Ocean City, Maryland

Best Time to Visit
The best time to go to any beach in this area of the U.S. is in the summer of course! The beach is warm and water is cool, the golf courses are at their best, and the city just comes alive. This little city by the beach is a resort town welcoming guests from all over the country and the world. Fishing and boating are big attractions as well as the nightlife that is as hot as the beach sun.

Average Weather
You may want to bring an umbrella or a poncho when you come because the average monthly rainfall in Ocean City is a little over three inches. The month of August sometimes averages more than five inches. Fortunately, most of the rain falls hard and fast for just a short while so your vacation won't be totally rained out. Ocean City is in a region that experiences all four seasons. The spring has warm days and cool nights and tends to be fairly windy. Summer brings temperatures that average in the 80s. Beware that the ocean is pretty chilly in the beginning of the summer until the sun and warm weather has a chance to heat it up. Fall is fairly warm and this is when the ocean water is at it's warmest, even as the weather gets cooler. Actually, many times, the water is warmer than the air. The winter brings cold weather and sometimes a little dusting of snow. Despite the cold, golfing is popular all throughout the year, and if you can bear the cold weather, you can find some great deals.

Transportation
Just about 30 minutes west of Ocean City is the Salisbury-Ocean City Regional Airport. US Airways flies out of the Salisbury Airport to and from Baltimore, Washington, DC, and Philadelphia. USAir reservations can be made online or by phone. If you do not have anyone to pick you up from the airport, there taxi and limo services available to take you to your destination at the beach. There are also bus services that go into ocean city on their routes from many cities in the region.
Many people drive in Ocean City but parking can sometimes be a problem, especially in the evenings. Another option is to catch a cab. You can find the phone numbers to cab companies in the city phone book or you may be able to hail a taxi on the street. However, the further north you are in the city, the harder it is to hail a cab. The best option would likely be the bus because the fare is very cheap and once you pay you have an all day pass to get on and off as you please. The bus goes the entire length of Ocean City on Coastal Highway and Philadelphia Avenue and stops at every other block. During the summer buses run every 10 minutes. On the boardwalk, there is a train that runs every 20 minutes and it too has a cheap fare. Be sure to have exact change.

In-Season Costs
Ocean City is a place to go where you don't have to spend a lot of money, unless you choose to. Some high-end seafood restaurants will have you dropping around $50 on dinner but most restaurants are more reasonable and will have you spending only $15 or so on a good meal. Of course there are the usual fast food joints and sandwich shops of every variety all over the city. As for entertainment, always look around before making decisions because every activity has multiple companies that are competing to get your dollar so you can frequently find good deals. As you are out and about in Ocean City be sure to look out for Ocean City Guides and other magazines and coupon books to help you find the best deals. Room accommodations during the busy season can run from $110 up to more than $200 per night for an oceanfront room. You should always book early and if your vacation times are flexile, go in off-season times to get even better deals.

Day Trips
The Assateague Island National Seashore is just south of Ocean City along a 37-mile long barrier reef island. Assateague State Park has much to do with campsites, bike trails, canoeing, fishing, and boat rentals. Many times, you can even see the wild ponies that roam the beaches of Assateague. The ponies are supposedly descendants of ponies that survive the wreck of a Spanish ship long ago. Another story is that English settlers were the ones to bring the original ponies to the area. Ponies aren't the only animals to roam the land in Assateague; there are deer that live there as well. The Assateague State Park has been named one of the best state parks in the USA. Assateague Explorer is a company that gives guided Wild pony watching cruises and they can be contacted at 1-866-PONY SWIM for information. Don't forget to take your mosquito repellant!

Whatever you do, we wish you a great stay at the beach.

Ocean City Info: