Summer unofficially begins this weekend, and a few folks, particularly round the Delmarva seashores, cannot watch for it to reach.
WTOP/John Domen
WTOP/John Domen
WTOP/John Domen
WTOP/John Domen
It may not seem like it but, however summer unofficially begins this weekend. For these visiting the Delmarva seashores, they’ll’t watch for it to reach.
“Last year we ended up having the busiest summer we’ve ever had,” mentioned Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan. He mentioned they set data for revenues and numbers of tourists. “It was just a terrific summer.”
And this 12 months, Meehan mentioned, early reservations are up even from there.
There’s related optimism in Delaware too, the place trip leases are nonetheless obtainable, however not as many as there normally could be proper now.
“It looks as though we are going to be having an even bigger year, if that’s possible, than 2021,” mentioned Carol Everhart, the head of the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce. “We broke all records in 2021.”
Everhart mentioned that the actual property corporations — and the statistics — are main her to imagine this summer will probably be even larger. One motive: distant work is permitting some folks to increase their stays at the seaside.
Town leaders in Rehoboth are nicely conscious that the sand and the surf are the essential promoting factors, however that lengthy, steady rain storm that drenched the area earlier this month means there’s much more surf and quite a bit much less sand alongside a few of Delaware’s seashores.
“We had a lot of beach erosion so a lot of that depth of the beach is gone,” mentioned Rehoboth Beach Mayor Stan Mills, particularly in the middle and north of city.
Mills mentioned they’re working with the state Department of Natural Resources, however that they’re “actually focused on a beach south of us that’s in worse condition, so it’ll be a little while before they come to us.”
That storm, triggered by a nor’easter offshore, washed away 50 to 75% of the sand that sometimes spanned between the water and the boardwalk there. A well-liked seaside at the Delaware State Seashore Park close to the Indian River Inlet can also be significantly smaller than it was once.
That’s going to chop into the variety of folks on the seaside, particularly at excessive tide, and extra households and sunbathers will head to the northern and southern ends of city. But even when the seaside is the essential attraction, Mills mentioned, it’s not the just one.
“We’ve got other assets and reasons why people come to the nation’s summer capital,” mentioned Mills. “That is to enjoy shopping at over 200 business fronts that include boutique stores and spas. Also they can go to any of our 100 eateries.”
Rehoboth gained’t go as far as to shut off streets to automobiles and let eating places take up whole sidewalks anymore, however some sidewalk area will nonetheless be obtainable for tables, offered pedestrians can nonetheless site visitors by means of, Mills mentioned, including, “The patrons love it.”
In Ocean City, there are some new issues taking place this 12 months.
“We’re bringing professional bull riding to the beach the first weekend of June,” mentioned Meehan. A small stadium will probably be constructed at the inlet parking zone “and bringing in the bulls… overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.”
That’s taking place throughout the Jellyfish Festival just a few blocks away, which celebrates dwell music and craft beer. Every week after that’s the annual Ocean City Air Show, which is able to embody the Air Force Thunderbirds this 12 months.
Other free occasions embody household film nights and Sundaes in the Park, which options dwell music, fireworks, and naturally, ice cream sundaes. And about half of the boardwalk has been changed, with the relaxation to be up to date after this summer.
“It feels different,” Meehan mentioned. “You’ll notice it right away. You can really tell when you cross over from one to the other.”
It’s nonetheless all wooden, although. “Hey, it’s a boardwalk,” mentioned Meehan. “It’ll always be a wood boardwalk in Ocean City.”
The city can also be increasing the hours for bicycles on the boardwalk — beginning this 12 months, it’s 2 a.m. till midday.
“It’s going to be a fun year,” mentioned Meehan. “Just enjoy Ocean City. That’s our theme for 2022. Enjoy Ocean City.”
