Ocean City Beach
Ocean City, MD
Three miles of boardwalk backed by ten miles of open beach, with amusement piers on one end and quieter, uncrowded sand the farther north you walk.
Ten miles of open beach means there's room to spread out, but the boardwalk stretch itself is as touristy and busy as beaches get on this coast.
How we score beachesThe north end near 100th Street stays noticeably quieter than the boardwalk stretch further south.
Dogs are only permitted on the Ocean City beach and boardwalk from October 1 through April 30 and are banned during the May-September peak season.
July and August bring the warmest water, typically mid to upper 70s, along with the biggest crowds and the occasional hurricane remnant working up the coast. Shoulder season in June or September trades a few degrees of water temperature for noticeably more room on the sand.
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