This summer, people vacationing in Ocean City, Maryland, can try new restaurants and activities and stay in renovated hotels.
New Dining
The Route 66 Diner has opened on Coastal Highway at 69th Street in what was a Dough Roller location. During the summer, it will be open 24/7, executive chef Malea Saunders tells Coast TV.
Pope’s Pizza in the Ocean City Square Shopping Center at 118th Street is new and has an ad in the Ocean City Guide.
The folks behind the popular bar Seacrets plan to open West End 51 Restaurant & Bar. It’s expected to be an upscale bayside restaurant at 51st Street. There’s no opening date yet, but the restaurant has advertised for staff and has a website that says “coming soon.”
Saltwater 75 is “remodeling their beachside bar so chairs will face water,” said Susan Jones, executive director of the OC Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association, in an email. The restaurant received approval in April to reorient an outside bar, add a small deck, and play background music until 10 p.m., according to OC Today-Dispatch. The restaurant also added a 432-square-foot deck to the rear of the restaurant that overlooks the beach.
Kalamata Meza Bar in West Ocean City holds its grand opening Friday, May 17. The Mediterranean restaurant is on U.S. 50 in the previous OC Eateries spot, next to Chick-fil-A.
Taphouse West Ocean City started pouring craft beers and serving craft cocktails in December. Meals range from handhelds and burgers to entrées of fried chicken and scallop risotto. The new location is on U.S. 50 at Keyser Point Road, where Hogfin Smokehouse used to be. During the summer, the restaurant is expected to be open until 2 a.m. The owners also operate two similar taphouses on 45th and 137th streets in Ocean City, plus Taylor’s Neighborhood Restaurant in Ocean Pines and Holy Macaroni.
Plans are in the works for two new restaurants by Peter Elias, owner of Spain Wine Bar at the Cambria Hotel. Elias, who now runs Elias World Hospitality, used to manage DC-area restaurants Barcelona Wine Bar & Restaurant and Agora Restaurant. His Sand & Cedar Taverna will serve Greek, Turkish, Moroccan, and Lebanese cuisine in the former Whiskers Bar & Grill location in the Pines Plaza in Ocean Pines. In December, Elias said the restaurant will be a “scratch kitchen the same way Spain is.”
Elias’ other new restaurant, Bistro Cotiere, will be a white-tablecloth French restaurant on Philadelphia Avenue. It will occupy the space of the former Ocean City location of Cowboy Coast. Jones says the French restaurant is not set to open until winter 2025.
Signs also are up for a new creamery to open on Coastal Highway where the Hungry Seagull eatery was.
New Attractions
There’s a new ropes course at Nick’s Mini Golf on 21st Street at Coastal Highway. Climbers need to be at least 4 feet tall to climb without a chaperone. Those who are 42 to 47 inches tall can climb if accompanied by a chaperone.
Go Ape, which has a Springfield location, takes over the management of the adventure park at Frontier Town, just outside of Ocean City. Go Ape will enhance the existing ropes course and zip line there.
“We are excited to partner with Go Ape to bring their expertise in adventure recreation to Frontier Town. This partnership represents our commitment to delivering guests an unparalleled outdoor experience and establishing our properties as premier destinations,” said Samantha Legg, brand manager at Blue Water, in a news release.
In May, two sisters and their mother opened Tide Together, a new boutique in Park Plaza in West Ocean City. It specializes in clothing, accessories, handbags, and gift items.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not on the Ocean City boardwalk added new exhibits. New exhibits are also planned at the OC Lifesaving Station Museum, which has a new building on Dorchester Street, according to Jones.
Places to Stay
Several Ocean City hotels underwent makeovers. The SeaLoft Oceanfront Hotel, previously the iconic Atlantic Oceanfront Inn, had a $4.5 million makeover. It now has what Blue Water Development described as a “cool, retro surf vibe” with artwork by Hamilton Glass.
“Upgraded features include new luxury vinyl tile flooring with vibrant carpeting, plush sofas that convert to pull-out beds, warm-toned furniture, retro-style dining table and chairs, a 55-inch flatscreen TV, retro apartment-sized refrigerators, a BRU-pod Cuisinart coffeemaker, and a private balcony with Adirondack chairs,” a news release said.
Blue Water also invested $2 million in work at the Commander Hotel & Suites on the boardwalk at Atlantic Avenue.
The old Clarion Hotel on Coastal Highway at 101st Street underwent a massive renovation to become the Ashore Resort & Beach Club.
Ashore Resort is offering up to 30 percent off through June 27 for those who use the code 14KICK while booking, a news release said.
“There’s a genuine buzz and sense of collective pride at Ashore Resort & Beach Club as we gear up for our first summer season now that the full transformation is complete,” said Kane Kennedy, general manager. “Our team is eager to welcome guests and create memorable summer moments, whether it’s through our coastal-inspired dining outlets, vibrant lineup of events and activities, or just the simple pleasure of a picture-perfect day at the beach. We’ve curated a range of experiences to keep guests thoroughly entertained throughout their stay in Ocean City.”
Memorial Day weekend at the Ashore will feature live music, beachfront cookouts, and beachfront yoga. The hotel will have Recovery IVs every weekend in partnership with East Coast IV.
In West Ocean City, the Comfort Suites expanded and added Mainstay Suites.
Feature image courtesy Ashore Resort
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