Stuck in traffic heading down the ocean? Here are 7 good stops along Route 50.

You’re over the Bay Bridge on your way to an Ocean City vacation when the map on your car screen or phone alerts you to delays ahead. Route 50 is now a solid red line.

Moments ago, you were carefree and cruising. Now you’re at a dead stop, staring at a sea of brake lights. You wonder: Where could we pull over and wait out this traffic and perhaps have some fun?

If you find yourself needing a pit stop while beach- or homeward bound between Kent Island and Salisbury, there are a number of spots where you can cool your heels, grab a bite, take in some art or even visit a petting zoo.

Cult Classic Brewing

1169 Shopping Center Road, Stevensville

Open since 2018, this once-abandoned Stevensville supermarket has been transformed into a brewery, bar, restaurant and event space by former home brewers Jesse and Brooks McNew.

Cult Classic — the name is a nod to the brothers’ love of old movies — has 15 in-house brews on tap, including their own take on a hard seltzer and a light beer. Their menu gets raves online, too, with particular love for what some call the best pizza on Kent Island.

Not only can you stop for a pint, you can catch a show. Cult Classic hosts about 140 ticketed events a year with live music three times a week. Performers include comedians, mediums, magicians, mentalists and more.

Events manager Rohry Flood said they just expanded the venue and have plans to start hosting national acts later this year.

Queenstown Premium Outlets

441 Outlet Center Drive, Queenstown

You’re about two hours from the beach when you reach this outdoor mall, where Route 301 splits off Route 50. The popular outlet mall hosts more than five dozen shops and factory stores, including national brands like Nike, J.Crew, Under Armour and Kate Spade.

There are also a handful of eateries where you can get a coffee, a hot pretzel or a slice of pizza. For travelers, the restrooms are located closest to the highway, and there’s plenty of free parking.

Academy Art Museum

106 South St., Easton

Hang a right at the Wawa on Route 50 in Easton (Dover Road) and head a mile or so into downtown to find the Academy Art Museum, established in 1960 by local artists in a former schoolhouse. The facility saw a $5 million expansion during the COVID-19 pandemic and now boasts a contemporary glass entrance.

On display this summer at the museum’s five galleries, you’ll find an exhibition of thoughtful images by Mexican photographers and the works of teenage artists inspired by the poem “The New Colossus,” installed at the base of the Statue of Liberty.

The museum is also home to art studios and classes for artists of all ages, as well as a performing-arts space that hosts lectures, film screenings and live music.

Admission is free. The museum is open six days a week but closed Mondays and holidays. There’s plenty of public parking available nearby.

Unicorn Bookshop

3935 Ocean Gateway, Trappe

About 90 minutes from the beach in the hamlet of Trappe, generations of bibliophiles have relished that unmistakable “old book smell” on a visit to Unicorn Bookshop, where owner and proprietor Jim Dawson just celebrated 50 years in business.

He’s been in his Route 50 location, a former bank and soda shop, since 1983. He’s expanded the building several times, which is why it looks a lot bigger on the inside than out.

Unicorn keeps about 30,000 books in stock, from modern paperbacks to first-edition titles from the 1600s. Dawson specializes in content on Maryland and Eastern Shore history, a collection he estimates to be in the hundreds.

“I like to say the bookshop is an ongoing tribute to my ongoing efforts to avoiding a real job,” he said. “It’s a fun, wonderful thing to do.”

Tammy’s Cool Things

2281 Ocean Gateway, Trappe

Just down the road from Unicorn Bookshop, you’ll find another one-of-a-kind Eastern Shore destination in Tammy’s Cool Things, an eclectic boutique and roadside gift shop.

With its hippie-inspired Volkswagen bus out front, Tammy’s Cool Things trades in a bohemian vibe: crystals and candles, incense and oils, tie-dyed shirts and funky jewelry. There’s a separate smoke shop for adult customers.

Beachgoers making a pit stop also can find beach towels, comfy clothes and cold drinks for sale. Tammy’s hosts a monthly “first Friday” event featuring a food truck and live music.

Its founder, Tammy Saunders, has stepped away from the business, which is now run by family members. But while you’re here, you can still meet their famous shop cat, a friendly orange boy named George.

Bay Country Bakery

2951 Ocean Gateway, Cambridge

You’re about an hour from the beach when you reach Bay Country Bakery in Cambridge and its house-sized mural of a pink frosted-and-sprinkled donut.

Inside, you’ll find the real thing: a wide selection of scratch-made donuts and pastries, as well as their signature steak-and-egg breakfast sandwich served on a brioche-style bun. Other sandwiches, subs and grab-and-go items are available, plus café drinks.

Owners Dave and Gena Levy, who met in culinary school, worked in high-end restaurants before purchasing the established mid-Shore bakery in 1999. They opened their current Route 50 location, inside an old bookstore, in 2009.

Bay Country Bakery is open 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Saturday, closed Sundays.

Wright’s Market

9300 Old Railroad Road, Mardela Springs

You’re less than an hour from Ocean City when you see the trademark windmill at Wright’s Market, located just outside the Salisbury bypass on Route 50.

Wright’s offers not only a fresh produce market but an in-house bakery and seafood counter. They also have a petting zoo and, in early fall, a popular corn maze.

The generational family business, started during the Great Depression, now includes 1,000 acres of farmland where the Wrights — many of whom still live on the farm — grow their own fruits, veggies and grains. They also offer greenhouse-grown flowers, outdoor furniture and a gift shop.

“For my family, it’s who they are,” said Michelle Wright, whose husband is fourth-generation proprietor Charles Wright IV. “Thank goodness we have people like them who love what they do and can work like this.”

Wright’s Market is open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., April through October.