Ocean City: Beach, Boardwalk and Nature

Ocean City offers a long ocean beach, a year-round boardwalk, and nature and history attractions.

Ocean Beach and Boardwalk

Ocean City has eight miles of ocean beach. The beaches are a year-round destination for families, solo travelers, surfers, anglers, walkers, and runners. They appeal to a range of interests, without limiting a beach day to any particular activity.

The Ocean City Boardwalk offers classic and thrilling rides, water parks, movie theaters, arcades, and miniature golf. It is open to visitors year-round, though the hours of individual businesses vary seasonally. If a particular business is important to you, take these seasonal differences into account when planning.

There are also time restrictions on cycling on the Boardwalk. In 2026, cycling was generally permitted all day during the off-season; from June 19 to September 7, it was restricted to 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Before riding, check whether an official exception applies.

City History at the Museum

The Ocean City Historical Museum’s exhibits trace the town’s history: from Indigenous peoples’ use of its shores for hunting, through the town’s founding and subsequent development, to its present-day resort status. This offers a perspective that extends far beyond a single event.

A dedicated exhibit focuses on the Sindia, a four-masted ship that ran aground near Ocean City in 1901. On display are scale models, photographs, and artifacts from the ship. The range of exhibit types offers different ways to explore the story of the Sindia.

The museum also offers self-guided walks highlighting local landmarks and stories from the community. This gives you another way to learn about local history alongside the exhibits.

Bay, Coastal Landscape, and Visitor Amenities

The Bayside Center features environmental and cultural exhibits about Ocean City’s waterfront along Great Egg Harbor Bay. It offers views of the bay, opportunities for wildlife viewing, and water recreation. The center is open to visitors daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from the last Saturday in June through Labor Day; plan your visit around this seasonal schedule.

For visitors with mobility limitations, Ocean City offers a beach-accessible wheelchair service using so-called Surf Chairs. The program runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

Corson’s Inlet State Park is located at the southern tip of Ocean City. Its landscape includes wild dunes and a lagoon, as well as beach access. The Crook Horn Creek Nature Trail at 51st Street and Bay Avenue is suitable for hiking, biking, fishing, and crabbing.

The Ocean City Masters Swim is an open-water swimming event that has been held since 1979. Open-water swimming is therefore also among the activities associated with Ocean City.

Discover more destinations: Avalon, Dennis, Wildwood Crest, Marmora, North Wildwood, Wildwood, Middle Township, Stone Harbor.

For the broader travel overview: Cape May.