If Bay Bridge traffic sucks, stop and spend a few hours picking crabs at Cantler’s Riverside Inn in Annapolis. This popular waterfront restaurant is just beyond the Severn River Bridge. Cantler’s can be crowded, especially on weekends, so call ahead to check on wait times.

Start the beach trip with a breakfast detour at Bagels And... in Annapolis, Maryland. This is a no-frills bagel shop located in a strip mall directly off Route 50. It will satisfy even the pickiest of bagel connoisseurs. Order the New Yorker: a bagel served with cream cheese, smoked salmon, sprouts and tomatoes.

Along with breakfast bagels, Annapolis has one of the best coffee roasters around — Ceremony Coffee. Head there for a pour-over coffee that will keep a caffeine freak wired all the way to Ocean City.

Looking for a bushel of crabs to-go? Hunter’s Seafood and Market in Grasonville (directly off U.S. 50 East) has reasonably priced options, plus crab cakes packed on ice to cook later. This is a value-driven pit stop if you want to bring a crab feast to the beach.

Listen up. This is the real deal for barbecue chicken. Look for the billowing smoke on Seashore Highway — that's where the Kiwanis Club of Bridgeville hosts weekend barbecues from April until October on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It's near the corner of Route 404 and Route 36 — just look for the billowing smoke and follow the smell of barbecue chicken.

P. Bordier Crêperie and Patisserie opened its pretty pastel doors this spring with much more than crepes. Hearty French classics kouign amann and savory galettes with Comté, smoked trout, creme fraiche, and caviar fillings complement ice cream and pies at Bluepoint Hospitality’s next-door sibling Bonheur.

Rise Up has several locations from Annapolis to Ocean City, but the roastery in Easton might be the best way to sample this coffee house and breakfast filling station. Pick up a bag of beans and order a bacon, egg, and cheese to go alongside an iced latte for the drive ahead.

This is a legendary stop for tourists and beer lovers alike. At Dogfish Head Brewery, in the tiny town of Milton, Delaware, growler fills are permitted and beers can be sampled alongside beer-flavored brats and a selection of pizzas.

One of the best breweries in Maryland is RAR Brewery in Cambridge. This is a great spot to pickup beer for the beach including popular brews like Country Ride Pale Ale, Drop Anchor IPA, or Groove City Hefeweizen.

Ocean Odyssey Seafood Restaurant is located on Route 50 in Cambridge and it’s a seafood house with all domestically-sourced crab meat, so it doesn’t get much fresher than this. This pit stop comes with well-seasoned steamed crabs, freshly shucked oysters, fried clams, and seven Maryland beers on tap.

Berlin is just outside Ocean City, and it's well worth the detour since it's an extremely walkable, picturesque town with plenty of shopping. The Baked Dessert Café is another reason to visit — be sure to focus on the pies, pastries, and miniature cakes.