The official start of summer is right around the corner and for those who love to travel, Ocean City , Maryland, is a popular getaway that borders the Keystone State, offering attractions within a short driving distance.
This year, Americans are ready to travel as more destinations reopen and COVID-19 regulations begin to ease up, hotels and flights are expected to be more crowded.
If you plan on hitting the popular Maryland beach this summer, here’s some advice about when and where to plan your stay, and what you’ll need to know in advance before your next getaway trip to Ocean City.
By this Memorial Day, visitors will have the option to book their entire trip from hotels to restaurants, and other fun activities on the Ocean city website, according to the Ocean City Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Make reservations as soon as possible
The busiest time of the year is normally between June and August, which means it’s time to start planning your summer vacation right now, according to Eric Hammond, spokesperson for the town of Ocean City’s tourism department.
He recommend visitors to quickly book reservations at hotels, Airbnbs and other accommodations before the “shoulder season” ends.
“We definitely encourage people to book early and lock in those rates as they tend to go up once the summer season begin between Memorial Day and Labor Day,” said Hammond. “Right now we’re in what’s called the shoulder season which is just outside of the official summer season. So we’ve been saying to book your vacation ASAP.”
By this Memorial Day for hotel reservations there will be additional booking services available throughout the year, according to the Ocean City tourism bureau.
Ocean City has earned the nickname of “America’s greatest family resort,” Hammond pointed out, because the majority of people who visit are families on summer vacation.
Ocean City is a family-friendly destination according to TripAdvisor. Each year, generations of families gather to this East Coast resort town to enjoy each other and the beach.
Pick the best time of the year to visit
Although most people visit Ocean City during the summer, Hammond said September is a great time to visit the beach.
“In September, the weather is still warm, the crowds have died down and, outside of Labor Day, the prices have calmed down as well, so that’s also a good time to visit,” said Hammond. “Ocean City used to be very seasonal because people used to visit during the summer and it was normally a quiet town. Stop lights were normally off in the winter time. But now it’s pretty much a year-round destination.”
From young children to surfers, couples and retirees, Hammond said Ocean City is a destination for all ages.
“There’s always something going on from an indoor boat show - we just had a film festival - there’s always concerts going on. There are a ton of events that are pretty much year-round now,” said Hammond. “It just depends on what you’re looking for and what you want to do because it’s always a good time to visit.
The Ocean City tourism department has plenty of information on places to stay and things to do while visiting the shore.
Ocean City, Maryland beach front Hotels
Be prepared to spend extra cash
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt supply chains, as well as hiring for a lot of seasonal or service jobs. So prices for everything from groceries to gasoline to yes, hotel stays, are likely to be increasing a bit.
“In some cases, Ocean City is seeing increased cost due to supply chain, but no different than any other community across the country. As far as gas, the upside is that Ocean City is just a short drive away from central Pa., and most drivers can make the trip on less than a tank,” said Hammond.
As far as capacity restrictions for restaurants this year, Hammond said all dining locations are expected to be operating at full capacity by Memorial Day.
Check in advance for what you’ll need, from masks to beach tags
Last year, COVID-19 restrictions were still widespread, requiring masks for most indoor situations. But over the past year, many states have loosened COVD-19 restrictions. Starting May 15, masks and face coverings are no longer required for all Marylanders outdoors or indoors at public businesses.
Private businesses and workplaces also have the option to place their own policies or guidelines. In conjunction with CDC guidance, face coverings will still be required on public transportation.
Ocean City strongly encourages those who are not vaccinated to wear masks, especially when social distancing can not be maintained. You can read more about those guidelines on the state’s COVID-19 Information hub.
Hammond believes Ocean City will be jam-packed with COVID-19 cases being more manageable.
“Last year was a banner year for Ocean City. It was the busiest year in several years previous,” said Hammond “I think it will be the same as last year because a lot of those restrictions were gone last year as well.”
Located along Maryland’s coast in Worcester County, Ocean City stretches along 10 miles from the Inlet to the Delaware state line. The iconic boardwalk offers three miles of food, games and shopping, and accommodations include more than 10,000 hotel rooms from major hotel chains to quaint, locally owned gems, and 21,000 rentable condominiums.
Beach tag info
Unlike many New Jersey beaches, where beach tags are required, in Ocean City visitors do not need tags and access to beaches is free year-round.
“Ocean City itself is completely free to visit the beach. No tags are needed and if you forget anything you can rent beach chairs, umbrellas, or anything right off the beach,” said Hammond. ”There are also places that will deliver food and drinks to you right at the beach as well.”
Beach parking
From April 1 to May 26, beach parking is free Monday through Thursday. Friday through Sunday parking is $3.00 per hour.
Fro May 27 to September 30, the daily parking rate is $3.50 per hour.
Hammond said visitors want to make sure they stock up on sun supplies and have reservations on hand before heading to Ocean City.
“Bring your sunblock because it’s always sunny and also book early to get your reservations locked in because last year was super busy,” said Hammond.
For a good place to start and for general info, check out this list of activities and places to stay at Ocean City.
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