Somers Point answers a question that Ocean City visitors eventually ask: where do you get a drink in a dry town? The answer is across the 9th Street Bridge, where Bay Avenue's waterfront bars have served Ocean City's alcohol needs since Prohibition ended. This bayside city functions as Ocean City's mainland counterpoint—everything the family-friendly island intentionally lacks, concentrated along a half-mile of waterfront decks overlooking Great Egg Harbor Bay.
Bay Avenue is legendary for a reason. Gregory's Restaurant & Bar has anchored the strip since 1946, serving fresh seafood on outdoor decks where the sunset views compete with any beach town. The Crab Trap handles steamed crabs in no-frills fashion. The Anchor Inn books live music on summer weekends. Charlie's Bar operates as the neighborhood tavern for locals who live here year-round. Figure $20-35 for casual waterfront dining, with bar tabs adding whatever you choose. The scene runs until 2am on summer weekends.
The boating access gives Somers Point utility beyond bar-hopping. Multiple marinas offer slips and boat ramps into Great Egg Harbor Bay—the back-bay system that connects Ocean City, Margate, and Longport. Fishermen launch here for flounder, weakfish, and crabbing that requires no ocean boat. Kayakers and jet skiers rent equipment at the marinas. Sunset cruises depart from the commercial docks.
The geography creates an affordable accommodation strategy. Somers Point's Residence Inn and other mainland hotels run 30-40% cheaper than Ocean City beachfront properties, with the barrier island 5 minutes across the bridge. Families who prioritize pool and suite space over oceanfront proximity find the value proposition convincing.
Shore Medical Center, the primary hospital serving the beach communities, sits in Somers Point—a fact that matters more to year-round residents but explains the city's infrastructure beyond tourism.
Somers Point works best for Bay Avenue bar-hoppers who want waterfront drinks without Ocean City's dry-town limitations, boaters seeking back-bay access to Great Egg Harbor, budget travelers willing to trade beachfront for value, and anyone who appreciates that the best shore nightlife sometimes sits on the mainland. Skip Somers Point if you want beach access from your doorstep—cross the bridge for that. But for the bayside city that figured out how to serve Ocean City's forbidden pleasures while building its own waterfront identity, Somers Point delivers exactly what the barrier islands can't provide.