"One Woman's Winter in Ocean City" Maryland

Why does one choose to spend the winter in Ocean City, Maryland?

After 4 months, I am leaving Ocean City today with high temperatures at 16 degree F. The North East is having a brutal February with snow and temperatures much below normal.

I traveled throughout Europe the first 6 months of 2014, returning to the USA in June. After traveling to Florida,  I returned to Pennsylvania to be close to family for the holidays.
I planned on returning to Europe for additional travel thus looked for a short term apartment on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I found the perfect apartment in Ocean City, MD.

The apartment: homeaway.com #3488963

Apartment with a view of the ocean, well appointed studio with balcony, near the Convention Center.
The building has a heated pool, exercise room, nice lobby. Owner is available and helpful.

Being a summer resort town, Ocean City is quiet in the winter. Most of the year round residents live in West Ocean City across the Route 50 bridge. On the island, there were several residents in the condominium building primarily on the weekends until January. From mid January through February there are fewer residents.

Ocean City in the winter, is primarily for someone looking for solitude, relaxation and have projects to work on such as writing, photography. It is peaceful and I enjoyed being here.

November and December are pleasant months, warm enough to walk the boardwalk and beach. A few shops are open on the boardwalk, bike rental is available. For the holidays, there is a parade and Festival of Lights. January and February are colder and not as pleasant to walk the boardwalk.

What to do in winter?
I spent the days working on my blog, editing and organizing my photos from trip, did some online courses, reading, walking and browsed the outlet stores. I joined World Gym in January.

I found the residents friendly and talkative and enjoyed knowing them.

Restaurants open:
Holiday Inn 17th street
Sunset Grill at the Inlet
Segrets open Thursday-Sunday
BJ's on the water
Outback Steak House in West Ocean City
Fausto's Antipasti-Closed in February, excellent menu, owner is Italian however is high priced

A View of the Ocean, a short drive to the inlet, a short block to the beach 

                                                 Sunrise from the Condominium

View of the Boardwalk and the Beach in Winter

                       

                                                               Cloudy Sky

Ocean City Inlet

Stormy Ocean

Rough Waters Ocean City Inlet

Sunset Inlet