Looking for a fun and family-friendly destination this summer? There are only a handful of places as amazing as Ocean City in New Jersey. Renowned as America’s greatest family resort, there is a lot to do, experience, and see here. The Boardwalk is the main hubbub of activity. You can find everything here, from amusement parks and restaurants to themed entertainment and arcades open all year round. Down at the beach, you can sunbathe, build sandcastles, and even learn how to surf in some parts of the coastline. Opportunities for outdoor recreation also come in a wide variety. You can check out scenic state parks, wildlife refuges, and go kayaking along the bays and marshes. To give you a brief idea of all the wonderful things that await you, here is a list of things to do in Ocean City, New Jersey.
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1. Join the fun at Gillian's Wonderland Pier
Gillian’s Wonderland Pier has been providing family-friendly fun in Ocean City since 1929, making it a classic Jersey destination. There are a variety of rides to choose from. Indoors, you can always ride the classic carousel with its white steeds and chariot (this has been around since 1926). If you want more momentum, the Balloon Race and the Jumbo ride will take you and the kids soaring. Budding NASCAR drivers can try out the Speedway Whip. Out in the lower deck, there’s more of an adrenaline rush to be had. The Canyon Falls Log Flume can be a heart-stopper, and the Moby Dick is as thrilling as it looks. There’s also the Drop Tower, which will take riders all the way up then suddenly drop them. These are just a couple of the rides at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier.
Gillian's Wonderland Pier
Address: 601 Boardwalk, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Website: Gillian’s Wonderland Pier
Opening hours: 1pm - 11pm (daily)
Price: Passes start at 1 USD
2. Enjoy the coast at Corson's Inlet State Park
The government created Corson’s Inlet State Park in 1969 in order to preserve at least a stretch of New Jersey’s untamed oceanfront. Today, it’s a popular spot for picnics, hiking, sunbathing, and, on the water, fishing (permits required) and crabbing. Bird watchers also flock to the state park for a chance to see some of the birds that stop by during the great migration. Because Corson’s Inlet State Park is an important breeding and nesting ground for certain species of shorebirds, bringing a pet here is sometimes prohibited.
Corson's Inlet State Park
Address: County Hwy 619, Ocean City, NJ 08214, USA
Website: Corson’s Inlet State Park
Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)
Price: Free
3. Try all the slides at OC Waterpark
If you’re not a big fan of wading into the ocean, you can cool off at OC Waterpark in Ocean City. They have a number of attractions which can help you relax or pump up your heartbeat, depending on your preference. For lazy days, you can lounge on a life preserver and float on a leisurely pace at the Lazy River. If you want a more exciting entrance before your rest, get a tube and slide down the Sky Pond Journey. For more daring swimmers, Splashdown offers a steep slide that will get you to create a big splash. The king of the slides at OC Waterpark, however, is the Serpentine, which is also rumored to be one of the best full-body water slides in the East Coast. On land, you can try and scale the climbing wall at the OC Adventure Peak or jump as high as you can at the OC Air Jumpers. There’s also a mini-golf platform and Lil Buc’s Bay, designed specifically for the kids.
OC Waterpark
Address: 728 Boardwalk, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Website: OC Waterpark
Opening hours: 9:30am - 5pm (June to August)
Price: Passes start at 20 USD
4. Learn about the city's history at Ocean City Historical Museum
Ready for an immersive and interactive history lesson focusing on Ocean City? Then it’s time to head to the Ocean City Historical Museum. It has everything you need to know about the locale, from the story of the city’s founding to the developments during the contemporary era. You can walk through the entire facility and find objects, some of which date back to the late 19th century, from shipwreck finds to other historical pieces. The permanent collections here include the story of Ocean City’s early years, how the city’s Boardwalk came to be, and an exhibition dedicated to Grace Kelly (she used to spend her summers in Ocean City as a child). There is also a gallery dedicated to the Sindia and her artifacts. It set sail for New York City from Kobe in Japan but unfortunately sunk near the shores of Ocean City in 1901.
Ocean City Historical Museum
Address: 1735 Simpson Ave # 3, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Website: Ocean City Historical Museum
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 10am - 4pm (closed on Sun)
Price: Free
5. Beat the high scores at Jilly's Arcade
Ask an Ocean City local if they have ever spent some of their childhood years playing at JiLLy’s Arcade and they’ll probably say yes. That’s how embedded this entertainment zone is to the local culture. In fact, JiLLy’s neon lights and arcade sounds have been around since 1976. When you think about it, there are at least two to three generations that played here. How amazing is that? JiLLy’s Arcade in Ocean City is located along the boardwalk so it’s hard to miss. Inside, you can try to beat all the high scores or do a great job in the undertaking. Watching all the people play is a fun activity as well. You can take a break and get some ice cream, eat some of JiLLy’s French fries, and purchase a gift or two while you’re here.
JiLLy's Arcade
Address: 1168 Boardwalk, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Website: JiLLy’s Arcade
Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 9am - 11pm; Fri - Sun: 9am - 12am
Price: Fun cards start at 10 USD
6. Admire different shells at Discovery Seashell Museum
How many seashells can one collect over the years? Apparently over 1,000 different kinds! At least that’s the case with the Discovery Seashell Museum, one of the must-visit and highly underrated attractions in Ocean City. Established about 40 years ago, the museum is a small, unassuming house filled with wonders inside. The walls are covered with floor-to-ceiling shelves which house a wide variety of seashells, corals, and dried sea life collected from all over the world, all properly tagged and identified. Aside from shells, the Discovery Seashell Museum also has a fossil case, where you can find specimens approximately a million years old (and maybe even more!) You can take a shell or two back home with you, along with other knick-knacks at the gift shop, so you can start your very own collection.
Discovery Seashell Museum
Address: 2721 Asbury Ave, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Website: Discovery Seashell Museum
Opening hours: 10am - 5pm (daily)
Price: Free
7. Bring your dog to Ocean City Dog Park
If you’re on a road trip with your furry best friends, stop at Ocean City Dog Park and let them roam free to make friends with the local dogs. It’s a fenced-in recreation area with a sandy soil ground cover, a shared pavilion with picnic tables, water fountains to keep you and your dogs hydrated, some play equipment, and other must-haves, such as disposable bags and poop scoops, just in case you forgot your dog’s! There are three separate areas to ensure some peaceful fun: one for large dogs, one for smaller pups, and a mixed area free for all sizes.
Ocean City Dog Park
Address: 45th St & Haven Ave, Ocean City, NJ 08226, United States
Website: Ocean City Dog Park
Opening hours: 8am - 8pm (daily)
Price: 10 USD weekly (visitors); 40 USD yearly (non-residents); 30 USD yearly (Cape May residents)
8. Check out Playland's Castaway Cove
By now you might have noticed that Ocean City’s shoreline has quite a few amusement parks. One of those is Playland’s Castaway Cove, one of the oldest in the stretch. They’ve been around for 60 years, and their Ferris wheel is one of the most recognizable landmarks along the Boardwalk at night. So, what’s there to do at Playland’s Castaway Cove? Try the rides (there are over 32 here), play mini-golf, race your friends at the go-kart speedway, and have some good old fun at the arcade.
Playland's Castaway Cove
Address: 1020 Boardwalk, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Website: Playland’s Castaway Cove
Opening hours: Fri: 6:30pm - 9:30pm; Sat: 1pm - 10pm; Sun: 1pm - 10pm; Mon, Wed & Thu: 6:30pm - 9pm (closed on Tue)
Price: Tickets start at 1 USD
9. Get the spooks at Haunted Golf mini course
In Ocean City, you get the chance to experience all sorts of things. Take this unique mini-golf course, for example! Definitely a spooky twist to your usual tee time. Haunted Golf is located in the Ocean City Boardwalk. It looks like an old Victorian hotel inside, complete with a variety of attractions that look like they came straight out of a Disney horror movie. There are talking animal heads and undead residents all over the place! Not every feature at Haunted Golf is fictional, however. One of the highlights here is the fireplace located in the Grand Ballroom. It used to be a part of a mental institution that has since closed.
Haunted Golf
Address: 824 Boardwalk, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Website: Haunted Golf
Opening hours: Mon - Tue: 1pm - 9pm; Wed - Thu: 11am - 10pm; Fri: 11am - 12am; Sat: 10am - 12am; Sun: 10am - 10pm
Price: 7.95 USD
10. Go bird watching at Stainton Wildlife Refuge
It’s quite peaceful to watch birds fly by or land to feed, especially when you’re in a place as beautiful as Stainton Wildlife Refuge in Ocean City. It’s a highly accessible outdoor destination (it’s located just in the suburbs) that is slowly developing into an important habitat and even pitstop for different species of wading birds and shorebirds. The best times to go here is between spring and fall when migrating birds and even endangered species like Black Skimmer and Least Tern are spotted in and around the freshwater marsh.
Stainton Wildlife Refuge
Address: Bay Ave, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Website: Stainton Wildlife Refuge
Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)
Price: Free
11. Enjoy fun water activities at Totally Tubular Aqua Park
Fun in the water never stops in Ocean City. For something a little different, check out Totally Tubular Aqua Park, where you can go tubing, wakeboarding, waterskiing, and go on tours and banana boat rides. There’s even an inflatable aqua park with a whole set of slippery obstacles. Try it out with your friends and family and see who can complete the whole course with the fastest time. Totally Tubular Aqua Park also offers free lessons if you’re completely new to wakeboarding and waterskiing. Who knows, you might be the next watersports superstar!
Totally Tubular Aqua Park
Address: 228 Bay Ave, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Website: Totally Tubular Aqua Park
Opening hours: 8am - 8pm (daily)
Price: Rates start at 35 USD
12. Drop by Roy Gillian Welcome Center
Posted by Ocean City NJ on Friday, 20 September 2013
Ocean City is quite part of the Roy Gillian Welcome Center. It’s not just your ordinary tourist information center, it’s also a museum and a place to enjoy the local scenery. There are two piers here where you can go bird watching, and even fishing and crabbing. Of course, there are the essentials. You can grab concert and play tickets here, as well as handy brochures to help you plan the rest of your Ocean City trip. Useful information such as tide tables and maps are also readily available.
Roy Gillian Welcome Center
Address: Route 52 Causeway, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 9am - 4:30pm; Sun: 9am - 2pm
Price: Free
13. Channel your inner angler at Longport Bridge
People traveling southbound from Ocean City usually take Longport Bridge, but this landmark, which was built in 1927, isn’t just an access point and important thoroughfare. It’s also a favorite local hangout spot! The sandy beaches near the bridge are great for sunbathing, but the most popular activity here is definitely fishing. In fact, fishing tournaments hosted by local clubs are regularly held here. Late in the afternoon, Longport Bridge can also be a sunset-viewing spot.
Longport Bridge
Address: 1103 Gardens Pkwy, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Price: Free
14. Indulge in some retail therapy at Stainton's Gallery of Shops
Go window-shopping, try out some new clothes, and treat yourself to nice things at Stainton’s Gallery of Shops along Ashbury Avenue. You can find everything here! National retailers, local boutiques, and specialty stores offer anything from the latest fashions to arts and crafts, jewelry, as well as art and furniture. Stainton’s Gallery of Shops also hosts a couple of events every year. One of those is the Spring Block Party, which turns a part of Ashbury Avenue into a bazaar.
Stainton's Gallery of Shops
Address: 810 Asbury Ave, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Website: Stainton’s Gallery of Shops
Opening hours: 10am - 6pm (daily)
Price: Free
15. Go on a fishing tour with Wee Cat Fishing Charters & Kayak Adventures
This photo reminded me of a bow-rider that had a heck of a time finding its way off the sandbar between Longport and...
Posted by Wee Cat Fishing Charters & Kayak Adventures on Friday, 16 August 2019
Venture out to sea with Wee Cat Fishing Charters & Kayak Adventures. The fine folks over there will take you on a fishing trip that you’ll never forget! This is even a great outing for the entire family, as the crew is very good with kids. They’ll help set everyone up, change the baits when needed, give you tips so you can ensure a successful catch, and provide plenty of good conversations in between. The crew even goes beyond to create an itinerary tailor-fit to your group’s preferences and needs.
Wee Cat Fishing Charters & Kayak Adventures
Address: 8 Seagarden Dr, Linwood, NJ 08221, USA
Website: Wee Cat Fishing & Kayak Adventures
Opening hours: 5:30am - 10pm (daily)
Price: Prices vary
16. Go kayaking with Harbor Outfitters
Get all the latest watersports gear at Harbor Outfitters, then proceed to go on a memorable kayak tour! You have the option to explore the shores of Stone Harbor, Ocean City, and Sea Isle City on a kayak, guided by an expert from the company. They’ll guide you out on the bay or further into the marshes to admire the beautiful scenery and the often overlooked marine life in the area, all while burning some calories. Choose to go on a kayaking tour around the daytime or, if you want something different, go under the cloak of darkness at night, under the moonlight. There are six kayak tours to choose from, depending on your schedule and preference.
Harbor Outfitters
Address: 625 Asbury Ave, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Website: Harbor Outfitters
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 10am - 6pm; Sun: 10am - 5pm
Price: Tours start at 40 USD
17. Feast on pizza at Manco & Manco
Nobody can resist a good pizza pie, especially if you’re hanging out by the Boardwalk. Thank God Manco & Manco is nearby so you can enjoy all the pizza you want as you lounge around the beach! Select from an array of options. Whichever you choose, the folks at Manco & Manco will make sure you’ll get a lot of toppings and cheese to enjoy. Flavors to try include the Philly Special, their take on the famous pepperoni pizza, and last but not the least, the plain pizza, which is actually quite extraordinary and anything but plain!
Manco & Manco
Address: 900 Boardwalk, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Website: Manco & Manco
Opening hours: 11am - 11pm (daily)
18. View Ocean City from high up with FlyOCNJ Parasail
Now that you’ve seen Ocean City from the water, it’s time to see it from up the sky, on a parasail! There are many outfitters to choose from, but one of the most trusted is FLYOCNJ. They’ve been taking people parasailing in the summer for quite some time now. The crew uses state-of-the-art boats to ferry you around the bay and top-grade parasailing equipment to make sure everyone can enjoy their time in a safe and secure manner. The folks at FlyOCNJ are also exceptionally trained, with the captains manning the boats licensed by the Coast Guard. They’re only open during the summer, so make sure to pay them a visit when you visit in the high season.
FlyOCNJ Parasail
Website: FlyOCNJ Parasail
19. Watch a play at the Greater Ocean City Theatre Company
Fancy a theater night in Ocean City? Check the Greater Ocean City Theatre Company’s season schedule to see what’s slated to run during your trip. Right now, they expanded their roster to include Broadway-style musicals with all of their pizzazz. There are usually three to five productions offered every year, featuring budding actors and actresses from in and around Ocean City. They also provide theater education and camps for the youth. Their past productions include Mamma Mia!, Beauty and the Beast, Annie, and Legally Blonde.
Greater Ocean City Theatre Company
Address: 1501 West Ave #3164, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Website: Greater Ocean City Theatre Company
20. Try to escape from the Mirror Laser Maze at Encounters Ocean City
Do you love themed challenges or just love some good fun! Head over to Encounters Ocean City, just along the boardwalk, and try their Mirror Laser Maze. It’s an intricate labyrinth bathed in a soft neon glow, and you need to get out of there before the aliens come and get you! Adding to the difficulty are the mirrors set up in the entire maze– it’s easy to get spooked with just your reflection. You won’t know where you’ve been and where you should head to. If you’re trying it out with kids, try the family-friendly theme. For a more intense experience, the “PG-rated” will definitely do the trick.
Encounters Ocean City
Address: 842-848 Boardwalk, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Website: Encounters Ocean City
Opening hours: 8am - 12am (daily)
Price: 13 USD
21. Treat yourself at The Hobby Horse Ice Cream Parlor & Cafe
End your Ocean City trip by satisfying your sweet tooth at The Hobby Horse, the best ice cream parlor and cafe in town. Family-owned and operated, it’s well-known in Ocean City for their tasty scoops and tubs of ice cream which come in a myriad of flavors. There are the classics, such as chocolate, vanilla bean, mint chocolate chip, strawberry, and rocky road. Then, there are the slightly off-the-wall varieties, such as rum raisin, banana, maple cream, coconut, and moose tracks (you’ll have to try this one to know what it is, exactly!) They also offer three flavors of yogurt if you want a healthier alternative: peanut butter cup, fat-free vanilla, and raspberry chip.
The Hobby Horse Ice Cream Parlor & Cafe
Address: 800 Ocean Ave, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA
Website: The Hobby Horse Ice Cream Parlor & Cafe
Opening hours: 1pm - 12am (daily)
Join the fun at this seaside community
If you’re traveling along the East Coast, add Ocean City to your itinerary so that you can find out for yourself why it’s called America’s greatest family resort. Looking for more things to do? Browse our website to find more Ocean City travel guides so that you can plan your upcoming trip.
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