Get Answers from the OC Insiders

The boardwalk runs from the south end of town 2.25 miles north to 27th Street. The south end can be very noisy, so I'd recommend staying near the boardwalk, north of about 5th street. Here are seveal properties in that area that I recommend. All are less than a block from the beach and boardwalk, many are right on the beach and boardwalk. I've recommended a mix of properties so you can meet one that meets all your budget and other needs. They are listed from south end of town headed north.

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/

Courtyard by Marriott at 15th Street is ocean front on the boardwalk. New property built about 3 years ago with lots of amenities including ocean front and ocean view rooms with small balconies and 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/

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/

Sahara, 19th Street on the boardwalk with ocean block buildings too. Outdoor pools. A basic motel that will be clean, but will not have lots of amenities. http://www.saharamotel.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/

Dunes Manor is a couple of blocks north of the boardwalk at 28th street, all rooms are ocean front with balconies. This is one of my favorite properties in OC, and the place I always recommend. My family stays there often. Their rooms have small kitchen areas, but are more like traditional hotel rooms than suites. They have adjoining rooms. They have an indoor/outdoor pool that is open year round.  http://www.dunesmanor.com/

Note that all hotels, motels, and condos in OC have 10.5% in state and local tax added to their quoted rates. Some motels and hotels also add a fee for more having more than 1 or 2 people in the rooms.

Have fun in OC!

Jo's Bike and Mike's Bikes both rent electric scooters. Tell them the OC Insiders sent you and you will get a discount.

For a more flexible, but more expensive option, take the Bay Runner shuttle to Ocean City. It is about $100 and runs frequently. More information on Bay Runner Shuttles can be found here http://www.bayrunners.com/

For a less expensive option but less flexible option, take the MARC train from BWI to New Carrollton, MD. You can then take a Greyhound Bus from New Carrollton MARC Station to Ocean City call 800.231.2222 or go to https://www.greyhound.com. There is one bus a day which leaves New Carrollton at 12:05PM and arrives in OC at 3:30PM. You don't need to change buses, and the 3.5 hour time is not bad for a bus trip to OC. Cost is between $30 and $60 dollars depending when you buy your ticket and other options you select.Once you are in Ocena City you can take the shuttle bus ($1) from the West OC Park and Ride Bus Station to OC and then take a city bus ($1) to the bus station at the north end of ocean City at 144th Street. This station is just 2 blocks south of Fenwick Island, DE.

I would recommend calling a cab...if you check out the following site there is a pretty extensive list of the cab companies in OC:  http://local.yahoo.com/MD/Ocean+City/Travel+Lodging/Taxi+Services

The buses run year round for the whole length of ocean city. Their schedule is cut back in the off season.

The trams run for Springfest weekend, but then don't run again until Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. At that point they run until Labor Day.

You can get more specific information on tram and bus schedules here.

You will need a business permit to sell good or services anywhere in OC, and my sense is that selling services on the public property of the boardwalk is essentially prohibited. There are different standards for performers, as they are seen as exercising their right to free speech and are only accepting donations.

I suspect your best bet will be to subcontract with a boardwalk shop and to work out of that shop.

For more information on the specifics of business licenses in OC contact the City Clerk's office at 410.289.8824


Some relevant sections of the city code are listed below:

Sec. 62-1. - License required.

Except as herein provided, no person shall engage in or carry on in Ocean City, Maryland, the business, occupation or activity of solicitor, distributor, peddler or hawker of any merchandise or commodity upon the streets or sidewalks of Ocean City, without first having obtained a license for such business, occupation or activity as provided for in chapter 14, article II, Licensed Occupations.(Code 1972, § 72-1)

Sec. 62-2 - Limitations on commerce on the boardwalk.

It is unlawful for any person, upon the boardwalk or upon its benches, stairs and other fixtures, to engage in the public sale, rental or exchange for a donation of any goods, wares, merchandise, foodstuffs, refreshments or other commodities or services. (Code 1972, § 72-5.A; Ord. No. 1999-1, 2-16-1999; Ord. No. 1999-12, 4-19-1999)

No, unfortunately it isn't.  But there are plenty of other great golf courses nearby.


Eagle's Landing Golf Course

You are not allowed to have bonfires or grill on Ocean City's beaches without a permit.

This document provides more information on the regulations and how to apply for a bonfire permit. Although the document focuses on bonfires, it applies to grilling and cooking on the beach too. There is a $75 fee for the permit plus a $100 deposit that is refunded only if the Fire Marshall's inspection indicates the area was cleaned up and all fire related material was removed from the site.

Note that between hauling the wood, removing the ashes, and digging and filling the fire pit it is a lot of work to build a fire on the beach.

By city ordinance the beaches are technically closed from 10pm to 6am to allow for cleaning an other maintenance, but in y experience you can walk on the beach anytime as long as you don't cause a problem. Overnight sleeping on the beach is prohibited.

Have fun in OC!

There are no hours for the boardwalk. It is always open! However, at this time of year most businesses open sometime between 8am and 11am and close between 5pm and 8pm. They may be open longer if the weather is nice and on weekends. Each business sets their own hours, and many do not have firmly fixed schedules in the off season.

To me, this past weekend was as crowded as it gets in June!  There were lines at the restaurants and parking lots were packed. But the weather was great and there was a convention in town, so that could have something to do with it. The later in April and every week after that you will see it become more and more busy.