Ocean City MD Filter

May 28, 2008 7:31 PM

Hi, Booked a vacation to Ocean City MD for the week of 6/16 but now I'm reading about "Senior Week".

Is that the same week? We're 55, should we go somewhere else to relax? Staying at one of the Boardwalk hotels, will we be able to sleep? It's our first real vacation in many moons. Thanks.

posted by jara1953 to travel & transportation (7 comments total)

Every high school senior in Maryland, more or less, goes to OC the week after graduation. I expect the exact week might be different from county to county. Based on my memory of "beach week," every cranny was filled with drunk and disorderly high school students, and many hotel rooms will be filled beyond their legal capacity with teenagers. So if it's like it was 20 years ago, no, this wouldn't be your best choice. I'd think Rehoboth, Bethany, or Dewey would be your best choice.
posted by escabeche at 8:44 PM on May 28, 2008

Senior week is sort of like spring break - the actual dates vary by college/high school, so popular destinations like Ocean City basically play host to a month and a half of senior "week". Your dates are likely to overlap with that season.

I had my college senior week there a few years ago. While the town's atmosphere was nowhere near as rowdy as, say, Key West during spring break, it wasn't what I would call "relaxing."

I'd mostly be concerned about your hotel. If it's on the upscale side, I wouldn't worry as much...large groups tend to reserve rooms at cheaper places so that everyone can afford it, and the big groups are the ones who will likely ruin your experience. I was part of one of those big group reservations for my senior week....within literally minutes of arrival, the courtyard area was filled with several kegs, loud music, and about 40 college students. Maybe try checking with your hotel?
posted by lalex at 9:04 PM on May 28, 2008

If you were looking to relax on the beach, you may want to consider the 5 minute drive to Assateague Island just south of O.C. I would recommend the national park over the state park. You'll need to buy a pass (can't remember weekly pass rate, but it's not much.) There's much more room to "spread out" and very few of the teenyboppers go there. You can even take alchohol in a cooler and drink right on the beach if that's your flavor. There is a bathroom and changing area right near the beach and the parking lot.

If you go, look for the guy with the white beach chair with the white shade. That'll be me. ;) I'm a schoolteacher who lives nearby and that's our first week out of school. I might even have an extra cold one.
posted by sciencejock at 10:07 PM on May 28, 2008 [1 favorite]

Ditto checking the quality of your hotel. If you're staying at a fancy (read: pricey), you'll be fine. When I did Beach Week, I was splitting a hovel of a weekly apartment rental with five other guys - we only cared about how cheap the room was, how much space there was for beer, and what signals we could use should one of us manage to bring a girl back. Call your hotel and ask them about the noise situation - they'd much rather have a happy pair of 50-somethings than a horde of 18 year old vomit factories.

As for the beach itself, we were not mobile until after lunchtime most days. So if you want surf and sand, try to aim for the mornings. Retreat back to your hotel's pool/deck area in the afternoons when the kids stagger out to play. The same goes for any off-beach activities.

Remember that the kids are only interested in Booze, Sex, and Cheapness. Avoid anything that caters to those three and you should be fine.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 7:40 AM on May 29, 2008

You may have better luck in a hotel, where at least changing rooms is a possibility, than you would renting a condo or house. We went to OC in early August last year and happened to be renting a condo right next to a condo full of rowdy, drunk college kids. We didn't get much sleep that week. FWIW, we also visited Rehoboth beach one day and it was just as crowded as OC.

Also, seconding the recommendation for Assateague Island. It's really beautiful, especially early in the morning.
posted by geeky at 8:00 AM on May 29, 2008

Spend a day at Assateague no matter what the situation is where you stay - it is great. As for the rest, I do not think it is anywhere as crazy as it used to be in OC (like the 20 years ago person). Senior week is actually about 3 weeks, starting with many of the private school kids hitting there after this weekend. The city does a good job trying to keep them occupied with Play it Safe. playitsafeoceancity.com

THE MISSION OF PLAY IT SAFE OCEAN CITY:
To encourage high school graduates to make informed, healthy choices while having responsible fun without the use of alcohol and other drugs

Basically they have lots of FREE activities for kids to keep them out of trouble (bowling, mini golf, beach volleball, pizza, bus passes etc). Check the website for locations of events to see if they are near your hotel. It may be a bit more crazy in those areas. My mom is a volunteer at the events and says they are well run and well chaperoned.

But if you are in a nicer hotel, eat at non-pizza/burger places, you would have a nice trip.
posted by maxg94 at 8:10 AM on May 29, 2008

I know this doesn't answer your question, but when I read just the outside, I assumed you were younger and were going to be going at a time when the area would be flooded with seniors, meaning 60 year old +. When my husband and I took our "honeymoon" they were having a Senior week where we went, but the area was filled with older people and we were trying to party :)

I think any beach you go to in summer is going to have its fair share of teens and college students. I don't think you'd have any more trouble relaxing or sleeping during this event than any other week in June.
posted by jesirose at 9:41 AM on May 29, 2008