Moving around the boardwalk 鈥� and dining and drinking outdoors 鈥� will all be more like they were pre-pandemic in Ocean City, Maryland, this summer.
For starters, with a statewide mask mandate being lifted, signs on the boardwalk referencing mandatory mask use were set to come down Thursday, Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan said.
The announced removal of restrictions on outdoor dining means people can be seated closer together, Meehan said. He added that outside bars can open and that people can stand at them as well.
Also on the boardwalk, visitors will once again be able to ride the tram, which didn鈥檛 run last year. Bus service will be increased after being scaled back dramatically last year.
Meehan said the pandemic caused a 20% drop in the city鈥檚 room tax revenue, but he鈥檚 optimistic for the months to come.
鈥淚f the crowds we鈥檝e had over the last month are any indication of what the summer鈥檚 going to be like, it鈥檚 going to be a fantastic year in Ocean City,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ecause the boardwalk and the streets and the businesses and restaurants have been extremely crowded over the past month.鈥�
He added, using one noted Ocean City barometer: 鈥淭he line at 罢丑谤补蝉丑别谤鈥檚 was the longest I ever saw it this past Saturday.鈥�
