OCEAN CITY, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Labor Day weekend is the traditional end of summer, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop down the shore. Ocean City, New Jersey was just named a top fall hotspot by Airbnb.
Ocean City Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michele Gillian is thrilled the small shore town is being recognized for what it offers in the offseason.
“You can still ride the boardwalk with your bikes. You can still go to the beach,” said Gillian. “We have an airport, a golf course, tennis courts. We have pickleball, which is so popular, We have all the attractions here, and eco-tourism is becoming so important to Ocean City.”
2022 has become a good year for Ocean City businesses. Gillian said while most of the state needed more rain, the extra sunny days were welcome at the boardwalk.
“It was a strong rental season for us, so that was pretty good. We were a little behind on beach tags,” she said.
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“Last year with the pandemic, people didn’t have anyplace but the beach to go, but this year they have a couple of options.”
She says businesses are excited to show even more people what Ocean City is all about.
“We’re so close to Philadelphia and the New York area. Millions of people have the opportunity to just drive down within a tank of gas,” Gillian said.
And if you like smaller crowds, the week after Labor Day is the pinnacle of enjoyment.
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One thing she hoped to see more of was younger teens working under new labor laws that went into effect this year.
“We think parents have left that philosophy of summer jobs behind, as important as football camp or tennis camp or all the different things kids have,” she said.
Gillian says a lot of places will be open through the fall and into winter in a more-relaxed Ocean City.