Finally you got here! But what next?

Congratulations on squeezing through several hours of traffic so bad it's the rough equivalent of a red blood cell trying to squeeze through John Goodman's buffalo wing sauce-clogged arteries.

So now that you're here, what the heck are you going to do?

Well, after a quick margarita to extinguish the pounding echo of your kids "Are we there yet?" cries from the past 5 hours, you're going to sit down and read this here Beachcomber so you'll know exactly what to get into.

Take the whole fam to a theme park --We've got some good ones around these parts, and there's no lying to us: We know you still like amusement park rides as much as your hyperactive eight-year-old.

Trimper's Amusements and Rides at the Inlet in Ocean City is the region's best known amusement park with its iconic roller coaster as you drive into town. You're also surrounded by goofy Boardwalk games there and have the chance to win stuffed animals the size of Cuba.

But to get off the main drag, Frontier Town on Route 611 in West Ocean City is a well-loved water park, and if your vacation destination is further north then Rehoboth's Funland is every bit as traditional as Trimper's.

Go to Assateague National Seashore -- Cape Henlopen State Park just north of Rehoboth is not too shabby, but Assateague National Seashore -- part of that wild looking strip of sand just across the Inlet from Ocean City -- might just be the best park in the entire darn U.S. of A.

To get to the national seashore, take a right after the scenic bridge onto Assateague and drive all the way to the entrance gate. When you get out of your car, you will be surrounded by one of the most unspoiled, naturally perfect beaches left in the country.

You're guaranteed to get up close and personal with Assateague ponies (who will effectively beg you for ketchup; those ponies have a weird thing for ketchup) and sika deer. You can also find adventures inland through great trails, exploring the gorgeous bayside by canoe, taking part in the island's world class fishing or just chilling at the best beach on Delmarva.

Hit a crazy beach club -- Don't just go to a run of the mill bar and sit there drinking like it was your after work happy hour back in the 'burbs. Step up your game and hit one of the area's many absolutely ridiculous, bonkers, wild nightclubs.

Seacrets on 49th Street is pretty much the definition. However, Fager's Island or the Party Block in Ocean City, Summer House in Rehoboth or Northbeach, The Lighthouse and Rusty Rudder in Dewey all stake fair claims to being the wildest, wooliest joints on the Shore for big sweaty dance floors, DJs, live bands, deliciously fruity drinks and a severe lack of inhibitions.

East some bomb seafood -- Another don't when vacationing at the beach is eating the same Olive Garden-Outback fare you have every week up in Pennsylvania. You're at the beach man! You know what's past the beach? The ocean, full of very delicious fresh fish that jolly old anglers pull out of that sea every day for you.

And, of course, if you're vacationing here, then you happened to pick the most blue crab and crabcake eatingest region in the universe for your stay. The region's fresh oysters and clams aren't too shabby, either.

Obviously, seafood restaurants are too many to name here, but we picked a couple good ones for you to peruse in the info box just off to the right there.

Have a delish frozen drink oceanside --There is nothing more beach vacation perfect than sitting outside on a boardwalk restaurant patio on a hot day with a giant frozen concoction as you stare off blissfully at the ocean and sand.

But get the Corona commercial out of your head and do it. Probably no bar on the Shore has a better view than Mango Mike's in Bethany, with it's view right over the Bethany bandstand and the ocean past the Bethany boardwalk. The place is (in)famous for its mango margarita -- as is Shenanigan's on the Boardwalk in Ocean City for the frozen Shilleleigh.

The king of frozen drinks, though, might make us change up our rules for this item. Castaway's on 65th Street in Ocean City isn't by the beach, but it does at least have a sweet bayside perch and the joints' many many frozen rum drinks are winners all around.

Get in the water -- It seems simple, but too many people come to the beach -- and then stay on the beach. Be adventurous, people -- Jaws isn't coming after anyone in Ocean City anytime soon (although a crab might get your toe every now and again).

Grab a cheap boogie board at a beach retail shop and ride the waves away. If you're up for something even more adventurous, try a rental place to go wind surfing for a couple hours. Rental spots will also have kayaks and canoes for you to paddle into isolated paradises like the mid-bay islands scattered throughout the coastal bays and home to nothing but peace and birds.

For the ultimate in genuine local water experiences, follow our Assateague advice then go to the Coastal Bays stand and rent a few clam rakes and go clamming. You'll find plenty, and when you take them home, just steam them, melt some butter and enjoy.

Go fishin' -- You can rent rods at most any of the plentiful local bait shops for just a few bucks. The good bait shop folks will hook you up with the right rigs, sell you the right bait and send you on to the surf or a pier well equipped for a little action.

Fishing is a crucial vacation exercise because, one, it relaxes the heck out of your wearied head and, two, kids and adults alike go crazy at the feeling of catching a fish.

From the surf or piers, folks are still catching fat rockfish, sea trout, kingfish, bluefish and flounder this time of year. Croaker, tautog and a few other tasty guys will be around shortly.

Adventure off the beach -- The beach isn't all the Shore has to offer, although the region's inland towns are a completely different universe from what you're used to seeing at traditional cookie cutter Boardwalk haunts.

What these inland towns offer is a little culture and peaceful entertainment. Berlin and Lewes (not technically inland as it rests on the Delaware Bay) are the crown jewels of "Can you believe this place exists?"-style quaint and beautiful towns.

Both are old-school Victorian charmers. Taking a visit to either will get you great hidden local restaurants, a bonanza of art galleries and what your mother would call "darling little shops" with antiques and local goods.

American bandstand -- Bethany and Rehoboth both have old school Americana bandstands loaded with fun bands all summer.

Rehoboth has bands blowing up the bandstand in downtown literally three or four times a week. Bethany hasn't kicked up the old bandstand yet this summer, but they will soon, also with a great selection of big band and classic rock 'n' roll.

Ocean City doesn't have a bandstand per se, but the town does have a couple of outdoor stages and venues that keep the community concerts rolling. Down at the brand new Sunset Park at the end of Division Street at the bay, concerts will go down every week for Free Music Thursday while every Wednesday the town puts up Concerts on the Beach near the Inlet parking lot.

Read a book -- In the end, you're here to relax, and you're not going to do that if you're running around like a maniac all week trying to pack in every item on this list.

So use the universe's best baby sitter -- the Atlantic Ocean and the Ocean City Beach Patrol -- to take care of the kids, and lounge back on the beach on a giant towel and dig into the novel of your choice. Atlantic Book Store on Route 1 in Fenwick just across the Maryland border can help you out if you left your books at home.

source: delmarvanow.com