While it will still be a bit chilly in March, I think Ocean City is a great place to head for Spring Break.  You'll find that most restaurants, bars/clubs and shops are still in "second season" mode.... they operate, but with reduced hours.  Seacrets is not open all week as of yet, they open Thursdays-Sunday.  There still is lots to do, check out Harborside for an original Orange Crush!  There are great hotel and meal deals still going on......... perfect time to head to town.

Ocean City is definitely much quieter in the winter, especially January to March, However, most weekends there is some major event in town. You can get a list of events here. If your dates are flexible, try to go for the St Patrick's Day Parade on March 16th. It is alwasy a lot of fun. You can get more information here.

I go to OC often in the winter with my 4 kids (now ages 11 - 19) and we always find fun things to do. There is much more to do on weekends than during the week. Here are a few ideas:

Go bowling at 72nd Street Ocean Lanes. Call ahead to check for lane availability (410.524.7550) and be aware they take cash only.

Play indoor mini golf at one of the two Old Pro Indoor Courses

Play Laser Tag at Planet Maze.

Go shopping at the shops in nearby Berlin

If it is a warm day, checkout some WWII history at Fort Miles in Lewis, DE.

Go Ice Skating or see an ice skating show at the Carousel

Go to the Salisbury Zoo - It is about 30 miles away. It is a nice community zoo, and it is free!

Get some crabs from Crabs-to-Go or Bahama Mamas to feel a bit more like summer. Both of these places have excellent crabs year round.

If the weather is nice about 30% of the Boardwalk shops will be open. Boardwalk favorites  Thrasher's Fries, Dumser's ice cream, Fisher's popcorn (my favorite!), Candy Kitchen , and Marty's Playland are almost always open on the weekends.

Many restaurants are open year round, but some only on weekends. If you go to the Visitor's Center at the Convention Center, they usually have a list of what restaurants are open when for the off season. Most restaurants in large hotels art open year round.

It is always nice to stay at a place with an indoor pool - it can be great to get a chance to swim in the winter. Dunes Manor has an indoor/outdoor pool that my kids swam in last Christmas when there was snow on the outside deck area! The other major hotels will be open and all have indoor pools. These include the Clarion, Carousel, and new Hampton Inn.

You can find plenty to do any time of year in OC!

Your best bet is to reach to one of the international studnet centers and services that serve Ocean City. They can help you find a job, housing, transportation, and provide other useful information. I'd start by connecting with the International Student Center - They help lots of international students find jobs and housing in OC and likely can help you too. You can also call them at 410.289.0350. Two other options are OC International Student Services and E-Point Student Center. The E-Point Student Center site has lots of great information to help you plan your travels, find employment and prepare for living in the United States for the summer.

Two other possible sources of connections for jobs are:
(1) Work with the Chamber of Commerce - They have job listings and are holding a large Job Fair at the end of March - Find out more about it here.
(2) Watch the classified sections of  Maryland Coast Dispatch and Ocean City Today. Both of these have seasonal job listings.

Good luck in your search!

PMI rentals at 126th Street will definitely rent bikes for the week ($50/week). You can reach them at 800.320.7469.

You can also try the Continental Bike Shop at 72nd Street. You can reach them at 410.524.2931.

Have fun in OC!

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

If you are going to use the beach for your wedding, you need to coordinate a time and location with the Mayor's Office. You can call them at 410.289.8931 to do this. There is no fee. There is some more information here. There are limitations on the times you can do this, especially during the summer.

To get married in OC you first need to apply for a Worcester County marriage license. Call the Clerk of Court Office at 410.632.5500 to find out exactly what’s required, what documents are needed, when you can apply, and how long it takes.

Depending on your needs, you may want to consider working with one of OC's wedding planning companies. They can offer you anything from just an officiant for the event to a full blown package. Here are some places that offer these services:
Weddings by the Seashore 800.884.0026
Ocean City Wedding Pastor 410.603.9918
Beach Weddings by Rox 866.472.3012

Have a great wedding in OC!

The horses are on the island year-round. However, being wild animals, they are not always visible to the public as they roam around doing horsey-type things. Either way, the island is beautiful and I recommend a visit!

Fager's always gets my vote!

BOARDWALK BENCH DEDICATION

Remembering those you love…

The Public Works Maintenance Division is offering individuals the opportunity to purchase a bench and plaque in honor of or in memory of a loved one or friend. The benches are located on the boardwalk from the Inlet to 27th Street. The cost for the bench and plaque is $1,700. Please contact the Public Works Maintenance Division at (410) 524-0391 to obtain the bench dedication form that will need to be completed.

Beautification Committee 

Memory Benches

Would you like to remember or honor a loved one or friend with a bench in Ocean City?  The Ocean City Beautification Committee has a number of TreMendous benches in the smaller parks around town ready for adoption. 

 Download Memory Bench Application

The following are locations where you can find these benches.

• Robin Park
• Little Salisbury Park
• Jamestown Road Park
• Gorman Park
• North Surf Park
• Convention Center

Should you have any questions, you may call the chairman of the committee, Donna Greenwood at 410-289-7060.


You can order a memorial brick in the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company Firefighter Memorial by downloading, filling out and submitting this form.

http://www.ocvfc.com/brickform.pdf

I am often in OC the week before Easter and expect to be there this year then too. Assuming the weather is nice, about half or more of of the boardwalk stores will be open Easter weekend. Boardwalk favorites Thrasher's Fries, Dumser's ice cream, Fisher's popcorn (my favorite!), Candy Kitchen , and Marty's Playland. are almost always open on the weekends.

Have a great Easter Weekend!

Ocean City will be open and ready for this summer with no evidence that a storm was there - it is already mostly recovered!

While Sandy had a significant effect on OC, most of the damage was on the bay side. I have been there since the storm, and there is very little evidence of its destruction left. Thre is soem beach erosion, but no more than happens most years, and most of the bayside businesses that were damaged are repaired or under repair. Repairs are also underway already to the Ocean Pier.

You can look forward to a great summer in OC in 2013!