Sure, he's mayor of a popular resort town that draws some 8 million visitors each year, about half of them between the big Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays. But Rick Meehan manages to stop and smell the roses - or in this case, the fresh salt-tinged air of Ocean City.
"I like to ride my bike on the boardwalk every day," said Meehan, who on a recent afternoon leisurely pedaled the nearly three-mile stretch - hailed as one of America's best boardwalks by the Travel Channel - and found it bustling.
"As the weather breaks, more people come out," says the mayor, noting that on any given summer day, there are folks rollerblading, water-skiing, shopping for souvenirs and specialty items and playing everything from beach volleyball to arcade games. "We're ready for them."
Last year, when escalating gas prices put a crimp in some vacationers' plans, AOL Travel named Ocean City one of the Top 10 "East Coast Family Vacations under $250." This season, with the tight economy, Ocean City officials are taking extra steps to ensure that the throngs still want to come.
The mayor is touting what he dubs the town's "value" offerings.
"There'll be the free movie nights on the beach again, ice cream sundaes at the park and beach bonfires," Meehan says. And getting to these activities is affordable: Parking at the West Ocean City Park and Ride is free, and the shuttle into town is just a buck; trams and buses are about $2 round trip.
The town even has a hunky new mascot - a blond, tanned lifeguard named Rodney (he's actually an actor) who's promoting O.C.'s charms and helping tourists snag deals, too.
Beginning this month, Rodney will appear in television commercials and on billboards and will make appearances around town. Visitors who ask for the so-called "Rodney Rate" can get discounts at participating area hotels, restaurants and town attractions.
Rodney's charms notwithstanding, Meehan says some of the best things in O.C. are free.
To wit, on a recent day, against a backdrop of white sand, couples strolled hand in hand, taking in the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean. A flock of sea gulls soared. A mother kept a watchful eye on a wobbly toddler chasing a sandpiper in the surf.
"A walk along the beach in the morning or watching the sun set won't cost you," he says.
Hotels
With hundreds of hotels, motels and condos in Ocean City, it can be mind-boggling to pick lodging. Before you go, check the O.C. Web site for hotel information and deals: ocvisitor.com/promotions.asp or ococean.com.
