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The contest has been approved by city council. They are currently working on the details. Stay tuned to Ocean City, MD - The Official Page on Facebook as detals of the contest as it evolves will be posted there. 

Narrow your hotel search for hotels located 9th st and under if you wish to be walking distance to the main part of the boardwalk.

I wasn't able to come up with any information for you as to when Ocean City runs an impound auction..... if they do, how many times a year they do..... nothing. The only thing I can recommend besides what Kathy suggested is call the OCPD to inquire.

Town of Ocean City
Police Department
6501 Coastal Hwy. Ocean City, MD 21842
Phone: 410-723-6610

It will likely save you a little bit of time to take the ferry from to go from Atlantic City to Ocean City, but only about an 30 to 60 minutes, if all works out well. If you don't time the ferry right that will add more time and there is often lots of traffic comming south from Delaware along Coastal Highway, but is should not be too bad on 17 May.

The ferry you would take is the Cape May - Lewis Ferry across the Delaware bay. You can get ferry schedule, rate, and other information here. Be sure to make a reservation if you want to take the ferry.

Taking the ferry is a nice trip. I'd take it for the expereince, but not because it offers any huge time savings. I'd suggest taking the ferry one way and going around on the Delware Memorial Bridge the other way.

The layout of Ocean City is fairly straightforward. The boardwalk starts at the inlet at the south end of Ocean City and continues north to 27th Street.  The southern blocks of Ocean City have streets named after Maryalnd's Eastern Shore Counties (Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset, Dorcester, Talbot, Caroline) plus North and South Division Streets and south 1st and 2nd Streets. After that, the streets are numbered as you move north. The boardwalk continues to 27th Street. Note that the Boardwalk is also sometimes referred to as Atlantic Avenue, but ocean front places north of the boardwalk may also have Atlantic Avenue addresses.

I'd suggest staying somewhere between 15th and 37th Streets. This will put you near the boardwalk and close to lots of places to eat and other attractions. There are also penty of hotels in this area. Here are a few I recommend (listed in no particular order):

Dunes Manor is a couple of blocks north of the boardwalk at 28th street, all rooms are ocean front with balconies. It has an indoor/outdoor pool. This is one of my favorite properties in OC, and the place I always recommend. My family stays there often. http://www.dunesmanor.com/.

Dunes Motel is at 27th Street, right at the north end of the boardwalk right at the tram station. It is an ocean front hotel with many ocean front rooms with balconies. It is a great, affordable ocean front motel. It also has rooms with balconies that face the bay. They have an outdoor pool. http://www.ocdunes.com/

Courtyard by Marriott at 15th Street is ocean front on the boardwalk. It is a new property built about 3 years ago with lots of amenities including ocean front and ocean view rooms with small balconies. It has an indoor pool. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sbyoc-courtyard-ocean-city-oceanfront/.

Holiday Inn Suites at 17th Street is right on the boardwalk. Many rooms are ocean front with balconies. The hotel has lots of amenities including indoor and outdoor pools. http://www.ocsuites.com/

Beach Plaza at 13th Street on the boardwalk is a nice boutique-type hotel that was fully renovated last year. No pool http://www.beachplazaoc.com/
Quality Inn and Suites at 33rd street has nice ocean front rooms with balconies and indoor and outdoor pools. http://www.qualityinn.com/hotel-ocean_city-maryland-MD063

The Castle in the Sand at 37th street is a great midtown location. The hotel is ocean front, but they have several building and all types of rooms. They have lots of amenities including an outdoor pool. http://www.castleinthesand.com/home.php

The Spinnaker is right off the boardwalk at 18th Street (ocean block) . It is a great property, and being ocean block it will be bit more affordable. Many rooms have balconies with a view of the beach and ocean. They have an outdoor pool. http://www.ocmotels.com/spinnaker/

The Flamingo is just north of the boardwalk at 31st Street. It is ocean block with 3 buildings and an indoor pool so it will be more affordable than the ocean front places. They have indoor and outdoor pools.  http://www.theflamingomotel.com/

There are some hotels and motels along the bay that offer bay access, but there are no public bayside beaches. Some restaurants, notably Seacrets and Mackey's have in the bay beach dinning. There are lots of opportunities for watersports in the bay.

You can leave your car parked all week and still get around OC easily. The bus runs frequently and is just $3 a day or $1 a ride.

I gave a mix of places to stay to help you find one that meets your tastes and budget. Please come back and ask more questions as you plan your trip to OC!

There is no specific senior week, but most seniors are in OC in the middle of June and that is when most of the Senior Week events are held. The bus is not free for students that week; it is $3 to ride all day or $1 a ride.

No, the boardwalk tram will not be operating again until Memorial Day weekend.

Yes, you can take coolers, beverages, and food onto the beach, just no glass containers and no alcoholic beverages. There are plenty of trash cans and recycling bins, so you don't even need to haul home your trash!

Enjoy OC's clean, public, free beach!

Dogs are not allowed on the OC beach or boardwalk or beach anytime from 1 May to 30 September. Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach and boardwalk from 1 October to 30 April.

Leashed dogs are allowed in OCs parks, including Northside Park at 127th Street. There is a dog park at 94th Street. You can get more info about it here: http://ococean.com/things-to-do/oc-local-parks-and-playgrounds/ocean-city-dog-playground

Dogs are allowed in certain areas of the beach at the nearby Assateague National Seashore, but not Assateague State Park. Here is the info from the National Seashore website:

Pets are permitted in the Maryland portion of the National Seashore. All pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet at all times.  
Pets are completely prohibited in the following areas:
- all backcountry campsites
- nature trails
- lifeguard-protected beach
- north of the State Park to the Ocean City inlet
- the entire Virginia portion of Assateague Island*

*Pets are prohibited in the entire Virginia portion of Assateague Island, even in your car. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages nearly all of the land area on the Virginia portion of Assateague Island as a National Wildlife Refuge.

Have a great time in OC!