Ocean City, MD (oceanfront, rentals, amusement park)

[Mike from back east]

Here's an article that is at times hilarious and at times dreadful. I have many good memories of OC. But I never understood why so many of my peers back in Charm City would jump in a car on long weekends and head to "The Ocean." They spend a fortune for an ocean-front motel with musty carpets reeking of salt air, stale smoke and ????. Seems a lot of the attraction is to drink and get lucky, but they can do that just as well by staying home and visiting their usual places, and at a fraction of the cost. Enjoy.....
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...090300842.html

s/Mike

[Davidwatson]

I grew up in Ocean City in the 70s & 80s. We had a house at 4 North Baltimore ave, Second house past N. Division st. The house was called the "Tonawanda Cottage" my family rented out rooms and an apartment to family tourist. $25.00 a night for rooms and $300.00 a week for the apt. Every morning I would get up and head down to the boardwalk, I would turn down North Division St, go past the Showel Theater (where I saw Planet Of The Apes for .50¢). I'd stop in at Ernie's Doughnuts and get a free cream filled doughnut then go up to Misters doughnuts and get a free glazed doughnut, then to Tony's Pizza and get a free slice, I'd walk thru Edwards five & dime with the old hardwood floors and older gentleman there with white hair and glasses would find a trinket toy or something and give it to me, then off to fun city where a old man named Wolfe would give me quarters to play the games, later I go down to Trimpers rides where Mrs. Topping would give me free tickets to ride. I would often crawl under the pier on the beach and find coins people had dropped above paying for rides or food, sometimes as much as $4.00. I had it made could play and eat all day for nothing, back then all the locals new each other and their kids. Life was great. I was always on the beach on N. Div. I later taught body surfing for a dollar an hour, I was going to be doing it anyway why not earn a little $$$ for my knowledge. In the winter we would close up the house and live in our house on Assateague Rd. near Berlin by Ayers creek. My Dad had a picture frame shop their. I was a member of Ocean City troop 261 Boy Scouts. My house in O.C. is long gone now, Its a parking lot, but the memories live on.

[PeteU]

Originally Posted by OneWayOut

Great place. I have been gone almost every year for as long as I can remember now. OC Parasail, Seacrets, Philips, are some of my favorite places to visit there. The boardwalk is great, always something going on.

I definetly do not recommend Seacrets. My experience there a few years back was tainted by a rather arbitrary and over-zealous staff.

Avoid Seacrets at all cost. I don't know if there are any other majors bars or clubs in OC, but I would rather take my chances with any of those before setting one foot inside Seacrets ever again.

[beachloverextreme]

There Has Never Been A Shark Attack There--at Least Not To My Knowledge. That's A Big Plus For Me!

[mzdeejay]

I visited Ocean City. In my opinion it is a seedy ,used up town. I wouldn't recommend it. My family and I could not leave fast enough.

[matt345]

Originally Posted by mzdeejay

I visited Ocean City. In my opinion it is a seedy ,used up town. I wouldn't recommend it. My family and I could not leave fast enough.

Ocean City fits your definition of seedy? You must not get out to any large urbanized area much.

[AshleyMD24]

Ocean city is a great place! I am originally from baltimore but moved to ocean city when i was seven and lived there ever since!!

And the only reason the place has changed and went down hill is the fact that only people north of maryland can afford the houses.....we do not make money around here to equal the cost of living! All the new yorkers etc...arecoming here trying to change our town!! I am 24 so really dont mind that much, but i know that when i have kids, they are not going to have the same growing up as i had here!! things change and its sad~

And seacrets as someone said...is a fun place....i worked there for like 5 years...my friends dad owns it!!! its a nice place...but when you get those tourist coming in getting wasted...the place can be out of control!!

Winters here are the best if you know the locals!!

Im moving friday...so once again i will miss oc..buts its def. time!!

I will take aspen, colorado anyday over ocean city..eventhough its home!!

[ClaudiaAnn]

If you grew up in OC in the 70s&80s, do you remember what the Dough Roller(the one that just burned)was called back then. Used to go there all the time and just can't remember what it was called back then.

Originally Posted by Davidwatson

I grew up in Ocean City in the 70s & 80s. We had a house at 4 North Baltimore ave, Second house past N. Division st. The house was called the "Tonawanda Cottage" my family rented out rooms and an apartment to family tourist. $25.00 a night for rooms and $300.00 a week for the apt. Every morning I would get up and head down to the boardwalk, I would turn down North Division St, go past the Showel Theater (where I saw Planet Of The Apes for .50¢). I'd stop in at Ernie's Doughnuts and get a free cream filled doughnut then go up to Misters doughnuts and get a free glazed doughnut, then to Tony's Pizza and get a free slice, I'd walk thru Edwards five & dime with the old hardwood floors and older gentleman there with white hair and glasses would find a trinket toy or something and give it to me, then off to fun city where a old man named Wolfe would give me quarters to play the games, later I go down to Trimpers rides where Mrs. Topping would give me free tickets to ride. I would often crawl under the pier on the beach and find coins people had dropped above paying for rides or food, sometimes as much as $4.00. I had it made could play and eat all day for nothing, back then all the locals new each other and their kids. Life was great. I was always on the beach on N. Div. I later taught body surfing for a dollar an hour, I was going to be doing it anyway why not earn a little $$$ for my knowledge. In the winter we would close up the house and live in our house on Assateague Rd. near Berlin by Ayers creek. My Dad had a picture frame shop their. I was a member of Ocean City troop 261 Boy Scouts. My house in O.C. is long gone now, Its a parking lot, but the memories live on.

[newleaseonlife]

Originally Posted by ClaudiaAnn

If you grew up in OC in the 70s&80s, do you remember what the Dough Roller(the one that just burned)was called back then. Used to go there all the time and just can't remember what it was called back then.

It was called Daytons. The Dough Roller still sold their chicken and soft crabs.

[OC Hunter]

Originally Posted by Koalabay52

Yes the guy still creates his sand sculptures. He just did the Last Supper, and Noah's Ark with all the animals . Great! I remember seeing those back in the 70's. I didn't see him, though. I was looking forward to seeing Shantytown. Shocked to see it torn down and those ugly modern condos! That was one of those things that brought me to OC. Good and expensive food. LOL . Guess what, we went in to the Purple Moose for the first time Sat 8-26. Oh My God, beer was $5.00 a bottle! The guy beside me at the bar had one in his hand and his other pointing at the bottle and said "Ching Ching!" Just laughed -not like back in the good ole days, I thought. I just said to my husband today that even though I got to walk the boardwalk at night from the bay up to 10th, I suppose I was just trying to go back to the 70's and it just won't work. No more posters, good music of the 60's and 70's all over and no more size 2 and 4. LOL I did enjoy myself, going through the junk shops. They aren't even the same. Back then the t-shirts had great obnoxious sayings and I used to LOL and hope I wasn't making an ass out of myself and the junk seemed better junk to buy. We used to camp out at Endless Summers back the road from Trader Lees. What a place! Bikers used to camp out in the woods setting off bombs scaring the crap out of me even though we were in our tent 300 feet away out in the open. Trader Lee's was a great place to buy booze in the hot humid summer of 1971. They used to have a screen door that would slam behind you. Now that brings back old old times. Then we started to camp out at Frontier Town in our tent and when it rained at the beach it poured. Tired of rain dropping in on us. Had to buy a pop-up. Used to take our boys there and take mom. Mom died 2 years ago and boys would rather stay home and drive around. Just sold the pop-up. So now it's just us two to travel. Gotta go, this is making me sad.

The guy who did the sand sculptures in the 70's and 80's was Marc. He did them outside the Plim Plaza and actually had a room there donated by the hotel . He also went to Florida in offseaon to do his sand thing... sadly i heard he passed away many years ago, thou i do not no why...