Berlin, Maryland, is a relaxed, clean, welcoming, safe, and beautiful place.
This place is so safe that you can let your kids ride their bikes without worrying.
It’s so relaxed that the locals can chat with the mayor on the Atlantic Hotel porch and feel comfortable.
Take a stroll down Berlin’s Main Street and return to the time when the Pocomoke and Assateague Indians traveled on the same path.
Later, this path became the main route that connected the commercial centers to the west and the north, named the Philadelphia Post Road.
Interestingly, this area used to be part of the Burley Plantation, a 300-acre land grant back in 1677.
Today, the citizens of Berlin are proud to say that their town is an excellent example of what a united people can achieve.
The locals came together to renovate their town center and preserve their commercial and residential districts.
Among the things you’ll notice here are the tree-lined streets, historic homes, museums, and the Victorian Town Center that will surely captivate your senses.
Here are the 20 best things to do in Berlin, MD:
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Along Stephen Decatur Hwy, you will find the only oceanfront park in Maryland—the Assateague State Park.
On the Assateague Island, it is a beautiful barrier island with the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Sinepuxent Bay on the west side.
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It’s not just any state park because it has two miles of ocean beach, where you can swim, sunbathe, beach comb, fish, and surf.
Not only that, you can take a kayak and explore the bayside for beautiful secluded coves.
Get ready to spot feral horses, waterfowl, deer, and other wildlife in the marsh areas.
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Who could have known that Berlin’s Jefferson Street would raise the intriguing, engaging, yet fantastic Mermaid Museum?
This museum will surely fascinate your senses as it combines pop culture, history, and folklore, offering you a unique experience of everything mermaid.
So, what can you see in this museum?
It aims to highlight the history of mermaids through collections and displays of artifacts associated with these mythical beings.
You’d also love to masquerade as merpeople by putting on the costume tails or visiting the gift shop for items you can take home.
The gift shop brims with mermaid paraphernalia that the local artists have crafted in Berlin.
It’s always a great experience to be out and about and wet!
The Sun Outdoors Frontier Town Western Theme Park, located on Stephen Decatur Hwy, boasts a unique Wild West experience, a water park with high-speed water slides, a lazy river, and a splash pad that the kids will love.
Try the Rattler, where you spiral down 500 feet of tubes or the Tube Slide that takes you down to the pool.
For your Western Experience, there are gunfights, 18 holes of miniature golf, and pony rides.
You’ll love the Wild West town replica featuring bank robberies, jailbreaks, gold panning, etc.
It can’t get more authentic than this.
Plus, their General Store offers western toys, while you can get snacks and drinks at the Nugget Saloon.
On Racetrack Road, some 10 minutes from Ocean City is the Ocean Downs Casino.
You’ll indeed have the time of your life, featuring more than 900 slot machines from pennies to $25 denominations, Poker, Roulette, and Blackjack in the reel, video, and electronic formats.
They have also opened live table games for 3 Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Criss Cross Poker, and Chase the Flush.
Cool yourself down and get refreshed at the Poseidon’s Pub, where you can order from various dining and beverage options.
Remember, you have to be 21 years old and older to play here.
Imagine exploring a 21-acre park with picnic and playground facilities and racquetball and tennis courts.
Enjoy these facilities at the Stephen Decatur Park, located on Tripoli St.
This place is known among the locals as their place for family and group gatherings and individual visitors.
The Berlin Ball Festival also takes place here each year.
Not only that, the Stephen Decatur Park has hosted the African-American Heritage Festival for ten years running.
You and your family will enjoy the facilities and laidback atmosphere.
Located on Maid at Arms Ln, you can find the centerpiece of the GlenRiddle Residential Development—the Glen Riddle Golf Course.
Located a few minutes away from Ocean City, this place features two courses—the Man O’ War and the War Admiral.
In the Man O’ War course, you will face challenges often found in the British Isles, such as double fairways, large greens, dunes, and pot bunkers.
Interestingly, the strategic cross hazard on three holes used to be a historic racetrack that trained champion thoroughbreds.
On the other hand, the War Admiral routes through mature forests for a different golfing experience.
Despite the sheltering trees, the tees are the most challenging area.
Likewise, the five dramatic holes in the beautiful tidal marsh offer terrific views.
Go to Route 50 West Ocean City, and you will find the Baja Amusements, an Ocean City tradition since 1981.
The place will bring lots of fun for the kids and the family with its two mini-golf and two climbing walls, plus eight go-kart tracks, all in a 10-acre area.
You can choose from the 3 Family Tracks with double and single-seat units.
And for your 5 to 7-year-olds, there is a rookie kart for them too.
If you want to feel an adrenaline rush, try the Slick Track, an oval track designed for drifting!
There’s also the Bullit Track racing with tight turns and fast cars.
Don’t miss the Stock Car and the Road Racer, which offer exhilarating experiences.
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Welcome to the Calvin B. Taylor House!
This house is not your average historic house because it is home to the town museum of local history.
This Federal-style house avoided demolition in 1981.
It features many original parts, including the front doorway with butterfly modillions and fluted-edge columns.
Though some parts have changed, many others remain the same such as the wood graining.
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Explore the second floor and find exhibits that tell the Stories of Berlin.
Read about ‘The Race of the Century,’ where Seabiscuit defeated War Admiral, and the story of Isaiah Fassett, who fought during the Civil War.
The Calvin B. Taylor House stands right in the heart of the town’s National Register Historic District.
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Formerly called the Berlin Falls Park, Heron Park became the new name of this park, located on Old Ocean City Blvd at the former Tyson Chicken Processing Plant.
The government purchased the land and the buildings in 2016 to change what used to be a town eyesore.
Even though this park is passive because of its lack of standard amenities and activities on-site, it boasts open land with two large ponds.
This place is a favorite among many birdwatchers and joggers in the area.
Not all towns have their own brewing company, but Berlin has the Burley Oak Brewing Company.
Visit the brewery at the Old Ocean City Blvd to taste their locally crafted beer that uses only the finest local materials.
You can get the beer you want in their taproom, available in a growler and pint sizes to share with your buddies.
Afterward, you can purchase the canned beer to bring wherever you go.
You’ll be delighted to try the beers here and taste unique beers made through traditional and new brewing methods.
What’s not to love about wines?
Here in Berlin, you can visit the Windmill Creek Vineyard and Winery for a day of wine tasting, entertainment, and fab food.
Wine lovers will adore this place, sitting on the grounds of the Historic Mariner House.
Located on Worcester Highway, it is a fabulous venue where you can find excellent live music and fine wines for you and your friends.
It’s trendy during the summer because of its indoor and outdoor spaces that offer beautiful views.
Aside from this, you can also enjoy exploring this beautifully landscaped home, which sits next to an 8-acre vineyard and wildflower farm.
Ayers Creek is one place that many tourists come to Berlin for.
And the best place to explore it is at the Ayers Creek Adventures, where you can explore the surrounding waterways through kayaking and canoeing, using a Stand-Up Paddle, and joining guided eco-tours.
The owners, Steven and Suzy, want to share the beauty of nature where they grew up in an environmentally sensitive way.
Best of all, it’s just a few minutes away from Ocean City.
You and your kids will enjoy the time here with nature.
If you’ve never tried skydiving, then this is the chance to jump into it!
Skydive OC is Maryland’s premier skydiving destination.
A team of experienced and highly-trained instructors will ensure that you won’t be scared to try this extreme sport.
Get your money’s worth as the views include breathtaking coastlines and oceans.
Freefall into Maryland and look back on this experience, which may be the best and most memorable you’ll ever have.
You may have gone to other golf courses, but you cannot miss the Ocean City Golf and Yacht Club, located at RR 611.
This 18-hole golf course combines bay and marsh vistas and is the most beautiful golf course on the Mid-Atlantic Coast.
Featuring two championship golf courses—Seaside and Newport Bay, it offers a unique experience for golfers of various skills and levels.
The Seaside Course is the original one, opened in 1959, and has a more traditional design.
Notice the bunkers that tightly line its classic greens, mixed with open player-friendly fairways.
If you’re not up to playing a game, you can use the putting green and driving range to exercise your swing.
Head out to Airport Road and join an exhilarating tour.
The Ocean City Plane Rides offers the opportunity to admire Assateague and Ocean City’s beaches aboard a three-passenger Cessna or a two-seater biplane.
It’s like traveling back to the 1930s, hearing the roar of the plane’s radial engines with the wind blowing in your face.
It’s truly an adventure you cannot trade for anything else!
Berlin is a quaint town that’s brimming with history, so you’d be hard-pressed to miss out on its centerpiece—Downtown Berlin.
Located along Main Street, Downtown Berlin is one of the best places to do urban exploration and sightseeing as it’s full of buildings that retain its 19th Century aesthetic.
It’s a colorful place that also has tons of restaurants, boutique shops, and a few hotels, making this a great place to spend a whole afternoon with friends and family.
Downtown Berlin also has a visitor center that you may want to visit, as they offer free guides and local expertise on how to maximize your trip to Berlin.
One of the most picturesque historic districts in Maryland, don’t miss out on Downtown Berlin.
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Dating back to 1901, Rayne’s Reef Soda Fountain and Grill is one of the oldest establishments in Maryland.
Humble but picturesque, this red brick building is a famous spot for desert and comfort food.
When you go inside, you’ll immediately notice its vibrant, retro atmosphere that makes for great photo opportunities with friends and family.
Try their milkshakes, sodas, and burgers for the complete experience; some of the best in Berlin that’ll make you want to come back.
Rayne’s Reef Soda Fountain and Grill is located in Downtown Berlin—a perfect stopover after exploring the district.
Found along Harrison Avenue a few minutes north of Downtown Berlin lies The Inn Berlin.
It’s one of the most highly rated accommodations in the town, offering a vintage experience through its rooms and amenities.
An intimate bed and breakfast, The Inn Berlin will immediately impress you upon sighting it because it is built as a historic home.
This gives you that unique experience that you are actually living in Berlin during the 19th Century.
While it may seem old, The Inn Berlin has fantastic, modern rooms and amenities that rivals famous local hotels.
They also have various packages, one of which includes offering you a gourmet picnic experience in its serene grounds.
Northern Worcester Athletic Complex is a fantastic baseball stadium that’s perfect for baseball lovers.
If you have some down time, you can check this place out and see if there are any baseball tournaments being held.
Even if there’s none, you can utilize its multiple fields for recreational purposes.
The stadium is modern, clean, and has plenty of parking—making this a hassle-free space to visit.
Located along Buckingham Lane, Northern Worcester Athletic Complex is a great bonus in your itinerary.
Found along Pitts Street, Blacksmith is one of the most popular and highly touted restaurants in Berlin.
A casual gastropub, Blacksmith offers a variety of interesting food, from classic American dishes to their unique creations.
Their Crispy Lump Crab Deviled Eggs is one of their bestsellers, along with several risotto and their short rib dishes such as the Short Rib Empanada.
The gastropub also has an assortment of alcoholic beverages that’s best paired with their entrees.
Blacksmith also has a beautiful ambiance, perfect for intimate dates or gatherings.
With all these attractions, you can safely say that Berlin has a unique set of offerings for its locals and visitors.
It’s the perfect getaway for the entire family that’s not too far from the city but far enough from the bustle of the metropolis.
Indeed, you’d want to try skydiving and the plane rides.
So, what are you waiting for?
Come and do the 15 best things to do in Berlin, MD.
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