Planning your summer 2012 family trip to Ocean City Md is going to be an affordable vacation, especially when you arrive. Take a look at all the great, FREE activities that all ages can take advantage of!

Terry McGean, the City Engineer for the Town of Ocean City, gives us the inside scoop on the first phase of the Ocean City boardwalk project that finished up this week. Just in time for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure!

The project finished 2 weeks ahead of schedule and under budget, which is always nice! The new boardwalk is a huge improvement. For updates check the Town on Ocean City’s Boardwalk Reconstruction Page.

“Before the boardwalk was more like a bridge. Now the boardwalk is more like a railroad.”

I'd like to introduce you to Marianne. She stakes her claim in life as a “wife, mother, daughter, sister, granddaughter, aunt, cousin, teacher, friend, student, OC Insider, photographer, and artist.” Wait, did you catch that? Yep, you sure did! OC INSIDER, stuck right in the mix with wife, mother and friend. Every day I am amazed at the influence Ocean City Md has on a persons heart and soul!

I looked up the word tourist in the thesaurus, because I dislike the way that sounds when describing our visitors. Especially when I am attempting to describe a lady who has been visiting Ocean City with THREE generations of family! I mean, she might as well be dubbed a Local!

“I cannot pinpoint a specific time that I fell in love with OC. It's always been in my blood!”

When planning your trip to Ocean City, MD it seems that everyone and their brother has an opinion about which event is best to check out, what hotel you should rest your head in, or where you should grab your Happy Hour drink. However, one thing many of you may not have heard about is an amazing group of individuals who can say without a doubt that they are the experts on Ocean City, MD. Who is this group you may ask?! None other than our own OC Insiders!

Last year a friendly face checked into my hotel, The Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, her name was Darlene (aka Momoo on TripAdvisor and Z06RL on the oceancity.com forums). I knew I recognized her name, but it was not until she told me she was an OC Insider that all the bells and whistles went off in my head. Oh MAN! I better mind my p's and q's and get this lady a chocolate strawberry tray immediately, this is exactly who we need to write about OUR hotel. Everyone will listen!

Darlene is probably laughing right now and wondering where in the World that strawberry tray disappeared to. In reality, she has become a sweet friend and I truly enjoy her following on the Holiday Inn Suite's Facebook page. She was my inspiration for writing about the OC Insiders, in the first place.

Can you believe it?! SpringFest in Ocean City has been displaying crafty goodness, feeding people with some of the best festival food this side of the East Coast and rocking those music tents for TWENTY TWO YEARS!

If you have been living under a rock the past 22 years and don’t know what I’m talking about- then this is the year for you! May 3-6th the festival will kick off with the Fabulous Hubcaps. Their high-energy tribute music is one of the most popular bands in the Tri-State area, they are the oldies kings and queens! Then Saturday is a personal favorite, Mrs. Loretta Lynn. She is just a doll! Eddie Money and Survivor will also be playing that night, so it's going to be an amazing show!

In the craft tents you will find all the coolest didn't-know-you-needed-that items. From flip-flop fly swatters to gorgeous iron sculpted lawn art, you will come away with perfect presents and home decor.

AND THEN your certainly going to have to eat! I always go straight for the corn crab chowder- its just an Eastern Sho' staple. My grandfather however (they travel from the Baltimore area every year for this) goes for the much more riskier alligator on a stick! How fun is that?!!

So do yourself a grand service and visit the four big top tents this May for 2012 SpringFest. You will find me- chowder in hand!

Attention dog and cat lovers! As you may already know, most Ocean City hotels do not allow pets. Rather than leaving your pet at home consider bringing them along and making accommodations for your furry friends at the Dogtel Hotel.

Located on route 50 just 2 miles west of Ocean City the Dogtel Hotel is an easy place to stop on your way to your Ocean City hotel. I recently met with Dan, the owner of the Dogtel Hotel, along with longtime employees/dog whispers Cindy and Judy. They both stressed that you have to be cautious and safety conscious to work at the Dogtel.

“You have to be a dog whisperer. Everyone we hire has animal experience.”

They encourage you to visit your pet or even take them for the day. From May 1 - Sept 30 no pets are allowed on the beach or boardwalk in Ocean City, but there are plenty of places to take your pet for an afternoon or a whole day. Herring Creek nature park at the end of nature park drive is a short drive from the Dogtel Hotel and has a nice looping trail by the bay. Assateague Island National Seashore also allows pets on the beach and makes for a nice day trip.