Let's make a stop on our way to beaches

Your Type A sister-in-law might argue that it's only 150 miles to Ocean City from the Washington area, a short enough trip to drive in three hours without even a bathroom break. You know better.

For one thing, traffic on Friday afternoons on Route 50 between this weekend and Labor Day will be maddening enough to make anyone long for an ejector seat or pull over for an ice cream cone. And besides, seasoned travelers say, the stops along the way are as much a part of tradition as the saltwater taffy and boardwalk rides at the beach.

"Sometimes when we go, I'm just thinking, 'Come on, come on, we need to get there faster,' " said Marilyn Bederka, 61, who travels to Ocean City from her home in Essex in Baltimore County at least once a year. "But one of my favorite trips was when we got lost and ended up driving around for hours, and it was just so neat."

Bederka said she prefers directionless exploration to find treasures, but other beachgoers stop at the same places each time they set off. For some, it's an annual pilgrimage to the family's favorite crab shack. For others, driving to the beach requires a stop at a produce stand along Route 50 or Route 404 for fresh corn and watermelon. Even chain restaurants such as Dairy Queen or Sonic -- both of which are rare in the Washington area -- are must-stops along the way.

Travel experts say the desire to create vacation traditions by stopping at the same diner or fruit stand every year is as American as Ocean City. The traditions can become even more ingrained, they say, if the travelers find the places and return each year. Brice Gosnell, a regional publisher of the Lonely Planet guides, said that many people want do-it-yourself travel: They use a book to pick a town to stop in, then explore on their own.

"Americans love stopping somewhere when they feel comfortable with the place," Gosnell said. "And there's a real specialness about finding the place on your own and then sharing it with family or friends."

For some beachgoers, stops at the outlet malls at Queenstown, Rehoboth and West Ocean City are nearly as important as a dip in the ocean. About 6 million people visit the Tanger Outlets every year in Rehoboth, the king of mid-Atlantic discount malls because of the variety of stores and because Delaware has no sales tax. Ninety-seven percent of Rehoboth's summer shoppers are from out of town.

"Well, really, half the point of going to the beach is going shopping," said Katie Johnson, 27, an Arlington County resident who rents a house with friends every summer at Dewey Beach. "Last year, I spent two days working on my tan and two days working on my wardrobe."

But a mall, even at the beach, is a mall, and that means crowds. For those seeking a less-worn stop, there's Elmer's Market, a farmers market/toy store/greenhouse in Georgetown, Del., with a playground. Elmer's, on Route 404 about 30 minutes from Rehoboth, gives families that might have heard one too many cries of "He hit me first!" a chance to let the children burn off energy on a giant wooden pirate ship.

Although some travelers prefer to wait until they arrive at the shore to indulge in beach-themed treats such as caramel corn, saltwater taffy and fresh crabmeat, there's no need to delay gratification.

At the Crab Claw, a tourist favorite in St. Michaels, watermen have hauled bushels of seafood from their boats into the restaurant's steamer pots for 44 years, owner Tracy Jones-Wass said. She said that most of the restaurant's summer customers are vacationers and that many stop by every time they pass through town on their way to the beach.

"We've got hot crabs and cold beer, so what else do you need?" Jones-Wass said.

For a more mysterious dining experience, Bederka said she opts for the Suicide Bridge Restaurant along the Choptank River in the tiny town of Hurlock, Md., about halfway between Cambridge and the Delaware line. The eatery's name alludes to the history of the bridge over the river, which used to be a popular spot for people to shoot themselves or leap to their deaths. The restaurant's owners do not shy from the name -- one dish is called "shrimp and scallops a la suicide."

There are also places that allow travelers to discover art in all its forms. Hurlock is home to one of the Eastern Shore's most celebrated artists, Paul Lockhart. Perhaps best known for his 12-foot-high metal sculpture of a marlin at Entry Park in Ocean City, Lockhart's works are in towns up and down the East Coast.

Bederka said she has a weakness for the galleries and antiques stores that dot Route 50 and the picturesque towns on the way down to Ocean City. Although the shops offer standard fare such as silverware, beach-themed paintings and furniture, many place special emphasis on oyster plates, elaborately designed platters with wells for the oysters.

"The best part of going to the beach, for me, is not the sand and the waves but hunting for oyster plates," said Sally Grove, 57, whose family has owned a place at Bethany Beach for more than 20 years. "After going a few times a year for as long as I have, I've got enough to cover the walls at our regular house [in Bethesda] and the beach house."

But not all beach-bound traditions are limited to the Eastern Shore. Take Sonic, the fast-food restaurant that bills itself as "America's Drive-In" in endless TV commercials. Yet there are none within 50 miles of Washington, and that makes it a must stop for Johnson of Arlington.

At a Sonic in Bridgeville, Del., about 45 minutes from Rehoboth, carhops deliver burgers, fries and signature Slushes to car windows. That's part of the appeal, Johnson said.

"It feels like a novelty to have people come to your car," she said. "And even though it's a chain, it feels exotic because we don't have it in D.C."

source: washingtonpost.com