Summer vacation planning - Anyone familiar with Ocean City, Maryland?

Christmas and New Year's are over, winter has just begun, so of course we're starting to talk about summer vacation plans.  Husband and son are talking Ocean City, MD.  Never been.  Anyone familiar?

My family used to go there every summer.  It's big -- lots of high rises and miles of beach.  There are low rise and single family places, too, but I believe they are outnumbered.  It's a peninsula, with bay on one side and ocean on the other.  Boardwalk and amusements, bars, music, you name it, they've got it.  We ultimately started staying in Rehoboth Beach, just a few miles north in Delaware, for a smaller and toned-down atmosphere.

Bethany Beach Delaware is between OC and Rehoboth. We went there for many years. Small town feel and just a short drive from both Rehoboth and Ocean City. I recommend Bethany Beach enthusiastically. 

What ml1 said. Rent a place or a room in Bethany and save Ocean City's boardwalk and other attractions for a day or evening trip. Bethany is about a half-hour drive; Rehoboth is closer to an hour from O.C.

(RichardR is right, too: When I went to O.C. as a young kid, we'd rent a stilt house a block from the sand. Pretty soon, by the mid-'70s, the new high-rises were casting half the beach in the shade most of the day, it seemed.)

Check out Martha's Vineyard

Why is this under "Soapbox-Politics?

STANV said:
Why is this under "Soapbox-Politics?

Anticipation of a heated Lewes vs. Rehoboth vs. Dewey vs. State Park vs. Bethany vs. Fenwick Island vs. Ocean City debate, maybe?

We can already see the Martha’s Vineyard lobby is engaged.

Baldwin said:
Check out Martha's Vineyard

 Been there about seven times.  Great spot and will go back, but interested in trying something else.

if you go to any of the Delaware beaches, I highly recommend late August.  We always went from around Aug 15 through Aug 25 or so.  Public schools in MD, DE, VA tend to start by mid-August, so you can get slightly better rental rates, and the beaches are not as crowded.  Also easier to get a table at a restaurant.

Fun fact - we ran into Bill Nye the Science Guy two years in a row at the rental office in Bethany Beach as we were picking up house keys

My family went to OC, MD almost every summer, sometimes 2x each summer when I was a kid. My bro & sis, mom & dad still go. It’s a great kid friendly spot! I loved swimming in the ocean and eating at Phillips Crab House, and eating Ponzettis pizza on the boardwalk. There’s fishing on the bay, a few spots to rent a boat for this. There is a large Playland and many arcades for the kids at the end of the boardwalk. 

From here you can drive down to Cape May and catch the Lewes ferry across to Del. And it’s a short drive down to OC. We used to rent these old vacation (old house or Apts.) rentals, never staying at a regular motel or hotel. 

Here’s a #FBF photo of me down in OC as a young dude.

Been going to OC, MD almost annually for the past 13 years but not for the beaches or nightlife.  We book a golf outing over a long Father's day weekend.  It's a great time, if you are so inclined.  There are great courses, plenty of places to eat and have a few drinks.

A couple of the guys bring or meet their families on the Monday following golf-a-palooza and stay for the week.  Most of the guys are from the Philly area and have been going there most of their lives.

What was said above is true - it's filled with high rise condos on the beach at various price points.  If you opt for the lower end you will likely be accompanied by 20 somethings partying.  Higher price points will get you a little more quiet.  The further south along the peninsula you go the more boardwalk-y it gets - more nightlife etc.

My brother and his friends used to love to go to Dewey Beach when they were younger.

Personally, I'd drive 2 more hours and go to VA Beach.  I've only been to OC once, and granted this was 15 or 20 years ago, but I thought OC reminded me too much of Wildwood, NJ.  I've spent a lot of time in VA Beach though, and always found it a nice place to vacation.