Pines, Ponies, and Priceless Memories in Ocean City, Maryland

Just Get in the Car — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 18:36:50 +0000

Ah, summer. I just love the season that brings warmth, sunshine, and longer hours of daylight. It makes me happy. It always has been, and always will be, the season that I endure all other seasons to get to.

I’ve forced myself to think of things that make the other seasons bearable, but aside from the festiveness that surrounds the holidays, I struggle to come up with anything…

Especially winter. Blech. Whose idea was that anyway?

We are currently in what I like to not so affectionately refer to as ‘post-holiday winter hell’- and I’m writing this post to buoy my spirits.

For basically my entire childhood, I would spend every summer at my most favorite place in the entire world. My aunt and uncle’s beach house in Ocean Pines, MD. It’s just outside of Ocean City, MD (OCMD) – which is inherently different then the Jersey Shore, which is where everyone else around here grew up going.

I must admit that I have come to love Sea Isle City in New Jersey, because we are creating new family memories there with Shawn’s family, but OCMD will always be my number one.

The house in Ocean Pines is about a 2-3 hour drive, and it’s usually less congested when driving from Philly on those busy summer weekends- because everyone going ‘down the shore’ is going east while you are going south (or something like that). And, it is, was, and always will be a little slice of perfection in my world.

So many of the memories I have with my parents, my younger brother, my grandparents, my aunt and uncle, and my cousins revolve around ‘the beach house’. There was a point in time when we would all stay in this house together, and I am still not quite sure how that happened, because having more than one family in there now seems daunting.

It’s a ‘real beach house’, as I say.

What does that mean to me? It means it is not a side by side condo style, cookie cutter, ‘new construction’, all season home. It is a round, kind of make shift, original home, on stilts that really shouldn’t be occupied in the colder months. It is an ‘upside down’ house. The first floor is only the kitchen, and the living room and bedrooms are upstairs – which you get too via a spiral staircase. Plus, this view:

I could probably write pages and pages of stories, recommendations, and reviews of what to do and where to go during a stay to the area. And I am sure Shawn could write some compelling content on what breweries and minor league baseball stadiums are drivable from the general OCMD area.

Following are just a few of our favorite things to do when visiting ‘the’ beach house.

Generally speaking, we tend to stay outside of OCMD proper when on our beach vacations, since Ocean Pines itself is a self-contained community on the mainland.

Ocean Pines provides shopping, dining, playgrounds, walking trails, and a unique forest-y, pine-y (hence the name) atmosphere for your beach vacation.

We have yet to really utilize all of the amenities it has to offer, because we spend most of our time at the beach or eating somewhere outside of the development. I remember as a kid spending quite a bit of time at the pool facilities in Ocean Pines. Apparently some of the children during those fond memories were unruly on the beach, and the pool was easier. I’m quite certain I was not the problem child though, right mom?

Through all of the phases of my family using the beach house, we have always preferred Assateague Island to the crowded beach along the boardwalk in the middle of Ocean City. At Assateague, you can visit either the state park or national park – each with its own set of rules and amenities, and experiences. Located in West Ocean City, it is worth the drive if you prefer a more relaxed beach experience.

There are wild ponies who move freely around the island. For many, this is a reason to visit, but for others it can be startling to see a pony swagger up the coast while you are sunbathing. With attention to the signs and warnings, and use of common sense, it can be a unique beach experience.

While you can buy some concessions, I would recommend packing a lunch. Try Smoker’s BBQ Pit. Or, grab some on your way off of the island. I think it is pretty yummy, and definitely hits the spot after a long day at the beach.

I could list several restaurants to try when you are in the area, but my favorite – based solely on nostalgia, atmosphere, and a stellar view – and the country music that is usually playing – is Hooper’s Crab House. Here you can choose from plenty of options, mostly seafood. Back in the good old days I would come here with my family and we would get blue claw crabs – which is more of an experience then a meal. If you ask Shawn it’s definitely something you have to grow up doing in order to understand. He doesn’t get it, and it’s not quite the same when you are the only one doing it.

I’ve adapted to enjoy Hopper’s more for its ambiance.

In fact, we have branched out, literally and figuratively to Sneaky Pete’s … the bar/grill gazebo on the water outside of Hooper’s.

After Hooper’s, we like to cross route 50 and get a treat from Dumser’s Dairyland.

Our children have come to love the beach house vacation experience as much as I do, and ask every year when we will return. It warms my heart to pass on those special family memories, and create new ones with my own kids.

Since we almost exclusively stay at ‘the beach house’, I can’t comment too much on places to stay. However, I have always been intrigued by these two places, and intend to check them out someday:

The Francis Scott Key Family Resort

Frontier Town Campground

The Francis Scott Key Family Resort just looks cool and family friendly. It is not fancy, but has great pools inside and out, and it is not far from Ocean City proper.

Frontier Town is a unique family resort, including a western themed amusement park, miniature golf, a water park, and a campground. While we have enjoyed the water and theme park (see Shawn enjoying himself below?), we have never camped there. Shawn and the kids enjoy camping, and if we camped here I am almost guaranteed we will also get to a pool and beach – and everyone will win. It’s on our list of things to do.

Have you been to OCMD? What have you done? Where have you stayed?

ocean pines – Just Get in the Car

Pines, Ponies, and Priceless Memories in Ocean City, Maryland

-Kristin