With its bustling boardwalk and busy beach, Ocean City, Maryland, is undoubtedly a draw for beach-loving visitors in the summertime. However, in the off-season, the town takes on a slower, quieter pace, making it an ideal destination for travelers seeking a calm, upscale escape.
Stay in Style
While there is no shortage of accommodations in Ocean City, for breathtaking sunsets right from your room or balcony, look no further than Cambria. Situated not far from the inlet, the waterfront hotel features immaculate rooms with gorgeous views of the bay. Its location also makes it ideal for visitors who want to stroll along the beach, bike the Boardwalk, take a cruise out of the nearby marina, or visit closeby casual restaurants like The Angler or M.R. Ducks, both well-known spots with longstanding roots in the town.
For an upscale dining experience, make your way to the eighth floor of the hotel to Spain Wine Bar, rated Maryland’s Top Rooftop Bar. The spacious restaurant has a variety of elegant rooms in which to dine, whether you’re enjoying an intimate dinner for two or settling in with a larger group. Knowledgeable servers can guide you through Spain’s impressive wine list as well as its extensive tapas menu that offers a wide range of cheeses and charcuterie, as well as impeccable small plates like shrimp and crab bisque, bacon-wrapped dates, lump crab fritters, incredibly sauced meatballs, and beef empanadas. Large plates, like paella, are available as well. On Saturdays and Sundays, guests of the hotel needn’t go far for the first meal of the day, with Spain serving brunch in the morning until well into the afternoon. Or, check out the restaurant's nearby sister restaurants, Bai-Tee Bakery and Oysters & Scales.
Dining
If you’re looking for a spot to dine in the off-season beyond those just by the hotel, there’s a plethora of options. Of course, any restaurant with crabs and crab cakes is a solid choice in Ocean City, and you’ll find plenty of crabby destinations up and down Coastal Highway. But if you’re on the search for ambiance and upscale menus, both The Embers and Liberatore’s will deliver.
While The Embers may be known to longtime Ocean City visitors as a buffet for many years, the establishment pivoted after 2020 to deliver a different fine dining experience. With lovely decor, an experienced sommelier, and a warm atmosphere, the restaurant offers top-notch service alongside dishes like steaks, lobster mac and cheese, and a seafood tower that boasts an impressively large serving of lump crab meat as well as lobster tails.
While some may not associate Italian cuisine with a trip to Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Liberatore’s is a can’t-miss in Ocean City for any food enthusiast. The family has made its name as top-notch restaurateurs throughout Maryland, and the newer Ocean City location absolutely shines like the others. The restaurant leans into the seafood that people visit the beachy town for with small plates like shrimp crostini, steamed shrimp, and bay bites (crab balls with an exquisitely spiced sauce). But you’ll also win with orders of Italian-inspired tapas like eggplant involtini, burrata and tomatoes, cheesy meatballs, beef carpaccio, and arancini, as well as a delectable chicken liver pâté that one of the owners proudly told us on our visit that he made himself. The restaurant also offers large plates that range from pork, salmon, and beef to Italian classics like chicken Parmigiana, enveloped in the goodness of the restaurant's sauce. The service at this stylish spot is absolutely impeccable, and even when it's busy, the environment feels intimate. Be sure to make reservations -- it fills up quickly on weekend evenings.
Finally, if you’re looking for another brunch option beyond Spain, don’t sleep on Barn 34 for amazing crab-based Benedicts and impressive bloody Marys adorned with crab, shrimp, and more alongside starters like crab-topped deviled eggs and stacked fried green tomatoes with creamy pimento cheese. Be prepared for a wait some weekends -- but, as the hostess will tell you, it's worth it.
Activities
While some of the area’s local attractions are closed in the cooler months, some do remain operational. For one that will always be available, take the short drive to Assateague to relax and potentially see the ponies. Meanwhile, art enthusiasts will enjoy perusing the floors of artwork at the 60-year-old Ocean Gallery right on the boardwalk, while lovers of oddities can spend hours working their way through Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum.
If you’re a food lover looking for the best bites at the beach, you’ll want to check out the OC Foodie tours. With two different tours in Ocean City, as well as tours in nearby Berlin and Salisbury, there are a multitude of ways to explore the food that the area has to offer, with a side of entertaining and interesting background. The downtown OC tour starts just minutes from Cambria and takes you through historic restaurants and bars, stops at classic not-to-be-missed spots, and offers history and whimsy, too. Bring your appetite and be prepared for anything from crab bites, fried grouper, and tuna nachos to delectable chocolates, funnel cakes, and more. For another tour, with a different purpose, try Chesapeake Ghost Walks, which shares the spookiness of the city with the added bonus of trivia at the end.
For those looking for relaxation on the water, a sunset or happy hour cruise on The Alyosha is a must. The Catamaran is often captained by owners Steve and Lisa, who can share all of the stories of their adventures, local and otherwise, as well as offer information about the area, while cruising either the bay or the ocean. For bird-watchers, they have a special tour (on a different boat) for that as well.
Finally, if learning about and tasting spirits is on your agenda, Seacrets should be on your itinerary. The well-known beachy bar and restaurant also has a distillery on site, and the tours and tastings through the Prohibition-style spot are engaging, from learning about the distillation of their spirits to sipping in the speakeasy-style spot that also acts as storage for barrels of the goodness produced there. Make it a day by stopping into the Seacrets bar/restaurant areas, popping over to their Area 51 store, or dining at The Hideaway.
*Note that many listed activities do operate off-season, but at various times. Please check before booking a visit.
In the off-season, the town takes on a slower, quieter pace, making it an ideal destination for travelers seeking a calm, upscale escape.
While some may not associate Italian cuisine with a trip to Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Liberatore’s is a can’t-miss in Ocean City for any food enthusiast.