Ocean City, Maryland

Ocean City is a barrier-island resort town in Worcester County, Maryland, on the Atlantic Ocean, and is the closest major Atlantic beach destination to Washington, DC. The beach is a wide, long stretch of fine, pale sand running about ten miles along the length of the island, with open ocean surf and moderate waves. The water is typically green to blue-grey and cools quickly outside summer. Conditions range from gentle swimming surf to strong rip currents, so attention to flags and lifeguard instructions matters.

A boardwalk of roughly three miles runs along the sand, lined with amusements, arcades, restaurants, shops, a Ferris wheel and an amusement pier, and it is the centre of the town's social life. Lifeguards patrol the beach in season, usually from mid-morning to late afternoon, and visitors should only swim when guards are present. The town has a wide range of hotels, condominiums and restaurants, and rental umbrellas and chairs are available on the sand. Public restrooms and showers are placed along the boardwalk and at street ends.

The atmosphere varies across the island. The southern end near the inlet and the boardwalk is lively, with families, teenagers and partiers filling the area, while the northern end beyond 90th Street is quieter and more residential. The beach is also popular with surf fishermen, and pier and charter fishing are major draws. Summer weekends are crowded, and traffic on the main highways can be heavy.

Ocean City is typically reached by car in about three hours from DC via US-50 East, crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, though summer Friday traffic can add a lot of time. Seasonal coach services also run from the Washington area. Once there, the town runs a bus service along the length of the island, which helps avoid the difficulty of finding parking. The beach suits a long weekend rather than a quick day trip from the capital.