Halfway across the Route 50 Bridge over Isle of Wight Bay, heartbeats race at the sight of a glorious, 10-mile sandbar strewn with high-rise condos and Ferris wheels. Salty air fills the lungs; Thrasher’s fries and suntan oil tease the nose; seagulls screeching, waves crashing and kids squealing in the surf suddenly become the only music worth listening to.
This heaven on Earth must be summer vacation in Ocean City. But, wait! There’s no reason to store that magic along with the gardening tools and lawn furniture.
“Ocean City’s fall season is a spectacular time to be at the beach,” said Donna Abbott of the Ocean City Department of Tourism. “Generally, temperatures remain mild, hotel rates are lower, and many businesses remain open year-round.”
Indeed, under skies that seem a deeper blue in fall, the beaches, Abbott said, are less crowded, yet activities still bustle along the boardwalk, and on any given weekend there are special events and activities under way.
“Winefest is one of the annual events taking place in Ocean City that is growing in popularity,” Abbott said of the 13th annual Wine Festival on the Beach planned for next weekend.
Held at the Inlet Park in Ocean City, numerous wineries from up and down the East Coast will be represented, as well as several vendors offering an array of international cuisine and microbrewed beers. Arts and crafts dealers will be out in full force, along with local recording artists, including Bird Dog and The Road Kings.
“I started [Winefest] and have enjoyed watching it grow each year,” said organizer Chris Nokes. “What more can you ask for than wine and live entertainment on our stage in the sand overlooking the ocean on a gorgeous September day?”
Plenty, according to Abbott.
“Coming up [on] Oct. 5th to the 12th is another Ocean City Restaurant Week with many spectacular restaurants offering [reduced] fixed-price menus,” she said.
Columbus Day weekend offers many visitors a three-day vacation and a chance to enjoy Oktoberfest (Oct. 10-12) at the Convention Center.
Mid-November hails the beginning of Ocean City’s annual Winterfest of Lights running from Nov. 20 through Jan. 21. More than a million holiday lights glow throughout the town and in the Winterfest Village at Northside Park, open to nightly tours.
“Ocean City has really grown into a year-round destination, thanks to the expanded offerings of special events,” Abbott said. “If there is an off-season, it is very short-lived.”
If you go
- What: Ocean City, Md.
- Distance: 150 miles from both Baltimore and Washington
- Info: 1-800-OC-OCEAN (1-800-626-2326)
- On the Net: ococean.com; winefest.com; oceancityrestaurantweek.com
