No one likes bad weather during their beach vacation, but sometimes it just can’t be helped. For those days with subpar weather, we’ve compiled a list of things to do in Ocean City, Maryland so you can still have excellent vacation.
Be wow-ed at Ripley’s
You’ll find shrunken heads and an assortment of other oddities at Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. Ripley’s also has a mirror maze and a laser race for those who are up to the challenge. It’s located at 401 S. Atlantic Ave. on the boardwalk. Learn more and buy tickets at ripleys.com/oceancity.
Cool off by ice skating
Check out the ice rink at Carousel Oceanfront Hotel and Condos. The ice rink is open every day and costs $4 for hotel guests and $6 for non-guests. Skate rentals are $2 for hotel guests and $4 for non-guests. Don’t want to skate yourself? Catch one of the rink’s free ice shows, held every night except for Fridays at 6:30 p.m. The Carousel Hotel is located at 11700 Coastal Highway. Learn more at carouselhotel.com/amenities/ice-rink.
Take the best group photos ever.
Grab some friends, a selfie stick and head to Selfie Fantasy. This gigantic two-story interactive art gallery is filled with various backdrops and stations geared towards providing you some great Instagram moments. Take a dive into its ballpit, hang upside down in a gravity-defying room (pictured) or pose with the throne you know you deserve. Selfie Fantasy is open every day from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. at 14 Worcester St. It’s just off the boardwalk. Admission is $13 for adults and gets you an hour in the space. It’s $8 for children ages 3 to 8 and free for those under the age of 3. Selfie Fantasy is also available for group bookings, which include 90 minutes in the space and a photographer to snag the perfect photo. Learn more at selfiefantasy.com.
Play mini-golf
You can still perfect your putt-putt game in the rain. Old Pro Golf has two indoor courses to play on: Undersea Adventure at 68th St. and Safari Village at 136th St. Both are just off of Coastal Highway. Old Pro Golf games are $10 per person per game, although you can also get unlimited play for an additional $5. Learn more at oldprogolf.com.
Challenge yourself to an escape room
Up for some brain teasers? There are several escape rooms in Ocean City where you can test your mental might. Escapomania has three locations in Ocean City: Uptown (11805 Coastal Highway), Midtown (5601 Coastal Highway) and Downtown (2nd St., Building #6). Each boasts its own unique set of games, including a “Poltergeist”-themed adventure at the Uptown location, “Alice in Wonderland”-themed one in the Midtown location and a Secret Agent-themed one at the Downtown location. Learn more about Escapomania at escapomania.com.
The other escape room in town belongs to Captive Rooms. It’s location is at 101 S. Baltimore Ave. and its games include “Dracula’s Library,” “13 Doors,” and ‘Charlotte’s Attic.” Learn more about Captive Rooms at captiverooms.com.
Show off your laser tag skills
Two levels and 7,500 square feet of laser tag fun await you at Game World, which also has a sizable arcade. Laser tag will cost you $12 per game, or you can buy two games for $17. There’s also an unlimited game option for $25 (although you’ll have to call 410-250-3888 to check on this pass’ availability). Game World is located at 107 146th St. in Ocean City. Learn more at gameworldoc.com.
Tour a distillery… or a brewery
Take a step back in time by touring the Seacrets Distillery. With over a million dollars worth of antiques from the period, it’s a chance to learn about the distilling process and see a bit of history. Plus, you get to sample the distillery’s creations afterwards (provided you have the write password!). Seacrets makes rum, whiskey and flavored vodkas. Tours are $10 and include 3 tastings. The distillery is located at 111 49th St. Learn more at seacretsdistilling.com.
Of course, we also talked about breweries. Ocean City has two that we found: Backshore Brewing Company (913 Atlantic Ave.) and the Fin City Brewing Company (at 12913 Ocean Gateway).
Visit the Ocean City Live Saving Station Museum
Let this be the educational break in your vacation. The Ocean City Live Saving Station Museum has exhibits showing you the history of surfing in the area, a collection of sand from around the world and an entire section devoted to how life saving techniques have changed over the years. The museum is open every day in the summer from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for seniors, active military and youths (ages 12-18). Those 11 and younger can visit for free. The museum is located at 813 South Atlantic Ave. on the boardwalk. Learn more at ocmuseum.org.
Explore Ocean Gallery
This boardwalk icon is a full fledged art gallery filled with gems. It’s bigger than it looks too, and art is piled high making it a proper treasure hunting experience to find the perfect painting to take home. It even has its own Batmobile. You’ll find Ocean Gallery at the corner of 2nd St. and the boardwalk.
Hit up an arcade
You have a plethora of options in Ocean City when it comes to arcades! Just head to the boardwalk where you’ll find Marty’s Playland (5 Worcester St.), Sportland Arcade (506 S. Atlantic Ave.) and multiple Fun City Arcades… just to name a few. Looking for something a little more unique? Try virtual reality at Virtual Reality Gaming, which has two locations: one on the boardwalk (301 N. Atlantic Ave.) and the other uptown (11701 Coastal Highway). There you can fight zombies, ride roller coasters, tour Jurassic Park or even battle against friends. Games start at $10 for a certain amount of minutes or rides. Learn more at vrcading.com.
Get properly scared on the Haunted House ride (and then ride the carousel after)
Trimper’s Rides has quite a few options for those looking for indoor fun. There’s the Haunted House, which has been terrifying children for generations, as well as the indoor carousel -- one of the oldest of its kind in the country. You’ll also find a host of other activities and games too in their indoor portion. You’ll find Trimper’s Rides on the boardwalk by 1st St. Learn more at trimpersrides.com.
Go bowling
Show Ocean Lanes how you roll! The bowling alley is open every day starting at noon (and starting at 11 a.m. on rainy days through Labor Day). It closes at midnight every night. You’ll find Ocean Lanes at 115 72nd St. Learn more at oceanlanesocmd.com.
Julia Hatmaker may be reached at jhatmaker@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter @JuliaHatmaker. Start your day in the know by signing up for our newsletter, “Good Morning, Pennsylvania.”