Fenwick Island, DE
Ocean City doesn't end at 146th St — the island keeps going, but the state does not.
Cross Fenwick Ave at 146th St and you're in Fenwick Island, Delaware: same sand, same Coastal Highway, a completely different vibe. OC's high-rises stop dead at the line — Fenwick's strict building-height and quiet-town rules kept it low-rise and sleepy, one of Delaware's self-styled "Quiet Resorts." The contrast is the whole story here, and visitors staying in North OC use this district constantly, whether or not they think of it as leaving Maryland.
The border itself is a real historical marker, not just a highway sign: the state line runs along the 1751 Transpeninsular Line, a border survey older than the Mason-Dixon Line it connects to, whose original marker stone still stands at the base of the Fenwick Island Lighthouse (1859).
History & the Border
(2)The lighthouse and the Transpeninsular Line marker sit together at the state line — the closest thing this guide has to a two-state history stop.
- Fenwick Island LighthouseFenwick Island, DE
The 1859 lighthouse at the state line — free mini-museum at its base.
- 146th St & Lighthouse Ln, Fenwick Island
- Transpeninsular Line Marker (1751)Fenwick Island, DE
Waist-high boundary stone set April 26, 1751 — the oldest man-made object on this coast.
- Base of the Fenwick Island Lighthouse, Fenwick Island
See & Do
(5)- DiscoverSea Shipwreck MuseumFenwick Island, DE
Free museum of real shipwreck treasure recovered off Delmarva.
- 708 Coastal Hwy, Fenwick Island
- Fenwick Island State ParkFenwick Island, DE
3 miles of undeveloped ocean & bay beaches; swimming, surf fishing, watersports rentals.
- 36840 Coastal Hwy, Fenwick Island
- Thunder Lagoon WaterparkFenwick Island, DE
Seasonal family waterpark; shares campus with Viking Golf.
- 38960 Island St, Fenwick Island
- Viking Golf & Go-KartsFenwick Island, DE
Viking-themed mini golf + go-karts at the Rt. 54 corner; Fenwick family-night staple.
- 38960 Island St, Fenwick Island
- Viking-themed
- Nick's Golf Down UnderFenwick Island, DE
A Fenwick mini golf listing we can't confirm — check locally before making the trip.
- Fenwick Island, DE
Eat & Shop
(8)- Sea Shell CityFenwick Island, DE
Classic roadside shell & souvenir emporium; museum upstairs.
- 708 Coastal Hwy, Fenwick Island
- Harpoon Hanna'sFenwick Island, DE · seafood
Big canal-front seafood house with boat-up docks and famous hot buns.
- 39064 Harpoon Rd, Fenwick Island
- $$$
- The Station (formerly Warren's Station)Fenwick Island, DE · American
The 1959 family landmark, reopened spring 2025 under new ownership — turkey dinners kept on the menu.
- 1406 Coastal Hwy, Fenwick Island
- $$
- NantucketsFenwick Island, DE · seafood
Fine-dining stalwart — dry-aged steaks, crab cakes.
- 601 Coastal Hwy, Fenwick Island
- $$$
- One CoastalFenwick Island, DE · New American
Chef-driven farm-and-sea New American just over the line.
- 101 Coastal Hwy, Fenwick Island
- $$$
- Fisher's Popcorn (Fenwick)Fenwick Island, DE
Delaware outpost of the 1937 caramel-corn institution.
- 37081 Coastal Hwy, Fenwick Island
- Fenwick Crab HouseFenwick Island, DE · Crab house
Permanently closed; crab cakes ship via mail order.
- Fenwick Island, DE
- Just HookedFenwick Island, DE
Closed in 2024 — kept on the map as history, not a listing.
- 1500 Coastal Hwy, Fenwick Island
No Sales Tax
Is shopping tax-free near Ocean City?
Maryland charges 6% sales tax (including clothing). But tax-free Delaware starts at 146th St — Fenwick and the Rt 54 corridor are minutes away. Bonus: Maryland's tax-free week (clothing/shoes under $100/item) lands in mid-August, right in peak season.
marylandcomptroller.gov, verified July 2026
Was this guide helpful?
Sources
Every place and answer above carries its own citation on its full page; this list rolls them up for the guide as a whole.