Is Ocean City a nice place for families on vacation? (Point Pleasant: spring break, rentals)

[amyla]

Hi. Can you tell me if a family with young children would enjoy Ocean City. I remember going to Point Pleasant and there was a lot of parties going on there. Any recommendation of streets/hotels? Thanks.

[lammius]

Hi amyla,

Ocean City is a place designed for families with young children. Like Point Pleasant it has a boardwalk with rides, ice cream, pizza, t-shirt & hermit crab shops. There are old fashioned ice cream, sticky buns, and popcorn and fudge shops (I love shore food). UNLIKE Point Pleasant, Ocean City is a dry town. There are no bars, there is no alcohol served or sold. It doesn't have that Spring Break atmosphere. It's not overrun by college kids or teenagers running amok. My family has vacationed in Ocean City since my mother was a child. She says it hasn't changed much. The atmosphere is old-timey and family friendly. Everyone has kids in tow. Families riding bicycles are seen on almost every street.

Ocean City has a few hotels around, but most visitors rent a house or half a house (most houses are two or three family houses). If you want to be close to all of the boardwalk attractions, I'd recommend looking for a house within a couple blocks of the beach at the south end or north end of the boardwalk (houses at the north end tend to be older but cheaper rentals). In the center of the boardwalk area (5th through 14th streets) there is a lot of traffic as people head to the boardwalk attractions, so to be north of 5th or south of 14th but still close by that you can walk to the busy areas is ideal IMO. There are also a lot of houses in the 20's and 30s streets available for rent. Nice places, usually newer places, and a quiet area, but you're far from the boardwalk stuff (could be good or bad depending on how you like to spend your time).

If you really prefer a hotel, you could check out the Port-O-Call Hotel. I've never stayed there but it seems nice, is on the boardwalk at the south end, has a nice pool and restaurant. I'm not sure of the rates, but google it and check it out.

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by lammius

Hi amyla,

Ocean City is a place designed for families with young children. Like Point Pleasant it has a boardwalk with rides, ice cream, pizza, t-shirt & hermit crab shops. There are old fashioned ice cream, sticky buns, and popcorn and fudge shops (I love shore food). UNLIKE Point Pleasant, Ocean City is a dry town. There are no bars, there is no alcohol served or sold. I <snip>

stupid question, but are there BYOB restaurants in OC? They are not selling or serving with BYOB.

[BergenCountyJohnny]

Originally Posted by tahiti

stupid question, but are there BYOB restaurants in OC? They are not selling or serving with BYOB.

No. There is no BYOB and they should keep it that way, IMHO. People can drink at bars and restaurants all over the place outside of OC, yet OC is apparently attracting hoardes of families who very much LIKE that there is no alcohol in town to cause problems. They appreciate a calm town where they don't have to worry too much about drunks causing scenes and intimidating their families.

With BYOB, a lot of peope may use it responsibly to have a glass of wine with a nice dinner, for example; but, it opens the door for the drunks. It means a bunch of 20-somethings (or older) can hit the restaurant with a whole lot of beer and treat it as their own personal bar. I've seen it happen, and I've even been part of such a group.

So, no BYOB, and keep it that way.

[BergenCountyJohnny]

Ocean City is about the best place to take your family on the entire Jersey Shore.

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by BergenCountyJohnny

No. There is no BYOB and they should keep it that way, IMHO. People can drink at bars and restaurants all over the place outside of OC, yet OC is apparently attracting hoardes of families who very much LIKE that there is no alcohol in town to cause problems. They appreciate a calm town where they don't have to worry too much about drunks causing scenes and intimidating their families.

With BYOB, a lot of peope may use it responsibly to have a glass of wine with a nice dinner, for example; but, it opens the door for the drunks. It means a bunch of 20-somethings (or older) can hit the restaurant with a whole lot of beer and treat it as their own personal bar. I've seen it happen, and I've even been part of such a group.

So, no BYOB, and keep it that way.

ok, just wondering. sheesh.

[VeradoDan]

I'd like it more if there were bars.

[amyla]

Thanks for all the help and advice on location. I was told a good place to stay was between 6th and 20th. I'm really excited to go-it will be our first time.

[BergenCountyJohnny]

Originally Posted by tahiti

ok, just wondering. sheesh.

lol, I wasn't trying to beat you down, tahiti, I knew you were just asking. But I wanted to throw in my 2 cents for the sake of the OP as to why it's good that there's no booze at all to keep it a family town.

[BergenCountyJohnny]

Originally Posted by VeradoDan

I'd like it more if there were bars.

So would I and a lot of people. That's why they should have no bars, to keep the riff-raff and drunks like you and me OUT!