Ocean City, NJ: America’s Greatest Family Resort

Ocean city is an 8 mile long island off of the middle of New Jersey’s coastline. It was developed in the mid-19th century by 4 Methodist ministers. Their main wish was for the island to remain a pure retreat, so Ocean City still to this day is a dry town. Visitors and residents alike appreciate this law that sets the island apart for other Jersey Shore locations, and makes it idyllic for a family getaway.

While Ocean City is a popular destination for day trippers, especially Philadelphians looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, there is no shortage of accommodations on the Island available to visitors travelling from all over the country and even internationally. Hotels and motels range from the luxurious Flanders Hotel, which offers beautiful suites and a range of amenities, to your typical seaside motel that is perfect for a place to sleep and wash the salt out of your hair after a long day at the beach. However, the most popular form of accommodations on the island are condos available for short term rental. Available in a range of sizes, from studios to 4 bedrooms, there is a perfect fit for every size family.

Once your cross the Route 52 causeway and arrive on the island, the first thing you need to figure out is where to park your beach chair. The island offers 8 miles of ocean front beaches! The beaches from 6th to 14th street are adjacent to the boardwalk, and while they tend to be busier, offer the convenience of plenty of clean bathrooms and a place for a mid-day break to grab a slice of pizza or an ice cream cone. 7th street and 16th street beaches are surfing beach, so no swimming is allowed. 7th street beach is actually our favorite beach, we are not huge swimmers and the lifeguards usually don’t mind if the kids just splash in the surf. The surfing beaches tend to be less busy, and we just love spending the day watching the surfers ride the waves. When we aren’t at 7th street, you can find us at 12th street which is right next to some of our favorite restaurants on the boardwalk. Like most NJ beaches, beach tags are required for all beachgoers ages 12 and older and are in effect from early June to Labor Day weekend. Seasonal tags cost $20-$25 depending on how early in the season you get them. Weekly ($10) and daily ($5) tags are available for purchase during the season. Free seasonal tags are available to veterans and active military members. For military families, spouses and immediate children up to age 23 also are eligible to receive free tags. One thing to note is almost all rental condos include 4-8 seasonal beach tags for renters to use. Beaches are guarded from 10:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. weekends and holidays and from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. What we love about going to the beach at Ocean City is between all the guards and families there’s someone always looking out for little ones playing in the surf so we always feel super safe even in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.

Whenever you need a break from the beach or after you’ve had your fill of sun and sand, the boardwalk at Ocean City offers lots of dining, shopping, and entertainment options. The Jersey shore boardwalks are not known for fine dining or exotic cuisine, but what they do, they do well! Iconic boardwalk fare includes pizza, fries, ice cream, and candy. For pizza, while Manco and Manco is the crowd favorite and can be found in multiple locations along the boardwalk, our family favors the underdog, Preps Pizzeria & Dairy Bar. Prep’s always has Philadelphia sports team games playing in the dining room, and my husband, being the diehard Phillies fan he is, appreciates being able to watch his favorite team while we have our dinner. Also, the pizza and hand-spun milkshakes are exceptional. My daughter being the fry connoisseur that she is, insists on a bucket of Curly’s fries during every visit. To me there is no such thing as a bad boardwalk fry, but be watch out, if you ask for ketchup we will know you are out-of-towners, us locals know the only accompaniments to boardwalk fries are malt vinegar and salt. For ice cream there is no shortage of options, but as a true Jersey Girl, I will always go for soft serve from Kohr’s. No matter what the calendar says, summer hasn’t started until I have had a Kohr’s signature orange and vanilla swirl with chocolate jimmies. For those who prefer hand-dipped ice cream, George’s offers over 40 flavors and even includes sugar free and vegan options! The Ocean City boardwalk also offers all the chains you may know and love from your home town like Rita’s, Polish Ice, or Ben & Jerry’s. It even has an Aloha Soft Serve so you can get a dole whip in 4 flavors and get a little taste of Disney at the shore. Candy is also a popular option on the Jersey shore, not only for dessert, but for a souvenir to bring home so you can have a little taste of the shore after your vacation has ended. Salt water taffy is super popular at Ocean City, since it was invented just up the road in Atlantic City, and those looking for the best on the island can get it at Shriver’s. Even though Shriver’s has fudge too, we prefer the fudge at The Fudge Kitchen, but we will never say no to a free sample from either location! For those looking for breakfast options there are 4 main places to get your donuts on the island. You’ll just need to decide if you want to go with the old school apple cider donuts at Oves or Browns (both of which have been on the island for over 40 years) or if you want to try the new kids on the block that serve all sorts of exciting combinations and flavors at Fractured Prune or Drip N Scoop. We do not discriminate in this family, and my husband has never met a donut he didn’t like.

The best shopping on the island is in the downtown area, on Asbury Avenue. There you can find anything from a vintage book store, to ritzy clothing boutiques, to an old school Five and Ten. Our favorite rainy day activity is the walk up and down the avenue and get a head start on our Christmas shopping. While there is some shopping on the boardwalk, most of it is your traditional t-shirt shops where you can find souvenirs and beach gear. Those who are in the mood for some serious shopping can head up to Atlantic City which is the beach location just north of Ocean City and is less than a half hour drive away. The Tanger outlets at Atlantic City have over 100 stores that can satisfy any shopper’s needs.

The Ocean City boardwalk is also home to enough entertainment to keep the whole family busy and happy for your entire vacation. On the 2 mile long boardwalk you can find multiple arcades, Virtual Experiences, Escape the Room, Mini golf, a Waterpark and 2 amusement park areas. Jilly’s Arcade which is open all year round, is our favorite arcade on the island, and my husband has many fond memories spending all of his allowance there as a preteen. Mini golf is another must for our family. When the kids were young, Tee-Time golf was the perfect place for them, this easy course is great for little ones looking to build their putt-putt skills. The 2 go-to locations for families of all ages and skill levels are Congo Falls Adventure Golf and Pirates of the Golden Galleon Golf. While we appreciate the antics of the gorillas stuck in a helicopter at Congo Falls we like the course at Pirates a bit more. On a rainy day, Haunted Golf, which can also be found on the boardwalk, is perfect since it’s entirely indoors, but it might not be ideal for little ones with its spooky theming. OC Waterpark is a perfect escape on a hot and steamy summer day. While not the biggest waterpark, it has several slides, a kids play area, and lazy river that is perfect to cool you off when you need a little time away from the hot sand. Of course no vacation at the Jersey Shore will be complete without rides. Families with little ones will appreciate Gillian’s Wonderland, which offers over 20 rides, with plenty of family friendly options. While thrill seekers will love the rides at Playland’s Castaway Cove. Both amusement park areas have lots of fun options for everyone.

Ocean City, being a dry town, doesn’t offer too much of a nightlife. You can catch a show at the Music Pier which hosts a variety of entertainers from stand-up comedy to Broadway style musicals. The most popular shows at the Music Pier are the OC Pops concerts. However, if a night of cocktails and dancing is what you are after, don’t forget that Atlantic City is only a 30 min drive away. So leave those kids with grandma and grandpa and grab your dancing shoes and head up to Atlantic City, the Vegas of the east coast!

In addition to the great beaches, and wholesome family entertainment Ocean City NJ hosts a slew of events all year long that bring visitors from far and wide. In the fall, the hot rods and airshow come to town and are not to miss! In the winter Santa visits the beach and you can ring in the New Year at the big party called the First Day at the beach. Being a coastal town the most events are in the summer, you can find races, including the pamper scamper (the oldest baby crawling race), parades, craft shows and of course the popular Night in Venice. Night in Venice is a long standing tradition in Ocean City, and includes a boat parade, Bayfront house decorating contest and a pageant. The night is topped off with a spectacular fireworks show.

With wonderful beaches, tasty boardwalk fare, and lots of family friendly events and entertainment is no wonder that Ocean City, NJ has earned the title America’s Greatest Family Resort!