Ocean City, MD (Baltimore, Berlin: hardwood floors, apartment, hotel)

[Koalabay52]

I just got back from a short visit there with my husband. I have been going to the beach in OC since early 70's. I may not go there every year, but something always seems to call me back. I always loved walking their boardwalk and eating Thrasher's french fries with vinager. Something about it and that's why I returned. It may not be the same as the 70's, but still fun. Maybe because I was in my early 20's and it is very nostalgic. I remember when alot of bikers were there alot and the Charlie's Angels posters, very funny t-shirts, and if I recall, the ocean used to come right up to the boardwalk near 6th street to 10th. My husband disagrees, but I remember walking at night and looking on the other side of the railing and seeing it. They must have made the beach wider; you have to walk out to it now. Don't see any bikers with black leather and chains, but alot of families. I do know the bikers come in Sept for the Harley Davidson weekend. I suppose since gas got overly espensive, people aren't traveling far. It takes us 4 hours- wish it was closer because I love the boardwalk. The kite Loft is a place I always visited and used to take our 2 boys in to buy kites.And of course the people are friendly. Miss crabbing in the Chesapeake, too. I have an old song from the 70's that mention's the Chesapeake. I always wanted to move south when I retire, but I'm afraid I'd get homesick for OC. I even came home and checked out the beach cam in OC.

[pixieshmoo]

I've checked the beach cam too, pretty cool. It's funny you say OC keeps calling you back, that's exactly how I feel! There's just something about it. It's like being on a beach and boardwalk in a different world. We used to go crabbing there too, or we'd have the crab traps set off our dock. We even used to go beach fishing at night, that was great. As we got older we also liked hanging around the Purple Moose saloon, they always had some band jammin' away! I think I also must've held some record when I was about 16 for riding that upside down rollercoaster (I think it was called the tidal wave or sea serpent) more than anyone who's ever been to OC....couldn't get me on that now

BTW, no one has mentioned the guy who does those awesome sand sculptures...is he still there? That was something you couldn't believe without seeing!!

[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.

[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.

[Koalabay52]

Forgot to ask : does anyone remember the ocean coming right up to the boardwalk up near 10th street? I believe they brought more sand in from the ocean because the beach is much wider now. I seem to remember looking over the railing at night and seeing the water hit the wall.

[pixieshmoo]

Can't really say, I've been going for 20 years and I remember it always being a distance from the boardwalk to the ocean. Are you talking about those cement walls where in some spots they have the steps to go down to the sand? If that's what you're talking about than I'm almost positive the bdwlk. was always that far from the water. However, I noticed a few years ago the major change they made on the boardwalk itself...right where they put that big cement patio-type area and the streetlamps. It was weird to see when they first did it.

Anybody remember shopping in Moondoggie's? They had all the rock/metal/biker stuff like those slave bracelets (bracelets attached to a ring from a chain)....that was an awesome shop.

[Koalabay52]

Could be. This was back in the mid 70's about the same place the cement walls are now located. There is a guy who comes and sits on the wall at 6th st everynight and plays the diggadaroo (spelled close) An Aboriginie horn. I saw him there a couple years ago. I'm glad they finally placed a seperate cement walkway just for the trolley. Now they need to finish it up to 26th street. And they erected , I believe brass fireman and dedicated it to all fireman. This is near 4th street up on a cement slab on beach. I don't remember Moondoggies. Just alot of bikers and chains that used to scare me but now they all got mellowed out and instead of wearing slave bracelets, they problably wear bracelets with their grandkids names on them. There was a great clothing shop back about 30 years ago right beside Happy Jacks down on Baltimore St near the bay near rt 50, though.

[pixieshmoo]

I agree about the trolley. Here in Jersey we have a joke..."watch the tram car please" because in Wildwood they have the same thing as OC (they call it a tram car though) and there's a recording on it as it cruises down the boardwalk and everytime people are in it's way, all you hear is this obnoxious voice saying "watch the traaammm car please". Ugh. You know, now that you mention bikers, aside from the boardwalk, there used to be this bar (or maybe it's still there) if you took the back roads from the Lewes Ferry. I think it's route 9 or something, but as you're driving along this winding road and looking across the river at the beautiful NJ powerplants, you come across this bar/pub plopped in the middle of nowhere and there's about 3 billion harleys parked out front and the owners are all hanging out on the porch of this bar. It's pretty cool. I also remember buying all the cool/funny shirts down on the OC boardwalk...the smiley face with the bullet hole in the forehead and blood running down, the shirts that said "Bo knows...." they were all great. One year we went down and my friend and I both had Motley Crue t-shirts on, some waiter in one of the restaurants actually asked us if we were in a band and if he could have our autograph! We said "dude, it says motley crue, do we look like motley crue"? We should've just went along with it OC's always been and still is a blast...I feel like I'm home when I'm there (except now there's twice as many resort hotels ) To me, still no other bar can hold a candle to Seacrets.

[Koalabay52]

But I like the "Watch the Trammm Car Pleeeeeeze" I was last there in Sept 04. Stayed at the Adventurer. We used to take the little boys at that hotel a few times. But what a long walk to the ocean! I like the ocean in Wildwood better than OC MD, though. You can walk out alot further in the ocean and the water always seems warmer. I believe it's probably because of the Ches. Bay. The ocean at OC just drops in kinda deep and cold. But around 7 years ago I made reservations at the Colloseum in Wildwood. I called them and gave them a couple weeks notice and they said I could cancel and get a refund if I gave them 48 hours notice. The night after I talked to them, which was still 10 days to go, I called back to cancel. My kids wanted to go to OC instead. When I received my credit card bill both hotels were on there for the same night! I called and talked to the manager in NJ and told them I was to give them 48 hours notice and I did. For some reason, I called them again to talk to the manager. Can't remember exactly, but I remember he was trying to ignore talking to me even though I wasn't really angry. I contacted the BBB and mailed them copy of my bill. The very nice man couldn't help me and I had to call the hotel in Spring when they opened. I called. Manager said I could come down and stay for the night. I wanted a refund. I contacted the Attorney Gen in MJ, but no response. I should have contacted my credit card co and I would have gotten a refund. I know better, now. I do like Wildwood boardwalk at night, and Cape May. But I really enjoy OC boardwalk at night eating Thrasher's frenchfries and vinager. It's probably a lot of fun to go down when they have the muscle cars. It would seem more like the 70's and 80's. Of course we didn't call our cars 'Muscle cars' back in the 70's.

[pixieshmoo]

Actually, I hate the Jersey shore LOL Maybe hate is too strong of a word. But I'm from North Jersey, so we actually grew up going "down the shore" to seaside heights and pt. pleasant. I've only been to wildwood twice in my life. Our theory was that if we were going to drive that far to wildwood, we may as well, just continue straight on to OC, Md. since it was better. Wildwood is about 3 hours from me, that's why. Anyway, our shores are good if you want to take a day trip or just "hit the boards" (aka, go to the boardwalk). However, I don't vacation at the Jersey shore, not since I was 21 and we all chipped in for a shore house to party in. It's not worth the money to get there, the money to get on the beach (go figure), the money for parking, the money for the boardwalk and all the trash (people) you have to deal with.