Interesting Attractions around Beltsville

Hi, I am planning on visiting Beltsville Maryland in two weeks. I need ideas on what are the main attractions around, Baltimore, Washington, Annapolis, etc.

I already know the main attractions in Washington, and about the aquarium in Baltimore, but I have couple days more to spend around, so I want to know what else is there to visit.

Any suggestions? PLEASE!

Interesting Attractions around Beltsville

Well, Beltsville doesn%26#39;t have much in itself but here is a list of places all within a 20 minute drive that might be interesting.And you will have to drive to all of these but it%26#39;s a pretty easy place to navigate except during rush hour times when traffic is bad you might get frustrated.

1. Nasa Goddard Space Center in Greenbelt, MD

2. Laurel, Md: Laurel Park Race Trak

3. Annapolis, MD: just an historic city that is pretty nice to walk around to the nice shops, maybe visit the Naval Academy and the Historic MD capital Building. Lovely waterfront and nice restaurants.

Interesting Attractions around Beltsville

Thanks for the reply Mrs Maryland.

I have another question, is Bush Gardens too far, or are there any other parks like that around?

An attraction where you can go and come back on the same day?

Busch Gardens will be about 2 hours away. Just between Richmond and VA Beach.

Six Flags America (www.sixflags.com) is about 25 minutes away from Beltsville in Largo, MD. It isn%26#39;t the greatest of the six flags parks and frankly I don%26#39;t like it. But if you want to check it out go ahead.

Also Kings Dominion is straight down I-95 about 1.5 hours away from Beltsville www.kingsdominion.com. It%26#39;s a little better than the Six Flags park and it%26#39;s cheaper as well.

Hershey Park is about 1.45 min-2 hours away in Hershey, PA

Mrs Maryland thanks for all the info and the prompt answer too.

I just have another question. Since I have only 3 days, I am planning on spending on e in Washington, one in Baltimore (altough in Baltimore I only know about the aquarium) and one somewhere else. This is a trip of 5 younge people, so that%26#39;s why the park sound very attractive!. But I want to know what do you suggest for that third day, which of these park is the best or is there any other place we should visit?

I visited the Bush Gardens website and noticed they came out with a new rollercoaster which called my attention, but I really want to hear from you or from people who live in the are or have visited so I really get the most out of my 3 days there.

Thanks, thanks, thanks

Honestly, The Busch Gardens in Williamsburg isn%26#39;t that great.

So...... I would probably choose either Hershey Park (www.hersheypark.com) or Kings Dominion. Kings Dominion has a new water park and Hershey Park has a new boardwalk which includes a water park and several other rides. And Hershey Park is also more adult friendly and kid friendly as well. Something for all ages. I think that%26#39;s a good idea to do something different each day.

I don%26#39;t know much about Baltimore other than probably the Aquarium, Camden Yards, That Train Museum (can%26#39;t think of the name but I believe it%26#39;s one of the ones from Monopoly :-) !!

and the Inner Harbor area. But if you have any questions about DC more than happy to help.

Hershey Park you can get to in just under 2 hours so that isn%26#39;t a long drive at all. It%26#39;s very easy to get to from Beltsville.

You might want to consider doing a dinner and show at Medieval Times in Hanover. I don%26#39;t know how far it is from Beltsville but, I know it isn%26#39;t farther than Baltimore. Medieval Times offers a 2 hour and set 4 course meal for $50 plus for adults and $37 plus tax for those under 12 which is a little pricey but you are getting a 4 course meal with that. Young people tend to enjoy the show because they have to eat all the food with their hands and get to yell and scream all they want during the show.

In regards to Baltimore, there is also Fort McHenry, a revolutionary war fort that became famous during the war of 1812. The British bombarded it in an attempt to attack the city of Baltimore. It was during the bombardment that Francis Scott Key wrote the lines to the Star Spangled Banner which ultimately became our national anthem and the bane of singers every where.

You could see if the Baltimore Orioles are playing during your time here and maybe try to catch a game if they are. They play in Camden Yards.

In regards to Annapolis, I can%26#39;t tell you anything about it as I haven%26#39;t made it there myself. It%26#39;s on my list of things to do.

I hope that helps a little at least. Cheers!

Yeah, Meidival Times is about 25 minutes from Beltsville. Just take the BW Parkway until you get to Hanover/Airport. It%26#39;s at the Arundel Mills, Mall.

I agree that Kings Dominion is better and closer than Busch Gardens. KD is where all the locals area travellers go.

If still looking for something, you might absorb yourselves in some Maryland history and try a visit south to Historic St. Mary%26#39;s and Calvert County Maryland. You can visit St. Mary%26#39;s City, the first capital of Maryland (also nearby St. Mary%26#39;s College of Maryland), the watermen%26#39;s community of Solomon%26#39;s Island with the Calvert Marine Museum for Tidewater Maritime History including a Screwpile Lighthouse. There are a handful of other lighthouses in the area, including Piney Point, Cove Point, and Point Lookout. This area is often over looked but is one of the areas rich with history and a is only a short drive from the DC area.

There is a lot to do in Washington. And some things are in different parts of DC off the mall. Like the National Cathedral, which is very impressive and the National Zoo, which you could spend a day at, and I am not the zoo type of person and still loved it. It is a whole lot better than the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. Plus it has the Pandas! And is free! Go down to Alexandria and Mount Vernon. The only things I could see doing up in Baltimore is the National Aquaurium in Baltimore ( the much better national aquarium, very big, the one in DC isn%26#39;t worth visiting) and Fort Mchenry. Also, the B%26amp;O Railroad Museum is really neat if you like trains. Even if you don%26#39;t ,still worth checking out. Annapolis is nice. Drive 450 out of Annapolis and check out the overlook of Annapolis and the Maryland WWII Memorial. The National WWII Memorial is in DC and definetly check that out. Either go up in the Washington Monument or the Old Post Office Tower on Pennsylvannia Avenue. The Old Post Office is nice if you have already done the Washington Monument. It has no crowds, you can go up whenever you want, it is free, and dosen%26#39;t take a long time. Plus, it is open at the top instead of the little windows in the Monument and it has a different perspective. I mentioned the national cathedral, there is also a observation level in there too. The National Postal Museum next to Union Station and Union Station itself are worth checking out. The National Air and Space Annex by Dullus Airport in Chantily,VA is definetly worth checking out. The new National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle,VA near Quantico is really cool also. It is probably about the same distance as the Air and Space Annex. The Smithsonian Museums in DC are great also. You could also take a capitol tour through the capitol building. You don%26#39;t need reservations (you can%26#39;t) or to contact your congressman. Just get to the ticket stand early and buy tickets. The washington monument is the same way, but you can buy tickets online the night before. The capitol tour you only see a few rooms, but you see the major highlights (the rotunda, statuary hall, the crypt, the old supreme court chamber). And again it is free. Mostly all things that I mentioned in DC are free. (National Air and Space at Dullus Airport has a 12 dollar parking fee, mount vernon is 13 dollars a piece). Rest of the things are free. All the baltimore places cost. The B%26amp;O Railroad Museum and the National Aquarium in Baltimore are very expensive. Fort Mchenry charges a small fee unless you have a national parks pass. If you really want to take a excursion, take the 90-120 minute drive to Shenandoah NP for some beautiful mountain scenry and outdoor activities. Being in Beltsville, you are convienient to the Beltway and the metro stations. It might be worth your while to buy a daypass for metro. Don%26#39;t attempt to drive to DC if you have not done it before. There is no parking. Take metro, it is not very expensive and considering a lot of the stuff is free. Plus it is usually faster than driving even though you have to stop at each station. The National Cathedral is not convient to metro, but probably is only a mile walk from the zoo. Otherwises, you might have to drive there. There is parking there unlike the mall area, but it is limited, so go early and not on sunday. There are all kinds of attactions in DC other than the main attractions.

Good Luck!

Safe neighborhood??

Can anyone from the Baltimore area help me out? My brother-in-law booked 2 rooms at the Quality Inn (1401 Bloomfield Ave). We just needed a place to sleep (getting in around 10:00 p.m. and out by 9:00 a.m. the next day) and he couldn%26#39;t see paying a higher premium. Not a problem, except I%26#39;ve read lots of on-line reviews and most speak of very poor room conditions (living and dead roaches and other bugs, mice and rat holes) and quite a few mentioned the location as being in an unsafe neighborhood. Can anyone who knows the area (and possibly the facility) give me some information. I don%26#39;t want to question his choice since money is a real issue with them and they won%26#39;t let us help out, but neither do I want to walk into a nightmare. Thanks!

Safe neighborhood??

What kind of rate is your brother paying, any idea?

The neighborhood isn%26#39;t the best, it%26#39;s just off the Interstate on the outskirts of the city. I don%26#39;t know much about the hotel but the reviews here on TA, while not very good, are also not very current...

Within 7-8 miles you could be in the BWI Airport area and could check there for properties, there are lots of budget properties in that area and a list is at bwiairport.com.

(Having said all that, if you%26#39;re really just getting in at 10:00 and leaving the next morning, how bad could it be?)

Safe neighborhood??

Thanks for your reply. We really are getting in around 10 at night and plan to leave no later than 9:00 the next day, so i%26#39;m not concerrned with amenities as much as with safety. I ';googled'; and found lots of reviews that talked about doors that would not close/lock, tough neighborhood, bugs and 1 or 2 that mentioned rodents... that%26#39;s when I decided to post the query here, where I%26#39;ve always gotten good information. As for the room rate, with tax it%26#39;s about $135 - I think he said it was $114 a night. Thanks again.

The White Marsh area has several reasonably priced hotels for under $200 a night, and it is a much nicer area. White Marsh is also right off I-95 but it is northeast of the city rather than southwest of the city (Bloomfield).

If you just need a place to sleep and aren%26#39;t concerned with being near any attractions, you might be better off at one of the airport hotels. There are a number of options on the standard travel sites showing better prices than you got at the QI and you wouldn%26#39;t have to worry about the neighborhood.

Are you just passing through Baltimore, or are you actually looking to do something in the city?

If you%26#39;re just passing through along I-95, you can do better about 20 minutes south of town where you%26#39;re not spitting distance to either Baltimore or Washington (search for hotels around Laurel, Md.). Or 15 minutes north of the aforementioned White Marsh area, look for hotels in Bel Air.

You will save a bunch or find a nicer place for the same money in these areas just by driving a few extra minutes. If you don%26#39;t have a need to be close to the city, why pay for the privilege?

I wouldn%26#39;t stay there- I agree w/ the above poster- stay somewhere a little firther out if safety is your #1 issue.Otherwise, I%26#39;d find a nice B%26amp;B in FederalHill, Conton, or Fells Point (safe areas near the water) if I wanted to save $.

I never feel safe at night and even day in baltimore unless I am right around inner harbor. A lot of the city is run down except for inner harbor and fells point areas. I would stay near BWI like somebody else suggested. That is not a great area you are talking about. It is across from a hospital. It is on the verge of a bad neighborhood. Plus to get to Inner Harbor, if you don%26#39;t take I-95, and go Wilkens Ave into the city, it is very bad neighborhoods. No trees, no grass, all concrete, and very run down. It is the ghetto. I don%26#39;t even feel safe driving in a car through there. What do you plan on doing in baltimore? Sightseeing, buisness, family matters? I live in the columbia area and am only 20 minutes to baltimore. BWI is even closer. I would not stay in the city except for Inner Harbor. Probably the quality inn is not much more convienent than staying around BWI. That is just my opinion.

day parking in Baltimore Inner Harbor

Will be driving in from Annapolis for a day trip mid week in late June.Where is a good place to parking that is centerly located? Is there any train service into baltmore from Annapolis?

day parking in Baltimore Inner Harbor

I checked the MTA website (http://www.mtamaryland.com/index.cfm) and it looks like there isn%26#39;t any train service from Annapolis to Baltimore. There is a bus service that will take you from Annapolis to Baltimore. If you don%26#39;t want to ride the bus the whole way, the bus service stops at the Light Rail Cromwell Station which you can then take into Baltimore.

Concerning parking that is centrally located in Baltimore, the only parking I%26#39;m familiar with is the parking at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel. It costs $23 a day to park there. The hotel is within a block of the Inner Harbor. There might be better deals out there.

day parking in Baltimore Inner Harbor

';Will be driving in from Annapolis for a day trip mid week in late June.Where is a good place to parking that is centerly located?';

There are pay lots all over downtown, almost every office building and hotel has one. The closer you get to the harbor the more expensive you%26#39;re likely to find the parking.

I think the $23 rate posted is quite high for Baltimore, probably because it%26#39;s in a hotel and in one of the better hotels in town at that.

Take the light rail from Cromwell Station. It is not far from Annapolis. Just take Route 50 west to I-97 north to exit 16 and head south for a half mile and it should be there on the right. I think a day pass is 3 dollars a person. The ride takes about a half hour and get off by the Convention Center. You are close to inner harbor.

I don%26#39;t think there is any train service from Annapolis. there maybe a bus service. Good luck!

beauty

How safe is Baltimore?

We are from Miami and are planning on visiting Baltimore. I usually am the one being ask this question about my city, but now I m the one asking. lol.. How safe is Baltimore? I will be staying in the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront. How safe is this area? I will travel with my wife and 5 year old.

I understand most big cities have some danger, but is the danger unbearable? I plan on visiting the Aquarium, catching a game at Camden Yards, maybe the oo, the train museum. What do you think? Honestly. Is it safe to go there with a family? If so, can you walk or should you always take a cab. I plan on having a nice breakfast everyday, seeing some of the sites, eating out and being back to the hotel bfore 8 or 9 pm.

Any help you can give me is appreciated. Thank you!

C from Miami

How safe is Baltimore?

';I understand most big cities have some danger...';

I think you already know the answer to your question, which is likely the same as what you give to those visiting Miami. The attractions appealing to tourists are generally not located in the ';war zones';--the areas known for gangs, drugs, poverty, etc. If they were, they wouldn%26#39;t survive for long. Exercise big-city common sense wherever you are, and you should be fine.

Baltimore certainly has sections rivaling Opa Locka, Overtown, Carol City, etc. in your hometown, and these skew the city%26#39;s high crime rate. It%26#39;s very hard to stumble onto these areas unintentionally, they are far off the safe, beaten tourist path.

The area stretching from Camden Yards east to your Marriott and beyond (Fells Point) is entirely on the tourist path and walkable, if you have the legs to walk it.

The B%26amp;O railroad museum is the only attraction you mention that%26#39;s slightly off the path and I%26#39;d suggest taking a taxi or driving there. In small part because of the gentrifying neighborhood, in larger part because of the distance from the rest of the major attractions.

Enjoy your trip!

How safe is Baltimore?

ditto on all of the above. You actually could even walk to the B+O museum though it is a good walk. Even though it is out of the ';tourist '; area I think you would be fine. I work downtown and I have a co-worker who lives in the new townhomes next to the museum and we walk to her house from work everyday. Ii depends on your comfort level and time of day you are going.

I have to agree. tubman nailed it! Baltimore is a wonderfully diverse city with a host of things to do. Enjoy yourself, enjoy the Inner Harbor, Camden Yards (even if you don%26#39;t make a game the ballpark itself is a must see.) and all the other ';touristy'; things on your list. Use your common sense and walk to your hearts content.

the only destination you mentioned that might be a bit difficult...is the zoo. it%26#39;s a bit of a ways from the harbor and you do NOT want to attempt walking to it. cab would be fine...but i%26#39;m not sure how easy it would be to get a cab back.

The Zoo is struggling financially, unable to draw crowds by being so far from the rest of the city%26#39;s attractions (4 miles from the Harbor) that get all the attention. Without the crowds, they can%26#39;t fund top-quality attractions; without the attractions, they can%26#39;t draw the crowds. It%26#39;s a vicious cycle. Funding by the state has also been cut substantially, and facilities are deteriorating.

In short, the long-term prognosis for the zoo is grim (closure is talked about fairly frequently) and it shows. I was there a few years ago and it was a little depressing seeing so few people in there on a bright, sunny weekend.

I would only recommend the zoo if you%26#39;ve never been to one and don%26#39;t have one where you live. Also think about a side trip to D.C. just an hour away, which has a great zoo. Like most everything else that people go to D.C. to see, admission to the zoo there is free.

The National Zoo in DC is great, my kids loved it there and you can%26#39;t beat a fun free zoo! I agree it%26#39;s worth the hour trip down to DC.

Suzanne

visited there three years ago downtown by the ballpark, yes it is safe, so safe, I%26#39;m return for another O%26#39;s game this month. Walked seven blocks from my hotel to the ballpark last time, safe, just make sure you know your surroundings and always alert, anywhere, not just where ever you are visiting.

very depressing about the zoo. it%26#39;s been a long time since i%26#39;ve been there, but i KNOW the directors have been trying SO hard to keep it going... what a shame.

Don%26#39;t worry about crime but be prepared to be asked for money a lot.

Like all the posters say--Use COMMON sense! Don%26#39;t flash your money in public. Don%26#39;t leave camera%26#39;s, purses, wallets, loose cash, other vaulables in your car in plain site. If you are walking somewhere and you start to get nervous TURN AROUND.

ALL cities have problems and crime area%26#39;s. You should have a great time but if you act like an air headed tourist you may be setting yourself up. Also, make sure your hotel room door locks correctly. Don%26#39;t let strangers into your room.

Now before you start thinking, ';OMG!! It IS dangerous in Baltimore!'; These suggestions can apply to ANY city, town or location.

ie

which way to go/where to stop on Fri. fr/Williamsburg to NY?

(posted this on DC, VA and here. just read post about 301 from Annapolis and now thinking that may be bad idea on Friday too?

any help is appreciated.)

We%26#39;re heading home from Williamsburg to NYC on a Friday and want to stopover for a night along the way to break up the drive back. Hoping to leave at noon but are afraid of awful traffic going towards DC (or is it only bad coming out of DC?). We%26#39;re tempted to go see Virginia Beach/Chincoteague but that also seems like a bad idea trafficwise.

Can anyone suggest an alternate route/idea for a stop? Hwy 301 to Annapolis? Or a nice area off 95 that%26#39;s south of DC before traffic jams? If we skip our AM plans and leave earlier, then would we avoid bad traffic if we got to DC by 2pm?

It would be nice to stop somewhere interesting but not absolutely necessary. We just don%26#39;t want to spend too much more after a week of vacation and need to get home by Saturday night. Thanks again for all help. We would be lost without Tripadvisor!

which way to go/where to stop on Fri. fr/Williamsburg to NY?

Well leaving from Williamsburg on a Friday at noon will get you to the Maryland/VA sections of 95 outside of DC around 2:30 pm. No traffic, only the construction crews cleaning up their mess.

However if you did want to take 301, I wouldn%26#39;t pick that up until you get to Caramel Church Road where it says last exit for 301or just after Kings Dominion or the Henry Nice Bridge. That would be nothing but smooth sailing coming from that direction. You will hit a few lights and then a lot of lights once you get into Waldorf, MD. Oh and you have to cross a 2 lane bridge that isn%26#39;t divided just as you cross over into Maryland from Virginia.

Now since you are headed to NY. You will end up running into some traffic in Baltimore and points further North because of the time of Day. So if you did want to stop the night, you could stop in Baltimore maybe and head out early Saturday morning and then make it to NY in 3 hours. That would be a better idea.

which way to go/where to stop on Fri. fr/Williamsburg to NY?

Thanks MrsMaryland for your advice. So if we head for Baltimore for the night then, which way should we go? 95 thru dc? or 301?

Do you recommend Baltimore vs Annapolis for this stopover?

Coming from Williamsburg on a Friday afternoon, you could go either way.

If you want a more small town, lights, then a big shopping district and lights then go 301. If you just want to get there take 95. And I find during those hours that it is faster taking the BW Parkway into Baltimore. Much faster IMO. You would pick the Parkway up on 95 just after Rt. 450

Baltimore vs. Annapolis hmmmmmmm If you stay on the Inner Harbor I would go with Baltimore. And then head out at 95 which is right there so you won%26#39;t have to travel too far off. Nothing wrong with Annapolis but for one night with kids, I think they would like the atmosphere of the Inner Harbor. (If you have kids)

Hope this helps.

Yes, 2 kids. Baltimore sounds like a good idea. Thanks very much for your help!

Best beach for surf fishing and relaxing?

We are about to celebrate our 31 wedding anniversery. I love to read and walk on the beach. Husband just wants to surf fish. Any ideas. We will be going the first of August.

We will be going to Baltimore for a few days so I really do not want to drive along ways.

Thank you for any input.

Knoxville, TN

Best beach for surf fishing and relaxing?

Well there is plenty of fishing in Baltimore, this is prime season for Rockfish (striped bass) but not really surf fishing. There are charter boats to go on. This is the Chesapeake Bay not the ocean so yes it can get rough (I was reading your other post) out there but nothing like a rough day out in the ocean. If hubby is set on surf fishing your best bet is Assateaque Island about 3 hours southeast of Baltimore this right outside Ocean City a very popular resort town here. What area are you staying in?

hotels in or near Salisbury Maryland

Does anyone know about The holiday Inn Express in Salisbury-Delmar ?

Is it a decent hotel for an overnight stay? We are heading to Virginia Beach early the next morning...

If not, what is a good alternative?

hotels in or near Salisbury Maryland

It is a very new hotel that was just built last year (2005). The hotel has an outdoor pool, business center, and exercise room. A continental breakfast consisting of a variety of breakfast items (including delicious cinnamon rolls) is served each morning, which is an added value. Be sure to visit the hotel%26#39;s webpage at www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hd/ddroh if you haven%26#39;t already done so.

hotels in or near Salisbury Maryland

I just stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn and it was nice! See my review which should be posted shortly...

Super 8 in College Park

My friend booked a room at the Super 8 for a week and visit DC. After reading the posts about the area, I%26#39;m not so sure that I want to stay there. Is it safe for 2 middle-age females to take public transportation from the Super 8 into DC and what is the area really like now?

I actually lived in the TP area in the 60%26#39;s but it was nice then.

Thanks!

Super 8 in College Park

Put aside the posts about the area for a moment...how about the less-than-glowing reviews of the Super 8 itself (including one from last week)?

tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g41078-d8398…

Is it a ';safe'; area? Statistically, you shouldn%26#39;t have a problem--even in the worst areas, your chance of becoming an actual crime victim is VERY small. But your perception of and comfort level in the area is just as important as the statistics. While this isn%26#39;t an area in which I would be *comfortable* staying, it%26#39;s hardly a war zone.

That having been said--if you don%26#39;t have a compelling reason to stay in that area and can afford to stay elsewhere, I%26#39;d look to do so.

Super 8 in College Park

I think it will be inconvenient to stay in College park. It%26#39;s just to spread out and the public transporation isn%26#39;t that close to anything.

I suggest you stay somewhere else. Especially since you want to be visiting DC. How about the Americana Hotel in Crystal City/Arlington, VA. www.americanahotel.com

Reasonable rates, 1 mile from DC, 2 close metro stations with a shuttle bus/van to take you to the metro and airport. Nice location as for dining and shopping.

College Park needs some much improvements, especially along the Rt.1 area. Otherwise it%26#39;s not ';Unsafe'; but I would not tell anyone wanting to visit DC to stay there unless you had something to do in that area. Especially 2 women.

Just wanted to thank you for this information. My friend booked the room at the Comfort Inn in Camp Hill and we stayed there. The Metro was within walking distance from the hotel and the employees were so friendly and helpful. The room, $80. per night, was spacious and very clean.

I was absolutely amazed at how clean the Metro and stations are. Knowing the reputation of the Metro stops on the way to Camp Hill, I must say that I was uncomfortable only once being the only white females sitting on the Metro and standing out like the tourists that we were. It was just the glares that 2 men, out of a full car, were giving us but thankfully, they got off in Anacosta so I felt safe walking back to the hotel. Like I said, it was only one of the many times that we rode the Metro to and from D.C. and we rode from a.m to late p.m.

I would stay at the Comfort Inn in Camp Hill again.

Last minute trip to Batimore then beach

We%26#39;re planning our summer vacation at the last minute!?!? Usually go to Myrtle Beach (Kingston Plantation), but decided to do something different this year.

We live in Pittsburgh and are going to start our JULY vaca. with a few days in Baltimore, but then I%26#39;m stuck?!?!? Want to go to the beach, but not sure about OC, which I believe would be the closest. We%26#39;d like 2-3 bedrooms on beach with pool (our 4 kids, ages 18 mos.-9 yrs., have been spoiled by MB resort pool--lazy river %26amp; mini water park). Would like some activities (mini golf) and restaraunts. Also thought about Outer Banks, but don%26#39;t know if we%26#39;re up for the long haul back to the %26#39;Burgh.

I realize it%26#39;s late %26amp; my choices are limited, but what do you think?

Last minute trip to Batimore then beach

Why don%26#39;t you try some of the Delaware Beaches which would be a tad closer. Rehoboth Beach has a great boardwalk, excellent restaurants and beautiful beaches with a state park nearby that has great walking paths and bike trails. You can even take a day ferry from Lewes Delaware (minutes from Rehoboth) to Cape May NJ. What a great boat ride and another charming village to visit.

Last minute trip to Batimore then beach

You will not find anything comparable to your MB accomodations in OCMD... or in Delaware or NJ for that matter. My 2 cents is to steer clear of OCMD. I second trying Delaware... Dewey, Bethany, or Rehobeth. While you will not find pools with lazy rivers, you will get less congestion compared to OC. Ocean City , NJ is a great family town and very CLEAN but it is a dry island and it is mostly duplexes without pools. Cape May is beautiful... but lodging is limited and expensive. You could also check out Wildwood. That place has changed a lot in the past few years... for the good.

OCMD needs to start doing what many of the Jersey shore towns did. Lay down the law and clean the place up.

I agree with the other posts, stay away from OC MD. The city need a complete makeover. Check out the Sea Colony Resort in Bethany Beach. It is a very large complex that sits on the ocean and bay side. The rentals include condos and villas. There are many pools and tennis facilities on site. It was great place to go when my children were younger.

beauty

How to make a baby quilt

Cecil county, maryland [elkton, northeast, chesapeake..

Maryland is a beautiful state, and this wonderful county is one of the reasons. I%26#39;m from suburban washington, dc, and was raised in the midwest. Went to camp at elk neck state park, near Northeast. Northeast is a charming, quaint funky little town. Elkton is bigger, but everything you could need is on U.S. 40, which runs nearby. Chesapeake city is a historic site on the C and D [Chesapeake and Delaware] Canal. Learned for the first time that there is an active canal that connects the northern end of the Chesapeake Bay to the Delaware Bay, and tugs guiding huge freighters thru it, who enter theCB at Norfolk , Va and go inland all the way to Philadelphia on the Del. Bay. Amazing!!

Plenty of good golf around. Elk Neck Stae Park, on the Northern tip of the CB is beautiful and has very nice facilities..plenty of electric hook up sites. Lots of bed and breakfasts i think around this area. And, it is only 1 hour from south Jersey beaches and atlantic city, 1 hour from Rehobeth beach in delaware, 1 hour from downtown baltimore, one hour from philadelphia. It is a great area

Cecil county, maryland [elkton, northeast, chesapeake..

How right you are! We have camped at Elk Neck on several occasions and love it up there. Did you hike up to the Lighthouse?

Cecil county, maryland [elkton, northeast, chesapeake..

I did hike to the lighthouse. The sign where you must park i think says 1 mile to lighthouse. Ha! It was a good 2 mile hike each way, as I began to realize as I kept trudging along. However, I grudgingly began to realize how beautiful it was and that hiking 2 miles each way might actually be good for me, even though I wasn%26#39;t chasing a golf ball. The lighthouse is a unique piece of history, and there was a volunteer attendant as well as a women%26#39;s auxulliary group person that was selling souvenirs...civilization!!

The 100 ft. cliff by the lighthouse is inimidating, and parents with children need to carefully watch them, because there is grass leading up to it and then nothing but the bay below. Beautiful views.

Agreed, but note that it%26#39;s *2* hours to the Delaware and south Jersey beaches with minimal traffic. More this time of year.

Island Cafe

Anyone hear of Island Cafe? Location? Type of food?

Island Cafe

I searched around a bit and see it%26#39;son 137th st. It has gotten a few good reviews from this site.... www.activediner.com/restaurant/homepage.cfm…

One person said it was kinda like Cheers. Might be worth checking out.

Island Cafe

it is in a small ';strip mall'; on the bay side. 137th sounds about right. it is about 1 block south of the Fenwick Inn. I had a good friend who used to tend bar there for many years and normally went in for a few drinks, not to eat. It is more of a local%26#39;s bar, lots of smoke and keno playing. I can%26#39;t speak for the food, but I wouldn%26#39;t go here for the atmosphere.

Getting to OC from Delaware Mem Bridge

The post about the ferry got me to thinking about how I will be going to OC in August. We come from NY down 95, across DE MEM Bridge. Just prior to Milford DE there is a decision to be made. Continue on 1 or go inland and down on 113. I have been opting for 113 lately. Seems to move a little better. We stay up in the condo area, so there is another decision to be made after that. That decision is after Millsboro, what I call the scenic route. I take 20 into 50 and come out by Fenwick. Then it is a short ride to 10100 Coastal Hwy!

Any opinions? Any alternatives?

Getting to OC from Delaware Mem Bridge

Not 100% on this but I think instead of cutting through Fenwick, keep driving south on 113 and then look for signs for route 90. Take route 90, go over the bridge and then you arrive right on coastal hwy. Check a map first. Good Luck.

Getting to OC from Delaware Mem Bridge

The ';best'; answer--assuming you want the fastest route--all depends on day of week/time of year/time of day. Note that it%26#39;s Rt. 54, not 50, that connects with 20 and takes you to Fenwick Island.

From the split at Milford, the inland route (113-20-54) will typically take 1 hour 15 minutes to Fenwick Island/North OC. The best thing about this route is that conditions are fairly predictable and It%26#39;s not subject to as many ';mood swings'; as conditions on Rt. 1.

If you%26#39;re on Rt. 54 during peak times and it%26#39;s backed up from Fenwick, you can avoid that congestion by turning right after Harpoon Hanna%26#39;s and connecting with 142nd St. in OC.

In the dead of winter with no traffic, taking Rt. 1 might be a few minutes less than the inland route. But unless it%26#39;s the dead of winter, it will likely take from 1.5-2 hours to get to Fenwick/North OC from the split using Rt. 1 due to all the congestion in the Rehoboth area.

Tubman, thanks for the correction on my routes, I was looking right at the map when I was typing, must have had a brain freeze. I was not aware of the cut thru to 142nd St, I will definitely use that. As for time of year, I agree with you. That stretch thru Rehoboth can be a killer. Being that I am travelling on a Saturday in August with the masses I will take the 113 route. Thanks for the info.

Tom

Places to get married in Baltimore County

Hi,

I know this isn%26#39;t to do with travel as such.... Well actually, it kinda is... I%26#39;m writing this from England, so I will be %26#39;travelling%26#39; over when I get my visa ;)

My fiance and I are getting married hopefully around Decmber January time (We can%26#39;t set a proper date yet, because of all the visa stuff) anyway... We are holding the reception at my Dad%26#39;s house which is in Upperco and we are looking for somewhere to hold the actual ceremony.

We did want somewhere by the water, but obviously as the weather in those months is slightly unpredictable (!) it would also need to be under cover..

Does anyone know this area? Suggestions would be much appreciated.

Obviously, because we can%26#39;t book a definite date right now (Hopefully in the next couple of months) we will need a few options available, so that we are not hugely disappointed if our first option isn%26#39;t available.

Thanks :o)

Places to get married in Baltimore County

Hi there, I need some more info. Upperco is northern Balto. co. which I%26#39;m not really familiar with. You are also close to Westminister which is in Carroll Co. You shouldn%26#39;t have a hard time finding a place that time a year, it%26#39;s very cold here that time of year, so I wouldn%26#39;t recommend anything outdoor.

What kind of wedding are you looking to have? A religious ceremony in a church (if so what religion) or a civil ceremony. Formal or casual. How many people? Are you set on having the reception at your dad%26#39;s? I ask because a lot of people will rent a hall or a house/mansion and have it all at one location. It would help to have a vision on what your expectations are.

I was a wedding planner in a past life ;-)

Places to get married in Baltimore County

Hi!

Thanks so much for your reply!

We are on a bit of a budget so the reception at my Dad%26#39;s is going to definitely be the best option. There is enough room for a marquee etc :o) (But we don%26#39;t really want the actual ceremony there too...)

I knew it was going to be cold and we were hoping for a summer wedding but that doesn%26#39;t look like it%26#39;s going to be possible now, so we are going to have to make do! Would still like somewhere maybe overlooking the water from inside maybe? (I am kinda hoping it snows... But then I know that it doesn%26#39;t usually snow that early..)

I don%26#39;t know.. It%26#39;s really difficult trying to plan when you are 3000 miles away. My fiance doesn%26#39;t know Baltimore county all that well either as he lives near Hagerstown.

We don%26#39;t really want a religious ceremony in a church... It%26#39;s my fist time getting married, but not his.

We would like a civil ceremony... Not too formal, but then not really casual either... Oh god, i%26#39;m not making this very easy am I?! lol

Wedding planner in a past life!? Fabulous, you%26#39;re hired. LOL

Thank you so much for your help.

Tasha

Ok Tasha, I haven%26#39;t really had time to research any specific places. I do have some websites that I think will be helpful. Like I said before I%26#39;m not that familiar with that area and If you want water you will have to travel about 45 minutes give or take. Dec. and Jan. are slow wedding months in Balto. so you should be able to take advantage of cheaper rates on vendors you require. As far as a water front wedding you could check out a few state parks in the area that are on the water. You could perhaps rent a small tent and some heaters, they also have picnic pavillions that you could use for a reception. The cost to tent these areas is very cheap. But weather will be a huge factor! The 3 parks that jump to mind are Gunpowder State Park, North Point State Park, and Fort Howard State park. This website should have info on all of them. www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands. The next option would be to have it at a waterfront restaurant with the reception. I know you said that wasn%26#39;t in the budget but maybe that time of year you could get a good deal. Although in Dec. A lot of places will be booked with Christmas parties. But here is another website to check out for that. waterfrontdiningdirectory.com/maryland.php.

In addition check out these sites as well.

www.brides.com/local/maryland

www.marylandbrides.com

www.marriedinmaryland.com

www.marylandbridalguide.com

That should get you started! I would also ask you dad for fiance to stop by barnes and noble or borders books and pick up some of the monthy magazines that are specifically for maryland weddings and send them to you. There will we other info and websites to check out.

Deal Island, Help Please!!!!

So, lucky us, we find that a family member own a small 2nd home n Deal Island, and are being gracious enough to allow us to use it for a week in July...we are very grateful, however, my in-laws are acting as the go between as they are going too, and I can%26#39;t get much info from anyone about what it is like there. I have tried to chrck out websites, but they are all pretty vague. I know it is small, and that you have to drive at least 20 minetes to even a gas station, please help! I am a planner, and I am unable to plan, and it is already upsetting my vacation :%26gt;). Please if you have any info as to places to eat, what I am near, grocery stores, etc, I would really appreciate it. I am not even too sure waht we are sorta near, except a place called Princess Anne and Salisbury that seems to be maybe an hour away pr something eeeekkkkk!!!! Thanks so much!!!

Deal Island, Help Please!!!!

We live in Salisbury and Deal Island is about 40 minutes from Salisbury. Nice restaurants and shopping in Salisbury - Salisbury Mall has Hollister, Macy%26#39;s, Sears, Limited 2, etc. Take plenty of bug spray as Deal Island is the bug capital!!!! Look into Woodland Ferry and trips to Smith Island and Tangier Island - nice day trips.

Princess Anne is a small college town - not much but some grocery stores.

Look into Ocean City, Md - nice beach resort with rides, golfing ,etc.

Nice dining and beaches. approx 1 hour from Deal Island. Can take Rt 113 or Rt 50 to OC

Write me at Lorineske@comcast.net for more info.

Have fun!!!!

create seamless digital textures

Where to get a birthday cake?

Hi all! We are going to be in Ocean City over my Dad%26#39;s birthday, and I was wondering where is a good place to get a birthday cake? We used to go to the TCBY between 80th and 81st street, but they closed down a couple years ago so now we are at a loss :-)

Thanks!

-Sara

Where to get a birthday cake?

There are TCBYs in Berlin and Bethany Beach, both about 15-20 minute drives depending on where you are in O.C.. Otherwise, try the big grocery stores in town--SuperFresh or Food Lion for a conventional cake.

We were stuck for a cake a few years ago and thought it was cool to make one out a dozen Fractured Prune donuts. Arranged them in a pyramid and put a candle on top, she%26#39;s still talking about it.

Where to get a birthday cake?

I saw a TCBY in the shopping center at 127th St. this weekend, not sure why it%26#39;s not listed on TCBY%26#39;s website.

How about Baskin %26amp; Robins, maybe around 18th Street in the plaza?

I thought there was a TCBY in a small shopping center in the upper 100%26#39;s also. There is also a coldstone, I don%26#39;t know if they offer cakes. I believe the Food Lion in West OC is bigger, they may have a better selection. How about the fractured prune, I wonder if they would do a donut cake?

There is a TCBY in the shopping center with the Prune at 127th Street (confirmed sighting two weeks ago, and it%26#39;s now listed in the TCBY website).

The Prune doesn%26#39;t offer a cake, but they seemed to take delight in our creativity when we told them what we were doing with their donuts and threw in a half dozen on the house.

I%26#39;ll try to post a pic somehow, but it was very simple--we had a 4x4 layer of chocolate %26amp; peanut-dipped forming the base with 3x3 and 2x2 fruit-flavored-dipped forming the upper levels, topped by an OC Sand. 30 donuts total, five of us killed it off over the course of a day. You can%26#39;t get away with this anywhere but the beach.

There is a Maggie Moo%26#39;s ice cream place in West Ocean City, you can even order online:

Ocean City Factory Outlets

12741 Ocean Gateway

West Ocean City, MD21842

410-213-2333

maggiemoos.com/visit_a_treatery/…

eye

HOliday inn Express at Russell Street?? Taxi from BWI also

We are staying at the Holiday inn express, near the stadium, is this a good location? Anything really bad about the hotel? we are there for 2 nights

We are also thinking to take a cab to the hotel from the airport as there is free shuttle to the hospital we are going to. How much is a cab ride from the airport to the holiday in express ?

Thanks

HOliday inn Express at Russell Street?? Taxi from BWI also

';We are staying at the Holiday inn express, near the stadium, is this a good location? Anything really bad about the hotel?';

Actually, it%26#39;s a pretty nasty location. The hotel itself is fairly new (it%26#39;s a remodel of another place that used to be there) and it gets some pretty decent reviews here on Tripadvisor.

But the neighborhood is grimy and industrial, on a major commuter thouroughfare with some bridge construction going on.

Taxi from the airport would run about $23 per the BWI airport web site.

HOliday inn Express at Russell Street?? Taxi from BWI also

It is a truly awful location.

I agree the neighborhood is terrible! BUT....the location is excellent to walk to and from both stadiums AND the hotel is very nice. Stayed there last year for a nighttime Ravens game and really enjoyed it. There is a small pool out back and a nice fitness room. Rooms were very clean and well done. Service was great.

This is part of Camden Industrial Park. Many warehouses... and bus station is behind it. There is a ton of construction in front where they are working on the Russell Street overpasses. Right now there is a temporary sign in front of the hotel saying ';hotel entrance'; to help people find the entrance through all of the orange construction barriers. It is in very close walking distance to Camden Yards and Ravens Stadium.

PGN Crab House

Looking to add a new restaurant or two to our rotation in OC. Never been to PGN. Most of the reviews in the dining section are pretty old. Anyone have any experiences there from last summer or this year?

PGN Crab House

I am interested for a reply to this one also. There are two negative reviews for Bahama Mama%26#39;s that were reciently posted. We liked it there last year. We were at the beach in June and had crabs from a hole in the wall place right before the northern Higgin%26#39;s location. They were good but only had medium sized crabs. Is that due to the time of year?

PGN Crab House

I just ate at PGN a couple weeks ago and it was excellent as it always has been. They have some of the best crabs in OC and their fried chicken was also very tasty.

Ahhh, don%26#39;t want to sound like a tourist, on the other hand that%26#39;s what we will be! :O) Anyway, does PGN stand for something, or is that tne real name of the restaurant?

captins galley in west oc has good crabs and a nice view of the harbor. i would stay away from higgins.

Ahhhhh, I%26#39;m still not sure what PGC means. Anyone willing to share?

Anyone know of any whale or dolphin watch boat tours in OC?

I was wondering if anyone knows of any whale or dolphin watch boat tours in Ocean City, MD?

Anyone know of any whale or dolphin watch boat tours in OC?

Yep, there are dolphin watching tours. When you get to OC just look in any of the visitor guides and the companies will be listed. Have fun!

Anyone know of any whale or dolphin watch boat tours in OC?

flattop--where can one find the brochures you mentioned? Do most hotels, etc have them?

If you%26#39;re feeling adventurous you can rent a kayak, if you paddle out just over where the waves break early in the morning you can see them swim by. Amazing!

There are no whales directly off the coast of OC. You have to travel ';off shore'; about 30+ miles or so to even have a slim chance of seeing one. If there is one close to shore, it%26#39;s usually because it%26#39;s not healthy.

However, dolphins are very common in the waters off OC and as others have stated they can be viewed from the beach. I don%26#39;t recall any specific dolphin watch boat tours though, but you are almost always going to see some dolphins on one of OC%26#39;s two big speed boat tours...the OC Rocket and the Sea Rocket. When the captain spots a pod of dolphins, he will slow down and circle until everyone has had a chance of seeing them.

Mink--if I may call you by your nickname %26lt;g%26gt;, will the two speed boats till be operating in October? Sounds like fun!

Good question...it%26#39;s hard for me to say. When in October are you coming to OC?

If it%26#39;s in the first half of October and you get lucky and catch a nice weather weekend with temperatures in the 70%26#39;s which is still pretty common, then I%26#39;m guessing at least one of the two boats might still be operating.

Best thing might be to try and give them a call.

Try this link:

talbotstreetpier.com/boatrides/rocket.html

golf

any suggestion where teenagers could golf??? (not mini)

My son and his friend want to golf while on vac. there seem to be so many courses. I also want them to rent clubs, since there%26#39;s no room for 2 sets of clubs.

golf

Thanks for asking about golf! We also will be visiting in OC (in October) and I know my golf lovin%26#39; hubby would also enjoy information on courses!

golf

several good courses at OC, have played Eagles Landing, Beach Club (both courses) %26amp; Rum Point would recommend any of them (depending on how much you want to spend). Trying Glen Riddle Man O War later this month for the first time. All have multiple tees to suite golfers of all ages and skill levels. Played Links at Lighthouse Sound last year, expensive but probably nicest course I%26#39;ve ever played. Beatiful views, great golf, great experience, can%26#39;t go wrong there (will treat myself to nicer course while on vacation)- good luck.

Thanks for the golf information! That%26#39;s exactly what we needed!

How to patch a quilt

Fenwick Island

Has anyone had any recent experiences staying in Fenwick Island hotels/motels? Any stays at the Seaside Inn?

Fenwick Island

try the fenwick forum

tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g488164-Fenwick_Isla…

Directions to Medieval Times

Staying in Arlington VA. Will have car. Would like directions/tips on how to get to MT including what time to leave for 7:00 show with 1-1/2 early arrival time. TIA

Directions to Medieval Times

Medieval Times is located in the Arundel Mills Mall. The Google Maps link (from which you can get directions) is at http://tinyurl.com/3xx3x4

The only tip I can offer--the GM directions are fairly straightforward--is to listen to traffic reports on WTOP radio 103.5 FM as you set out. If you hear that traffic on the northbound Baltimore-Washington Parkway (a.k.a. 295 in Maryland) is bad, you might want to take I-95 instead.

GM will tell you it%26#39;s 48 minutes from Arlington to the Mall. On a Saturday or Sunday, that%26#39;s about right.

If you want to arrive around 5:30-6:00 on a *weekday*, I%26#39;d count on the trip taking at least 90 minutes since you%26#39;ll be dealing with in afternoon rush hour traffic. Or leave a lot earlier and don%26#39;t deal with rush hour, there%26#39;s plenty to do in the mall. http://www.arundelmills.com

Directions to Medieval Times

As you didn%26#39;t give the address you%26#39;re staying at in Arlington, I plugged in the address for the Holiday Inn (1900 Fort Myer Drive) close to the Key Bridge into Mapquest. Here are the directions it gave me:

Start out going SOUTH on FORT MYER DR toward WILSON BLVD. 0.3 miles Map

2: FORT MYER DR becomes N MEADE ST. %26lt;0.1 miles Map

3: Merge onto ARLINGTON BLVD / US-50 E via the ramp on the LEFT toward WASHINGTON. 0.2 miles Map

4: Take the GEO WASH PKWY ramp toward MEMORIAL BR. 0.3 miles Map

5: Merge onto GEORGE WASHINGTON MEMORIAL PKWY S / GW PKWY S (Passing through DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA- then crossing into VIRGINIA). 1.6 miles Map

6: Merge onto I-395 N toward WASHINGTON (Crossing into DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA). 1.7 miles Map

7: Keep LEFT to take I-295 S. 1.1 miles Map

8: Keep LEFT to take SOUTHEAST FWY toward PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE. 0.7 miles Map

9: Merge onto PENNSYLVANIA AVE SE. 0.6 miles Map

10: Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto FAIRLAWN AVE SE. %26lt;0.1 miles Map

11: Merge onto DC-295 N toward DC-295 N (Crossing into MARYLAND). 23.4 miles Map

12: Take the ARUNDEL MILLS BLVD exit. 0.2 miles Map

13: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto ARUNDEL MILLS BLVD. 0.9 miles Map

14: Turn LEFT onto ARUNDEL MILLS CIR. 0.7 miles Map

15: End at 7000 Arundel Mills Cir

According to Mapquest, it should take you 46 minutes to get there. Mapquest doesn%26#39;t take into account rush hour traffic. You gave a show time of 7 p.m. which means you%26#39;re going to the show on either a Wednesday or Thursday which means rush hour traffic on Maryland-295. I would guess because of that it will take twice as long so I would leave Arlington by 4 p.m. If you arrive before the 5:30 check-in time, you can always check out the mall. If you arrive after the suggested check-in time, you should still be able to get good seats as the Wednesday and Thursday shows tend to be the least crowded. Saturdays are the busiest day there. Remember, until you check-in, you don%26#39;t have an assigned seat. The later you check-in, the further back you sit. That%26#39;s how they work it.

Let me know if you have any questions on the castle itself. I worked there at one time (it was fun), know quite a bit about it and would be glad to answer any questions. I hope you have a great time at Medieval Times. It is a lot of fun.

If you take Tubman%26#39;s alternative suggestion of taking I-95 up, you%26#39;ll have to take either MD-32 or MD-175 over to MD-295. There isn%26#39;t a road from I-95 that will take you directly to Arundel Mills Boulevard. Between MD-32 and MD-175, I would take MD-32 as it doesn%26#39;t have any stoplights. MD-175 does and would be slower. When you arrive at MD-295, take the ramp for Baltimore and follow the directions I have you from there.

You might want to take Tubman%26#39;s suggestion and leave even earlier so you don%26#39;t have to mess with the rush hour traffic at all. Arundel Mills Mall has a Dave and Buster%26#39;s which has all kinds of arcade games that would keep your kids entertained. You can also win tickets playing the games which you can redeem for various prizes. Personally, I like playing their trivia game.

Actually Rt. 100 connects Arundel Mills very quickly with I-95 (three miles away) with no lights. In fact, it%26#39;s the suggested route on the Arundel Mills website.

I completely forgot about MD-100. It is a good way to reach the mall if you%26#39;re coming from Baltimore, Ellicott City or Glen Burnie. If parentsof5 wanted to avoid MD-295 altogether, she could reach the mall that way. He/She would take the off ramp there, at the light turn right toward the mall, turn left at the three way intersection and go around the mall to where they see the castle.

FYI parentsof5, the castle entrance is inside the mall. Please don%26#39;t try to enter the castle through the drawbridge/porticullis. The door at the drawbridge actually leads into the stables. The place where you%26#39;ll check in is between the two stone lion statues. There will be 2 lines. One for groups of 14 or less people and one for 15 or more. The line heading toward the shoe store is the one for 14 or less. You%26#39;ll present your tickets to the person at the check-in counter who will scan them in, present you with your seating cards then, you%26#39;ll receive your crowns. The crowns are important as they call you by their color into the arena where the show and dinner are held. Your seating cards show you what table you%26#39;ll sit at. Serving serfs and wenches in the arena will direct you to your table. In order to be served your food, you must present your seating card to your serf or wench. If you get a wench, you can actually call them that during the show. I thought that kinda neat.

Thanks for all the tips. I had pulled up the directions on rand mcnally, but knew there would be some insider tips out there!

When is rush ';hour';? I definately want to get there at a good time as we are celebrating one of my daughters birthdays and would like to be up closer for the show!

I think rush hour starts around 3:30 and goes till at least 5:30. Tubman might be more knowledgeable on that.

Concerning your daughter%26#39;s birthday, If you%26#39;re willing to pay the money, you can have them wish your daughter a happy birthday during the show for $10 (I think) or you could get your daughter knighted. The knighting ceremony consists of the person going up, kneeling on the royal cushion, getting the royal cloak put around their shoulders, King Alphonso the Conqueror tapping them on both sides of the shoulders with his sword, getting their picture taken, everyone gives the new knight a huzzah, the new knight will also receive a scroll proclaiming them a knight of the realm and during the show, they will announce whatever the special occasion is. The price for the knighting ceremony is something like $20 plus tax. You can also arrange for the King to present the knight with a gift. How much the gift costs depends on how much you want to spend. The ultra-deluxe package is a full length Tizona sword and scabbard. I don%26#39;t know what those cost now. If you%26#39;re interested in the knighting ceremony, you%26#39;d see the scroll mistress to sign up and pay for the ceremony. There are two knighting ceremonies before the show.

If you%26#39;re birthday girl is the shy type, you could skip the announcement or ceremony and buy her a princess hat for $15 or they have these fancy cloth covered head band thingies. I don%26#39;t know what you would call them or what they cost. They are pretty.

Oh, one other thing, since you%26#39;re going on a Wednesday or Thursday, there should only be one show. In that case, the show cast will come out after the show and you%26#39;ll be able to get an autograph from your knight. Also, your birthday girl could get her picture taken with her knight at no cost as long as you use your camera. The castle will do it but it will cost you $10 (I think).

eye

Marlin Cove II-Blue Marlin

Has anyone stayed at Marlin Cove II-Blue Marlin in Ocean City. I am booked/scheduled to stay there the end of June through RCI. I cannot seem to find any information about this timeshare/hotel. Thanks for your help!

Marlin Cove II-Blue Marlin

I know this is very old, but I am going to Marlin Cove II blue Marlin

next week and cannot find any reviews or pictures either. Can you

tell me about your experience and if you have any pictures. Thanks,

Sue

Marlin Cove II-Blue Marlin

Try www.oceancity.com/rentals. Go under search under vacation rentals. When you click the get details option there is a slide show option.

Rideau Motor Inn?

I found a decent priced place on the boardwalk but need to know what kind of place it is before I book. Rideau Motor Inn 1st street and boardwalk puts me in the center of everything. Has a pool and ocean front balcony.

Is it clean, a good spot for kids, just your basic imput would be great..

Rideau Motor Inn?

Everyone has there own opinion - but my family thought it was OK. Please see my pictures. As I stated in my review you can not beat the location - the best I%26#39;ve had!! We sat on our balconey listening to the concert. We had the best time people watching at ALL hours of the night!! What a show!! I need to say that as a kid coming from West York PA - we stayed at the Sun Tan on Baltimore!! I%26#39;ve also stayed at the Seascape and Voyager just to name a few that were OK for my needs - I%26#39;m very low maintance. I don%26#39;t need a fancy room when I%26#39;m at the shore. The pool was great - on the west side so the sun always kept it warm - although I did read a comment that it was closed early when they were there. When you call ask about the pool . One thing I did not mention is that they did not charge an extra 15-20 bucks a night for the third person and they left us in our room before noon which was greatly appreciated after an 8 hour drive.. The down side is the bathroom - clean as it could get considering the age of the motel. Also if you choose this motel request a room on the second floor above the stores. The steps were a bit much to haul things up and down. Please contract me if you need more info.

Castle In The Sand ATCE and web cam

Hi everyone

I don%26#39;t recall any comments about this AYCE but I read where its the cheapest and it looks pretty good to me for the money. Does anyone have any comments about this place? Also the Castle in the Sand has a awesome web cam. I%26#39;m always looking for new ones to add to my collection and this one is fantastic especilly when you put it on full screen. If anyone has any other ';secret'; OC cams be sure to share them lol

Have a great week everyone and don%26#39;t forget this year to make a Ocean City Memory You Won%26#39;t Forget.

$18.95 Seafood %26amp; Prime Rib Buffet (all you can eat) - Snow crab legs, prime rib, steamed shrimp, fried shrimp, fried clams, crab bites, baked fish, Jonah crab claws, crab soup, Italian pasta, fried chicken, macaroni %26amp; cheese, rice pilaf, corn on the cob, green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, dinner rolls, steamed vegetables, macaroni salad, potato salad, and cole slaw. Plus a full salad bar and delicious ice cream sundae dessert bar.

$18.95 for adults, $8.95 for kids under 10, kids 4 %26amp; under eat Free!

Served 4:30pm to 9:30pm from Memorial Day - Labor Day.

Located on the Lower Level of Castle North

Castle In The Sand ATCE and web cam

Whoever told you it was the cheapest at $18.95 obviously hasn%26#39;t been around OC very long. The Paul Revere Smorgasbord at the Plim Plaza is legendary for cheap fare ($10.99 this year) and complimentary dysentery.

Castle In The Sand ATCE and web cam

I strongly do not recommend The Paul Revere Smorgasbord at Plim Plaza. Had dinner there last year and the food was out all day, nothing seemed fresh, but you get what you pay for. It might be the cheapest but also not the best. This is coming from someone who is not real picky of food, if I think it%26#39;s bad then it is bad....

tfunky,

I sensed a little bit of sarcasm in tubman%26#39;s response to ocphill...I guess you missed it.

Mink66,

I never mention in a post that Paul Rev. is the cheapest, just that the food is plain, sits out all day, but hey you get what you pay for I guess. I don%26#39;t think there was any sarcasm in his words but I could be wrong.

By the way Mink66, besides all the normal stuff in OC (was there in April and every year before that) what%26#39;s new for the summer of 2007. Will be going back down here real soon maybe this month, just wondering if anything new. I could start a new thread but I think people will get off the main topic. Just like I did.

Okay, point taken tfunky ;)

What%26#39;s new? Not a lot that pops into my mind.

Jolly Roger Water Park has a new attration...something called the Hurricane.

That monstrousity of condo complex at 49th St. ocean side is looking uglier than ever. What%26#39;s it called...Gateway Grand or something like that...Condo%26#39;s starting at $1,000,000+. The giant parking garage out front along coastal highway is an eye sore.

Seacrets seems to have planted more palm trees and vegetation around than the last year or two reminding me of long years past when the place seemed more like a tropical island.

New mini-golf course on Coastal Highway close to the Delaware line.

Like I said, nothing major.

Thank you all for your responses. I know all about Paul Revere too well and will never go back lol. Was just curious about a decent AYCE. Like last year checked out Mug and Mallet AYCE crabs and I asked the waitress to show me one before I even considered it and I%26#39;d bet anything they were not of legal size. She even agreed with me. Years ago I enjoyed there AYCE crabs and corn on the cob but sadly those days are gone.Also several of the post for Bahama Mamas suggest they are reheated but they are advertised best in OC 7 years in a row lol

I really don%26#39;t come to OC to get crabs because I think nobody in the world IMHO can top Gaffneys in Baltimore

Anyone heard of them?

I could tell you some stories lol

but I do consider getting some while down the beach

Also I enjoy Englishes fried chicken any opinion on there all you can eat chicken and seafood buffet?

How about the price of Daytons chicken lol

sure is tasty but probably like 10 bucks for 2 wings and 1 french frie lol

Thanks again Phill

Mink my friend hope all is well

Hi Phill,

No baby yet.

Where did you hear about the AYCE thing on Bahama Mamas?

Actually, I don%26#39;t think they have an AYCE deal. You can only order them by the dozen and they steam them fresh once you order.

Bahama Mama%26#39;s is the ONLY place I go to eat crabs in OC. Yes, they are on the pricey side, but I%26#39;ve always gotten what I paid for.

Now as far as reheating goes, I%26#39;ve ';heard'; that Hooper%26#39;s and Waterman%26#39;s are notorious for this, but I have to imagine any of the AYCE places have been accused of this. That%26#39;s why I tend to stay away from the AYCE%26#39;s. First, there%26#39;s the chance they were reheated from the leftover%26#39;s of previous customers. Second, the crabs could have been sitting in the steamer for who knows how long. And third, the crabs always tend to be on the smaller size. Plus, I think you have a tendency to ';waste'; a lot of the crab meat and go for just the good parts like the backfin when eating AYCE. I mean why not? Why go through all the hassle of trying to pick out all the meat from all the nooks and crannies of a barely legal crab when you can go for the much easier backfin and the server will just bring more? I see it as kind of a waste of a precious and growing more and more rare natural resource of the great Chesapeake Bay. AYCE joints do nothing to help inspire the growth of the blue crab population in the bay.

Sorry, I%26#39;ll get off my soap box now...

Gm Shawn

Bahama Mamas faxed me a menu about 2 weeks ago:

$26.95 AYCE crabs, crab soup, corn on the cob, bbq chicken butter and rolls. And the menu states if anyone eats a crab claw that did not pay for the AYCE they will be charged $26.95 lol

that would be an expensive claw lol

I would send you a copy of this but its not the greatest quality

But if you want one sent to you (410) 289-0291

I agree with you about the waste and other possibilities so If I desire and have to have crabs I might just buy that and only that.

Have a great day and talk to you later

Hope The baby comes before it gets too hot because I can%26#39;t imagine carrying a baby in Hot July

I can%26#39;t imagine carrying a baby period lol

And don%26#39;t forget when we eventually meet on the beach I%26#39;m buying you a ';garden Weasel'; lol

Hi Phill,

Well, see, you learn something everyday...I trust you on the AYCE thing at Bahama Mamas. Maybe it%26#39;s new, or I just never paid attention to the menu. Whenever I go there, my group just ends up ordering a 1/2 dozen of the largest crabs they have and a 1/2 dozen of the next size down.

Bahama Mama%26#39;s originated in Baltimore also, so all their seafood kind of reminds me of eating at the old Bo Brooks.

Phil, you never really did get an answer to your question, did you?

I%26#39;ve never heard of the place. I%26#39;m always looking for the best reasonably priced seafood buffet myself. I think from a past thread here a lot of thumbs up on the Bonfire.

RE: Paul Revere: LOL, more than once this eatery has taken a merciless beating on this forum. I can only come to its defense by saying there is a need for this type of place to provide affordable nourishment to students %26amp; summer workers. Unless you wander in somehow expecting $10.95 is going to buy you a five star culinary experience, the vast majority of patrons are clearly not sharing your expectations...they just want some good-ole%26#39; meat%26#39;n%26#39;tatoes at a price that leaves enough in the %26#39;ole wallet to ';cruise the boards.';

triumphed over adversity

Phillips or Embers?

I%26#39;ve been going to OC for about 13 or so years. We always ALWAYS go to Philips and I do love it there. But I recently learned that they do not support the Maryland fishermen and import their blue crab from elsewhere, which kind of upsets me. Is Ember%26#39;s any better? Or are they both pretty much the same and maybe there is another all you can eat buffet somewhere that has about the same foods? Money doesn%26#39;t really matter much.

Phillips or Embers?

I admire your sense of Maryland patriotism, but you may be a little confused on the blue crab ';import'; issue. For crabcakes and other recipes that call for crabmeat, Phillips imports Asian swimming crab, which is not blue crab. Many other restaurants do the same, using crabmeat supplied by Phillips processing operations in southeast Asia.

But as for the whole, blue crab you order steamed and spiced with Old Bay: It%26#39;s the same animal, whether it comes from Maryland, the Carolinas, Florida, Louisiana or Texas. Most Maryland restaurants (including Phillips) supplement their supply of local blue crabs from the other states simply because there wouldn%26#39;t be enough to meet demand if they relied solely on Maryland crabs. At times, they may find there are *no* Maryland crabs available.

Crabs brought in from other states often mean the restaurant is paying more for them than local crabs due to higher transportation costs. The only advantage to a restaurant by ';importing'; them from the other states is that they have them available to serve to you, not that they%26#39;re somehow able to cut their costs of obtaining them.

Phillips or Embers?

have you tried the bonfire? very good food but they will not have as much seafood as phillips on the buffett. have not tried embers. for a good crab cake try captins galley in west ocean city.

Thanks, Tubman. I don%26#39;t quite remember where I had read about the Philips/blue crab thing. Which restaurant would you suggest?

I prefer Phillips. I think the one we go to is actually in Deleware.

I%26#39;ve never been to the one closer to the boardwalk.

Thanks Tubman, I have touched on this on another post. I%26#39;m not sure where this rumor started. Phillips has fronted a lot of money to help with the replenishment efforts of the Md. blue crab. If all the crab places in MD relied on only crabs from MD commercial waterman they would all be out of business! The supply isn%26#39;t there.

Sorry, I%26#39;m off my soapbox now. I don%26#39;t like the Ember%26#39;s at all. We either go to Phillips or the Bonfire. I like Bonfire the best, hubby likes Phillips because they have crab imperial on the buffet.

Not to throw this too off-topic, but I%26#39;ve posted the link to the City Paper article on Phillips before. http://tinyurl.com/s4nrn

And for crab fans, here are two more articles I found which give some good insight into the state%26#39;s crab industry:

Crab picking: http://tinyurl.com/3yvcp2

Research to improve crab breeding (note the aforementioned contribution by Phillips): http://tinyurl.com/2u2tud

OC TR 8/26-9/2 (almost)

We (wife, two kids (3 1/2 and 1 1/2) and I) just returned from OC. We stayed at the Sea Watch on 115th Street. I have stayed here years ago. We got a fantastic deal on a three bedroom, 2 1/2 bath condo with an eighty foot terrace with a direct ocean view. I like to stay up North as it is generally quieter and we can always driver down to the boardwalk, etc if we need to. While the weather wasn%26#39;t great this week -- in fact, we left today instead of tomorrow because of Ernesto -- we had a great time. OC was virtually empty this week as Maryland schools are back and the weather wasn%26#39;t great.

Meals:

We ate one dinner and one breakfast at Dumser%26#39;s Dairyland at 124th Street. I worked here for two summers in the 90%26#39;s and it still has good food at reasonable prices.

We went to Phillips All-You-Can-Eat (131st?) one night. The food wasn%26#39;t bad. The crabs, while small, were tasty. There was a variety of food and the cornbread was quite possibly the best I have ever had. I could have spent several hours there but the kids have limited ';sitting still'; time.

My wife had heard about a new restaurant (new to me, at least) called Fish Tales on 22 Street. This is a great place to bring the kids. It is essentially an open air restaurant. The food was alright (I had a shrimp salad sandwich that was meaty but needed some spice) but the best part is the sand playground for the kids. You can eat under cover or outside and have a drink while the kids run around

We ate dinner at the Boardwalk one night.

Finally, we ate at Croc%26#39;s Steakhouse in the Gold Coast Mall at 115 Street. The food was good and relatively inexpensive. Each restaurant was chosen for its quick service and/or child friendly atmosphere. We also tend to eat early since, as noted above, the kids can%26#39;t last too long, especially if there is a wait.

We also got a half bushel of crabs one night after the kids went to bed from the CrabShack(?) on 130 Street. I like to eat in bulk and don%26#39;t mind smaller crabs (rather than get a dozen large, I prefer several dozen smaller ones).

Entertainment:

We took advantage of the afternoon ';all you can ride'; pass at Jolly Rogers. It was $14 for rides between 2-6. We got there at 315 and stayed until nearly 6. That was more than enough time for our kids to ride most rides several times. I do note that Jolly Roger has not changed since I was seven -- the rides are old and need to be updated, but for kids my age it was fine.

We went to the boardwalk rides and I would recommend using there deal ($20 for 12-6) for rides. There are alot more rides, including some more updated rides (especially for older kids). The boardwalk is not as seedy as I remember it but, again, we were there earlier in the evening and not during senior week, etc. The funniest thing I saw was a T-shirt store that had a sign out front that said ';Yes, we have size 6 XL!'; I never knew they were in demand.

We didnt hit any bars or clubs (our attempt to bring my cousin to babysit a few nights failed miserably). The beach was great as usual.

We decided to leave today, instead of tomorrow, as the weather was really bad and wouldnt be any better until Sunday. There is only so much you can do with two young kids inside.

By the way, there is a great park at 127 Street. If parents need a break from the beach with the kids, the playground is awesome and there is plenty of room for the kids to run.

Overall, a great vacation and we will be back next year.

OC TR 8/26-9/2 (almost)

stuck:

Thanks for taking the time to share the details of your trip.

Glad to hear you all had a good time no way to control the weather you have to make the best of it.

Sorry your plans to have your cousin watch your kids didn%26#39;t work out might have been a good time out for a few drinks and some night life maybe next year.

Thanks for the suggestions I am sure some might use them.

Looks like the labor Day weekend might be a bit rough down there.

Lots of rain and some power problems.

Enjoy what%26#39;s left of your Summer.

OC TR 8/26-9/2 (almost)

Hello -

I%26#39;m planning to go to Sea Watch this fall - can you tell me more about parking and if there was any free parking near? [We will be taking several cars with youngsters as well...]

Thanks,

Andy

andyschink

At the Seawatch you can park more than one car, but for a fee of either $30 or $35 for the week.

Thanks for the reply E-double! If possible, can you tell me anything more that I should know?

Thanks again!

Andy

Any idea on where to get a birthday cake?

My Mom will be celebrating her 61st birthday on the 4th of July. I want to get her a cake and I have no idea where to get one? Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

Any idea on where to get a birthday cake?

There is a Baskin Robbins at 5th and Boardwalk -- I am sure I saw at least 2 ice cream birthday cakes in the freezer at the back of the store. And there are grocery stores and bakeries down at the other end of the main drag. I know I saw a Walmart some where close by. People do live here, you know. It is not all tourists.

Any idea on where to get a birthday cake?

Does anyone know of any good, little bakeries? i%26#39;d love to try the little OC bakeries before hitting the giant, etc.

';Desserts by Rita'; is a well known local establishment that makes all sorts of cakes and pastries and supplies several of the higher end restaurants with their desserts. They can be obtained at several local outlets. I know for sure, that both the Wine Racks in OC (80th St. %26amp; West OC) offer them.

Unfortunately, they don%26#39;t have a website. However, try Googling ';Desserts by Rita, Ocean City, MD'; and a couple of phone numbers that you can call will pop up.

If you are looking for something truly unique instead of the standard ';sheet cake'; from one of the grocery stores then Desserts by Rita is for you.

Another very unique option might be finding a place that sells a local dessert called Smith Island cakes...yummy!

http://www.marylandtraditions.org/smith.htm

Maggie Moos is in West Ocean City, you can even order online:

maggiemoos.com/visit_a_treatery/…

eye

hotel confusion

I am wondering about Castle in the Sand. Has any one stayed there recently? I read the reviews but wondered if there are other opinions. It looks at bit run down and I am wondering if the pool is heated. We booked the Hilton but this price is far more reasonable. I would book the room with 2 quuen beds and a balcony. Please let me know....the reviews seemed favorable but I would appreciate more insight. Thanks again!!!

hotel confusion

I have never stayed there, but it seems like a nice place. I know of a couple of people who have stayed there and have been happy with it.

hotel confusion

I stayed there a year or so ago - Loved it - We actually stayed in one of the cottages, but took a tour and peeked in the rooms - they were far from run down from the ones we saw - Really clean and comfy, large size, and the staff were extremely friendly. I don%26#39;t think that the pool was heated, I can%26#39;t recall. The only complaint we had was that the cottages are located by the pool, and the diving board is very loud, which made it tough to sleep in in the AM - but that was a minor inconvenience, not enough to stop me from staying there again.

How was the pool ambiance, enough chaise lounges, resort feeling, hot tub? Do they provide beach chairs? Thanks again for the help....it%26#39;s a big decision!!! I have a picky family!

The pool was quiet when I was there - I don%26#39;t think they had a hot tub (or I don%26#39;t recall one) - but the pool was a good size, and yes, they provide beach chairs.

fat daddy's subs

any opinions on this place? I probably will try it this summer.

fat daddy's subs

Wish I could say something about them but have never tried them. If they don%26#39;t turn out good, don%26#39;t forget Anthony%26#39;s... IMHO the best subs in OC.

how to dealwithabreakup

cape may/lewes car ferry

Anyone taken the car ferry? Is it worth it? Do I really need to book in advance?

cape may/lewes car ferry

I%26#39;ve taken it before. Once we got to CM we drove around and then to Atlantic City for the night. I%26#39;ve heard the transportation provided in CM is good, but I prefer having my own car.

Since it%26#39;s now summer, I would say make a reservation or GET THERE REALLY EARLY to make it on.

cape may/lewes car ferry

It depends on where you are driving from - We took it once when we started our trip in Wildwood, NJ for a few days then headed to OC - It is a nice ride, but doesn%26#39;t really save on time - definitely book in advance.

As suz says, it depends where you%26#39;re driving from, but it also depends where you%26#39;re going. To drive between Cape May and Lewes is just under 200 miles.

If you%26#39;re starting out towards the southern Jersey shore and looking to get to the Delaware/Maryland shore or vice-versa, it%26#39;s definitely worth it (especially with gas prices as they are). The more inland your starting and/or ending point, the less sense it makes to take the ferry.

thanks! We are driving by car to OC from Maine...it takes @ 6 hours to get to NYC.

Seeing as you%26#39;re coming inland down I-95, you%26#39;re better off skipping the ferry--unless you really want to just for the sake of taking it. It is a nice experience.

hmmm still not sure what to do!

I drive from the GW bridge right into 95. I would suggest staying on 95 (NJ Turnpike) and go across Delaware Mem bridge. I have taken the ferry too, I think 95 is quicker. (Been going that way for 20 yrs).

You will hit traffic once you get closer to Delaware shore points. There are a few options to get to MD. Take a look at a map and opt for the inland route as opposed to hugging the shore line.

Tom

We took our car over from Lewes to Cape MAy. THe kids loved it. I think it was $37. We didn%26#39;t make a reservation, just drove up and paid by CC.

Porpoises followed us out of Lewes. If you have small kids , under 12, bring something ( book, games console, puzzles,etc) becasuse after an hour they will get bored.

This may sounds like an odd question, but has anyone experienced seasickness on the ferry? I do tend to fall victim to this icky situation fairly easily but would probably love the ferry. How much ';action'; is there?

If you are inland it is definately easier/faster to take 95. But the ferry itself is a great experience (i personally love boats) When we go to NY (long Island) from Eastern Shore of Va it takes just a little longer to take the ferry than if we drive - but it is SO much pleasanter!! So for us we take turns.

My 16 year old daughter also loves it, and they do allow us to bring our dog along with us. We have always booked in advance - but usually we get there early and they take us right away. And there seem to always be some getting on with no reservations, but I dont know if I would want to take that chance.

5 days to go...

Well, wish me luck....I am off to OC this Sunday (7-8-07)....I have read all the reviews on my motel (Eden Roc)...fingers crossed..this is the first time I have stayed here....packing the Hazmat outfit just in case ;).....I have stayed over the last 9 years at the Sahara, Ocean Mecca, Sandy Hill, French Quarter, and Seabonay....some were nice and two were real dives. I enjoy reading the posts from all of you guys that know OC like the back of your hand. I have learned allot. I will post when I return with my review of the week. Till then...... :)

5 days to go...

We overnighted at the Eden Roc a few years ago. The room was clean and no major issues except for parking! Anything larger than a Geo Metro can be an adventure! Their parking area is very cramped. How did you fare at the Sahara? We read all kind of awful posts about it?

5 days to go...

The Sahara Motel?...honestly, we never had any issues with it. We stayed there three different times. I too have read all the terrible reviews of that place and have always wondered if we just got lucky with our room or what? lol I still wouldn%26#39;t be afraid to book there personally. Thanks for your input on the Eden Roc! We have an Intrepid, so hopefully we will be able to cram it in a parking spot ;) I know what ya mean about lousy parking lots some of these hotels have. ;)

go cart tracks

I heard of Baja and Gran Prix tracks. But apparently there is another. Does anybody know where it is and what it%26#39;s called. I%26#39;m hooked on go carts. I went to Baja last year and had a blast. Although it is really expensive. Any ideas on how to minimize the cost for me and my 2 kids.?

thanks

go cart tracks

Jolly Roger%26#39;s also has them. I think the cost is pretty much the same, we usually go to Jolly Rogers they have at least 7or 8 different tracks.

go cart tracks

To minimize cost, gather up all the local free info papers and coupon books you can find and start clipping.

I also remember Jolly Roger and may be even Baja having an unlimited ride wrist band offer. Something where one fee lets you ride as much as you want for a specified time. Of course, you have to get off when each ride ends and get back in line, so some of your time gets taken waiting.

thanks mink

me and the kids bought wrist bands last year = $100

the only coup i found was $ 2 off -- LOL

the ';unlimited'; wrist band was actually only 2 or 3 hours. i could easily spend 12 hours at Baja

The only ones that I know of are Baja, Grand Prix, Jolly Roger, and for the kids 65th st. Slide and Ride.

carousel vs golden sands

Im deciding between a golden sands efficiency and a carousel hotel room. Which is the better property. It will be myself, my wife(in our early 30%26#39;s) and our 1 year old daughter. Thanks

carousel vs golden sands

I%26#39;m a fan of the Golden Sands, however i do think the efficiencies are to small, even for just the three of you.there%26#39;s no seperation of rooms. I%26#39;ve never been to the carousel so i really can%26#39;t say which is better. I think the Golden Sands has more ammenities but i%26#39;m not sure . good luck

carousel vs golden sands

if you click on the hotels to the left of this page they have some reviews of the carousel.

Just got back from a stay at the GS with our 4 year old. We stayed in a one bedroom, unit 1206 at cbvacations.com. Found it very clean and family friendly. The beach is a short walk, which is nice when toating everything for a small child. I do not recommend the Carousel, we have heard more negative than positive about this place.

how was G S this year? anything new. i heard they were adding more elevators is this true??

4 Elevators in the lobby that is all. Did notive any others we were there June 8-11. It was empty that early in the season which was nice. Same as i remember it from the previous years. The CB people were very friendly. Love the pool bar and grill they have there, though pricey.

Please choose the Golden Sands. I had booked two rooms at the Carousel and then I read the user reviews (most were negative). When I called to cancel and inquired about the refund of my deposit I found the customer service was horrible. My family will be staying at a two bedroom condo at the Golden Sands. Besides the elevator issue I have only heard good things about the Golden Sands!

eye

Sea Watch Rooms

Hi. I was wondering if anyone can tell me how big the rooms at the Seawatch are. I hear they are 2 bedrooms ,a den, and 2 bathrooms.

Does anyone know the square footage? Thanks.

Sea Watch Rooms

Hi Firstmom,

I%26#39;m not sure of the square footage, but my extended family and I have stayed at various units at the Seawatch for the past 7 years. All together, I have probably been in about 20 different units over the years. The units are not huge, however, we spend so little time in the condo that we do not find that to be a problem. Most of the master bedrooms have a king size bed with some room to spare (but not for another bed...just your ';stuff.';) The second bedroom usually has either a queen sized bed or two twins. We have been to two units that have a queen and an extra twin. The den usually has a pull out couch. The Coldwell Banker site has pictures of some of the units available for rent. Keep in mind that they are all individually owned, so the decorating and appliance quality vary from unit to unit. We leave for our annual week tomorrow morning, so the excitement is building at my house! We have found the Seawatch to be a wonderful place for a family vacation.

Sea Watch Rooms

My family rented a two bedroom unit with another family last year. Bad idea. The room was nice,clean and spacious but not big enough for two families with kids. The building has a lot of nice amenities (indoor/outdoor pool, game room, snack shop,etc) I would stay again just with my immediate family next time around.

call their rental office

ie hosted control