A SLICE OF J1 ADVICE - OCEAN CITY,
MARYLAND
INTRODUCTION
Ocean City is a resort town offering 10 miles of sandy shore and plenty to do, with miniature golf courses, amusement parks and water attractions dotting the island. It is also a very popular spot for J1ers who love sun, sand and general beach living.
http://ococean.com/
http://www.ocean-city.com/
http://www.oceancitymd.gov/
http://www.oceancitycam.com/
TRANSPORT
Flying into New York is the best option if you want to travel to Maryland. You should then take the Greyhound Bus to Ocean City, from the Port Authority Bus.
Terminal located at 42nd St. & 8th Avenue (off Times Square). You should go to the Greyhound International ticket counter to purchase your ticket or you can purchase on-line at www.greyhound.com. Furthermore, since a ticket is not a guarantee of a seat we recommend that you get to the terminal 45 minutes before your desired departure time. The bus takes about 8 hours and the cost of a one-way fare is approximately $50.
The Coastal Highway Transit Bus is Ocean City’s municipal bus that travels along Coastal Highway 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The buses are safe, clean, reliable, and convenient. A Ride-All-Day pass allows you to ride from 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 a.m. the next morning. The friendly and knowledgeable drivers will be glad to take you down to South Division Street Transit Centre or to the North end Transit Centre or anywhere in-between.
The Trolley provides service from the depot on Somerset St. to the mid-town transit hub at the Convention Centre. The trolley follows Baltimore Avenue to the end and makes a stop at 34th street before going into the Convention Centre lot. Transfers are made and the trolley heads south making stops to 17th street.
You will then express to the South Depot at Somerset Street. What a nostalgic ride in the Downtown area! For $2.00 you can Ride-All-Day.
SOCIAL SCENE
The most popular pubs and clubs for J1ers in Ocean City include Secrets, Club 24 and The Paddock.
Hit the Boardwalk! - Bike, Walk or Ride the Train the entire length from the Inlet to end at 27th Street (approximately 3 miles).
Forget Your Diet! Be sure to enjoy real boardwalk fries, caramel popcorn, salt water taffy or dine at some of the finest restaurants in the Mid-Atlantic.
Relax! Catch a spectacular bayside sunset or if you are an early riser the sunrise over the beach is fabulous.
Explore! Check out the Lifesaving Museum on the Boardwalk at the Inlet or take a walking tour of the historic downtown area.
Get Back to Nature! Visit Assateague Island- just 9 miles from
Ocean City. Hike the nature trails, enjoy the beach and see the wild ponies and deer.
Shop! Whether its great bargains or great antiques Ocean City
And quaint nearby towns (Snow Hill, Berlin) have everything to offer.
Dance! Free Beach Concerts Every Wednesday July 12th - August
23rd 8pm- 9:30pm on the beach Downtown at North Division Street and the Boardwalk. Warm up to Evening Beach Bonfires – Every Thursday July 13th -
August 24th, 9pm on the beach Downtown at North Division Street.
Hop onto an antique carousel, or if you fancy something more daring try out the spinning amusement rides. You could also try your luck in the arcades on the Boardwalk.
ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation is in good supply here.
Check out Jarman House for low cost rental accommodation: 410 289 7678.
The Ocean City Convention & Visitors Bureau also provides information on accommodation: 410 289 8181.
Periwinkle Apts about $500 per week for 3 bedrooms.Phone: 001 410 649 4172.
Parrott Lagoon is also good for accommodation. See www.parrotlagoon.com for more details.
Other websites for accommodation include:
www.oceancity.org/
www.ocwr.com
www.apartmentList.com
http://ococean.com/forms/SeasonalHousing.pdf/
JOBS
There are plenty of restaurants around Ocean City that employ J1ers as waiters, hosts and bus boys. Just remember that you will probably have to be over 21 to get a job waiting tables, but you don’t have to be 21 to be a host or bus boy.
Some restaurants to try include:
Bahama Mama’s Buxy’s Salty Dog Conner’s Beach Cafe
221 Wicomico Street 27th & Coastal 211 North Boardwalk, 410-289-0291 410-289-0973 410-289-4105,
Embers Phillips Crab House Marina Deck
24th & Coastal 21stSt & Coastal Hwy 306 Dorchester St.,410 289 3322 (410) 289 6821 410-289-4411, www.embers.com
Boardwalk Joe’s Mario’s Restaurant Olive Tree
4th St on the Boardwalk 22nd St & Philadelphia Ave 1613 Phil. Ave, 410-289-5104 410-289-9445 410-289-4557
Jonah & the Whale Voyage East Enterprises Inc.
26th Boardwalk PO Box 149, (410) 524 2722 (410) 213 0489
However there are plenty more restaurants and cafes in the area – for a more comprehensive list check out www.oceancity.md and www.ocean-city.com – two great websites to do with all things Ocean City.
Another useful website for both jobs and accommodation is www.oceancity.org.
As mentioned above it is a great resource for information on Ocean City.
Splash Mountain Water Park and Pirate Adventures are two amusement parks where J1ers have found employment in previous years, and they are always looking for seasonal staff so do apply for a job there. Contact Splash Mountain at
(410) 289 6962 or email Tom Duff at . Supermarkets such as Super Fresh and 7-Eleven are also good spots to try.
Try also:
http://www.oceancityhelpwanted.com/
http://www.ocean-city.com/boardwalk/
http://www.jollyrogerpark.com/jobs
INFO & TIPS
M Tip between 15%-20% on your restaurant/bar bill or cab-fare. $1 per drink otherwise.
M Minimum wage is $6.15 p/h, except in tipping positions where it's $2.83 - $3.09 p/h
M If under 21 don't look for bar/waiter/waitressing work. It's not legal to serve drink as a minor. M Take the FIRST job you get, the first 3 weeks are the most expensive of the whole summer, you can always leave when you get another one.
M Negotiate when you're taking an apartment, it can't hurt & may save you a fortune.
M GET AIR CONDITIONING!
Many grocery stores (e. g., Food Lion, Superfresh) offer discount cards for customers to get extra savings (e. g., buy one get one free, or $1 off, etc.). Read local newspapers for weekly specials.
M Kit out your apartment with 2nd hand stuff, it’s amazing what American’s throw out!
WI-FI ACCESS
http://oceancitymd.gov/wifi.html
http://www.openwifispots.com/city_free_wifi_wireless_hotspot-Ocean_City_MD.aspx#38.2970671,-75.14622600000001,14