Ask an OC Insider

Our friend's daughter lives in NYC and takes Greyhound.  That is the easiest route.  You can take Amtrak into Delaware then take a Greyhound bus, but that takes longer and is more expensive.  You can also take Amtrak to BWI Airport then take the Bayrunner Shuttle to Ocean City - depending on schedules this may be longer as well but is a good option.

You can take a route pass Harrisburg into the  Lancaster area then take Rt 1/13 down into Delaware to Ocean City.

Another option if your worried about crossing the Bay Bridge there is shuttle service that will drive your vehicle over the bridge for you called the Kent Island Express. The number is 410-604-0486.

It depends what you mean by "near the water." Pop up canopies are allowed on the beach, but are not allowed east of the row of lifeguard stands (i.e., between line of the stands and the water). The same restriction applies to umbrellas. The restriction ensure that lifeguards view of each other and of the water is not obstructed.

The distance from the water to the line of stands varies with tides and beach terrain, but is generally is no more than about 50-feet.

I don't know of any laundromats in north OC, but there is one across from the Walgreens or Food Lion on the south side of Route 54 (Lighthouse Road), 2 or 3 miles west of Fenwick Island.

In south OC, there are laundromats in the shopping centers at 28th Street (Wash-N-Dry, shown below), 8th Street, and on Dorchester Street (Mr. Bubbles) between Baltimore and Philadelphia Avenues.

Most people consider the Boardwalk to start at the inlet and end at 27th Street.  

You will need a car to get from OC to Assateague. Once you are on Assateague, you can park in one of the lots at Assateague State Park or Assateague National Seashore. Note that their is a fee in each case. Once you park, you walk over the dunes to the beach, much like you would do in places north of the boardwalk in OC.

You can drive a few miles in the free area of Assateague before you reach the entrance and pay-station to the National Seashore. I almost always see the wild horses when I drive through this free stretch.

In Ocean City there are restaurants all up the coast so finding a great place to eat is no issues at all. But the Dunes is near some great places like Tommy's Sub Shop, 28th st Pit & Pub and PNG Crab House.

No passes are required for Ocean City's beaches. The entire 10-mile stretch of OC's fabulous Atlantic Ocean beach is FREE, accessible from every side street, clean, and guarded (late-May to late September). Come to OC and enjoy the great beach!

I am not sure if they are still available or not. I recommend you contact the OC Volunteer Fire Department (410.289.4346) to find out if the memorial bricks are still available for the Firefighter's Memorial at North Division Street.

Many businesses near the south end of the boardwalk are open year round at least on weekends when the weather is nice. By early May, almost all shops and restaurants along the boardwalk are open on weekends and most are open everyday. However, the amusement parks along the boardwalk are closed or open on only a limited basis until mid to late May.

Boardwalk favorites Thrasher's Fries, Dumser's ice cream, Fisher's popcorn (my favorite!), Candy Kitchen, and  Marty's Playland, my favorite arcade, will all be open in early May (they re all open year-round).

There are also lots of great events around town in May.

Have fun in OC in the Spring!