http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/ This blog was created to celebrate the good times and good people that visit, live in and love Ocean City, Maryland. en drodriguez@harrisongp.com Copyright 2012 2012-05-15T16:05:39+00:00 http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/rain-rain-go-away http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/rain-rain-go-away#When:16:05:39Z …come again another day!!! We can’t always stop the rain, but we can provide you with plenty to do! For those of us who might find ourselves in Ocean City, MD on not the most beautiful days, this list is for you! We’ll be keeping this list updated, so if if you have any suggestions please let us know! Trimper's Rides Boardwalk & S. Division Street Ocean City, MD 410-289-8617 Offers one of the oldest carousels. Plenty of things for the whole family to enjoy, including inside kiddie rides, bumper cars, water boats, shooting gallery and games. Marty's Playland Boardwalk & Worcester Street Ocean City, MD 410-289-7271 A huge coin operated arcade with skeeball, group games, video games, air hockey and much more. Sportland Arcade Boardwalk & Worcester Street Ocean City, MD 410-289-4987 Planet Maze 33rd Street & Coastal Highway Ocean City, MD 410-524-4386 Laser tag, arcade, indoor and outdoor maze for kids and adults. Snack Bar. Old Pro Golf Assorted locations in Ocean City, MD 410-524-2645 Offering numerous indoor and outdoor miniature golf courses. Ocean City Library 10003 Coastal Highway Ocean City, MD 410-524-1818 For vacationers without library cards, we have a special selection of paperback books for adults and children. Plus numerous events held each week! Ocean City Lifesaving Station Boardwalk & Inlet Ocean City, MD 410-289-4991 Discover Ocean City's history through exhibits, displays, film and literature. Carmike Sun & Surf Movie Theater 143rd Street & Coastal Highway Ocean City, MD 410-250-1777 Gold Coast Mall Movie Theater 115th Street & Coastal Ocean City, MD 410-213-1505 Ocean Lanes Bowling 72nd Street & Coastal Highway Ocean City, MD 410-524-7550 12 Lanes of family fun! Ice Skating at The Carousel 118th Street & Coastal Highway Ocean City, MD 410-524-1000 Ocean City Factory Outlets 12741 Ocean Gateway Ocean City, MD 410-213-1538 Located conveniently in West Ocean City on Route 50. Open year round. Ocean City Vacation, Things to do in Ocean City, 2012-05-15T16:05:39+00:00 http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/glen-riddle http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/glen-riddle#When:16:02:10Z If you have not seen the historically documented movie Seabiscuit, or do not know the significance between Ocean City and the horse races then you do not understand how important Glen Riddle is to the surrounding area. Do not worry for there is still hope! As I sat down with Rob McDonald I was not expecting to get a history lesson on how famous Glen Riddle is. McDonald has been the head pro at Glen Riddle for four years. In his prior years in the profession he has worked at courses in Miami and Baltimore. While speaking with him he explains why he believes the course cannot be compared to the other ones within the area. “This is a unique property, and in my opinion the best one. I think the history to the place is excellent; the horse racing history is great.” – Rob McDonaldThe history to the course is rare in its passion and relativity to golf. McDonald elaborates by going on to say, “If you’ve seen the movie Seabiscuit you know that Seabiscuit raced War Admiral in that great race. War Admiral was a Triple Crown winner and the son of Man O’ War, who was considered the horse of the century back then. Both Man O’ War and War Admiral were housed on the property.” These beautiful creatures and their talents give the courses a level of quality that cannot be achieved artificially. As we turned the conversation to focus more so on golf McDonald speaks of another unique quality the course has. He told me, “Typically on a 36 hole facility both courses replicate each other. Our courses are nothing alike. Man O’ War is your typical link style golf course, and is all Bermuda grass. That course is open to the public, whereas the other course is a parkland type of course, which will go private eventually.” Until they have filled all of their membership positions, War Admiral will remain open to the general public. It goes without saying playing on the Eastern shore is different from playing on courses in the South or Midwest. An argument made on how the experience differs focused in on water breeze, wind and humidity; however, McDonald brings up the difference in elevation. He says, “More than anything down here, on the eastern shore compared to the western shore, there’s a difference in elevation. There’s a little more of the lowlands down here and golf is usually played on level ground. While we don’t have a lot of elevation changes, we do have rolling hills and fairways which will alter your stance and make you play a different shot.” These rolling hills are found to be helpful to golfers who are dealing with the ever-changing East coast weather. One would assume that in order to play at such unique courses pricing would be very high. McDonald acknowledges that “Mr. Ruark has brought high quality prices to the Ocean City area, but we do have various packaging.” If you are looking into getting great golf packages, make sure to call Harrison Group Golf. It will be a decision you will never regret! Tip of the Day: Enjoy yourself. Golf can be frustrating if you take it too seriously. You’re out in a beautiful place with your friends, you have to just enjoy yourself. Golf, History, Scenic, 2012-05-10T16:02:10+00:00 http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/fishing-report-from-the-oceanic-fishing-pier http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/fishing-report-from-the-oceanic-fishing-pier#When:19:13:50Z JJ from the Oceanic Fishing Pier next to the Oceanic Motel with the May 2012 fishing report for Ocean City Md. Catching Tautog and Flounder during the day and Shad and Blues in the evening. Find out more about the Oceanic Fishing Pier. And remember, all guests of the Oceanic Motel fish the pier for free during your stay! Fishing, Things to do in Ocean City, Video, 2012-05-08T19:13:50+00:00 http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/loretta-lynn-at-ocean-city-springfest http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/loretta-lynn-at-ocean-city-springfest#When:14:56:47Z Country Music Legend Loretta Lynn, along with her band and daughter Patsy Lynn, performed at Ocean City Springfest last Friday. See more pictures of Loretta on Facebook › Events, Scenic, Things to do in Ocean City, 2012-05-07T14:56:47+00:00 http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/boardwalked http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/boardwalked#When:19:07:18Z Last year Chris Maxa found himself taking a jog along the Ocean City Boardwalk in the cool fall air, like many OC Locals enjoy doing after a long day at work. However this jog ended in more than just a few calories burned, an idea was born! While jogging past the newly laid planks at the beginning of the Boardwalk, Chris noticed the seemingly endless piles of old boards from the Boardwalk. The wheels in his head started turning and ideas were flowing. He came up with a brilliant, one of a kind idea: “Boardwalked”. Chris asked permission from the city to take some of the old boardwalk planks, that were obviously of no use anymore. After several truckloads he began focusing in on his project. As he likes to describe it, ”Old boards, showing cool photos.” Simple, yet amazing!The first few dozen he made were tested out on the family for Christmas presents. He cut the boardwalk planks into approximately the sizes of 5″x8″ and then somehow “magically” figured out a way to transpose a photo of his daughter onto the blocks of wood. We don’t want to give away his secrets, so they stay one of a kind! The rest is history, because ever since that day he has made over 400 blocks of art! It takes a considerable amount of time to make each piece, but he gets better at the process with each piece created. He's had a little help from family and friends along the way as well. It seems that everyone is excited to see his project Boardwalked succeed! The Boardwalked souvenir comes with endless options. Some of your options include photographs of The Kite Loft, Trimpers Amusement Rides, The Pier, Ocean Gallery, Endless Summer Cruisin', Ocean City Lifesaving Museum and the Ocean City Boardwalk at night, just to name a few. If you would prefer a more custom piece, he even has that covered for you as well. Chris has it set up on his website so that you can order a custom Boardwalked piece by sending him an email with your own personal photo! The reaction to his project has been overwhelmingly positive and of course everyone says, “Why didn’t I think of that!” I asked Chris what kind of reactions he had gotten so far from his project and he said, “Everyone thinks that it is such a cool idea and a great way to preserve the memories and nostalgia of Ocean City. People really connect with their good memories, and the photos are a way to bring back smiles to people. The custom pieces that I have already done have been especially positive, I actually had one nice lady start to cry and give me a big hug when I did a board for her of her grandmother who passed away. It's been really great!” On the back of each of his Boardwalked pieces Chris transfers his logo and it signifies that the wood is “100% Authentic Ocean City Boardwalk Wood.” Chris explained that he “tries quite hard however to preserve the character of each board by leaving the screws, nails, or other markings in tact just to retain the genuine feel of the Boardwalk.” He is also working on acquiring a letter from The Town of Ocean City, MD to signify that the boards are indeed exactly what they say they are. If you’re looking to purchase your own Boardwalked piece you can find it sold at The Kite Loft on 5th Street and the Boardwalk, Bungalow Love in Berlin, MD and on his Etsy Shop. He can also be found at Springfest this weekend May 3-6 at the Ocean City Inlet!!! He will be pairing up with his friend Jimmy who has created an idea for Adirondack chairs and benches out of the old Boardwalk wood. Thanks to Chris for a great idea to help preserve great Ocean City, MD memories! 2012-05-03T19:07:18+00:00 http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/who-are-the-oc-insiders-meet-bill http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/who-are-the-oc-insiders-meet-bill#When:13:45:30Z Each and every summer day in Ocean City, Maryland memories are created and stored in the brains of thousands of our out-of-town visitors. Once those visitors all trickle back to their own respective homes and get settled back into their normal life routines, they sometimes stop and wish they could relive that OC memory created a few weeks ago - or even a few years ago! Sometimes it's the smell of apple cider vinegar that triggers your senses into thinking you're about to eat a Thrasher’s French Fry. Sometimes it's the sound of the Atlantic Ocean, the distant sound of the fog horn or even the sound of the Route 50 drawbridge opening that can trick your senses into thinking you’re actually IN Ocean City! I know you’re thinking, well if I’m hearing all those things, I must BE in Ocean City! Nope, think again! It’s very possible to actually “feel” like you are in Ocean City, MD from the comfort of your own home. It’s truly the next best thing, thanks to our own OC Insider Bill! He has been visiting OCMD now for over 40 years and recorded his first “sound” of Ocean City back in 1974, it was of the old Jetty Beacon Foghorn. In the more recent years Bill has taken to recording sounds all over the city. An afternoon at Seacrets with reggae music, excited chatter and the sound of drinks being poured (and drank) in the background. How about a day at Trimper’s Amusement park and a scary ride through Boardwalks own Haunted House! The staple sounds of Ocean City’s seagulls, as well as The Atlantic Ocean are also included in his mix. All of these tracks came together to form “The Sounds of Ocean City, MD” which is a souvenir cd you can purchase through Bill’s webpage. Bill has more up his sleeve than just recording the sounds of our beloved island. He hopes one day that when all the stars and planets align in his life that he will be able to start his own deli and move to Ocean Pines, MD. It’s close enough to Ocean City, but far enough if you want to escape. The views of the OC skyline from Ocean Pines are IDEAL for the island lover that Bill truly is. He said “It just screams home to me!” Bill is “looking forward to opening a real Philadelphia style deli in OC”, but for now just content paying as many visits to Ocean City as he can each year! I decided that an important question to ask our OC Insider was about his favorite part of the city. “18th Street area will always be my lifetime favorite because that's where I grew up so to speak. As I've grown older, I love the fact that I can be in the area and not have to be in OC proper. Essentially, you can escape over the 50 or 90 bridge and get out of the circus, yet still have the sense of being at the seashore with some peace and quiet!!!!!” – Bill, OC Insider Bill elaborated on his love for West Ocean City, an amazing little part of town that seems to be rather unexplored by all the OC Visitors each year. Bill prides himself on being a member of the Ocean City Marlin Club, which he said “endeavors to create an interest in OCMD’s sport fishing and promotes the conservation of the sea and her creatures.” The Marlin Club is tucked away in the commercial harbor on Golf Course Road and is a private club you must apply and be accepted for. A hop skip and a jump away is Harborside Bar and Grille where you can stop in for a fresh squeezed Orange Crush and sit back and enjoy the tunes of a few local OC musicians! Harborside is situated right on the harbor and and shares it’s views with all the commercial fishing boats sitting at dock. Bill said to stop in for, “great happy hour, entertainment and food. It’s tucked away from the craziness during the summer” for an enjoyable afternoon! I asked Bill who some of his favorite Ocean City musicians were, since music and sound seem to be a major part of his life as well! He told me, “I really enjoy Full Circle, Kevin Poole, John LaMere, Christopher Button. I am long time friends with DJ Batman. I love Ocean 98 and listen to the station everyday. When I’m in town, he’ll have me on air with him either on his Saturday or Sunday version of the Hair of the Dog Show. I really look forward to that as I was on the radio as a DJ and a club DJ as well back in the mid-late 80s.” Bill, OC Insider So next time you’re in town, make sure to remember all the OC Insider advice from Bill. Roll the windows down and head west across the Route 50 bridge while jamming to 98.1 IRIE radio. Make the left turn down Golf Course Road and check out Harborside Bar and Grill, Sunset Grille, The Shark, Crab Alley or even Captain’s Galley. The harbor is loaded with history and delicious places to eat! Not to mention always check out Harbor Day at the Docks which is a great event geared towards teaching you the tradition of fishing, techniques for cooking your fresh catches and fun children’s activities! If you can’t make it into town fast enough, I suggest you grab your own copy of The Sounds of Ocean City, Md and keep those memories fresh! You can find Bill on the OC Insiders - Ask an Expert section of the official Ocean City webpage. Not to mention you can stop into his Sounds of Ocean City Facebook page and I am sure he would LOVE to answer any questions you may have about your next visit to Ocean City, Maryland! And of course you can find Meaghan on the Holiday Inn Suites Facebook page. Ocean City Vacation, Things to do in Ocean City, 2012-05-01T13:45:30+00:00 http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/free-fun-for-everyone-in-ocean-city http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/free-fun-for-everyone-in-ocean-city#When:15:42:41Z 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! Movies on the Beach start at 8:30 p.m. every Monday and Friday, at 27th Street from June 25 - August 10, 2012. Movies start around 8:30 p.m. and run to around 10:30 p.m., weather permitting. Free Concerts on the Beach feature music for the whole family, Wednesday evenings from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Division Street beach. Bring your beach chairs and/or blankets, and enjoy beautiful music in a beautiful setting! July & August 2012. The Family Beach Olympics are held Tuesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the 27th Street beach. Events include sand castle contests, tug of war, relay games and more. (Children must be accompanied by parents or guardians.) And after the activities, stick around for a Movie on the Beach! Find out more information, details and cool ideas on ococean.com including 100 Free OC Activites and Free Family Fun. Events, Ocean City Vacation, Things to do in Ocean City, 2012-04-26T15:42:41+00:00 http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/rum-pointe-golf-course http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/rum-pointe-golf-course#When:16:47:59Z How much of an important element is Scott Cooper to Rum Pointe golf course? More importantly, is Rum Pointe made of rum? Unfortunately, it is not; however, Cooper is one of the more important factors to the course itself. The general manger, of six years, is not only one of the most knowledgeable managers of his course, but one of the friendliest guys you will ever meet. The precision that went into the creation of the course exemplifies how this course is like no other. The course has one of the most revised layout blueprints from PB Dye. Rum Pointe is fundamentally your all-around links course. Because it is a links course it is more open and has a natural setting. Cooper notes, “There’s a couple of holes that are in the woods, but other than that we’re a regular styled links course.”Not only are they a links course, designed by the father/son duo Pete and PB Dye, but it is the only course to have bent grass on both fairways and greens. Unlike some of their competitors, who have a mixture of different grasses on their courses, Rum Pointe even has bent grass from the tee to the green. Even their driving range is treated richly. Cooper is quoted saying, “Only during the winter time do we put out mats, but the driving range is made up of bent grass.” As for the scene, which is exquisite, Cooper admits to a few houses resting near Rum Pointe. “There’s only about 7 houses on the course, but that’s about it. Number 16 is on the bay, but it’s not much of a housing community here,” he says. One of the houses bordering the course is the historical Rackliffe House, built in the 18th Century. Once players reach the eighth hole they are in for a real treat. The view of the Sinepuxent Bay and Assateague Island is breathtaking. He went on to speak of how playing in a natural environment can give the sport an aesthetic feeling. People looking to play a beautiful course with friendly and accommodating employees should definitely check out Rum Pointe! Tip of the day: Play from the right tee box. A lot of players will play from a longer tee box when they really don’t belong there. It’s like someone playing from 400 yards when they should really be playing from 350 yards. They should play a more forward tee box. If you’re an experienced golfer that’s one thing, but when you’re more of a beginner or someone who doesn’t play frequently you have to know that playing from a farther tee box is going to be a difficult game for you. Golf, Scenic, 2012-04-23T16:47:59+00:00 http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/ocean-city-boardwalk-project http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/ocean-city-boardwalk-project#When:18:06:00Z 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.” - Terry McGean, Ocean City Engineer Boardwalk, Ocean City Vacation, Scenic, Things to do in Ocean City, Video, 2012-04-20T18:06:00+00:00 http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/tax-refund-ocean-city-vacation http://www.ocmdhotels.com/blog/tax-refund-ocean-city-vacation#When:13:44:23Z Take those hard earned tax dollars and reward yourself with something that everyone can enjoy- a vacay! Even if you are only getting a few dollars back, don't you think you deserve a little motivation to get through the next series of fiscal quarters? Don't you feel entitled to some off the cusp luxuries?! I do! I think a long weekend is in order! Whether you are looking for a family adventure or a romantic getaway to set the mood, Ocean City this Spring is the most ideal location. There are plenty of exciting events in Ocean City as well as amazing hotel specials including: Special Offer Tropical Package at the Quality Inn Oceanfront Stay 2 nights & get the 3rd night free, available Sundays - Thursdays through May 17, 2012. Sundays at the Beach at the Quality Inn Boardwalk Stay any 3 consecutive nights and save 50% on Sundays! Available through May 13, 2012. Pre Season Savings at the Flagship Oceanfront Hotel Save 15% on reservations made before May 1, 2012! Must include at least one night Sunday - Thursday to qualify. So take your rebate and enjoy some of the fun and inexpensive shoulder season rates and activities that Ocean City, Maryland can offer you. And cheers, Uncle Sam! Ocean City Budget Travel Tips: Thurs-Sat stays (week days are less expensive!) Tons of FREE or cheap activities in town and nearby including Assateague Island, Ocean City boardwalk and of course the beach! Stay in a hotel room with a kitchenette. The nightly rates are a little more but you will save by preparing a few of your own meals. 2012-04-19T13:44:23+00:00