Things to do in Ocean City, Maryland

Ocean City sits on Maryland's Atlantic coast, and it is worth naming precisely because several other US towns share the name, including one in New Jersey. This is the developed beach resort: a three-mile boardwalk lined with amusement rides, arcades, fudge shops, mid-rise hotels and seafood restaurants, not a nature destination.

Assateague's wild ponies and marshes are a separate excursion just south, on the other side of the resort's atmosphere entirely. C. 5 hours of driving, the longest trip in this guide, and there is no train or Metro option, so a car is mandatory. Given the distance, most visitors plan at least one overnight rather than a day trip.