Mini get away

We have been struggling with the final decision about what to do for our week long vacation.   A beach trip had been booked for months....but the beach had mandatory masks anywhere outside (except when actually on the beach...but all that boardwalk walking and bike riding we would do would be masked).  So we made a back up plan to go back to new river gorge and hike for the week!   We double booked hotels and sat back to wait to make our decision.   As time passes we have become more and more convinced that the mountains are where we should go.   But we just hesitated to drop the idea of going to the ocean!   We love to see the ocean at least once a year!   And our spring trip had been cancelled in the height of the Covid panic so we hadn’t seen the ocean yet this year.    

On Saturday of Labor Day weekend, we were out shopping and we were talking about our upcoming decision and we both said ‘if we could at least see the ocean I think this decision would be easier.’   We looked at each other and said, ‘Well it is a long weekend!’  We quickly finished our grocery shopping and headed home.  Surprisingly we found a hotel that had a vacancy (not ocean front but it was a hotel situated right on the boardwalk) and by 12-1 Pm on Saturday we were heading to the beach!!!  What beach?  Ocean City, Maryland.

Masks were mandatory...and they had police on the boardwalk patrolling and stopping unmasked people!

 

We didn’t buck the system.   We wanted to see the ocean but we didn’t want to get sick in the process.  So we kept our masks on when we were in crowded areas!  But when we were in wide open places with no one for 10-20 feet away, we lowered our masks!  

The ocean was gorgeous!  (It was a lot more crowded than this picture made it appear....this was taken early morning)

We explored some history of Ocean City.  

Our hotel was the Shoreham Hotel...which was built in the early 1900’s and is actually the oldest continually operating hotel in Ocean City.  (There are two or three older hotels but their original buildings all burnt down at one point and had to be rebuilt...the Shoreham is the original building) 

We also spent some time exploring the vintage amusement park rides in the carousel building.  And In particular, the 1912 giant hand carved carousel. 

We had a fabulous time in Ocean City...even with the masks!

Sooo....the question you may be asking.  What are our thoughts about our week long vacation now that we saw the ocean and experienced the mandatory masks on the boardwalk?  

Within a half hour to an hour of walking on the boardwalk with masks....we had our answer.   It was annoying...hot...and just not cool!    We both are satisfied with our glimpse of the ocean and the time that we spent frolicking in the water.  We are both now 100% ok with a trip to the mountains versus the ocean.   In fact, we got home and immediately cancelled the ocean hotel!   Our decision is made!  Bring on New River Gorge come vacation time!!!!