Best Hotel other that HI and Suites

Hello,

I am looking to take my mother and son to OC for three days in late July. We normally stay at the HI and Suites, but the price is $400/night. Can someone recommend an alternative hotel with a nice pool? Or are their short-term rentals somewhere?

Best Hotel other that HI and Suites

I just stayed at the Dunes Manor on 28th st. It%26#39;s got 2 pools that are pretty decent. I stayed on Saturday and the rate was $209.00 which I didn%26#39;t think was too bad for an ocean front room.

Friends of ours stayed at Tidelands and enjoyed it alot. Had a pretty nice pool and bar on the roof.

Best Hotel other that HI and Suites

Check out cbvacations.com. They have mini-week rentals.

The Grand is nice, pool was nice to, well the kids loved it anyway.

I stay at the Tidelands Caribbean Hotel and Suites every summer for a little over a week. It is a very nice hotel! The location is great! 5th st on the boardwalk and oceanfront. They have nice effieciencies. Also, they have two-room suites that have a jacuzzi, a kitchenette, a pull out sofa bed, a huge balcony and I could go on and on. The hotel has two pools, one rooftop and the other is on the second floor. They are both really nice. The rooftop is usually the quietiest and the 2nd floor one is the one right next to the pool bar where they blast music and have chairs everywhere to eat your food. The food is really good there! I don%26#39;t know the rates but I know they are definetely less than $400. Check the rates at www.tidelandscaribbean.com

Econo Lodge Oceanblock, 145st %26amp; Coastal Hwy...pool with wait staff serving you.

Enjoy!!!

We like the Clarion. There is an outdoor grill %26amp; bar for snacks and drinks. A nice place to stay really. If you go to their website you can get more info on packages and add-ons. http://www.clarionoc.com/

We like to hit the beach then walk up to the patio for lunch and then return to the sand and surf. Usually by the time we%26#39;ve had enough, the small band is starting to play at the outdoor grill. Its a nice time to grab a drink and snack and enjoy a little shade. I hope you have good time.

where to stay

couple looking for a place to stay near the beach - any suggestions would be helpful

where to stay

a lot depends on your budget and what you are looking for when you go. If you are going with children or if its just adults.

where to stay

As suggested already it would be easier for us to give you advice if you provided a little more information.

I would include:

When you plan to travel

Your age group

Price range per night (ballpark)

Lenght of stay

Any idea what you would enjoy as far as attractions and things to do.

Hope this might help.

thanks

we are planning to come in august for about a week. we are in our mid 40%26#39;s. want to stay in a decent place - moderate price - don%26#39;t need an expensive place but would like something bigger than just a regular room - couch to sit and/or maybe a deck to sit. like to go to the beach - dinner, workout. looking to relax. take a walk.very casual vacation.

ok that makes it a little easier. Maybe the Beachcomber would be a good choice. Its a close walk to the beach. Its not too close to the clubs so its not to wild. Check out oceancity.com for hotel searches. The Beachcomber has decent size rooms with a small kitchenette (no stove but a cooktop and things to cook with) Its nice for families that might want to have breakfast %26amp;/or lunch in the room and splurge on dinner. We have children and prefer to stay above 60th St.

Duck:

In order to make this as easy for you as possible I would suggest the following:

You try several of the sites used to book rooms using the dates you plan to travel. This will give you your options.

For you to look for a room in August some of the places may not be available so you could first find those places and then work your way through that list.

No sense considering places you may not be able to book.

Plus this would give you an idea of the price range in OC for August which happens to be one of the more expensive times to visit.

I will provide you with some sites to run your travel dates through.

Or you could give us the dates and we could check for you.

https:/…

http://www.hotels.com

http://www.ocvisitor.com/tradeshow.asp

Some OC travel information.

Run your travel dates through one of these sites or the site you are now on and let us know what is available and we can then go through your options

Good luck.

University of Maryland Hotels

Hello everyone,

I am taking my daughter to look at U of Maryland in College Park on Aug 9 for the weekend. I looked at the conference center hotel on campus but no pool. i am leaning towards the Hampton Inn at College Park but have checked the hotels in Greenbelt. What is crime like in the area? Any help would be greatly appreciated as most of the hotel reviews seemed dated.

Thanks

Scott

University of Maryland Hotels

I would do the Greenbelt Marriott, I%26#39;m seeing a rate of $129 for that weekend, less for AAA. The reviews may be no newer than 6 months old, but they are consistently good over the last few years.

I don%26#39;t think you%26#39;ll find crime to be a problem--the College Park area%26#39;s reputation is far worse than actual crime statistics by virtue of being located in Prince Georges (PG) County. PG has some genuine ';war zones,'; but you won%26#39;t come across them in College Park. And whatever rowdiness you might find in a college town when school is in session (and you will find a little in CP) you won%26#39;t find during an August visit.

I will say that while the Hampton looks nice from the outside, the area around it is a little seedy in appearance. I%26#39;ve been to meetings at the Marriott and it%26#39;s a nice facility in a safe, clean area.

University of Maryland Hotels

Guests at the Marriot on campus may be able to use the pool at the university, which shouldn%26#39;t be crowded during the time you are there. You might want to call the hotel and ask, because staying on campus would have advantages given that seeing the university is your reason for visiting. Should you stay at the Marriott, be sure to get rooms in the new building, not in the old conference center.

Good restaurants in the area (see the Washingtonian and Washington Post websites for reviews and addresses) include:

Udupi Palace, Tiffin, and Woodlands for Indian food. All are west of campus at the University Boulevard %26amp; New Hampshire Avenue intersection.

Franklin%26#39;s, a brew pub south of campus on Route 1 in Hyattsville. Be sure to check out the general store attached to the restaurant.

Maryland House Resturant or Diner

Does anyone know how to get to the Maryland house resturant or diner going downI-95 from Philadelphia? I was there years ago and forget where it is? The city?

Maryland House Resturant or Diner

Here is the official info - it is at a service area between exits 80 (MD 543, Riverside, Churchville) and 85 (MD22, Aberdeen):

http://www.usastar.com/i95/food/food-md.htm

Maryland House Service Area (83) - Public Rest Rooms, Travel Information, Vending Machines, Public Telephones, ATM, FAX

Bob%26#39;s Big Boy

Mrs. Field%26#39;s Cookies

The Gourmet Bean

Roy Rogers

Sbarro Pizza

TCBY

Maryland House Resturant or Diner

Just checking to see if you know whether or not the Big Boy @ Serivce Area 83 has a breakfast and or lunch buffet?

Skip this place unless you want to pay ';airport'; prices for below average chain-type food. The place is also usually VERY crowded.

eye

Anything to do near Ottobar?

Thinking of going to see a show at the Ottobar (N. Howard Street, near Hopkins), but with 3 bands on the bill, I suspect I may not want to stay in there all night. Wondering if there are any other places to go out in the area nearby... Thanks!

Anything to do near Ottobar?

The last time I was around there (which admittedly has been a while), the only thing close by the Ottobar was the Rendezvous Lounge (136 W 25th St b/w Howard and Mace).It is the quintessential dive bar hangout populated by serious alcoholics, indie rockers/hipsters and a sometimes disturbing criminal element. I would say this is a pretty accurate assesment (review from 3 years ago), except I think he goes a little too heavy on how scary it is - don%26#39;t be put off by this. I%26#39;m a woman and went there plenty of times and felt just fine. It is definitely out of the comfort zone for your average soccer mom, but that is part of what makes it fun. More fun with friends (the people watching can be really stellar).

www.everything2.com/index.pl…

Anything to do near Ottobar?

Other than the Rendezvous, the only thing I can think of is the Paper Moon Diner in case you get hungry, which is at 227 W. 29th street (just walk up Howard to 29th and take a left). It%26#39;s a funky place - good times, particularly post show (it%26#39;s open 24 hrs).

www.papermoondiner24.com

Thanks for the tips! I already went to the show, but will keep these places in mind for next time.

Best Restaurants

I have been ';fishing'; for restaurant opinions in OC in this forum. Most of what I have been reading here tends to be a little outdated. We have been going to OC for 20 yrs, so I have my favorites. I am looking for a few new choices. When my kids were younger we went to the Phillips all you can eat, don%26#39;t do that any more. Other places have come and gone. Our favorites continue to be Crab Alley II, Harrisons, Crabcake Factory, and JRs for a change of pace. Many other dining experiences while good, never impress me enough to go back. Still looking for a good Italian place in OC. Don%26#39;t mind crossing the bridge for a good meal or going just over the border to DE.

With all that being said, what are your can%26#39;t miss sit down restaurants?

Best Restaurants

I heard DiFebos is a cant miss italian restaurant in bethany beach. I havent been there though. I also heard Frescos in oceaqn city is good italian. Havent been there either though. Hope i helped

Best Restaurants

for a great lunch try Anthony%26#39;s on 17 st.

pulled pork, rueben sandwhiches, pizza, roast beef and fries.

I go there every year and never leave hungry.

Maybe Dough Roller, Fish Tales or the Fat Tuna in Delaware.

Love Tequila Mockingbird for mexican. Good sangria too!

Marlin Moon - In the FSK Motel out on 50 - try it, you won%26#39;t be sorry

OOPS, TYPO. Just noticed I messed up on my original post.

Not Crab Alley II (have no idea what I was thinking). The correct restaurant is Captain%26#39;s Galley II in West OC (best crab cakes anywhere).

Best Italian food in OC by far is Restaurante Antipasti located on 31st St. It is pricey, but it%26#39;s the most authentic tasting Italian food I ever had except when I got the opportunity to travel to Italy a few times to sample the real thing.

For Mexican try Tequila Mockingbird as some one already stated.

Yes, try venturing across the Rt. 50 bridge and be sure to check out Sunset Grille, Micky Fins, Captains Galley II, Plantation House, and Marlin Moon Grill. All excellent restaurants.

You can also try venturing across the first span of the Rt. 90 bridge and trying out Lighthouse Sound Restaurant and see the spectacular views of the OC skyline from across the bay. Or, try the areas best kept secrets and make a reservation at the Grove Market for a truly unique and very satisfying dining experience. Remember to bring cash...they don%26#39;t except checks or credit cards!

Mink,

would you consider those West OC restaurants you mentioned to be kid friendly (3-5 yr olds)? thanks

Yes, I%26#39;d say so...they all have kids menus.

Just like every restaurant in OC that has a bar connected with it, I%26#39;d say you don%26#39;t want you little ones there past 8 or 9 pm or so, but through out the day and into the dinner hours they are all great for kids (Seacrets would be the one exception that comes to mind...I wouldn%26#39;t have my little ones there past 4 PM on the weekends). They might like to see the big fish that were caught by the charter fishing boats being weighed each day at Sunset Grille and Micky Fins. Marlin Moon Grill has some very large salt water aquariums they might like to see too.

great, thanks for the info Mink

Since we will be visiting OC in October, how many of these restaurants mentioned will be open? How about activities? Does everything kind of close up with the end of summer?

My Vacation

Had a great time as always down the Ocean but at times missed my home but as always can%26#39;t wait to go back. A few of my favorite things:

Daytons= best chicken and soft crab sandwiches. Had them 3 days, I would get the sandwich for like 8.95 and get 3 wings with a roll for like 2.19 so not that bad.

Harrisons= went there for lunch first time ever. Had a GREAT bartender named Tom. We had cream of crab soup (The best ever!) reg crab soup, motzerella sticks very good (not the frozen junk), 6 clams, 6 oysters, 2 beers, steamed shrimp, glass of wine and sodas not bad for under 50.00 for Ocean City.And like I said Tom was great.

Harrisons for dinner=Great as always

Take Out Taxi= great and faster than ever

Had J R%26#39;s Ribs fantastic

Higgins tasty but not worth 100.00

for example had the twin lobster tails stuffed with crab imperial and it must have been about a table spoon of crab total so I was disappointed. Won%26#39;t try them again

well I%26#39;ll get back to you all with the rest of the details soon so take care and love ya all!

Phill

My Vacation

Thanks for this info!

I%26#39;ve been wondering about Harrisons--guess we%26#39;ll have to check it out! And I%26#39;ve wondered about J R%26#39;s Ribs--2 definates for me when I go in August.

Ocean Hideaway 18th .....Consturction???

Hi. I was wondering if anyone could help me. My family and I have a condo booked in Ocean Hideaway on 18th street starting June 30th. We have just been made aware that they are doing some kind of building construction and I was wondering how extensive it is.

We booked the oceanfront condo on the boardwalk for obvious reasons, but we are now worried because we hear that they might be doing balcony work and are not sure of when it will be completed.

If anyone has any information or has seen the condo in person recently, I would really appreciate an update. Our realtor is actually offering a full refund if we chose not to stay here for our vacation. That worries me because most realtors don%26#39;t just offer refunds 2+ weeks prior to check in. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Ocean Hideaway 18th .....Consturction???

If noone else responds I%26#39;ll try to take a look at it this weekend and post about it on Monday.

Ocean Hideaway 18th .....Consturction???

Thank you so much. It would really help us out.

flattop,

Did you happen to see the construction this weekend? Thanks

Firstmom, I am so sorry but never made it down there. Too many Junebugs and my patience level was on full tilt.

That%26#39;s okay. Thanks anyways.

Hi, I was wondering if you found out anything more about Ocean Hideaway and construction? We were about to book a 2 bedroom unit but was a little concerned about the building construction you heard about. Could you give us an update? Thanks, Nancy

I am leaving in a few hours for my vacation to the Ocean Hideaway. I can let you know next week when I return home. Cross your fingers. I hope everything will turn out okay.

Ok, Thanks. Hope you have a great vacation and the condo is everything you expected. Nancy

Nancy,

Hi! We just returned from Ocean Hideaway. It was a big and spacious condo and we are glad that we stayed there. The construction is almost done on the building. We stayed in the far south end of the building and we were not disturbed at all. The first 3 units on each floor were still under construction, but the rest were finished. So if I were going again, I would make sure that I stay in units 05-11 on any floor so that you don%26#39;t have to worry about any balcony work or noise when you are there. Hope this helps.

Beach rentals

What does it cost to rent chairs and umbrellas?

Beach rentals

If you rent right on the beach and have your umbrella set up for you it%26#39;s $50 for the umbrella and ithink $18-$20 for the chair, but worth it because then your spot is already set up for you every day.

you can alos rent from ocean city beach and linen rental, inc. chairs are $14 and umbrellas $22.

www.ocbeachandlinenrental.com

Beach rentals

Is that a daily cost?

is that daily or weekly?

Also, do you know if it%26#39;s the same price up %26amp; down the beach...

we%26#39;re staying at the SeaWatch condo

It%26#39;s weekly. I would assume it%26#39;s the same, we stay at the Golden Sands which is near the sea watch so i would think it%26#39;s the same.

atlantic oceanfront inn

anybody stay there this year 07. I booked this place and i%26#39;ve been hearing bad reviews.

atlantic oceanfront inn

I stayed in 05 and hated it, never again. read the reviews to the left of the hotels. I found it frightening and left a day early.

eye

Getting from BWI airport to Delaware Beaches

Hi -- I am coming in to BWI on a Friday night and need to get down to Bethany Beach, DE the next day -- can anyone recommend or let me know how I can do that using public transportation (bus) or any other thoughts or ideas how I can get from point a to point b with paying an arm and a leg. Thanks.

Getting from BWI airport to Delaware Beaches

Wow. You have very limited options. You can take a bus from downtown Baltimore to Bethany Beach. I just pulled up a sample fare/schedule from the Greyhound wesite. It is $40.00 one way and takes (HUGE GASP) 15 hours to get there. You could probably walk it in that amount of time! Bethany Beach is a limited service stop. If you went to Rehoboth it would only take 4 hours 40 minutes on the sample fare/schedule for July for $38.00. To drive is %26lt;3hours.

Getting from BWI airport to Delaware Beaches

I would strongly consider renting a car. Not only would it be the quickest most convenient way to get to the Beach, you might want to have it available while you are there.

Yeah, rent a car. Parking is free at Bethany Beach hotels and you will want the convenience to visit other beaches, pick up supplies and such.

There really is no easy, inexpensive solution. I suspect you%26#39;d drive if you could and that%26#39;s why you%26#39;re posting. Here are a few more options, perhaps more civilized than the Greyhound:

Not exactly public transportation, but think about posting a rideshare request on Craigslist. Even if your ride can only get you to Ocean City or Rehoboth Beach, there%26#39;s (local) bus transportation from both to Bethany Beach.

Amtrak from BWI to Wilmington, DE. From there, for $9.45 you can ride the local bus #305 to Rehoboth and then transfer to Bethany. Given the #305%26#39;s schedule, you%26#39;ll likely need to spend Friday night in a hotel, either around BWI or Wilmington.

Info on the local buses in Delaware:

http://www.dartfirststate.com/305/ (Wilmington-Rehoboth route)

http://www.dartfirststate.com/208/ (Rehoboth-Ocean City route)

Having someone pick you up in either Rehoboth or OC would be huge given the infrequency of the #208.

I was just in OC this weekend and saw an ad for a shuttle service running from BWI to Salisbury, MD. The ad said it runs every two hours and is $55.

I think it was called Bayrunner shuttle.

Salisbury to Bethany Beach is not far....maybe 45 minutes.

but how to get to bethany from salisbury?

that is ASTOUNDING that it could take so long to get from baltimore to bethany! when i get a chance, i%26#39;m going to have to look at that greyhound schedule to see where the heck they go in between! sounds like by way of west virginia or something! yikes!

Hi -- thanks for all of your responses. I have friends that can pick me up closer to the beaches than closer to BWI -- I%26#39;ll check into the Bayrunner Shuttle. I am just going for a quick trip for my friend%26#39;s anniversary party and hate to spend a bunch of money on quick trips. I am going to Ireland in July and trying to save up for that. I looked into renting a car but would rather find less expensive route. I am a Craiglister and will post an ad on rideshare closer to my departure. Thanks all!

I just looked up the bus on the Greyhound website. It takes 15 hours because after you arrive in Ocean City at 8:25 pm (which is about 3 hours after you leave Baltimore), you have to spend the night in OC before leaving for Bethany at 7:35 am the next day.

If you have friends that can pick you up in Ocean City, than this bus might work for you.

Yes, that is why I said Bethany is a Limited Service Stop.

Thanks all -- I ended up renting a car for $107 for Friday to Sunday night and it was fine but boy, the traffic gettting back to BWI Sunday night was horrible. The 2 hour trip ended up taking at least 5 hours (with just a few short stops at antique stores to stretch my legs). They definitely need to make more lanes for some of the highways but then the Bay Bridge can only accomdate 3 lanes (one of which was closed Sunday) each way. I had a nice trip though, Delaware is great (although beaches very crowded) and the BWI airport was very nice and light (not dark and dingy like DTW).

good idea?

We were booked for the Hilton but because of the ridiculous price decided to cancel. We will take a chance and drive down without reservations. Maybe the Hilton offers a better price if there is a room available at the last minute. Otherwise I%26#39;m sure there will be something else to book. We will arrive on a Monday so some the the crowds should be gone. Does this sound like a good idea? Any expert opinions? Thanks....

good idea?

I%26#39;m no expert but I had a hect of a time boking a room for August. I do know July and August are OC busiest and rooms are will be hard to come by. I%26#39;m not saying you want be able to find a place but It might take you a good part of the day driving around to find a place.

I would go Oceancity.com

click on book/reservations

punch in dates

a selection of hotels with your dates will come up

good idea?

I wouldn%26#39;t take the chance this time of year. Check out the website mentioned or call 1-800-ococean. You may waste a whole day of your precious vacation driving around looking for a place to stay and that can be stessful.

You%26#39;ll probaby find a place if you don%26#39;t care where or what the rooms look like. I don%26#39;t think it%26#39;s such a good idea this time of year. You might get lucky with a canellation. I don%26#39;t think I%26#39;d risk it.

good luck

What date are you going. Keep in mind that the White Marlin open is week of Aug 4 and rooms will be at a premium. Have you considered a condo( coldwell banker has most properties). Probably will cost you less depending on your preferences (ocean view, ocean block, etc.) Going without a reservation could be dicey.

Hotel owners recognize that there are more people desparate for last-minute rooms that it makes more sense to hold them open at full price rather than giving them up to bargain hunters.

If a $300 hotel has two rooms available at the last minute, it makes more sense to rent one for $300 and risk leaving the other empty than offering both at $150.

Pizza in OC

Is there anything that comes close to Grotto style or Mac and Manco%26#39;s from NJ?

Pizza in OC

Anthony%26#39;s on 17th street

Pizza in OC

I don%26#39;t know about Grotto ';style,'; but we%26#39;re in North O.C. and when we%26#39;ve got a craving for Grotto, we simply drive less than five miles to their South Bethany location.

What is ';Grotto'; style?

I%26#39;ve been a Grotto Pizza fan for 30+ years but have never heard of a generic pizza term ';Grotto style'; in the way you might hear ';Chicago style.'; Thinking I might be missing something, I tried out a Google search, which didn%26#39;t return anything pizza-related on the term ';Grotto style.';

So I%26#39;m only assuming the OP wants something that looks and tastes like the pizza from the Delaware-based Grotto Pizza chain, hence the suggestion for the Grotto Pizza location just a few minutes from O.C.

Mack and Manco%26#39;s, incidentally, is a pizza institution in ';the other'; Ocean City (N.J.)

Mink,

Grotto is a great pizza place we have in in Northeastern PA. They have several locations around here...and at least one that I saw in Delaware. Good stuff!!

Grotto%26#39;s pizza in Wilks-Barre or Harvey%26#39; Lake in Pa. If that%26#39;s the style then you see many pizza joints that serve that style of pizza. The Dough Roller (many location in OC) or Anthony%26#39;s I mention in a above post will be to your liking.

What is ';grotto'; style? Do you mean like the chain of restaurants in the Delaware area? Is grotto style something like chicago style?

In case there%26#39;s still any confusion--the Grotto Pizza locations in northeastern Pennsylvania are the same chain as the ones in Delaware. (They are, in fact, their only locations outside of Delaware.)

Grotto Pizza started at Harvey%26#39;s Lake, PA. at the end of the lake with the grotto. It is very thin crust pizza with great cheese

I think Ponzettis has the best pizza in OC!!!

Who has the best Seafood in Ocean City

I%26#39;m looking for some place with good seafood doesn%26#39;t have to be buffet and kid friendly/teenager friendly. I%26#39;m more concerned with the food not the price.

Who has the best Seafood in Ocean City

there are so many, We like Harpoon Hannah%26#39;s and Phillips.

Who has the best Seafood in Ocean City

I hear Phillips doesn%26#39;t support the Maryland fishermen and actually imports bluecrab from other states like Texas instead of using what is being caught in the Bay. I hear Ember%26#39;s is really good. We%26#39;re going there this vacation to check it out. People say they like it more than Phillips now.

I really don%26#39;t care where Phillips gets their crabs from as long as they have them there. They have a huge selection of seafood, steak, chicken and make your own pasta bar. They also have kids bar for the little guys and girls.

I%26#39;ve been to Halls, Embers and many more but Phillips%26#39; has the fresh%26#39;s and the most to choose from in my opinion.

Because of the volume of crab that Phillips requires it does get it%26#39;s crabs out of country/state. I don%26#39;t even think all the crabs harvested in MD would satisfy it%26#39;s needs. Phillips also has donated several thousands to the programs that are working to replenish the blue crab. Because of the deminishing blue crab a lot of restaurants don%26#39;t serve MD crabs.

Phillips is okay, but not the best. For the best lobster, there is a little bar called Coins (It%26#39;s in a plaza near 33rd or is it 21st??). Either way, best lobster anywhere!

Phillips is big on quantity, not quality. It%26#39;s good for my teen boys who like to gorge themselves on anything the can eat. I eat very little on the buffet; I can%26#39;t eat anything with crab because of allergies, I like mussells but they are always way overcooked and tough. The pasta and salmon are ok.

I like the raw bar at Philips and the ayce snow crab legs. The crab cakes are NOT at all like they are pictured in local books/brochures and don%26#39;t taste THAT amazing. But, the raw bar is good and the crab imperial (in my opinion) is very tastey.

For buffet, my favorites are Ember%26#39;s, Phillips, and Jonah and the Whale. I don%26#39;t know where there crabs are from but I really don%26#39;t care. But for take-out seafood, I like Higgins Crab House and Bahama Mama%26#39;s. All really good seafood.

The Marlin Moon Grille in the Francis Scott Key hotel in W. OC has very good Seafood. Their Crab cakes are excellent as is Freddy%26#39;s Seafood Pasta plate. Harborside Bar %26amp; Grill near the marina in W. OC has very good Seafood, their Crab Imperial is super.

I highly recommend Harrison%26#39;s Harbor Watch. Great seafood (it is not a buffet), very family friendly, great view and unlimited side dishes. They validate parking at the inlet so it is very convenient.

Boardwalk South

Overlooking the Inlet

and Assateague Island

Ocean City, Maryland

410-289-5121

Enjoy!

Harrisons - good food, great view.

Captain%26#39;s Galley II - great food, superb crabcakes.

Ocean City Maryland vs Virginia Beach Vs any other beach

We have 3 teenagers and coming to D.C, area for vacation. We want to go to beach for a day. What would you suggest?

Ocean City Maryland vs Virginia Beach Vs any other beach

i%26#39;jm not that familiar with virginia beach, but in my limited experience, i%26#39;d say that it%26#39;s a CITY.

ocean city is a tourist town....lotta high rises on the beach, very commercial, nice long boardwalk.

delaware beaches....rehoboth is a true small town with a year round population, very charming.

dewey beach...the commercial area is kinda ';old timey beach shacky'; at this point and the little hidden residential areas north of the commercial area are very very charming.

depends what you want.

i%26#39;d think with 3 teenagers, for one day....OC might be your best bet.

more on the boardwalk to appeal to teenagers. and a nice beach.

Ocean City for New Years Eve

Hi everyone, just wondering if anyone has been to Ocean City for New Years Eve. If so, what is it like? Planning a trip for myself and my sister. We are not party people so not worried about bars and the like. Will there be good restaurants still open and things to do? Does the town do anything special like fireworks or activities on the boardwalk? Are there a lot of people there on New Years?

Ocean City for New Years Eve

Most of the popular restaurants are still open. The Festival of Lights located at Northside Park (127th St.) runs through January 2nd.

Also, try using the search function at the top forum box and type in ';new year%26#39;s eve';. You%26#39;ll get lots of results.

eye

Is there a ';best section'; of the boardwalk?

I haven%26#39;t booked it yet, but I%26#39;m looking into a stay in Ocean City during the 3rd week in August w/my family. This forum has been great for information! I was originally looking into Virginia Beach, but Ocean City looks like it might be better for the kids and it%26#39;s closer to home (Long Island).

We have 2 teenagers - boy 16, girl 13. Just wondering if there is a better area for them to be in to have access to the most activites. Any hotels better or worse for teens?

Of course, I can find this out easily enough, but anyone know about how many hours to drive from LI? Once we get off the island, of course; that always seems to be the longest part of any trip.

Thanks!

Is there a ';best section'; of the boardwalk?

I say try www.ocean-city.com

Alot of info and maps. You would probably want to stay somewhere between 28th Street and the Inlet. You can walk to just about anything and if you can%26#39;t, you can bus it for $2 for an all day pass.

Good Luck!

Sandy

Is there a ';best section'; of the boardwalk?

i am going on saturday july 14th ..i have two boys 12 and 8 and we are staying at the holiday inn express at 126th st... behid the hotel is northside park.. nice area ... the have 4 baseball fields an path for roller blading bike riding and a pier for fishing ... the location is quiet but thing to do are close enough..we are from queens ny and have been here a couple of times ...they serve a cont breakfast nice pool . when we go we drive to capemay nj and take the ferry to lewes delaware and drive from there to o.c ..make reservations for the ferry as saturday can be busy please e mail me at robert.carricato@us.icap.com for more info robert

The boardwalk is great the whole lenght but each ends has its advantages. Near 15th st and above to 28th (end) is quiter less shops and activites on the board. Near the inlet to 9th st has the arcades, resturants and many shops. The amusement rides are at the inlet and pier. I would recommend staying somewhere between 2nd st - 14 th. That walking distance is not too bad but trying to walk from 28th street down can be a hike.

Thank you all for your feedback. I%26#39;m thinking Park Place might be the place to stay.

Thanks again!

Park Place is an excellent choice

We stayed @ 27th St last year %26amp; I must say that walking to the lower end of the boardwalk from there is not much fun(unless you are extremely fit). We had my 16 yr old stepdaughter with us %26amp; we ended up spending tons of $$$ on the boardwalk tram because she wanted to spend every waking minute at the lower end of the boardwalk. This year we are staying at 5th St. The boardwalk tram is fun but $2.75 each time you get on.

Sassy - that%26#39;s kind of what I was thinking. I%26#39;m sure the kids are going to want to be where %26#39;the action%26#39; is so we might as well stay as near to that as we can.

I%26#39;ve booked Park Place and I%26#39;m really looking forward to it. Never been to Ocean City.

Thanks again!

Hotel inland of Ocean City

Hello, Does anyone know of a reasonable hotel about a half of an hour to an hour just outside (inland) from OC. A friend is looking to stay there the night before her Ocean City vacation. She%26#39;ll be crossing the Bay Bridge on her way, so a place between the Bay Bridge and OC would be perfect. She is looking in the price range of $50 - $90. She will only need one night.

Hotel inland of Ocean City

On our way from Ohio to OC last year we stayed at a Super 8 in Annapolis, MD. It was only a 2 hour drive in to OC. It was a Monday morn %26amp; traffic was very light.

Hotel inland of Ocean City

There are several Hotels on Rt50 as you pass through Easton.

The cheaper chains - Motel 6 and Knights Inn are around Laurel and the airport. I%26#39;ve found the Motel 6 website usually has a very good ';internet'; rate and probably around 50.

Atlantic Oceanfront

Im debating on staying at this hotel. We will be coming wtih children and are looking for a low cost, oceanfront room and I came across this. Its been YEARS since I%26#39;ve been to OC. Is this hotel within walking distance to any activities? we will be traveling with 4 children, 2 of which are babies and would like to not have to take the bus or drive as much as possible.

Thanks!

Atlantic Oceanfront

The hotel is on 45th street. You will have to drive or take the bus if you want to go to the boardwalk - most activities below 12th. Jolly Rogers is on 30th - you%26#39;d still have to drive. Check out the reviews on this site however the map IS NOT correct. This hotel is ocean front.

family dining

My wife myself and 2 children(7%26amp;11) are heading to oc next week can anyone recommend good family dining at a reasonable price looking for local stuf off the beach???????????

family dining

JR Ribs, Dough Roller --many locations

Anthony%26#39;s (17th st) great for lunch

I%26#39;m sure others will post their favorites.

For all you can eat places try:

Embers, Halls, Phillips

family dining

OC is filled with restaurants. Dumsers Dairyland on 122nd has a wide ranging menu and makes their ice cream on site. The best bet is to pick up one of the local papers, Beachcomber, Coconut Times, etc and see what you are in the mood for.

Remember, you will get what you pay for. For example, the town is full of All You Can Eat (AUCE) buffets, some are as cheap as $9.99 (Paul Revere/Jonah %26amp; the Whale), and some are more expensive $25 (Embers/Bonfire).

If you have a specific type of food you are looking for, feel free to post again.

not looking for any specific food just trying to stay out of the tourist traps thanks for your help

gotta hit Layton%26#39;s for breakfast! Any place with chipped, creamed beef on toast , on the menu is worth the price of admission!!! Not a big place so be ready to wait sometimes! There are chain restaurants like Outback and Appleby%26#39;s in west OC. Have fun!

family dining

My wife, myself , and two children(11%26amp;7) are headed to oc next week can anyone recommend good family resturants that do not cost a fortune looking for local stuff off the beach area???

family dining

Just about every restaurant in OC has a kids menu and is geared towards families. Our favorites are MR Ducks - it%26#39;s a little hut on the bay, my daughter loves to watch the boats, they have apps %26amp; sandwiches. Another fave is Captains Galley II - not quite ';beach area'; but worth checking out - I%26#39;d save this one for a special dinner as it is a bit pricey. Also, tons of pizza places and sandwich places for lunch. Some good Italian - we like Mancini%26#39;s.

Also, be sure to get the delicious boardwalk fries for the kids and The Fractured Prune has great homemade donuts!

hotels from the boardwalk up

Im trying to plan a long weekend vacation for myself and my family from July 19 thru July 22. Is there anywhere that I can get a listing of the hotels in order from the first part of the boardwalk up? when I went through this site, I only got two hotels listed as on the boardwalk up to like 20th street... comfort inn and one other one that I cant recall the name of right now, and both were booked. We%26#39;d like to stay as close to the bottom of the boardwalk as possible, but I cant seem to figure out how the city is laid out. some say Baltimore Ave, some say Coastal Highway, some say 5th street (insert whatever number). Ive figured out that 5th street is close to the bottom of the boardwalk and it goes up from there to where it ends around 28th street. i just cant seem to find any other hotels other than those two that are already booked. can anyone point me in the right direction? thanks

hotels from the boardwalk up

http://www.ocvisitor.com/wheretostay.asp

You can search by street location on this site.

hotels from the boardwalk up

www.ococean.com- Click on the visitors section then accomodations.

when you are looking at the other hotels you can ';map this hotel'; and at times it will bring up other hotels in the area on the left side of your screen. I was also having the same difficulty and was able to book Comfort Inn for the 23rd. Hope this helps

eye

Clubs for 21-25 year olds

My son and three of his friends will be going to Ocean City this upcoming weekend for the first time. They are mostly into the rock music scene and were looking for recommendations on any bars/clubs which would have this kind of music. Your assistance is appreciated!

Clubs for 21-25 year olds

check out http://www.oceancitydj.com/index.html

Clubs for 21-25 year olds

this webite will list the entertainment the week you are there - it is updated every Friday - just hit ';refresh';

oceancitytoday.net/arts_entertainment.html

I have girls 21 and 26. They like Party Block, Seacrets, Purple Moose on college night (Tues), just to name a few!

Seacrets and the The Party Block are going to be their best bets.

Seacrets has rock cover bands in the night club portion every night of the week during the summer. In the open air outside beach section there is a reggae band every night during the summer.

The Party Block is billed as ';3 clubs in 1';,The Big Kahuna which has a beachy theme and plays 80%26#39;s music all night long, Rush which has a South Beach Miami theme and plays house and electronic dance beats all night long, and finally The Paddock which is the part which has modern rock cover bands usually playing Friday and Saturday nights during the summer.

Grab one of the local free papers and start looking through them. All the clubs, bars, and restaurants with live entertainment advertise their weekly schedules in them.

If they are there on Mondays. Go to teh Paddock to see Mr. Greenjeans. They have a huge following and are one of teh best if not best cover bands I ever heard.

Info about the Ferry

I just did a trip tic from AAA ,we are coming down from buffalo, ny. I do not have the map with me right now, but when I breezed through it, I notice it took us on a ferry from NJ or Delaware (sorry for the map ignorance. Does anyone know about this ferry. How long does it take? Is that the long way? Cost and do you have to make a reservation to put your car on it. Thanks KO

Info about the Ferry

http://www.capemaylewesferry.com for details on fares, schedules, etc.

80 minute trip, reservations strongly recommended--especially in season.

Whether it%26#39;s the long or short way depends on the rest of your route. And if you just miss your ferry, you might have to wait up to 2 hours for the next one. That by itself can instantly make the short way the long way.

Info about the Ferry

Coming from Buffalo, I%26#39;d definitely skip the ferry and use the route suggested by Google Maps or any of the other online mapping services.

The ferry really only starts becoming a good option if you%26#39;re headed between the southern NJ beach areas and the Delaware/Maryland beach areas. It will save you about 150 miles of driving around Delaware Bay if this is the case (but you incur the long boat ride and expense).

And it%26#39;s a good option if you simply want to take a ferry ride, something a lot of us have never done.

Thanks so much for that info. This really helps. I guess we will avoid the ferry, as we really are not sure what time we will get there and would hate to have to wait. Thanks ko

Ocean City, MD - - Singles in their late 30's??

Would you recommend Ocean City for a group of single girls in their late 30%26#39;s and early 40%26#39;s. We are looking for a nice beach, restaurants, and fun bars (not night clubs). What do you think?

Ocean City, MD - - Singles in their late 30's??

Oh my yes, OC has stuff for all ages. It%26#39;s why people love going there because of the many activities for everyone. Many laid back bars that yours and my ages enjoys.

Shenigans%26#39;on the boardwalk

Purple Moose on the boards

Red Snappers

Cork Bar

Seacrets is great during the early evening hours before it gets over crowded

Even the Paddock/Big Kahuna on 17st is good.

Ocean City, MD - - Singles in their late 30's??

If you are coming to OC, you have to check out Seacrets first of all. Go there and you may not want to go anywhere else! The crowd tends to be very mixed during the day. A group of 50 or 60 somethings will feel plenty comfortable partying beside a group of 20 somethings. As tfunky mentioned, the age demographic does get younger and younger as night time approaches.

Your age will feel comfortable at almost any drinking establishment in OC. Some other suggestions besides Seacrets might be Fager%26#39;s Island, Jive, Liquid Assests, M.R. Ducks, Sunset Grille, Micky Fins, Galaxy 66, Harborside, BJ%26#39;s on the Water, The Greene Turtle, Buxy%26#39;s Salty Dog, Tequila Mockingbird...and I probably missed a few. And all the places I just mentioned are also restaurants with pretty decent food for the most part.

Thanks for all of the great ideas for going out, it looks like there will be plenty to do!

How about hotels/condos? Is there a really nice hotel right on the beach?

The paddock on Monday has Mr. GreenJeans, They are a very popular cover band. You will have no problem there.

Where is the Red Snappers?

Fish Tales

have seen this restaurant mentioned a few times as being good for kids (play area, etc)-is this accurate? web site looks good w/ good food selection- how is the food generally and does it compare to elsewhere? thanks

Fish Tales

It%26#39;s great for little kids--they have a pirate ship in a sand filled area. I always see the kids happy, laughing, and smiling.

The food is good--sandwiches, sides, etc. Never had a bad meal here.

Enjoy!

Fish Tales

It%26#39;s definitely a good place for kids. It has a pirate ship and lots of sand and a small arcade area for the slightly older kids. Food and drinks are decent and reasonably priced too. As with most drinking establishments in OC, I wouldn%26#39;t have my kids there much past 9 PM, as Fish Tales turns into a favorite hang out for the locals during the night.

Our kids always request to eat at Fish Tales. It is a great place for kids. We were in OC last week and ate there 2 times. Food is good, atmosphere is awesome and it%26#39;s very reasonable.

Anyone know what's going on with Trimper's?

Hey everyone. I%26#39;ve been hearing, or heard rather, about Trimper Rides having to close down, but the articles I keep reading are saying that they are still undecided, and I%26#39;ve googled it quite a few times. Anyone know if they are closing down for sure or not? Makes me a little (a lot) sad that they won%26#39;t be around anymore. I have to visit next week and get pictures for my mom. She grew up with it longer than I did LOL.

Anyone know what's going on with Trimper's?

The Trimper Family is having a hard time paying thier real estate tax bill $900,000.00 per year. They have been trying to get thier taxes reduced but so far have not had any luck. They have launched a website www.savetrimpers.com where people can post thier memories and read about the situation.

Anyone know what's going on with Trimper's?

On the website they also give links to email address for city, county and state officials so you can write them and ask them to do something to help save this OC landmark.

They are hoping for an affordable reassessment but otherwise will regretfully be forced to close. Yes, it%26#39;s sad. The land can only produce so much income as an amusement park, but is being assessed at its ';highest %26amp; best use'; (condos?) .

This is what happens to valuable farmland, %26amp; conservancies raise the money to ensure that these lands must stay agricultural. If OC is serious about conserving it%26#39;s landscape %26amp; traditional establishments, they will find a way.

Trimper%26#39;s is a cornerstone of the boardwalk. If it goes by the wayside, some families with small kids may think twice about going to OC. I realize that would be a very small percentage, but you need that diversity in the area to make it attractive.

Econolodge or Holiday Inn Express?

First vacation in a long while. I will spend just a weekend in Ocean City. I don%26#39;t need the boardwalk right outside the door. From the reviews I%26#39;ve read, both the Econolodge and Holiday Inn Express seem like good, clean places and the price is right. There are only 3 reviews of the Econolodge, though, and only one is recent. Any suggestions on which of the 2 is a better bet?

Thanks much.

Econolodge or Holiday Inn Express?

I would highly recommend the Holiday Inn Express. In fact, someone just posted a review on this hotel. The HIE is one of the few places in Ocean City that doesn%26#39;t require a minimum stay in the summertime. It was built in 2000 and has both indoor and outdoor pools. I would think that the HIE would be a better value for you than the Econo Lodge. You get a free continental breakfast each morning, usually with outstanding cinnamon buns. The rooms are clean and are probably more modern than those at the Econo Lodge. Some of the rooms have beautiful views of the bay-you might want to request one of these. I hope that you will enjoy your stay.

Econolodge or Holiday Inn Express?

I was there June 29, 2007. We checked in to the EconoLodge for 3 nights and only stayed one night. It needs major upgrades! Not clean. I would suggest getting out of Ocean City and going about 5 miles north to the Holiday Inn Express in Bethany Beach, Delaware. Same price. Holiday Inn Express is new and clean. The walk to the ocean is a bit further because beach access is blocked by the condos. But the buildings are the same distance from the beach.

I can not begin to say how much better Bethany Beach is than Ocean City for families. Nice boardwalk. Beautiful homes, yards, flowers everywhere instead of mini-golf and a Sunsational store on every block.

eye

Better to stay on the boardwalk or further up??

Help! Do you think it would be better to stay at the Park Place hotel on the boardwalk or further up, about 5 blocks from the beach in a 2 bdroom condo near 28th St for about $300 cheaper?? :o\ There will be 4 adults (all family) and a 6yr old and 10yr old.

Better to stay on the boardwalk or further up??

I would go with the condo. More room and cheaper. You can still walk wherever you need to from 28th street.

Better to stay on the boardwalk or further up??

I disagree with jaybird. Park Palce is excellent hotel and at a great location. Being at 28th st you would need to take the tram down each time which cost $$$. Or you%26#39;ll need to drive down and then find a place to park and again pay a price. Being down at Park you are close to all shops, games and food. There is no way a 6 yr old or even an adult will want to walk down everytime you want to hit the main attractions on the boardwalk. I never stay past 14 st..

I see there is big price difference but believe me it is worth it..

golden sands

has anyone stayed at the Golden Sands in 2007 yet????

Just wondering if anything has changed. (ie elevators)

golden sands

I%26#39;m leaving to go to the Golden Sands on Saturday. I%26#39;ll let you know sometime during the week that I%26#39;m there. Unless, you have already gone.

golden sands

thanks, going the end of the month. have you been there before?

we stayed last year, i was just wondering if there is anything new. have fun!!!

Nope, this is my first time at Golden Sands. We stayed next door at the Quay 2 years ago and I love the area up there. Slightly less crowded than down on the boardwalk. We actually found an efficiency room at the Golden Sands that costs less (with tax) than a motel (Sea Cove) that was only ocean BLOCK. I was VERY surprised with the cost because of all of the amenities that the GS has to offer. Definitely going to take advantage of them! I%26#39;m VERY VERY excited to be going to the beach. My coworkers are so tired of me talking about it.

Any feedback from recent stays at Goldens Sands Apartments, Maine Beach, Gold Coast , - thinking of booking for us and 15 year old daughter - would welcome any comments.

Thanks

Dining/Parking Near Meyerhoff

I%26#39;m headed downtown tonight (13 July) to the Meyerhoff to see the symphony and was wondering if there is anyplace that is good for dinner nearby? I%26#39;ll be myself and will eat just about anything (except seafood). I%26#39;m not looking for Applebee%26#39;s or things like that, but a decent meal.

Also...parking? I received an e-mail from the ticket office saying I may have some difficulty picking up my parking pass due to some driveway being closed and since I%26#39;m not from here, I%26#39;m looking for nearby parking as a backup if I can%26#39;t access their garage. Any suggestions??

Thanks!

Dining/Parking Near Meyerhoff

There are some lots around the symphony where you can park, it shouldn%26#39;t be a problem. I usually park in one of these and not the garage anyway.

This is a good restaurant nearby;

http://www.abacrombie.net/dining.html

also, go to chowhound.com%26#39;s baltimore/DC board and ask for restaurant recommendations. You%26#39;ll probably get a lot of good suggestions there.

Smokers BBQ Pit

I have seen mention of this place with some old reviews. Has anyone been there recently?

Smokers BBQ Pit

what is it?

a human ashtray?

LOL

Smokers BBQ Pit

http://www.smokersbbqpit.com/

From the web site:

Hours: 11:00am - 9:00pm

Smoker%26#39;s BBQ Pit / 9711 Stephen Decatur Hwy. (Rt. 611)

West Ocean City, Maryland / 410-213-0040

Has anyone had dinner here?

Never been there, but heard it%26#39;s really good.

The smoked chicken 1/2%26#39;s %26amp; the ribs fall off the bone(slow cook)......Outstanding !!!

The homeade sides (slaw ,greens,ect.) are also very good. We make sure to get take out there once or twice every visit to O.C

zootallures,

How is it for eating in at the restaurant?

Are there beaches at St. Michaels?

Is there a place to go in the water and or lay out?

Are there beaches at St. Michaels?

St. Michaels is a harbor town--no beach. For just laying out in the sun, about the best you can hope for is a B%26amp;B or hotel on or close to the water with a deck and/or pool.--plenty of those to be found.

The same goes for most of the towns on the Eastern Shore of the bay and its tributaries.

Are there beaches at St. Michaels?

My friend and I went to St. Michael%26#39;s last weekend and sailed on the Lucky Dog catamaran. It sails from the Hyatt in Cambridge. It was a hot day but there was a breeze out on the water and we laid out on the trampoline part of the boat. It was so relaxing. It is a 2 hour cruise and the one we went on was at 12:30. I think they also have a 10:00 a.m. and a 3:00. The captain and mate we very nice and laid back. It%26#39;s not a historical cruise but it is great for getting sun out on the water.

At this point in the summer you would not want to swim in the waters near St. Michaels as they are filled with stinging jelly fish. This is a common affliction for most of the bay and its tributaries during the summer months.

Ocean Hideaway???

Has anyone stayed at Ocean Hideaway on 18th street. We are a family of 5 adults and a 2 year old. Last year we stayed in a suite at Paradise Plaza Inn on 9th street and loved it. But, this year we need some more room.

I was searching the internet and found Ocean Hideaway condo. It seems pretty nice. I would love to stay a little further south on the boardwalk (Ocean%26#39;s Edge on 9th or Oceans Mist on 6th), but they are out of our price range. Has anyone stayed at Ocean Hideaway? Any specific unit that you would recommend? Is it still in a nice area of the boardwalk?

Thanks for your help.

-Lori

Ocean Hideaway???

Correction....We are a family of 5 (4 adults and a 2 year old).....

Ocean Hideaway???

Ocean Hideway has always been one of my favorites in OC. Now it has been a long time since I%26#39;ve stayed there but I many fond memories of the place. Nice location, cozy rooms...right on the beach, you gotta love that!!!

(We stayed on the first floor and loved it.)

Enjoy!

I am staying at Ocean Hideaway in early August. Glad you liked it. I was wondering if they had any outside storage for your beach stuff. We are on the first floor and was also wondering if those bushes in front block your view. Any idea?

Just got back last week from Ocean Hideaway. We liked it alot. There was not any outside storage that I know of, but there are some large closets and the laundry room is pretty big too. The owners of our unit had their beach stuff in the laundry room for storage.

We stayed on the second floor and the view was great. From what I could see, the first floor units have raised bi-level balconies that are huge. So the bushes shouldn%26#39;t be that much of an issue if any. The first floor also has easy access to the beach which is convenient. Have a good time.

eye

lodging next july

Im looking for a place, i know its far in advance.

I wil be going with my husband and 1 year old daughter. Where do you think the best place would be to stay on the boarwalk and with a pool thats not too noisy at night?

thanks

lodging next july

sorry, meant to say

looking for a place next july

lodging next july

We stayed at Paradise Plaza when my daughter was 6 months old and Tidelands when she was 18 months old. Both are nice hotels, but we liked Paradise Plaza a little better. It is on 9th street and while still in the action, it is quieter than farther south on the boardwalk. Hope this helps.

The Commander is further up on the boardwalk and has both an indoor and outdoor pool. We took our 3 year old and she had fun. There seemed to be mostly families staying there when we stayed.

pony round up

Does anyone know how to get to the pony round up from ocean city Maryland my husband and I are thinking about taking our grandson and how early do you think we would have to leave to get there to see it.

momeagle36@aol.com

pony round up

i didn%26#39;t know....i tried mapquest, which says 51 %26amp; change miles, estimates an hour 15 minutes approximately. i always find internet map sites err on the short side, timewise.

keep in mind you can NOT drive from the maryland side of the island to the virginia side directly, you must go inland. idon%26#39;t know what time the pony penning even starts in the morning, but i do know it gets extremely crowded. my guess is you%26#39;d have to leave VERY early! hope someone else will know more!

Rehoboth and Bethany

After a hot morning, early afternoon at the beach my two teenage boys and hubby are ready to get in the car and take a ride. Is it worth heading up to Rehoboth and Bethany Beach. Is there anything to do, crabbing, fishing cool sites and are there any casual restaruants where we can can get a crab dinner. ko

Rehoboth and Bethany

Logistically, traffic from OC to the Delaware beaches and parking there can be an issue, especially with Rehoboth.

Bethany is about 15 minutes north of Ocean City at most times and parking is usually available.

Rehoboth can be anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour depending on how traffic is flowing, and parking is a *major* headache in the areas closest to the beach/boardwalk.

There%26#39;s plenty to do in both places, especially in Rehoboth. But you might want to post to the Delaware forums for specific recommendations.

Rehoboth and Bethany

Plenty of fishing in Delaware! The state parks are open for a fee that gets you into any of them. Check out the Indian River inlet! It%26#39;s kinda a traffic headache right now with construction, but there is good fishing there. We drove through Rehoboth last year and it%26#39;s nice, but not our cup of tea. Have you tried the national seashore at Assateague? Good spots for clamming, crabbing and fishing! Bring good mosquito repellent!!!! I do believe that mosquitos are in line to become the national bird there! There is also an over sand vehicle permit available if you have an appropriate vehicle and don%26#39;t mind dropping 70 bucks or so! You can get more info on that at the Assateague web site! Have fun!

all you can eat crabs

Out of town friends coming to eat crabs, and they can eat alot. Any suggestions of where I can take them for all you can eat crabs? We like old bay spice better than black pepper spice, so please don%26#39;t say ';Orchard Cafe'; thanks in advance.

all you can eat crabs

LP Steamers (Locust Ponit, just past Federal Hill) ! It is the best. Wait for a seat on the roofdeck for a great view of the city skyline and Domino sugar sign:

http://www.lpsteamers.com/

Second best, Bo Brooks in Canton:

http://www.bobrooks.com/

DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT go to Obryckis - it may have okay crabs, but the place is a dump.

all you can eat crabs

I don%26#39;t know that LP Steamers ever does ';all you can eat'; crabs, but they always have delicious, good-sized crabs. I would suggest calling around to some of these places to see if/when they offer all you can eat specials. But you really can%26#39;t go wrong at LP Steamers.

A newer place to check out for crabs is Canton Dockside. Call ahead to see if they have some, but if they do they%26#39;re good. There is also nice outside deck seating.

You may also consider $1 crab night at some restaurants. Mostly available on some weeknights.

Ocean city Maryland verses Virginia beach

The purpose of our trip is to see an old friend who I haven%26#39;t seen in 16 years. I think Ocean city is a good compromise for us to meet up. We are not looking to get drunk at all. More like conversation and shopping, walking up and down the board walk and eating...We are leaning twords Ocean city because VB looks a little too hillbilly for us. Any ideas which is best for our trip?

Ocean city Maryland verses Virginia beach

at the risk of riling funky up again, have you considered rehoboth beach in delaware? it%26#39;s a cute, sophisticated little town with excellent restaurants %26amp; superb (in town) shopping. much quieter %26amp; calmer than OC, with more a ';real town'; feel to it %26amp; a bigger year round population.

the boardwalk is much shorter (only one mile) %26amp; a lot of it just fronts on residential properties...only a few blocks of commercial stuff right on the boardwalk itself. but the town%26#39;s great.

Ocean city Maryland verses Virginia beach

Ocean City would be the better choice for many reasons. One of them isn%26#39;t for alcohol so we can cross that off. Ocean City has plenty of hotels/resorts and motels to stay at. For shopping, OCMD has plenty of places to shop at, but your best bet would probably be the Tanger Outlets in Rehoboth. Over 130 retail stores. OCMD has factory outlets too and a lot of stores, but you would probably be better going to the Tanger Outlets.

You are right about Virginia Beach, it is kind of hillbilly. Ocean City can get a bit crowded sometimes, but there are still plenty of things to do. For conversation, as you know, you can talk at a restaurant or on the boardwalk and there are tables that you can just sit down at and chat.

There are plenty of amusement parks, water parks, mini golf courses, malls, recreation areas, shopping, places to eat, hotels, museums, etc. in ocean city. Hope this helps!

Ocean City, MD is a much better choice than VB. Better class of people, better shopping, better restaurants. More to do. I agree that you should check out Rehoboth if you want a more upscale experience.

Although I did enjoy VB when we stayed overnight. It was a very clean place. OC just overall has a better choice of everything. I also agree with the others about Rehoboth.

Dogmom, you wont get me into a rage with your opinion. my point is OC can offer all the shopping you%26#39;ll will need just like Rehoboth offers. I just don%26#39;t see the point in having a hotel for OC and driving to Rehoboth to shop, it is unnecesary. Traffic, the time to drive and we all know gas will be above $3 when summer gets in full swing. If I%26#39;m staying in either Rehoboth or OC for a vacation I%26#39;m staying put.

But to the topic in hand, either one is a good option, OC just has a little more to offer in amusement or food choices. In can be crowed at times but there are so many places to go you can find a nice spot to hang out....Couple of chairs on the beach sounds nice, no matter where you go...

lol WILL be 3.00? hhaha your lucky you dont live in ct, its 308 for reg and i can only use premium which is 3.28 :( booooo. any who i have ebeen to va beach and oc. i honestly liked the beach in va more. it is hugggggggggge, but you just want to shop and stuff, so i would say oc. the boardwalk is gorgeous and it has a nice family envirment. enjoy

I stay in OC so I can be right on the beach in an better hotel and my kids can enjoy the water park, better mini-golf, rides etc. Also OC has waves!

I travel up to Rehoboth for upscale, civilized restaurants, galleries, and places to walk in quiet. Often I do this on my way in to and out of OC or on a rainy day. We enjoy the drive.

it IS a nice drive, isn%26#39;t it? i always enjoy driving down to OC for whatever reason we do.

funky, hon....when i talk about shopping in rehoboth...i%26#39;m talking about a ';park %26amp; walk'; on rehoboth avenue to unique shops, NOT the outlets especially (though i still think if a person was going to spend a few hundred bucks, as many do, the tax-free thing would outweigh the cost of the gas).

i know there are nice, unique shops in ocean city...but i%26#39;m not aware of one specific area where you can just walk around %26amp; window shop as you can on ';the avenue'; in rehoboth. i mean upscale stuff, not tourist tacky. does that exist in OC now? and where?

I absolutely hated VA Beach when I went there two years in a row. As I remember, there aren%26#39;t really any shops on the %26#39;board walk%26#39;.. In fact, the board walk is made out of concreate. There are a lot of people down there that just don%26#39;t make the atmosphere inviting. I%26#39;ve been going to Ocean City since I was 3 or 4 and I still go. I regret wasting two years at Va beach.

Can anyone explain to me the ';hillbilly factor'; %26amp; the ';better class of people'; in OCMD remarks?

I%26#39;ve been to both places several times, %26amp; never noticed this. There are a lot of military people in VB (not a bad thing IMO) but never noticed an undesireable element, at least not on the boardwalk. I did notice VB has an ordinance against swearing so I guess you better watch your *#%! language!!

motels outside ocean city

We have our condo for sat aug 4. We have off friday, so we want to get a jump start on the vacation and drive down from NY on Friday aug 3. We are looking for a place to stay Friday nite. Don%26#39;t want to spend big bucks, but do not want to stay at a flea bag either. Does anyone have any recommendations for places within a half hr or so of ocean city. Berlin? Selbyville? West OC? Ocean Pines? Bishopville?

Thanks,

Tom

motels outside ocean city

There really aren%26#39;t a lot of options 1/2 hour out--along Rt. 50 in West OC: Alamo Motel (almost universally panned), Francis Scott Key Inn (fairly good reviews).

There%26#39;s the Victorian-style Atlantic Hotel in Berlin, which is perhaps too nice and likely outside your price range.

It all may be a moot point--even the worst motels close-in can get booked early at relatively high rates. You may have to extend your range to Salisbury (one hour) to get a decent room that isn%26#39;t subject to beach-inflated room rates.

motels outside ocean city

Tubman,

I see your point. I think I am going to look at Dover DE area. That is 3 1/2 hrs from our start and will give me a short 1 1/2 hr ride on Sat AM to get to OC. That way I am not doubling back. I can get to the beach in the AM and hang out until our unit is ready and not have to deal with a lot of traffic on Sat.

There seems to be quite a few chain motels in that area, not a lot of info on the approriate forums. Anyone stay in the Dover area?

Good call on Dover, but also consider hotels in Harrington and Milford further along the way on Rt. 113.

While there%26#39;s not a lot of hotel chatter in the Delaware forums, there are plenty of reviews in the Dover hotel section of TA to help you make a decision.

tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g34009-Dover_Delaware…

Not so many reviews of the other towns I mentioned.

There%26#39;s a Quality Inn and a Days Inn in Pocomoke City, not far from OC. Check out the reviews first.

and a Holiday Inn Express.

eye

9400 Bldg. condos

Hi-we just booked a unit in the ';9400 Bldg.'; condos and wondered if anyone has stayed here before and what the opinions were? Also, what is that part of Ocean City like as far as restaurants, etc.?

9400 Bldg. condos

I stayed there last july and the condo we were in was very nice. The only thing I didnt like was there was no laundry room in the unit you had to go all the way down to the laundry room they had. Right next door is 7eleven, across street food store restaurant next door

9400 Bldg. condos

Bull on the beach right next door, good food, and good seafood.

In OC next week, what do I bring home for the office??

Fisher%26#39;s popcorn? I dont want to bring back salt water taffy, but what can I bring back for everyone to share that represents OC the best??? Thanks all!!

Jenn

In OC next week, what do I bring home for the office??

Get on the beach in the morning and grab small seashells for everyone. lol

but you could play it safe and get the popcorn....

In OC next week, what do I bring home for the office??

Like what tfunky said, you could bring home some seashells, but to keep it safe like food, you could bring back Fisher%26#39;s popcorn or some fudge from Candy Kitchen or Wockenfuss.

Bachelor party in need of some fun!!!

I have two friends getting maried this fall, and we have combining their bachelor parties next weekend (July 19-22) in Ocean City. I am in need of suggestions for fun. We are staying on the boardwalk and plan on partying 24/7. Feel free to join the party.

Bachelor party in need of some fun!!!

Seacrets or the party block would probably be your best bets, so a forum search they will pop up several times. Although there are plenty of hot spots in OC. It really depends on your age also. But if you%26#39;re looking for strip clubs none exist in OC, they%26#39;re banned.

Bachelor party in need of some fun!!!

We are all in our mid to late 20%26#39;s. Most of us single.

As already mentioned, The Party Block and Seacrets will be your best bets.

Check out the website for the Party Block (http://www.partyblock.com) and you will see all the female staff are pretty much dressed like strippers anyway. Their ';outfits'; don%26#39;t leave too much to the imagination.

Try The Purple Moose Saloon on the Boardwalk!!! Drink specials, %26amp; live entertainment every night

Even though these were already mentioned, the Party Block, which I think has other clubs like Big Kahuna in it too, Seacrets, and the Purple Moose Saloon on the boardwalk are your best choices.

How smoke are the smoking rooms at Park Place?

I am a non smoker trying to book a room at the Park Place Hotel in OC. The only Ocean side room is a smoking room. Does anyone know how ';smoky'; their smoking rooms are? I really dislike smoke.

How smoke are the smoking rooms at Park Place?

My brother in law stays in a smoking room at Park Place and always comes back really happy with his room. I was told by him that they stress to smoke on the balcony when every possible. But he is a smoker so he might not noticed a room smell differance like non smokers. Tough call.

How smoke are the smoking rooms at Park Place?

3GG,

Let me ask you...suppose someone on this forum swears that the smoking room they booked at Park Place smelled like a bed of roses and the smoking room you wind up with smells like a sewer. I don%26#39;t think you%26#39;d have much basis for a legitimate complaint and it sounds like management wouldn%26#39;t have a lot of other options for you with the hotel so full except to a) clean the room again (chemical smell on top of smoke), or b) politely show you the door.

I (non-smoker) have never stayed at PP, but I%26#39;d assume the worst and hope for the best. I would never book a smoking room unless I knew there was a backup available--a non-smoking room at Park Place (obviously wouldn%26#39;t be oceanside), another smoking room that may smell a little fresher, or a room at another hotel.

Can%26#39;t comment on Park Place but we are nonsmokers(former smokers). We booked a smoking room last year at the Dunes because only oceanfront room left. We would have never known it was a smoking room. Only issue was people beside us smoking on balcony. But that was part of the compromise.(booked room last minute)

Good point, tubman.

Sassy Vega - Since you mentioned booking at the last minute... What do you think about us showing up in OC without a reservation? Am I crazy to consider this?

Here%26#39;s the problem: I will be in VA with family from July 21 - 27th. My oldest daughter is attending a conference at the University of Maryland. I pick her up on the 27th and that%26#39;s when I am considering a side trip to OC. I don%26#39;t know if we%26#39;ll all be exhausted from DC sightseeing and not interested in another activity. We might want to go home to Alabama after we pick her up. Also, the weather could be rainy, which defeats the purpose of seeing the beach/boarwalk.

What are your thoughts? I truly appreciate your help.

Last minute on July 27th could be very stressful since this is prime season. You clould be driving up and down the coast of OC looking for a place or get lucky and find a spot right away. It%26#39;s a gamble but if your not 100% sure you want to take an extra vacation then it might be an option.

When I said last minute, I meant three weeks in advance. That%26#39;s last minute for OC.

July 27 = Friday in the peak of season. Rooms in OC will be tough at any price and the only way you%26#39;ll get one is if someone cancels. Not that it doesn%26#39;t happen, but finding the hotels with last-minute cancellations is truly a random phenomenon. You just have to find yourself in the right place at the right time.

For what you describe, I%26#39;d suggest just doing a spontaneous day trip if everyone%26#39;s up for it, the weather is nice and you can get your daughter early in the morning when you can make it to OC from UM in under 3 hours (traffic will be horrendous later in the day). While you likely won%26#39;t find any places to stay in OC that night, you will find places to stay along the road to wherever you%26#39;re headed once you%26#39;re about 45 minutes inland.

Re: Smoking rooms. A lot of them smell okay simply because while the room is identified as ';smoking,'; other non-smokers in similar circumstances before you also took the room because they had no choice. Put several non-smoking guests consecutively in the same smoking room, and suddenly the room is smoke-free for a few weeks and smells okay.

A lot of hotels know how to manage their room assignments to make this happen. So while you wind up with a ';smoking'; room, you might be lucky enough to wind up with one that hasn%26#39;t been smoked in...not recently, anyway.

You guys are great! Thanks for all of your wisdom and advice. After hearing your definition of ';last minute'; I decided to bite the bullet and book a room. I decided on a room at The Breakers. I figured that if it rains we can swim inside and it%26#39;s a non-smoking hotel, so no worries about the smoke.

Actually, I was just in OC last week and didn%26#39;t see one ';NO VACANCY'; sign. They ALL said vacancy. While they will all probably pricey, there ARE rooms available. Most of these rooms, if not all, were not on the boardwalk, though.

Ribs

There are quite a few rib joints in OC. Which ones do you like? We are partial to JR%26#39;s.

Ribs

I%26#39;d have to go with JR%26#39;s also. Pretty decent taste and texture. Hmmmm I%26#39;m getting hungry now.

Ribs

I have to say Nick%26#39;s. We like the atmosphere there also. JR%26#39;s is good too. We just like Nick%26#39;s better.

Been to Nick%26#39;s too. Only problem it is always crowded and you end up waiting forever. Not that you don%26#39;t wait in other OC restaurants!!!

We always hit a rib stop and enjoy Nicks. They also have a great steak for those who don%26#39;t enjoy ribs, I fall into this category. Does JR%26#39;s have the same? I assume they do as do all restaurants but I guess I mean can a non-rib eater still get an excellent meal there? thanks

No question about it, NICK%26#39;S #1!!!

I have to go with Nick%26#39;s as well. Nick Idoni was the head ';chef'; at JRs years ago and decided to open his own place. (you can%26#39;t go wrong with either though) Having worked a Nick%26#39;s one summer, the kitchen staff starts early in the morning preparing the ribs for the night....seasoning, baking a low temp for hours, etc. By the time the night kitchen staff arrives, the ribs are ready to be placed on the flame grill and basted with bbq sauce. mmmmm. Can%26#39;t wait to eat there this august.

We%26#39;ve had better ribs at any Smokey Bones restaurant in Pittsburgh, than either JR%26#39;s or Nicks! If you really like ribs I think that both are disappointing at best! Stick with seafood and travel south if you want good ribs!!

I like JR%26#39;s, Nick%26#39;s, and Applebee%26#39;s in West OC. I have never tried these places but here they are very good, Smokers BBQ Pit, and Bull on the Beach. I know there are more but I can%26#39;t think of them on the top of my head.

Bike Rentals and Open Boardwalk

As many times as I have been to Ocean City, and stayed on the boardwalk all but ONE time, I don%26#39;t know when all of the stores from Inlet to about 5th open up. I also don%26#39;t know where any of the bike rental places are. Never needed them since we stayed right on the boardwalk.. Anyway, this year my fiance and I are staying at the Golden Sands pretty far up, closer to Delaware. We%26#39;d like to take a bike ride during sunrise at least once, so we need to know where the bike rental places are near/on the boardwalk. I%26#39;d like to know when all of the shops open up since we%26#39;re actually staying so far away from the boardwalk, I%26#39;d hate to just bike around for a while only to go all the way back to the room only to return later in the day

to go shopping. Thanks everyone! :-) 9 more days until we leave!!

Oh yes, anyone on these boards coming from Northern or Central VA? We usually go the North route into DC and then over the bridge and straight in OC, but we%26#39;ve also gotten directions that are way shorter that go into Delaware and THEN into OC. Just wondering if anyone knows if there is a Rt. 3 starting in Culpeper Va to Rt. 301 route?

Bike Rentals and Open Boardwalk

Here%26#39;s a list of bicycle shops:

www.atlanticbreezes.com/oceancitybicycles.htm

Since bicycling on the Boardwalk is only allowed until 10 a.m., I suspect most places down there would be open on the early side--7 a.m. or earlier.

Bike Rentals and Open Boardwalk

As for your directions--3/301 will bypass the Beltway and I-95 traffic to get you on your way to the Bay Bridge. Once you cross the Bay Bridge, going through Delaware will save you 10+ miles versus taking Rt. 50/90 and can be advantageous when headed to the northern part of town (like you are to the Golden Sands).

50 usually runs closer to full speed (multiple lanes, fewer lights), than the more rural Delaware routes and makes up for the 10+ extra miles.

Whether to take 50 through Maryland or 404 through Delaware is occasionally debated in this forum, but in the end, the faster route always depends on traffic conditions on both routes all the way to the beach at a specific moment in time--something very few of us have access to. You%26#39;ll only know the faster route in hindsight, don%26#39;t sweat it too much.

Hey tubman, thanks so much! Looks like Mike%26#39;s Bike%26#39;s is what looks good since its on 1st and Boardwalk. Thanks for the directions as well :-) Still trying to figure out if 3 to 301 would be faster than going around DC and then over the bridge into Delaware and then into OC. Depends on if we%26#39;re coming from south or north end of the county I live in and we%26#39;re not sure yet. But thank you so much! I%26#39;ll bring it up next time we talk about which way to go.

I usually rent my bikes at Mikes Bikes down near the inlet. I know there is a couple near the inlet. I also know there is an Atlantic Bikes but I don%26#39;t know where.

eye

Looking for a supernice 3 bedroom condo

....Aug 4-10th. Preferably in one of the high rises on the beach. Was hoping someone could mention a few and they I could look for availablility. Thanks

Money not a factor

Looking for a supernice 3 bedroom condo

I think the availability is going to be slim I would try cbvactions.com and see what%26#39;s available. then maybe we could help. Golden Sands is nice. you%26#39;ll have to stay a Sat-Sat or

sun-sun.

Looking for a supernice 3 bedroom condo

if you look on ocvacations website,there is something for the date you gave,oceanfront,84th st.,very pricey,3bed/3bth.

Our favorite condo is the Plaza. It is very nice. Has an indoor and outdoor pool. All condos face oceanfront. There is a bar on the outside deck too. Thr condos are beautifully decorated. We had a 2 bedroom and a den and it accomodated 7 of us very nicely. It was a little pricey, but the nicest place we stayed in over our 20 years in O.C. The second nicest place was The Golden Sands. I believe the Sea Watch, Fountainhead and Century 1 also have 3 bedrooms or 2 bedrooms and a den.

Need cheap, but clean, hotel room

My boyfriend and I are looking to take our first mini-vacation together. We are looking for a cheap hotel/ motel (budgets are tight for college kids!) but is clean and friendly. I have been looking endlessly for three days and have mixed reviews about everything. We are looking to go from August 6-8 or 9, depending on the prices.

Thanks!

Need cheap, but clean, hotel room

My family an I stay at the Oceanic! Clean and inexpensive, but small rooms. Still, for a couple days you%26#39;ll love it!! Perfect location!!

Need cheap, but clean, hotel room

Oceanic is good

Burgandy Inn

Islander on 20th

Something cheap you need to look bayside or ocean block.

click this link and search:

http://www.ibstrategies.com/cgi-bin/hs2/search.pl?lt_hotel=Y%26amp;lt_motel=Y%26amp;v_ob=Y%26amp;v_bf=Y%26amp;submit=Search+Now

Need SUPER CLEAN place to stay......

Our 2 year old son is a former preemie and as a result still has a weaker immune system than most kids his age. We will be taking our first family vacation next June with him to OC. I have never been there, but have been researching it extensively and think it seems like a great place. A big plus is that we can drive there. We were considering destinations such as FL, SC, etc. but I%26#39;ve changed my mind due to fear of flying - not mine, but fear of the recirculated air getting my son sick and our whole vacation being ruined. Plus, OC has gotten great reviews from friends and family of mine.

Since he was hospitalized for the first 2.5 months of his life, I have become somewhat of a germaphobe----not too bad in the summer and in situations that I can control (read: sanitize) but really want to be able to relax and enjoy this trip, even though I will always have my clorox wipes and hand sanitizer with me!

Anyway, could anyone please recommend a hotel on the boardwalk that you know to be really clean--this includes rooms, pool, etc.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

GERMAPHOBE MOMMY! ;-) ;-)

Need SUPER CLEAN place to stay......

We have been staying at Holiday Inn Suites on the boardwalk (17th Street ?) for the last 3 years and found it to be extremely clean. The reviews on this forum are positive for it also.....I think it is ranked #4 at the present time. Also, your son will be a perfect age for their children%26#39;s pool area by next year....it is so much fun! It is quite pricey in peak season (about $400-450 night) but we pay that price because of location, cleansiness and size of suites. In fact, we will once again be staying there for a week in August! Read the hotel reviews and see if you think you%26#39;ll be happy there! We are! (We started staying there when our daughter was 5 years old and she can%26#39;t wait to go back year after year!). Let me know if you need additional information.

Need SUPER CLEAN place to stay......

Do you need a carpet or tile floor?

I know of a few hotels that offer clean tile floor.

I dislike carpet because of the sand and dirt that gets mashed into a carpet.

Hi and thanks for your replies! I am looking into the first hotel you mentioned.

As far as the tile floor goes, it probably would be a good idea seeing as my little man is all over the place these days. It%26#39;s easier to keep tile germ free (and sand free as you said) than carpet. So any suggestion would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks again!

PS - I am also from the Burgh! :) Small world!

Hotel Monte Carlo and Tidelands have tile floors and are clean.

Family weekend in Annapolis

Our family is planning on spending August 10-12 in Annapolis - a first time trip for most of us. Age range 2-65 and everywhere in between (14 of us in total). Could anyone recommend activities that could appeal to the group?

Family weekend in Annapolis

There are numerous boat cruises you can take which really would be a nice activity for any age. Harbor Queen is like a large old fashioned paddle boat (located at the end of city dock), Woodwind I %26amp; II are large sailboats (they dock in front of the waterfront Marriott), and Little Annie is a cute tender (holds 12 -14 and is a much more intimate experience). Also the larger vessels go out to the bay and the Severn River, while Little Annie does more exploring on Spa Creek.

Specifically for kids, there is an entertaining pirate cruise complete with water guns and raids.

I think everyone would also enjoy the Naval Academy grounds specifically the visitor%26#39;s center which is also a miniature museum that has very interesting facts about the school, the history of the Navy and the prominent people that received their education here. You can sign up for a tour or just grab one of the brochures at the center and make your way thru the campus. Secure areas are clearly marked and it is easy to navigate.

The main visitor center off of West St. has been under construction so I am not sure if it is reopened yet. But do go into the historic Maryland State House where they also have a small visitor center with brochures and other information. Take just a few minutes to see the actual Senate Chamber where the treaty of Paris was ratified and where President Washington resigned as commander in chief of the continental army.

Annapolis is small and easily walkable. The charming streets contain historical homes, monuments, shops, eateries and restaurants. There are also walking tours available at the Annapolis Musuem store.