are finished with dinner, ice cream is a must on the Ocean CIty Boardwalk. Kohr Bros. has delicious soft serve ice cream and TLC Polish Water Ice is the perfect frozen treat. If you choose to head off the boardwalk for dessert, Hobby Horse or Aunt Betty’s Ice Cream Shack make the perfect ice cream choice.
As your second night in OCNJ is coming to an end, be sure to gather your belongings so that you can check out of your hotel and enjoy breakfast before heading home.
For your classic breakfast, stop by Uncle Bill’s Pancake House. Here you will find not only pancakes, but waffles, eggs, breakfast sandwiches, and omelettes. It also serves a gluten-free pancake option. For a healthier breakfast, Starfish Cafe has tasty smoothies and smoothie bowls, as well as vegan and gluten-free options.
