| Rates change a lot week by week over the season -- by sometimes as much as $1000 -- even at Sea Colony. If you can go early or late in the season you can save money. |
| With 2 and 5 yr old kids, I echo the suggestion to go on a slightly off season week - Sept is ideal because the weather is gorgeous (absent a hurricane!), the ocean temps are warm, the crowds are thinned, and the rates are significantly down. |
We're going to Bayside for a week. Staying in a condo for about $1800, so not cheap either. |
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There are some old school motels in fenwick island on beach block right in town. The type that have like 10-15 rooms and a little pool.
I would say that is a much better option than cheap places in OC (less crowded and more family friendly) |
Do not consider slaughter if you want to 'play' on the beach. They have a ton of horseshoe crabs and seaweed that wash ashore and it doesn't get cleaned up like in the larger beach areas. We were very disappointed. Plus it's on the bay and not the ocean. My kids would not go in due to the beach being full of debis (natural debris, but debris nonethe less) |
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Go to Chincoteague - great rates on rental houses there. Or get a place at Sea Colony but back in the tennis/pool area.
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| There are also motel/pool type places in Chincoteague and a few with kitchenettes. If you are going for a weekend and don't plan to cook, try The Refuge - their pool is warm. |
This PP back to add that I think it is Mallard Lakes condos that are significantly less expensive and closer to OC/Fenwick. Have you been to Bayside? You know that it is quite a distance to the beach? |
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If you go the last two weeks in August, prices drop dramatically. But $300 a night for peak times seems about right. This is when these places make their money for the entire year.
I'd suggest doing a mini-week in North Ocean City. There are LOADS of condos available, and it's still busy, but not quite as crazy as by the boardwalk. It's easy to get down there for other fun though (if that's what you're into). You'll still probably pay $300 a night, but you can go Mon-Fri and miss the huge weekend crowds. |
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Ocean Pines is a quiet community on the west side of the back bay, they have a parking lot and beach club/snack bar for community members over on the beach, not far from Seacrets. which solves the parking issue...it's a short drive over the Route 90 bridge. Vacation houses there are less expensive. Make sure to get one with a screen porch. Some of them have water views or docks for boating.
We enjoyed the restaurants in West Ocean City along the working harbor during a trip to Assateague last year (Sunset Road and Harbor Ave area.) I told DH it might make a good place to find a hotel room or rental where it's close to OC, dining and groceries, and Assateague SP, Berlin etc.) There's also OBX. Hotels and houses are cheaper there, for a shitty condo here you can get a whole house oceanfront or a place with a pool there. There are lots of ways to do a beach week for less $ if you look around and are willing to drive. Last year we went to the tiny town of Wachapreague. You can rent a small motorboat there at the marina and take it out the channel to a deserted sandbar. Fun soft adventure and the food and scenery at the Island House is not bad. |
I'm the Bayside PP. Yes we have been to Bayside. We have some circumstances we're working around this summer so it fits our needs. Just wanted to point out thst it's not really much less expensive than some places closer to the beach. |