Ocean City vacation rentals

Discover the Jersey shore from an Ocean City house rental

Booking a Jersey Shore house in Ocean City is a great option for families and couples. The city has long stretches of beach and a lively boardwalk with eateries, shops, and amusement parks such as Gillian's Wonderland Pier and Playland's Castaway Cove. You'll also find themed miniature golf and arcades. For more outdoor adventures, Corson's Inlet State Park has miles of trails through dunes and wetlands.

Enjoy ocean views from the comfort of your water slide

Area attractions help Ocean City keep its family friendly vibe strong. On the boardwalk you'll find OC Waterpark, with waterslides and a lazy river that offers views of the Atlantic. For the landlubbers in your party, Gillian's Wonderland Pier has rides for them, too, from merry-go-rounds to tilt-a-whirls. When you're too dizzy to continue, take a break at the Ocean City Historical Museum, a community resource that offers exhibits and artifacts of the area's history. After a day on the sand, kids will be amazed at what's on display at the Discovery Seashell Museum.

What to do near Ocean City vacation homes

The center of the action in Ocean City is the beach. No wait, the boardwalk. Beach. Boardwalk. It's too hard to say. Sunbathing is a key pastime on the city's sandy stretches, both those on the Atlantic and the quieter beaches by the bay. There's also parasailing, surfing, and every other water sport imaginable. Then there are the 2.5 miles of classic seaside boardwalk, lined with souvenir shops, movie theaters, and mini golf. Ocean City doesn't serve alcohol, but it makes up for it with enough dining options (pizza, pasta, pancakes, fudge!) to satisfy the kid in you.

Ocean City's ocean breezes take the edge off summer heat

Ocean City shines in summer. Between May and September, temperatures hover in the 80s and kids of all ages flock to the beach. Humidity can be high, and heat waves intense, but a sea breeze blowing off the Atlantic usually keeps things reasonable. If you're interested in saving a penny or two on your Ocean City vacation rental, try booking in late fall or early spring. The weather might be too cool for swimming, but it's perfect for strolling. You'll avoid the crowds, too. Just remember that some restaurants and parks close up when the temperatures go down.

The OC is for dolphin families (and butterfly families) too

Your Ocean City vacation rental will surely be set on land, but the city itself is 40% water. That means beaches, wetlands, and wading waterfowl. Head to Howard Stainton Wildlife Refuge for some of the best bird watching in the state. Spot terns and black skimmers hunting prey in spring and summer, and migrating birds taking off in fall. For an even wider variety of wildlife, take the nature lover in you to Corson's Inlet State Park, where dolphins frolic offshore and butterflies add color to the marsh grasses and sand dunes.

Traveling to and around Ocean City

The nearest airport is in Atlantic City Intl. Airport (ACY), located 12 mi (19.3 km) from the city center. If you're unable to find a flight that fits your schedule, you might consider flying into Cape May, NJ (WWD-Cape May County), which is 25.9 mi (41.7 km) away.