For the love of God how is it already 4th of July weekend. As usual summer is flying by, which means we need to get our asses in gear and start cherishing every moment of these glorious summer months. To be fair, summer has technically just begun, as the first day of summer was just little over a week ago, so our panic isn’t entirely justified. Nonetheless, we want to start capitalizing on summertime in Ocean City with a few (dozen) trips to our favorite Ocean City pool bars. Where will you find us?! Drumroll please…
The Riptide
No longer a secret watering hole and certainly no longer a locals-only spot, The Riptide has been helping locals forget their woes and revel in the summer season for longer than we want to remember. The hole-in-the-wall spot seems to gain in popularity with each passing year, with a stellar lineup of bands joining in the fray. A Natty Light or a Grimace are the obvious choices for drinks, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the food (no sarcasm here, they actually dish out some good food). Throw in the prime people watching action thanks to its boardwalk location and you can see why The Riptide is still our favorite pool bar.
67th Street
There may be no truth to this claim, but the 67th Street pool bar at the Holiday Inn is the original Ocean City pool bar. Live music makes this one another gem, but the true selling point comes in the form of its functionality – it’s a pool bar in truest sense, allowing you to actually swim up to the bar to order your drink. Not sure what this says about the amount of urine circulating in the pool, but if you’re swimming in a public pool in Ocean City, you’ve already comes to terms with that reality. Avoid the crowds and stop in on a weekend if you can, which is also when you have a much better chance of scoring a lounge chair.
Kunus
For the more relaxed pool bar patron, this hidden gem is hands down the way to go. It’s such a secret in fact, that we won’t tell you where it is. Sike, we’re not complete elitist assholes. Located in the Hampton Inn & Suites (bayside, 43rd Street) this spot boasts the best sunset views in Ocean City (with the exception of The Hobbit but that’s a whole different ball game). On top of the stellar views, this place is never – and we mean never – overcrowded. The bartenders are laid back and friendly, the pool is resort-worthy, and the views are spectacular. Relaxation at it’s finest. Just don’t go spoiling it for us…
Well there you have it folks. Our top three Ocean City pool bars. Are there more? Of course, but we’re not Yelp for Christ’s sakes. Look for us at one of the above, discover your own favorite spots, or do neither. Either way, we’ll be enjoying every last minute of summer so we highly suggest you do the same. Cheers.