"Main Street" in Ocean City is Philadelphia Avenue/Coastal Highway (528) on the bay side of the island. Baltimore Avenue runs north from the inlet to 32nd Street on the ocean side and then becomes Coastal Highway to 144th Street. Coastal Highway runs south from 144th Street to 32nd Street and then becomes Philadelphia Avenue. Coastal Highway is a three lane road, in addition to a bus lane. The buses travel in the right-most lane and stop on every other block at designated bus stops. You may not park in this lane, and you may not drive in this lane, except for making a right turn. Bicyclists may also ride in the bus lane, so be cautious of them when turning. The speed limit on Coastal Highway is 40 mph, Baltimore and Philadelphia Avenues range from 25-40 mph. Motorists must yield right of way to pedestrians at any crosswalk when pedestrians are obeying traffic signals, at controlled intersections, and intersections without signals. Bicyclists must obey the same traffic laws as motorists, and may receive citations for speeding, failure to stop at a red lights and stop signs, riding against the flow of traffic, and failure to use a headlight and rear reflector at night, as well as any other violation.

• Parking is available in private lots, city lots, and select public streets.
• Parking meters on all city lots are in effect 24 hours a day, and street meter times vary, with the hours posted on the meter.
• RV’s or any other vehicle exceeding 6’8” width or 21’2” length may not park on municipal streets or parking lots from June 1 through September 15.
• Boat trailers may not be parked on any public street, alley, or parking lot from May 1 through October 1. Boat trailer parking is available at the 100th Street Municipal Lot.

Municiple Parking Lots

• Hugh T. Cropper Inlet Parking Lot, adjacent to the southern end of Boardwalk; open year round, ticketed fee system April 15 through October 15; 24 hours a day. Free rest of the year.
• Ocean City Park & Ride, Rt. 50 just west of Harry Kelley Bridge; free parking, $1 shuttle bus.
• 100 th St. Parking Lot, bayside; daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal rates.

Inlet Parking

The inlet parking lot was completely reconstructed in 2000.  The new lot has 1,200 parking spaces including 35 handicapped spaces, as well as a passenger load and unload zone.  The inlet lot is open 24 hours a day. Meters are no longer in use, instead you are given a ticket when entering the lot and present your ticket to the lot attendant upon exiting for payment. Campers are not permitted in the inlet parking lot at any time.

If you want to avoid all the hassle of Ocean City traffic, take the bus. The buses run every day, 24 hours a day, from the inlet to the Delaware state line.

• The bus route is south along Coastal Highway and Philadelphia Ave to S Division St, where they stop at the Transit Center.  The busses travel north along Baltimore Ave to 15th Street, turning left on 15th Street and continuing north along Coastal Hwy to the Delaware State Line.
• You can ride as many times as you like from 6 am to 6 am for only $2 (exact change is required).
• Bus stops are every other block on Coastal Highway, Baltimore and Philadelphia Avenues.
• Senior citizen visitor discounts are available at City Hall, Convention Center, and Northside Park; call 410-723-1607 for more information.
• Senior resident passes are available through the Transportation Department; call 410-723-1607 for more information.
• Visitors or residents with physical challenges can arrange for at-home pickup service and request complete information on city buses equipped with wheelchair lifts; call 410-723-1607 for more information.
• From April 1 through November 1, the buses run every 15 minutes from 6 am to 11 pm; every 30 minutes 11 pm to 6 am Friday and Saturday; and every hour 11 pm to 6 am Sunday through Thursday.
• From November 1 through April 1, the buses run every 30 minutes from 6 am to 11 pm, and every hour from 11 pm to 6 am.

Ocean City's main attraction, the 10 mile beautiful beach, is free to all and open to the public from 6 am to 10 pm. The Ocean City Beach Patrol is on duty from 10 am to 5:30 pm daily.

Rules and Restrictions

• No private vehicles are allowed on the beach at any time.
• Surfers may only surf at one of the two “surfing” beaches, announced daily. These beaches will be one block wide, with one in the north and one in the south, rotated 2 blocks south daily. Hours of operation are from 10 am to 5:30 pm, and under the authority of the Beach Patrol.  Brochures listing the daily location of surf beaches are distributed to most local surf shops.  Surfers must have an ankle leash that is tethered to you and the board at all times.
• Surf fishing may not be done within 50 yards of swimmers or people on the beach between 9 am and 6 pm.
• Playing sports such as Frisbee or ball throwing is prohibited from May 30 to September 15 during the hours of 9 am to 5:30 pm
• Animals are not allowed on the beach between May 1 and September 30 at any time
• Sleeping on the beach is not permitted between 10 am and 6 am
• Consuming alcoholic beverages on the beach at any time
• You may not use a skim board between the hours of 10 am and 5:30 pm
• You may not bring any glass container on the beach
• You may not play loud music
• You may not start a fire on the beach without prior permission

Allowed Activites

• Umbrella placement
• Kite flying
• Boogie boarding
• Digging holes in the sand

Recommended Safety Precautions

• Do not carry valuables onto the beach
• Apply plenty of water-resistant sunscreen
• Wear eye protection
• Drink lots of water
• Regard any warning of storms in the area.
• Wave your arms when in danger and a Surf Rescue Technician will respond
• Beware of rip currents. Signs of a rip current are a noticeable difference in water color, gaps or flat sections in breaking waves, foam or other objects moving constantly out to sea, or a specific area that appears more turbulent than surrounding waters.
• Swim with a friend at all times.
• Swim in patrolled areas only
• Never dive into unknown water or shallow breaking waves
• Don’t swim near wooden or rock jetties, or near the pier.
• Safety seminars from the Ocean City Beach Patrol are available to promote public awareness of safety issues at the beach. They are held every Sunday morning at 10:30 am. They are approximately 30 minutes long and are free and open to the public. See your nearest lifeguard for the safety seminar closest to you.

• Drinking any alcoholic beverage or possessing an open container anywhere in public is prohibited—this includes streets, alleys, sidewalks, beach, parking lot, and a vehicle anywhere in Ocean City
• Pedestrians must cross only at marked crosswalks. Maryland law requires pedestrians to use the sidewalk when available for walking or jogging. Hitchhiking is prohibited in Ocean City.
• Sleeping in motor vehicles is prohibited within city limits except in designated campgrounds.
• Sleeping on the beach is prohibited between the hours of 10 pm and 6 am.
• Public profanity and drunkenness is prohibited.
• Throwing or dropping things from buildings is illegal.
• Littering is illegal.
• Indecent exposure including public urination and too teeny bikinis.
• All other state and federal laws are also applicable, such as possession of controlled substances, disorderly conduct, motor vehicle violations.
• Noise regulations are as follows: Noises that may be plainly heard at a distance of 50 feet from the source of the noise between 12 midnight and 7 am are unlawful. Noise from a vehicle that may be heard at a distance of 50 feet from the vehicle is unlawful at any time and is considered a moving violation that will affect your driving record. It is also unlawful for anyone to make, cause, or continue any noise that is loud, unnecessary, unnatural, unusual, or that annoys, disturbs, endangers or injures the comfort, health, safety or peace of others at any hour.
• Dogs must be kept on a leash when walking around Ocean City, and you must also curb your dog.
• Skateboards are not permitted on the Boardwalk, nor any public streets, alleys, sidewalks, or public lots.  There is a skate park at 3rd Ave & St. Louis.  For information on hours and regulations, call the Parks & Recreation Dept. 410-250-0125
• Bicycles and roller blades are only allowed on the boardwalk at certain times. Those times are as follows:

  Information obtained from Visitor’s Information, Town of Ocean City

Maryland law requires pedestrians to use the sidewalk when available, instead of walking in the street. As Ocean City has had tragic pedestrian accidents recently, pedestrian safety will be strictly enforced.  Please be careful and aware of what is going on around you when crossing the street. Pedestrians are prohibited from walking or jogging in the bus lane.  Hitch hiking is also prohibited.

When crossing the street, please obey the pedestrian signal light.

• When the person is lit up, you may cross safely.
• When the hand is blinking, you may finish but not begin to cross the street.
• And when the hand is lit solidly, no pedestrians may be in the intersection. You may be ticketed for jaywalking and disobeying traffic laws.