Ocean City: Beach Lounging and Drinking

Start your day off right: with snacks from the Pennsylvania Dutch Farmer's Market.
Known locally as the "Amish Market," this giant market has everything you could need for your road trip. All of the products come from Pennsylvania's Lancaster County, and the recipes here have been handed down by the Amish through the generations.
Get some light snacks you can take with you in case you get hungry later in the day or on the beach. A lot of people rave about the fresh-baked pretzels here in particular.

You'll be driving across the Chesapeake Bay to get to Kent Island. Make sure to have your camera ready—the photos will be worth it.

Embark on a captivating journey through time at Handsell House, a historic brick structure dating back to the 18th century. This enchanting house carries the legacy of Native American Chicone Village and the interactions between Native tribes and English settlers.
Despite facing a fire that caused partial collapse, Handsell House was rebuilt in the early 19th century, preserving its architectural charm. Thanks to the efforts of the Nanticoke Historic Preservation Alliance (NHPA), Handsell House is now a cherished landmark listed on both the State and National Register of Historic Places.

This bayside bar is known for inventing Ocean City’s signature cocktail: the Orange Crush. While the original is made with fresh squeezed orange juice, there are creamsicle and grapefruit flavors as well.

It might be strange if you went all the way to the beach and didn't actually go to the beach. Once you have your fries, pick a spot off the boardwalk to spend a couple hours soaking up the sun and enjoying the waves.
If you can, check in and park at the hotel you're staying at tonight. If not, find some street parking by the boardwalk. You'll spend the next few hours on foot.

Thrasher's French Fries are located up and down the boardwalk. These are perhaps the best boardwalk fries you'll ever try. Get a giant bucket and douse it in salt and vinegar.
You'll likely have to wait in a long line to get these fries. Don't worry, it'll be worth it.

The Ocean City boardwalk has bars and restaurants, arcades, street performers, shopping, a ferris wheel, music, entertainment, and more. If you want a snack, you can grab some ice cream, shaved ice, popcorn, candy, or whatever else you're in the mood for; you'll likely find it here. I like to grab a snack, sit on a bench, and people watch whenever I'm here. It's always packed.
If you're so inclined, there are also sand sculptures along the beach that you can observe. Many are biblical sand sculptures built by Randy Hoffman, who has been creating them for the past 30 years as part of a project with a worship and ministry outreach group.

Seacrets is a six-acre tiki bar, and is allegedly the largest bar on Maryland's coast.
Last summer, the Washingtonian did a more than 3,000-word feature on the bar and what it was like after a year in lockdown. The Washingtonian described the bar like this: "If you live in the mid-Atlantic, you’ve likely misspent a moment in your youth drinking at Seacrets or know someone who has. The place is a mix of Universal Studios, an all-inclusive resort, and the set of MTV Spring Break."
Spend the rest of the night here enjoying the music and the craziness that is Seacrets.

Courtyard by Marriott Ocean City Oceanfront is exactly what it sounds like: a place to stay right by the ocean. From this hotel, you can walk along the boardwalk at any time of day.