OCEAN CITY, Md. - Rainy weather and rougher surf changed Memorial Day weekend plans for visitors in Ocean City, leaving stretches of the beach and inlet parking lot noticeably quieter as the resort town marked the unofficial start of its summer season.
By Monday, visitors who had hoped to spend the holiday weekend on the beach or out on the water were turning to the Boardwalk, restaurants and indoor attractions instead.
Ocean City’s annual Memorial Day ceremony was also affected by the weather. Town officials canceled the ceremony, which had been scheduled at the Fireman’s Memorial on North Division Street and the Boardwalk, because of expected poor weather conditions. Visitors can still stop by the memorial on the Boardwalk to view the military wreath display honoring fallen service members.
Shane Hatton, who lives in West Ocean City, said his daughter and grandson came to town for the weekend expecting beach time and boating.
“We were hoping to get some time on the beach and do some boating, but unfortunately, with the weather, we had to make a lot of changes pretty quickly,” Hatton said.
The family instead spent time playing board games, visiting indoor attractions and riding bikes along the Boardwalk. Courtney Hatton said the weekend was disappointing because her family enjoys the beach, but they were still finding ways to enjoy the trip.
Other visitors said the gray skies did not stop them from continuing a Memorial Day tradition.
Ana Leonor and John Manzo said they have made Ocean City part of their anniversary weekend plans for several years. Leonor said the couple checked out of their hotel Monday and spent their final hours walking the Boardwalk after visiting restaurants and other attractions.
“We’re getting the experience of the beach as much as we can,” Leonor said.
The weather also posed challenges for Boardwalk businesses that typically count on Memorial Day weekend to kick off the busy summer season.
Erin Soriano with Fisher’s Popcorn said Saturday’s weather had an immediate impact on customer traffic.
“Saturday obviously being almost like a washout, basically, it felt like we were dealing with a nor’easter,” Soriano said. “There were still some brave people that came up here, but it was not that great of a weekend for us.”
Soriano said Memorial Day is typically a major starting point for summer operations, with seasonal staff returning and businesses preparing for larger crowds in the weeks ahead.
Still, she said one rainy holiday weekend does not determine how the rest of the season will unfold.
“We’re just trying to be optimistic, as that’s not writing off the whole summer,” Soriano said. “We’re looking forward to seeing everybody when the weather’s better, and hopefully Mother Nature will give us a break.”
Visitors Monday said the weather did not change their overall view of Ocean City, with several already planning to return for a better beach day later this summer.
