Each year OceanCity.com readers vote on the best of everything in Ocean City. We also have a panel of experts around Ocean City who pick their favorites based on local experiences, which we refer to as Editor’s Choice. Click here for this year’s voting.
Whatever the weather and whatever your preferred form of entertainment, there’s always something to do in Ocean City. The bay is riddled with watersport centers for the adventurous vacationers, just as Coastal Highway hosts an abundance of mini-golf courses for those who prefer a more relaxed kind of fun. Either way, you’re sure to have a great time.
Best Fishing Charter
The Angler boat
If you’re looking to reel in sea bass, cod, trout and everything else the Atlantic Ocean has to offer, sign up for one of the Angler’s Deep Sea Fishing Trips and set sail on their 65-foot fiber glass party boat with your fishing rod in hand. If you’re looking for more of a scenic adventure, their Nature Cruise will take you around Assateague Island to see the ponies and waterfowl, and the Evening Scenic Cruise treats boaters to a trip around OC and the bay as the sun sets.
Runner-up: Happy Hooker
Best Mini Golf
Old Pro Golf
*5 year winner!*
Since 1965, Old Pro has been treating professional and amateur golfers alike to challenging games at all four of their locations. Fuel your imagination with whatever your heart desires, whether that be underwater, safari, Renaissance castle, dragon, dinosaur or pirate-themed courses. You’ve seen all of Old Pro’s fantasy sculptures every time you drive down Coastal Highway – the dinosaurs don’t bite, so why not get to know them a little?
Runner-up: Lost Treasure Golf
*5 year winner!*
Best Parasailing
OC Parasailing
At OC Parasail, you can choose high up you go, so whether you’re looking to relax while watching the sunset or experience a wild ride over the ocean, your flight will be smooth, safe and tons of fun. Nothing compares to the feeling of flying over the water while dolphins swim beneath your feet, and OC Parasail offers the best parasailing adventures in all of Ocean City.
Runner-up: OC Watersports
Best Jet Skiing
Odyssea Watersports
*5 year winner!*
For the ultimate thrill on the bay, Odyssea’s jet skis are the best Ocean City has to offer. Family owned and operated for 20 years, Odyssea has a private beach, experienced guides to assist watersport newbies, and top-quality jet skis, pontoon boats, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards.
Runner-up: OC Bayside Rentals
Best Kayak Rental
48th Street Watersports
*5 year winner!*
Located on the picturesque Isle of Wight Bay, 48th Street Watersports is one of the only places in Ocean City that offers kayak eco tours, where guides will help you get out on the water and catch an intimate glance at all the plant and animal life that the bay has to offer. You can see diamondback terrapins, Maryland blue crabs, ospreys, egrets, horseshoe crabs, jellyfish and sometimes even stingrays and skates as you glide over the shallow waters of the bay.
Runner-up: Coastal Kayak
Best Surf Shop
Malibu’s Surf Shop
Surfers rejoice at Malibu’s Surf Shop, where you can find the best surf gear and boards that Ocean City has to offer. If you’re new to surfing but looking to ride the waves, Malibu’s offers private lessons every morning with seasoned instructors who are local to the Ocean City area. If you don’t have a board of your own, Malibu’s has rentals, too.
Runner-up: K-Coast Surf Shop
Editor’s choice: Chauncey’s Surf Shop
For over 20 years, Chauncey’s has been offering top-of-the-line surfing and skating equipment and is an old favorite for lovers of any kind of board. Even if you don’t surf or skate, Chauncey’s offers unique gifts, trendy clothing, jewelry and shoes and souvenirs that you’re not likely to find in any other shop on the beach.
Best Rainy Day
Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
For once, the odditorium on the Boardwalk beat out the movies for Ocean City’s Best Rainy Day activity! When the rain starts pouring down and you’re seeking shelter near the Jolly Roger pier rides, head inside Ripley’s to be amazed by all their weird collections — a model of the world’s tallest man, shrunken heads and two-headed animals among them. The kids will be entertained for as long as their attention spans allow them.
Runner-up: Fox Sun & Surf Cinema
Editor’s choice: Ocean City Life Saving Station Museum
Brush up on your Ocean City history at the Life Saving Station Museum located on the southern end of the Boardwalk overlooking the Inlet. Exhibits include Surf’s Up, which documents the evolution of surfing in Ocean City over the years, Sands From Around the World, the Boardwalk of Yesterday and more, plus a Kids Corner makes the museum fun for visitors of all ages — children can learn all about Ocean City through games and puzzles while parents tour the exhibits.
