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Looking for some new things to do in the Ocean City, Maryland and Deleware beach areas. Have free access to a place in Fenwick and am interested in finding some new, interesting and inexpensive things to do with kids. Has anyone taken the Lewes Ferry?

Budman

I've taken it several times. It takes about 1 hour & 15 minutes each way. Here is the web site for prices/schedules. You don't have to take your car -- you can just walk on/off. It also has a kids thingy.

Have fun!!

http://www.capemaylewesferry.com/kids.html

Rachel

The Lewes Ferry to Cape May is a good day trip. Our kids enjoyed it. Our return trip was when the sun was setting and it was really beautiful to watch the sun set over the ocean while we sipped on cocktails (kiddie cocktails for the kids). Other things to do-Assateaque (I'm sure I've mispelled it) Island where wild ponies roam free. Its a beautiful National (or State) park, has a beautiful beach and is another good day adventure. Its just on the other (not fenwick) side of OC. Bring bug repellant though-the park can be buggy. Also, in either Rehobeth or Bethany Beach there was, and hopefully still is, a clay store with pre cast items which you can paint and then the store fires them. If you have enuf time, you can pick them up later, if not, have them shipped home. There is alo a nice park in O (around the 70s-80s streets) which has a baseball field, playgrounds, soccer fields, piers for crabbing, a walkway for runners, bikes, blades, etc. I think you can find a web site for the OC parks department for more info. It even has an indoor gym with classes, basket ball. Its pretty close to Fenwick.

bookhall

There aren't a lot of distinctive things to do in that area with kids. They'll certainly enjoy the ferry, though.

If you drive down to the tip of Delmarva, I believe you can drive round-trip through the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel for a reasonable fee. There's a restaurant and pier about halfway out where you can stop, get a bite to eat, gawk and talk about how neat it is. If you get lucky, you might catch freighters or Navy ships entering or exiting the bay.

Johanna1

Try Assateague State Park. There's camping, fishing, crabbing, clamming, swimming, etc. As you enter the park area, there's a museum/gift shop to the right where you can get a lot of information on what the park has to offer. Last time we were there, a park ranger was giving a presentation and demonstration about horseshoe crabs to a group of wide-eyed kids -- they were spellbound! And although the park has miles of nice beaches, the area is really known for the wild horses. Every year, they swim the horses across to Chincoteague, and it's a major tourist event. If you do a search on "Assateague" you will get loads of information. Definitely bring insect repellent, many parts of the area are marshy. Have a good time.

Molly2

I second {third?]the suggestion for Assateague Island. My family visited the Virginia end and stayed in Chincoteague. My son absolutely loved it. We gave him "Misty of Chincoteage" to read before we left, which made the visit more personal. There is lots to do, much of it free or inexpensive, icluding the pony round-up, hiking and biking {be sure to outfit your kids with cameras to take pictures of all the wildlife}, the fireman's carnival, mini-golf, ice cream parlors,swimming, ranger activities [we went on an excellent free night-walk], refuge "safaris" and various activities based around the pony-penning.

DelawareGirl

Does anyone know if they still have the Ocean City Fishing Pier? I heard they were going to build homes there. That is a real neat place where you can watch the fishermen bring the 100 pound tunas in to get weighed and sold to local restaurants. We took many guests and kids there. There is a bar right there for the adults as well, but like I said I heard the whole place got sold to a developer.

However, for the kids, OC has the Pirate boat that goes out into the bay. This is located right across from the OC Fishing Pier and the kids look for "treasure", sing shanty songs, etc. A cool kid trip. You can probably locate information on the OC website ococean.com I think.

islandmom

My only memories are waiting for fries and vinegar in a long line and flying kites.

rb_travelerxATyahoo

The last time I checked, you could get a deal on round-trip same day tickets for the ferry if not driving, with shuttles to pick you up on the other side.

There is a short railroad in Cape May that starts in downtown and one of it's stops is the Cape May Zoo. Also there's a replica of an old village (Cold Springs? Cold Brook?) on one of the train stops too.

Also agree on Assateague, Chincoteague, and bug spray (and sunscreen). The toll for the Bay Bridge-Tunnel is about $10 each way, but check ahead that the stop and its shops have not been closed down due to port security - those ships are headed to Norfolk, the largest Navy base in the world. That bridge-tunnel combo was once called the 8th Wonder.

There are some state parks in NJ within an hours drive from Cape May with lake-swimming, if the kids don't like the ocean. And a museum near the ferry terminal at Lewes.

If you were to drive all the way to the "8th Wonder", well- why not instead drive across another long bridge and visit Annapolis?

One more suggestion: Drive to Crisfeld MD ("Crab capital of the World") and take a boat to Tangier Island, where you'll probably see no cars, there are no real roads, and the people have been so isolated that you'll detect an Elizabethian accent.