Ocean City Maryland

I am going to OC Maryland and I was looking at the local amusements on the internet. I wasn't too impressed but would like to get some feedback and advice from people that have been there.

The go carts at Jolly Roger looks good and the water park looks ok. Please advise!

Thanks

You don't go to Ocean City, MD for the coasters...you go for the entire seaside park experience. For example Trimpers Rides has a Boomerang and a Toboggan...not much to talk about coasterwise. But it has three great classic walk-thru attractions, a unique multi-level ride-thru Haunted House with one of the steepest and crookedest sections of track I've ever seen, and a lot more.

So I think you have to ask yourself: what are you looking to get out of your trip? If this is part of your quest to ride 100 coasters or if you're only interested in coasters, skip it. If you're looking for a whole experience you'd probably enjoy it.

Trimpers has one of the only stationary Zipper rides I've ever seen, and the other amusement park right down the boardwalk has a little looping coaster (that I've never been on). I haven't been to Jolly Rogers since I was a kid, but I've heard it's great if you have little ones. I think Trimpers still has a mirror maze as well, but I'm not sure. There is also a claw type ride that is pretty forceful, but you've gotta be pretty tall to hop into the seat or they give you a step stool (embarrassing). I've always loved Trimpers and the other park (they are NOT related parks), and then you can also go to Thrashers and get some kickass fries, not to mention if you're lucky you can find a Dell's lemonade cart and get awesome frozen lemonade.

Also, if you do have little ones, go to Seacrets as soon as they open (I think they open at 11 am) for their delicious jerk chicken, crab bisque, and littleneck clams. If you DON'T have little ones, still get some food there sometime early (or else you won't get a table) but go at night for some of the craziest, best times you will have. It gets packed, but it's so cool.

Finally, if you're looking for a fine dining experience, make reservations at the upstairs restaurant at Fager's Island during sunset. They play the...William Tell Overture (I think) as the sun sets, and the last note hits just as the sun sinks below the horizon. It's so unique, and their prime rib, lobster tail, and apple martinis are the best I've ever had (the prime and the lobster especially). You'll pay out the wazoo, but it is quite impressive. For the best crab legs, go to Embers all-you-can-eat buffet. There are many imitators, no duplicators. :)

In terms of recreation, Ocean City's LOADED with fun stuff to do. There are outlets, movie theaters, at least three laser tag places, mini-golf courses every other block, bowling alleys, dance clubs, speed boats, parasailing, wave runners, and I don't even KNOW what else. I've never been bored there even when I can't get down to Trimpers, and I've been a frequent summer resident since I was 5. And if you DO get bored, or if it's raining, head back out to Delaware (about 40 minutes away) and indulge in the tax-free outlets.

I'm so excited for your trip! I'm jealous. We no longer have a condo there, so I gotta pay to stay, and it's nearly impossible to get a cheap place this late in the game. OC's really getting built up, but I think it still has a great feeling of nostalgia to it. Plus, neighboring areas have interesting things to offer, including a beach where there are wild horses. Explore!

bunky666 said:
In terms of recreation, Ocean City's LOADED with fun stuff to do. There are outlets, movie theaters, at least three laser tag places, mini-golf courses every other block, bowling alleys, dance clubs, speed boats, parasailing, wave runners, and I don't even KNOW what else.

Those Ocean City dance clubs...true there are quite a few of those in that town but when I was there in 2002, as I can recall many of those places had for some odd reason some sort of age restriction as to who can get in such as "under 21 only" and even " 20-30 only". Also I seem to remember seeing signs at a few hotels there that had said that they cater to "familes only". For some reason I have always had the idea that this sort of practice ( banning people on the basis of age as far as those 18 and over goes and marriage ) was against the law. Then again on another site I belong too someone had posted that a recent Pitbull ( "I Know You Want Me" ) concert in his hometown, nobody over the age of 30 was allowed to attened. Weird !!!

Going back to Ocean City, Now maybe none of these "rules" exist today but I sure do remember them. Hopefully it is different now.

We've vacationed in OC for 12 years running. We really only do Trimpers one time, and have bypassed Jolly Roger for the last 4 years. To sum it up nicely, it's EXPENSIVE. You can get their ticket deal of 40 tickets for $18.00, but think about it, if just 2 people ride on the Tidal Wave, at 8 tickets a pop, you're left with just 24 tickets! The better deal is to get the $22.00 wristband but those are only good during the daylight hours. We spend our entire day on the beach and don't make it to the boardwalk until evening.

One other thing we do is one day we drive up to Rehoboth Beach, DE to go to the outlets, then we make our way to downtown Rehoboth and hit Funland. There are no rollercoasters there, it's nowhere near the size of Trimpers or Jolly Roger, but there are 6 big kid rides, Sea Dragon, Paratrooper, Gravitron, Bumper Cars, Haunted Mansion and Superflip(mechanical arm). Their Sea Dragon, wedged in between some yards and buildings, is a tremendous ride. you can get 90 tickets for $20.00 there and no ride is more than 5 tickets.

Tom

The Tidal Wave boomerang, although it offers the same track as countless other rides that you may have rode in the past, gives an awesome view down Ocean City. I jump on it every once in a while just to see it.

Mamoosh said:
You don't go to Ocean City, MD for the coasters...you go for the entire seaside park experience. For example Trimpers Rides has a Boomerang and a Toboggan...not much to talk about coasterwise. But it has three great classic walk-thru attractions, a unique multi-level ride-thru Haunted House with one of the steepest and crookedest sections of track I've ever seen, and a lot more.

So I think you have to ask yourself: what are you looking to get out of your trip? If this is part of your quest to ride 100 coasters or if you're only interested in coasters, skip it. If you're looking for a whole experience you'd probably enjoy it.

Seconded! Whenever I plan a Trip I look for things to do besides visit a Park and its Coasters. There a often a lot of Historical Sites in an area, I'll go online and bone up on whatever is in the area I'm visiting, and take time off to check out a few of them. Among the things I plan to visit on this weeks trip to Minnesota include the Iron Mine at Soudan State Park and the Ingall's Home Site (Of Little House on the Prairie fame) in Walnut Grove. :)