With more than ten miles of broad Atlantic beach, a boisterous boardwalk amusement park and hundreds of thousands of visitors every weekend, OCEAN CITY is Maryland's number one summer resort. No matter how you get here up or down the coastal highway or across the rural eastern shore along US-50 , its tower-block hotels may come as a shock; it is so overgrown, in fact, that its northern reaches now encroach into Delaware.

Ocean City might be good for a day out, or even a long romantic weekend. It is, at least, easy to reach: Carolina Trailways buses from DC end up in the southern end of town at Second Street and Hwy-1 (tel 410/289-9307). The visitor center , at 4001 Coastal Highway (daily 9am5pm; tel 410/289-2800 or 1-800/626-2326, www.ococean.com ), has the usual brochures and can help with accommodation.

Dominated by the boardwalk fast-food joints and the national franchises along Hwy-1 (there are no less than three all-night McDonald's ), Ocean City has few good eating options. The Angler Restaurant , on the bay at Talbot Street (tel 410/289-7424), has fresh seafood and an all-you-can-eat salad bar; it also offers nice beers, wild tropical cocktails and nightly live bands. Nightspots include the frenetic Big Kahuna Surf Club , 18th and Hwy-1 (tel 410/289-6331), and Shenanigan's , 4th and Boardwalk (tel 410/289-7181), which has a full menu and live music until 2am. Pick up the free Ocean City Today to find out what's on.