Guide to Meeting & Event Planning in

Ocean City, Md.

New & Coming Soon to Ocean City 

• Next month, the Roland E. Powell Convention Center will unveil a stunning 15,000-square-foot gallery that's the centerpiece of the venue's extensive expansion and renovation project. The center is also home to Ocean City's newest entertainment and event venue, the Performing Arts Center. The 1,200-seat facility, which hosts concerts, dance performances and theater performances, provides an impressive setting for private group events.

• Developers have proposed to build a Margaritaville Hotel and Resort on Ocean City's Boardwalk. Plans call for a 265-room property that will include three restaurants, three outdoor pools, a fitness center and 14,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

More Meeting & Event Venues in Ocean City

• For meeting space with easy access to live entertainment, dining and gaming, the Ocean Downs Casino, located in the nearby town of Berlin, is an ideal option. In addition to an event center for meetings and other private gatherings, the facility has four food-and-beverage outlets and a 70,000-square-foot casino with table games, video poker and more than 850 slot machines. Guests can also make use of a free casino shuttle bus to neighboring hotels.  

• Picturesque, waterfront views and a lively ambiance are among the selling points of Macky’s Bayside Bar & Grill, which offers indoor and outdoor dining and a menu with local favorites including chicken Chesapeake and Maryland-style jumbo lump crab cakes. Popular theme night events include karaoke, live DJs and a Friday “beach bash.” The venue hosts private events from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

• The Art League of Ocean City Center for the Arts features a two-story gallery, a pottery studio, art library and five working artist studios. The work of regional and local artists is the focus of the exhibits here; private events are accommodated.
 
• The Restaurant at Lighthouse Sound offers breathtaking views of the Assawoman Bay as well as the Ocean City Skyline. Groups of up to 200 guests are accommodated. 

• Among Ocean City’s meetings hotels is the Princess Royale Oceanfront Resort. The hotel offers a spa, an Olympic-sized indoor swimming pool, 10 meeting rooms and two outdoor event spaces.

• Head to Seacrets Distilling Company to sample the venue’s eponymous small-batch spirits. Guided group tours that trace the history of the prohibition era, followed by a tasting in the appropriately named Speakeasy Tasting Room, can be arranged. The distillery accommodates 40 for seated private events.

Sports Venues in Ocean City

• The Roland E. Powell Convention Center can accommodate a full range of indoor sporting events, while the Performing Arts Center can host a variety of events including cheer and dance competitions, and award ceremonies.

• Northside Park, Ocean City’s largest and most popular park facility, is located just 11 miles from the Roland E. Powell Convention Center. The 58-acre complex is well-suited for sporting activities, thanks to its impressive array of facilities, which include walking and jogging paths, three lighted softball/baseball fields, a lighted soccer field, a multipurpose sports field and even a fishing lagoon. Concession stands, two piers and a gazebo add to the venue’s appeal. Groups can also make use of a 14,200-square-foot gymnasium, complete with kitchen, community room, conference room and a sports annex with a 21,000-square-foot arena.

• The Ocean City Tennis Center can host a number of tennis activities, including tournaments.

• With 17 championship golf courses surrounded by beautiful landscapes and water views, Ocean City is well-equipped to hold golf tournaments of any size. 

• Ocean City offers a year-round calendar of festivals and events, including Springfest, Sunfest, and the White Marlin Open fishing tournament.

• Step back in time with a visit to the Ocean City Life-Saving Service Museum. The venue features permanent exhibits on the history of the United States Life-Saving Service on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia from 1878 to 1914; the Boardwalk of Yesteryear and the new showcase of the role of women in shaping Ocean City.

• The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center is an enriching experience for visitors and groups. The 17-acre park is dedicated to the life of abolitionist and activist Harriet Tubman, a leader of the Underground Railroad. In 2022, the center is celebrating the bicentennial of Tubman’s birth on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The venue gives visitors a truly a moving experience toward cohesiveness and inclusiveness and a deeper understanding of history of Tubman's role in the Underground Railroad. In addition to the visitors center, the venue has a walking path designed for contemplation and a 2,600-square-foot picnic pavilion with stone fireplace.

Getting Outdoors and Active in Ocean City

• Fishing and sightseeing charters are among the most popular outdoor activities for groups visiting Ocean City. Attendees can find excitement on the water with the Islander, a six-passenger, 26-foot Mako Center Console boat available for fishing and scenic cruises. Planners can arrange two- to four-hour excursions that depart from the Fisherman’s Marina in West Ocean City. 

• Golf fans can test their skills at River Run Golf Club & Community, which is home to an 18-hole Gary Player signature course and a pro shop. The Hideaway Restaurant at River Run, located in the clubhouse, features crowd-pleasers including fish tacos, wings and shrimp. Up to 200 guests are accommodated for private events

• It’s easy to connect attendees with Maryland’s abundant natural beauty at Assateague Island National Seashore, set on a picturesque, 37-mile-long barrier island managed by the National Park Service. Resident wildlife includes a plethora of bird species and the region’s famed wild horses. Among the outdoor activities groups can enjoy here are kayaking, paddle boarding and riding in over-sand vehicles in a dedicated zone known for its pristine beaches.

• Golf enthusiasts won't want to miss taking a swing at Eagle's Landing, a renowned Ocean City golf course. The only Maryland course that's certified as an Audubon Sanctuary, Eagle's Landing offers a noteworthy mix of sporting activities and natural beauty, with views of both Sinepuxent Bay and Assateague National Seashore. The course is appropriate for players from beginner to pro, and groups can make use of the Caddy Shack Café, which seats up to 130 people inside and 40 on the outside deck.  
 
• Ocean City's prime oceanfront location makes fishing charters a natural choice for many groups, especially during the peak fishing months from May to September. Among the many options for private charters is Tortuga Fishing, which operates a 54-foot, 42-passenger boat. Even those not interested in fishing can enjoy the views during private party and sightseeing cruises.  
 
• Talbot Street Watersports offers an 80-minute cruise along the region's coastal bays. Guests can view wild ponies and bird species, visit a marine animal "touch park" and enjoy the scenery of Assateague Island, a 37-mile-long barrier island. Private sailings for up to 80 guests are accommodated.

• Nature lovers will enjoy exploring Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, which is home to a rich array of flora and fauna, including bald eagles, fox squirrels and more than 20 species of ducks, depending on the season. Cycling, photography, fishing and educational programs are a few of the activities available at the refuge, which was founded in 1933.