Just about four months ago, Ocean City, New Jersey was named the best beach in America by Coastal Living.There were over thirty states along the East and West coast lines. With more than 100,000 votes, it is obviously apparent that Ocean City is a pretty great beach. Of course, you have the classic places, like the boardwalk and the music pier. But, have you heard of places like The Bookateria Two or the Discovery Shell Museum? Those are just two slightly hidden places, read on to find the best hidden shops in Ocean City, NJ.
1. Bookateria Two
Not including the beach, the Bookateria Two, is probably one of my favorite places. Not only can you get cheap books, they also have some of the most current and up to date books. Another great thing about them is that you can trade! So just bring in some old books from last year's vacation, and trade them in for some new ones!
2. Shrivers's Taffy
3. Dot's Pasty Shop
4. Discovery Shell Museum
A truly hidden place. The shell museum is on 27th and Asbury, and is home to many types of shells. Not only do they sell the usual sea shells and shark teeth, they also sell, coral, dried sea life, urchins, alligator heads, and even conch shells. Another great tip is find a small paper coupon book while your down there; in it, you should find a coupon for a free small bag of shells.
5. Brown's Almost Famous Doughnuts
I luckily was able to stay on the north end of the island last year, and found this hidden place. At just about the end of the boardwalk, is this (somewhat) hidden gem. Not only is it an actual restaurant, it is also to-go counter where you can order your drinks, doughnuts, and breakfast items, and take them home with you. Even better, eat them on the beach!
6. Manco & Manco
This is one of my newest favorite pizza places, especially with it being on the boardwalk. Manco & Manco currently has four locations, with a fifth being possibly built in 2017. The pizza is great, fairly priced, and the workers are very friendly.
7. Treats-N-Treasures
Books and ice cream, what more could you ask for? Right on 33rd and Asbury this very small ice cream shop is one to talk about. It has over 33 ice cream flavors, and candy that starts at 5 cents. Luckily, for the younger kids, they have rounded their prices so that it can even out to a fair amount!
8. Johnson's Popcorn
This by far the most hidden place; not everyone know's Johnson's Popcorn. For over 70 years, Johnson's has been crafting the best caramel corn around. One of my favorite things about this place is their refill deal. If you buy a certain size tub, you can get the refill deal, which is a great discount to the purchase price.
9. Randazzo's Pizzeria & Family Restaurant
You know those restaurants that you find while on a trip that you can't get enough of, and you just want to bring it home? Randazzo's is that place for me. One of the things that I enjoy about this place is that you can do takeout, and since Ocean City, NJ is a walking town, walking to get the very fulfilling Italian food and walking about should just about cover what your about to eat for dinner. Another great thing about Randazzo's is that they are also in PA, so now I can constantly eat there whenever I feel like.
10. The Clam Bar
The Clam Bar: probably one of my all time most favorite places ever. This could probably count as my last meal on Earth. Just over the ninth street bridge, in Somer's Point, NJ is this good sized restaurant. Right next to the boat dock, you can enjoy watching all the cars and boats going back and forth around you. While this is place is amazing, there are two very important things to remember. First off is the wait; the longest amount of waiting time is about an hour and 15 minutes tops, usually depending on how many of you there are and what time you are getting there.
The second tip is parking. There are set parking lots for The Clam Bar, but they usually fill up fast. If you have a small car then you're golden, but if you have an SUV or larger vehicle, parking can get a little tricky. I do have some relief for you; if you go up one block and make a left and reach the top, there is a bank parking lot, once the bank closes at their ridiculous hour, then you are free to park there!
There are so many restaurants, and hidden gems in Ocean City, NJ it's hard to pick just ten. But I have one last tip, if you are interested in finding some more hidden stores, then walk! You will be amazed how much you can find while walking around.
