The Tidy Life| August 11, 2015
As summer winds down, there is still time to explore the many beach destinations in Maryland and Virginia including Ocean City, Rehoboth and Dewey Beaches, Point Lookout State Park, and Sandy Point State Park. Ocean City is one of the most popular vacation spots along the Atlantic coast in Maryland and, at around a 3 hour trip, is a perfect one day trip from Baltimore. Ocean City is one of the biggest summer family vacation destinations in the United States.
The area around Ocean City area was settled by early British colonists in the 16th and 17th centuries and acquired by Englishman Thomas Fenwick from the Native Americans. The area remained a small fishing village until 1875 when the Atlantic Hotel was built and opened to the public. In the following years, the railroad built bridges over the Sinepuxent Bay and a resort area was born. The first boardwalk was constructed in 1900. In order to protect the boardwalk from the elements in the early years, the boards were taken up each fall and laid down again in the spring. The area continued to grow as a popular destination over the following decades. A hurricane in 1933 caused major damage to the area, but the rebuilding started immediately. In 1952, the opening of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge allowed for direct access to Ocean City from Baltimore and Washington D.C. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, built in 1964 provided a direct route from Northern Virginia. Today, Ocean City has over 9,500 hotel rooms and over 21,000 condominiums and hosts over 8 million people annually.
Ocean City Maryland is located on a barrier island called Fenwick Island. The southern post of the island, the Ocean City Inlet, was carved out from a hurricane in 1933. Ocean City Maryland is 10 miles of beaches from the Ocean City Inlet to the Delaware State Line. There are so many things to see and do in Ocean City. It is a perfect vacation spot for the entire family. The famous Ocean City Boardwalk is three miles of food, shopping, museums, amusement parks, arcades and more. The boardwalk comes alive at night with performances, lights, arcade sounds and much more. Sample the many types of food offered by over 200 restaurants from fresh Maryland seafood to boardwalk fries to saltwater taffy.
There are 17 championship golf courses in Ocean City Maryland. The island’s premiere course, Eagle’s Landing, offers views of Sinepuxent Bay and Assateague National Seashore and is designated as an Audubon Sanctuary. Assatueague Island, famous for its wild ponies and horses, is just 9 miles away. This island is a Natural landmark with walking trails, nature hikes and of course, the horses.
There are many popular Ocean City Maryland attractions to visit, however the most popular is the beach. The beaches are free and open to the public from 6am to 10pm daily for swimming, sunning, surfing, fishing and more. The beaches close at 10pm to be cleaned and prepped for the next day. Don’t miss seeing the spectacular sunsets and try to be awake for at least one amazing sunrise. There are two beaches designated as surfing beaches and these change daily. There are many Ocean City Maryland free events for the entire family including concerts, movies on the beach, fireworks and a family beach Olympics.
Ocean City has become a year round place to visit. During the “off season” the population of the island is around 8,000, but can swell to over 340,000 during the summer. Special holiday celebrations, such as St. Patrick’s Day or Memorial Day, are starting to draw visitors during the slower months. There is also Winterfest of Lights featuring thousands of lights at the 58 acre Northside Park.
ezStorage has created the “1 Day Trips from Baltimore Guide” sharing just a few of the great destinations that are only a few hours from Baltimore. Don’t just take our word for it, get out there and explore the peaceful ocean waves and beaches of Maryland and Virginia.
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