Boardwalk

One of the benefits of having grown up in a tourist destination was the fabulous boardwalk located 15 minutes from our front door.  Ocean City's boardwalk was where we spent many summer evenings. There are water parks, amusement parks, miniature golf, and good old boardwalk food.  Since moving to NY left us with a serious boardwalk void, namely miniature golf and riding the carousal, we headed over there one night on our mini-vacation. 

First order of business: mini golf. There is something so magical about playing mini golf under the stars. We loved this course and were happy to play it again. I got several holes in one and it was great to be back playing an old past time. 

 Second order of busniess: boardwalk treats. When I became allergic to dairy I could no longer indulge in our other favorite boardwalk treats of pizza and soft serve. We luckily discovered the Bashful Banana. They have an industrial juicer machine that they push frozen bananas through to make this amazing (amazing!) whipped banana. They can mix fruits in it, or top it with your typical ice cream toppings. It's just amazing and even though we've replicated it to an extent, the original is always better!

While I can't indulge in these anymore, well, one of these, I still fondly remember numerous Mack & Manco dinners. They make amazing pizza, they even shoot the sauce onto the dough through a soda fountain type hose. And Kohr Bros, ice cream. Soft serve, so good. The best is the vanilla and orange twist. Seriously, don't hack it until you've tried it. I barely had a sweet tooth as a kid and I loved this stuff!

Then, it was off to Wonderland. I loved this amusement park as a kid, and well still love it as an adult! A night on the boards was never complete without riding the carousal. It's just so magical all lit up with the old time music playing in the background.  

 You have to ride the inner horses that go up and down too! Makes you feel like you're in Mary Poppins and that the horses may break free and ride away towards the finish line.  I remember as a little kid I would tell my horse to giddie-up and bump up and down in my seat.

 I had a need for speed as a kid, when it came to rides, but another favorite was the ferris wheel. I thought this was the tallest one ever as a child, until I went to London and rode the Eye. But growing up in my small area, it was hot stuff to be able to see my neighborhood from the top of the wheel. On clear days you could even see the wheel from our house!

 And then the best thrill ride (although it's a toss up between this and the log flume). The swings. Oh man did I love this ride. I had to get a seat on the outside, so you really got the full thrill. I would kick my feet and wave my hands in the air. I just loved this ride.

Being back on the boardwalk was a complete trip down memory lane. A simple summer evening, where time moves at a different pace, the air smells like salt, there are shouts of joy in the air, and the gentle hum of the ocean in the background. Ocean City, how I missed you.