Mark’s Score 8.1
I hear many negative comments (by locals) about Ocean City. It has been ruined by over development. It is too crowded in summer. It is too expensive to live there. There are better beaches. It is too honky tonk and run down. There is a bit of truth to all of these statements. But I am not an Ocean City detractor. In fact, I like and appreciate Ocean City. I like the honky tonk feel of downtown. I like the bit of Miami Beach uptown. I like the setting between the bay and ocean. I do tend to avoid it in the summer months. But from the end of September until early May it belongs to the locals, and I take advantage of the quiet time.
Ocean City, by Maryland standards, has a very short history. The first house was not built until 1869 when Isaac Coffin built the first beach-front cottage. The Atlantic Hotel was the first major resort to be constructed, it opened on July 4, 1875. Tourist had to arrive by ferry until 1881 when a railroad line crossed the Sinepuxent Bay from Berlin. The inlet, at the tip of the island was made by a hurricane in 1933. In the end, the destruction caused by the hurricane was fortuitous because the opening of the inlet turned Ocean City into a working fishing harbor, offering convenient access to the fishing banks directly off the Maryland coast. The construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in 1952 precipitated a building boom in Ocean City, making it one of the largest vacation areas on the east Coast.
My reaction to Ocean City was the same as my reaction to Los Angeles. On the first visit, I frankly did not like either city. A perfunctory visit does not do justice to either city. Both cities require work and investigation. The more time I spent in both cities, the more I came to enjoy their charms.
I walk everywhere, truth be told, Ocean City is not made for walkers. Like L.A., to really explore Ocean City, you need a car. It may only be a few blocks wide but it stretches for hundreds of blocks north to south. Ocean City’s charms will not be found in its grand boulevards and stately neighborhoods. But Ocean City is full of charming little spots in, what on first glance, appears to be a sea of mediocrity. Ocean City makes you work for her charms. But if you take the time, put in the work, you will find many reasons to fall in love with Ocean City. First of all, the natural setting is spectacular. I love approaching Ocean City on Rte 90. When that vista of high rises appears across the bay I am filled with excited anticipation. Because Ocean City is full of great places to eat, fun things to do, and impressive art venues. I enjoy the its haut cuisine restaurants. I love to walk its boardwalk. It has a great nightlife scene. I even like the honky tonk of the miniature golf courses, video arcades, and carnival rides.
In the end, Ocean City is an authentic beach town offering sun, sand, bright lights, food, and family fun. And isn’t that exactly what you should find in a beach resort?
Places rated in or near Ocean City
| Review Date | Place | Category | Score |
| 2025 Jan | Liquid Assets | Wine Store | 9.63 |
| 2024 Dec | Shark | Restaurant | 9.62 |
| 2025 Apr | Spain Wine Bar | Restaurant | 9.08 |
| 2025 Jan | Liquid Assets | Restaurant | 9.04 |
| 2025 Jan | Ocean City Center for the Arts | Art Gallery | 9.03 |
| 2025 Feb | Ripieno’s | Restaurant/Pizza | 9.04 |
Places reviewed in or near Ocean City
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