Free & Cheap Things to Do in Ocean City

Strolling & Beaches

A nearly 3-mile wooden boardwalk stretching from the Inlet at the south end to 27th Street, lined with arcades, fudge shops, classic Boardwalk fries, two amusement parks (Trimper's and Jolly Roger at the Pier), and Atlantic Ocean views the whole way. Travel Channel ranked it America's best boardwalk.

Address: S 2nd St to 27th St, Ocean City, MD 21842

Tip: Free to walk 24/7. Bring cash for boardwalk classics — Thrasher's fries, Fisher's caramel popcorn, and Dolle's saltwater taffy are the iconic stops. Bikes allowed only 2 AM–11 AM in summer; pedestrians-only the rest of the day. Bay-side lots farther north are cheapest for parking.

Strolling & Beaches

10 miles of free public Atlantic Ocean beach stretching the full length of Ocean City — from the Inlet at the south to the Delaware state line at the north. Lifeguards patrol 10 AM–5:30 PM Memorial Day through Labor Day. Free public showers and restrooms at every numbered street access from N. Division to 146th Street.

Address: Atlantic Ocean shoreline, Ocean City, MD 21842

Tip: Free year-round; unlike many East Coast beach towns, Ocean City charges no daily beach tags. The Boardwalk section (south of 27th Street) has the most amenities; north OC beaches are quieter. Crowds peak July–August; Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends draw the biggest day-trip crowds.

Parks & Nature

A 37-mile barrier-island national seashore just south of Ocean City, famous for its herd of wild ponies that roam the dunes, beach, and marsh. Free to enter on foot or by bicycle. The Maryland District's Visitor Center has free interpretive exhibits on the barrier island ecosystem; trails, kayaking, and camping fill the rest of the visit.

Address: 7206 National Seashore Ln, Berlin, MD 21811

Tip: Foot/bike entry is FREE — bike from Ocean City via the Coastal Bays Trail if you're cycling. Wild ponies bite and kick; stay 40+ feet away (federally enforced). Free entry days throughout 2026 (Memorial Day, July 3–5, Veterans Day, etc.). Distinct from adjacent Assateague State Park, which has its own $10 fee.

Parks & Waterfront

Ocean City's largest park — a 58-acre bayside complex on the north end with three lighted ballfields, a lighted soccer field, two piers, a fishing lagoon, two playgrounds, a Wetlands Walkway, and over a mile of walking and jogging paths. The Sundaes in the Park family event with fireworks runs summer Sundays.

Address: 127 St & Bayside, Ocean City, MD 21842

Tip: Free entry, free parking, free fishing from the piers (no license needed for saltwater piers within OC). Sundaes in the Park Sunday evenings July–August features free fireworks at dusk. The Wetlands Walkway fishing pier is the quietest sunset spot in OC.

Quirky Landmarks

Ocean City's historic amusement park on the south end of the Boardwalk, operating since 1890. The signature 1902 Herschell-Spillman carousel — one of the oldest continuously operating carousels in the country — turns alongside modern thrill rides and Marty's Playland arcade. Free entry; pay-per-ride wristbands and individual tickets available.

Address: S Boardwalk at S 1st St, Ocean City, MD 21842

Tip: Free to walk through and watch. The 1902 carousel is the classic nostalgia ride. Multi-ride wristbands are the best value for families planning to ride multiple times. Evening lights make the iconic Boardwalk photo. Closed in winter except special holiday events.

Parks & Waterfront

A 13-acre free park on the southern tip of Ocean City overlooking the Inlet and Assateague Island across the water — the launch point for fishing-boat charters and the southern terminus of the Boardwalk. The park hosts most of OC's free summer concerts and beach movie events, with viewing binoculars and interpretive signs facing the Inlet.

Address: S 2nd St & Boardwalk, Ocean City, MD 21842

Tip: Free entry; the parking lot is one of the largest in southern OC but fills by 9 AM in summer. Free Movies on the Beach screenings on summer Mondays. Sundaes on the Beach concerts run summer Tuesdays. Surf fishing on the adjacent beach is free (Maryland fishing license required for surf, free for piers).

Parks & Nature

A small free bayside park on South Division Street with the most-photographed sunset view in Ocean City — across the Isle of Wight Bay with the mainland silhouette beyond. Hosts the free Sunset Park Party Nights summer concert series every Thursday from 7–9 PM, May through September.

Address: S Division St & The Bay, Ocean City, MD 21842

Tip: Free entry and free street parking. Bring a beach chair or blanket for the Thursday concerts — seating fills quickly. Best sunset light from June through August. A 10-minute walk south of the central Boardwalk area.

History & Museums

A small but well-curated museum in the restored 1891 Ocean City Life-Saving Station building at the south end of the Boardwalk, telling the story of the US Life-Saving Service surfmen who patrolled this stretch of Atlantic coast. Original rescue equipment, surfmen photographs, a working Lyle gun cannon, and Sinepuxent crew artifacts fill the exhibits.

Address: 813 S Atlantic Ave, Ocean City, MD 21842

Tip: May–Oct: open daily 10 AM–5 PM. Nov–Apr: Sat & Sun only 10 AM–1:30 PM. The $10 two-museum combo pass adds the Museum of Ocean City (217 S Baltimore Ave) — valid one week. The boardwalk location makes it an easy rainy-day add-on after the beach.