Ocean City. New Jersey – Ocean City bills itself as America’s Greatest Family Resort. Just about everything in town is geared toward giving you and your family the best vacation experience possible.
The town is just full of family-friendly amusements and attractions, like arcades, miniature golf, go-karts, and a water park. And of course, there’s the beach. Ocean City offers eight miles of beautiful beaches, complete with lifeguards on duty for your safety. The beaches do require a beach badge; you’ll save money with a weekly pass instead of a daily pass. And if your stay in Ocean City will be more than two weeks long, go for a season pass and save even more.
Two of the eight miles of beach in Ocean City are lined with a boardwalk. Shops, restaurants, amusements, arcades, even a movie theater — you’ll find everything you need on the Ocean City boardwalk! And the summer calendar is full of fun events like freckle contests, a hermit crab beauty pageant, and more. If you need some time off the beach, Ocean City has seven different playgrounds for the kids to explore.
Don’t miss the Discovery Seashell Museum on Asbury Avenue. You’ll see thousands of rare and lovely shells. If that’s not enough, you can take a guided Ocean City Beachwalk and learn to identify the shells that wash up onto the beach. For some local history, visit the Ocean City Historical Museum on Simpson Avenue. Ocean City also has its own Arts Center — offering tons of summer activities for all ages — and a Pops Orchestra. The Orchestra performs weekly throughout the summer on the Music Pier. Keep your eye on that Music Pier — it plays hosts to parades, shows, craft and art fairs, and much more throughout the year.
For older kids and the stouthearted, try a spooky candlelight ghost tour! Learn the folklore of Ocean City, and find out what ghosts may lurk on the beaches or just offshore… and do you dare venture into the Pine Barrens in search of the Jersey Devil? Test your nerves with a walking tour of Ocean City.
You won’t find a lack of shopping in Ocean City. Just walk down Asbury Avenue and you’ll be sure to find a shop or two (or ten) that will catch your eye! Antiques, art, souvenirs, surf shops, candy shops, and much more. And don’t miss the weekly Farmers Market, every Wednesday from 8am until 1pm at the Tabernacle Grounds.
One thing you might not find in Ocean City is much of a nightlife. If you’re not interested in an evening on under the lights on the boardwalk you may have to drive twenty minutes to Atlantic City for more grownup entertainment.
If you’re planning a fun family getaway, you can’t beat Ocean City! The beaches won’t be too crowded (and are well guarded), the boardwalk is full of rides and games, and there are plenty of places to eat and shop. You have a lot of options when it comes to accommodations, too — plenty of hotels and motels or historic bed and breakfasts.