July 4, 2025 • 28 mins
Episode 184: Ocean City, Maryland – A Family Beach Classic This week on The Family Vacationer, we're kicking off our new series, The Best Beach Towns in the U.S., and first up is one of the most beloved beach towns on the East Coast—Ocean City, Maryland! While we will eventually name one destination as The Family Vacationer's Best Beach Town, the truth is, whichever of these coastal gems you choose, you win. In this episode, Rob is joined by Ocean City’s Mayor Richard Meehan in a first-ever mayoral interview for the podcast! Together, they dive deep into what makes Ocean City a multigenerational vacation haven. We explore:
Don’t forget to subscribe to The Family Vacationer on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on Instagram and Substack for more family travel inspiration. Thank you to Scott Carpenter for the new theme song! Make sure and listen all the way to the end for the world premiere of The Family Vacationer Theme Song! Thanks, Scottie! Closing Reminder:Remember folks to keep your passports and your hearts open.Safe travels everyone!
- The modern history of Ocean City, from its roots as a fishing village to a booming beach resort
- Why Ocean City’s nostalgic charm continues to attract families year after year
- Free, family-friendly beach access and the iconic boardwalk experience
- Must-see attractions like Trimper’s Rides and Jolly Roger Amusement Pier
- Seasonal festivals from Springfest to Winterfest of Lights
- Hidden local favorites like biking the boardwalk and bayside crabbing
- Inclusive amenities for families with special needs
- Family-friendly dining with playgrounds at restaurants like Fishtales and Ropewalk
- Unique accommodations including the Carousel Hotel with an ice rink!
- Efforts to retain Ocean City’s charm amidst modern growth
- Exciting projects like a new bayfront park and a planned world-class sports complex
Don’t forget to subscribe to The Family Vacationer on your favorite podcast platform, and follow us on Instagram and Substack for more family travel inspiration. Thank you to Scott Carpenter for the new theme song! Make sure and listen all the way to the end for the world premiere of The Family Vacationer Theme Song! Thanks, Scottie! Closing Reminder:Remember folks to keep your passports and your hearts open.Safe travels everyone!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
This week on The Family Vacationer, we kick off our
new series on the Best beach Towns in the US
with a look at Ocean City, Maryland. Episode four starts
right now.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Welcome to The Family Vacationer with Robin.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Tracy, your go to podcast for families on the moon.
Welcome back, friends. This is The Family Vacationer and I'm
Rob and I am extremely excited today because we're launching
a brand new series Best Beach Towns in the US. Now,
over the next few episodes, we'll be exploring some of
(00:41):
the most charming, fun, family friendly beach destinations across the country. Now,
while we will be crowning a winter the Family Vacationer's
Best Beach Town in the US, it's not a true
competition because the truth is, whichever of these incredible towns
that you choose to spend your vacation in, you'll feel
(01:02):
like the winner. Now, we're starting the series strong with
one of the most beloved beach destinations on the East Coast,
Ocean City, Maryland. From the iconic boardwalk to crabcakes to
kite festivals, there is something here for every generation. And
I have a first I have interviewed a lot of people.
Over the last five years, I have never interviewed a mayor.
(01:24):
Today that changes. We are thrilled to be joined by
Mayor Richard Mehin to talk about what makes Ocean City
so special for families. But before we get into our conversation,
let's take a quick look at the modern history of
this vibrant beach town. Ocean City was established as a
resort town in eighteen seventy five, when the Atlantic Hotel
(01:46):
opened and the first railroad tracks were laid. Like a
lot of beach towns, it was originally a small fishing village,
but it evolved rapidly into a popular vacation destination thanks
to its pristine beaches and access via ferry and later
the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The twentieth century brought expansive growth,
(02:07):
with the iconic three mile boardwalk being constructed and then expanded.
Tourism boomed with the post war era, and today Ocean
City welcomes over eight million visitors annually. But despite that growth,
the town has managed to retain a laid back charm
that keeps generations of families coming back. And now joining
(02:29):
us to talk all things Ocean City, please welcome the
Mayor himself, Richard mih Mayor, thank you so much for
coming on the show with us.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Oh well, thank you for asking me. We're excited.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Well, let's talk about Ocean City for families who may
not be familiar. How would you describe the personality of
Ocean City, Maryland.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
I would tell you that Ocean City is somewhere to
smile about. That's our logo, and I think we really
live up to that. It's the place where once you
cross over the bridge to cross over the bay to
come into Ocean City. We're an island, really a peninsula.
Once you come over that bridge, it's just like a
sigh relief. You see the background of the buildings, you
(03:11):
can see the ocean as you're coming over the bridge,
you're crossing the bay looking at all the boats. I
think immediately your whole sense of mind, everything about what
you're feeling changes and you start to smile because you
know you're in a place you're familiar with, you love
to be, your family's been coming for generations, or you're
that first time visitor that's just wowed by the fact
(03:34):
they're coming onto the island and going to be here
in Ocean City.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Fantastic. Well, you touched on this, but let's dig a
little deeper in what makes Ocean City a timeless family
vacation destination.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
I think that's a great question. Because we're actually celebrating
our one hundred and fiftieth anniversary this year. That means
Ocean City was established in eighteen seventy five. I'm I'm
going to be able to tell you too much about
that time period. I wasn't here. But what I can
tell you is what I've seen over the last fifty
sixty years, is that you know, Ocean City is a
(04:10):
community and a resort that's built on tradition. We've had
multiple generations of families coming to Ocean City year after
year after year. They come as multi generational units when
they're here. On many occasions, you'll see grandparents, parents, and kids,
and then the next generation. It just kind of proceeds
(04:31):
in that same manner. People love the nostalgia about Ocean City.
They love the beach, the smell of the ocean, the
iconic Ocean City Boardwalk, the bay, you know, all the
little things that you in Maryland anyway. The only place
you can do any of that is right here in
Ocean City.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
And that's the draw.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
And even for that first time visitor, I think they're
already thinking ahead about how they're going to bring their
family back the next for the next vacation Ocean City
and it's truly somewhere to smile a bro.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Well, let's talk about some of the attractions, because you know,
in the holy trinity of family vacation questions, you know,
what is there to do?
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Where do I stay? What do I eat?
Speaker 1 (05:12):
The first one for most families, especially the little ones,
what is there to do? So let's talk about attractions
and experiences that Ocean City has to offer.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
Okay, we'll start. It's kind of common ground. Is our beach.
You know, we have a free beach in Ocean City
and you can go out to the spend your whole day,
you spend your whole vacation out on the beach and
just enjoying the waves, the sand. I mean, we have
a beautiful beach in Ocean City and right behind, running
alongside the beach in our downtown area is our Ocean
(05:42):
City Boardwalk and the boardwalk just to just to enjoy
and experience the sights, the sounds, and the smells of
the Ocean City boardwalk. As you smell the French fries
or the cotton candy, the caramel popcorn, all those things
I think trigger your memories about Ocean City and they
may make you realize, Man, I'm here again. This is
(06:02):
where I want to be. The walking along the boardwalk,
the arcades all the way down the end of the boardwalk,
the Jolly Roger amusement pier, trimpers, rides, all those things
that for generations families. You know, the parents are putting
kids on the same rides as they rode when they
were little kids. And I think those type of memories
(06:22):
are timeless, and I think that's what really makes Ocean
City somewhere very special.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
What about unique events and festivals that families should plan
a trip around. We talked about offline. We talked about
some music festivals. What are some other events and festivals
that families should definitely plan a trip around.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
You know, we kick off our season, believe it or not,
in March when we have our Saint Patrick's Day Parade
and you'll see thousands of people. We're a small community.
We have about seven thousand year round residents. We grow
during the summertime gradually up to becoming the second largest
city population wise in the state of Maryland. People come
(07:03):
here now all year long, but it really kicks off
Saint Patrick's Day, where you have the Saint Patrick's Day Parade.
You'll see thousands of families and kids lined along Coastal
Highway watching all the floats, just enjoying the atmosphere of
being here in March, and the season then starts to progress.
We have a number of different events. We have what
(07:24):
we've called Springfest, and that's the twenty seventh year. This
year we celebrated Springfest, and that's a big festival that's
set up on a downtown area by the inlet. It's
set up, we have tents, we have outdoor areas. There's
a lot of Eastern Shore food which everybody loves to
take taste. There's enter free entertainment. There's just all kinds
(07:46):
of events happening around Springfest, and that's become one of
our established events. When we move into the fall or
throughout the summer, i'll talk about some of the things,
but as far as festivals, we have music festivals, SunFest,
which takes place in September, now in October. Really we've
moved it because the season keeps expanding. That's an arts
(08:08):
craft show, it's a famous show. It's rated one of
the highest ratings for arts and craft show in the country.
And again, lots of music, lots of entertainment. I think
the key is it's all outside and it's right there
on the beach overlooking the ocean and the inlet, and
I think that's the real draw for people to be outside.
And we've established a lot of additional events and we
(08:30):
go all the way into the Christmas holidays where we
like fests. So I think you're building the We have
Winterfest and that's where up at our park area up
in the northern part of town, we have a festival
set up there and a display with over a million
lights and different formations and different types of displays, and
(08:52):
it lights up the entire sky and we have well
over one hundred thousand people that come here just to
go to Winter Festival light. So we're a year round
community offering different types of festivals for the different times
of the year and something for everybody to enjoy.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Within those festivals, let's talk hidden favorites. So you know
when you're coming to especially a town that you've you've
visited before, and you're coming back again and again, like
your town, But what are some hidden favorites that maybe
only the locals might know about or the frequent visitors,
you know.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
I think that you have to basically discover some of
the things in Ocean City that really make a difference
and really can add to your vacation.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
You'll find the locals do it all the time.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
I do it, you know, whenever I can, And that's
riding my bike on the boardwalk. And that's become one
of those things.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
You get up early.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
You can only ride your bike on the boardwalk until
noon because the boardwalk gets crowded, so people get up early.
Maybe you haven't thought about that, but once you get
here you see other people, you realize that's one of
those things that, especially the local, you're going to find.
I go up there, I know the people that are
riding around. That's something you can rent bikes. You can
rent the series where the whole family can get in
(10:07):
one bike and you know, pedal down a boardwalk. Can't
do that other places. You can only put that really
in a place like Ocean City.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
And I think that what.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Gets lost People forget about our bayside and you can
take the kids crabbing. You can rent a jet ski,
you can rent a pontoon boat, take the family out,
you know, for a boating experience, go out on a headboat.
You know, do all those little things. Again you can't
probably do at home, but you know what, you'll always
know and remember you can do them in Ocean City.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
One of the things that we have tried to, you know,
do several shows on along the way because we believe
travel is for everybody. But what are some steps that
Ocean City has made are taken to be more inclusive
and accessible for families that might have special needs.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
Yeah, that's a really good question, and that's something that we.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Take very seriously.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
We have a number of playgrounds in Ocean City. We
just built a brand new, beautiful playground at Third Street,
and we've made sure that there are inclusive playgrounds and
all the equipment in various parks is inclusive so that
every child has the opportunity to enjoy those playgrounds. We
make sure that our beach area is accessible. We have
(11:23):
ad compliant beachmat access at many of our streets. We
have beach wheelchairs that are available at our beach operator
stand and you can pick them up at convention center
other locations throughout town where those that aren't capable of
walking out onto the beach with these chairs, you can
take them all the way up to where the water's
(11:45):
breaking on the sand and they have an opportunity to
enjoy the beach as well.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
And our boardwalk.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
You can rent mobile ability you know, those disability vehicles,
so you can ride anything anybody else can do. We
make sure you can do here as well. Here in
Ocean City, everybody can do. Everybody can enjoy our beach.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
That's fantastic.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Well.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
One of the most important parts of any family vacation
or episode is when we talk about food and oh yeah,
so you guys are on the water. If it swims,
I'll eat it. So I mean out crabcakes. I've been
told thrashers, fries or something you have to try. But
what are some go to recommendations for family friendly dining
(12:27):
in Ocean City.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
That's another good question.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
We have a lot of great restaurants, you know, Ocean
Cities for everybody. So if you want to go out
for a white tablecloth type of dinner, you know, maybe
just as couples, we certainly you certainly can do that
in Ocean City, there's so many of those establishments, but
for the families, I think it's very unique in Ocean City,
and its started here a number of years ago, where
(12:52):
our restaurants and our bayside restaurants that are outside and open,
they've put playground facilities into their built into their restaurants.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
And I'm talking.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
Elaborate, theme oriented playground facilities. I mean, it's to the
point if you go to Fishtails, which is one of
our famous restaurants right on the water, where you can
enjoy the sunsets, enjoy being right on the water. It's
one of those places when you take the kids, they
don't want to leave because they're enjoy in the playground,
you know, and they're going to come back. They grab
(13:23):
a couple bites and they're back on the playground, you know,
and everybody can enjoy dinner, right and not just Fishtails,
but rope Walk and a Lazy Lizard tail Chasers. We
have a number of restaurants that have built those type
of playgrounds into the bayside dining experience to really make
it something that kids look forward to.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
I know, what's a tough question, you know, when asking
about favorite restaurants is asking you to like pick your
favorite child. But yeah, thank you for those suggestions. Now
the third question again in the holy trinity of family
vacation questions, where do we stay? So can you call
out some family friendly hotels or unique accommodations that families
(14:06):
would enjoy in Ocean City?
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Certainly, and the nice thing about Ocean City is we
have such a large variety of vacation accommodations. We have
twenty six thousand condominium units in Ocean City.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Condominiums.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
They can be townhouses or flats and high rises, they
can be just smaller condominiums, ocean front, ocean block, bayside
and Appropsly ten thousand of those are rental properties, so
you can go online and rent and can you can
pick something that would accommodate your family in the area
you want to be. If you want the hotel experience,
(14:43):
we have some very unique hotels. The Carousel Hotel. Not
only they offer indoor and outdoor pool, but they also
have a year round ice skating rink, which the kids
love to be in Ocean City on the beach ice
skating while the parents are sitting watching them and enjoying
you know, Ocean City, the Hilton which is right on
the beach, beachfront in Ocean City, indoor outdoor pools, arcades, shops, restaurants.
(15:11):
We've been very fortunate in Ocean City that we've been
able to continually renovate and rebuild our city and some
of the older properties that no longer offered all those
many amenities have been raised and there's newer properties. I mean,
it's to the point again just like I said, they
want to go to the restaurants. Sometimes the kids just
want to get back to the hotel because they want to.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
Go to the pool, or they want to go to
the amenities. And I think that that's really.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
Helped fill out the whole entire vacation for Ocean City.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
Yeah, well we all know posts COVID that tourism is
booming now one of the problems, and it's a good
problem to have, I would imagine. But when you have
a beautiful destination, everybody wants to come, everybody wants to
enjoy it. Well, it's about balancing that growth with sustainability.
So how does Oceans City balance that growth growth while
(16:02):
keeping the you know, the charm of the beach town intact.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
That's that's challenging, but we've established we do work with
a local organization, particularly in the downtown area, that has
a design review committee, and what we do is we
try to maintain that coastal coastal architecture in our downtown
area and we're expanding that now in other areas of town.
(16:31):
As I mentioned before, we are rebuilding, you know, older
buildings are coming down, newer buildings are being built, but
we're trying to retain that same charm, you know, in
those areas.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
That people are used to.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
They're very nostalgic about Ocean City and the fact that
even though it's newer, it still has that same vibe,
that same feeling. I think that's extremely important. That's difficult,
but it's something that we've strived to be able to
accomplish our boardwalk the same way. We're not changing some
of the things on the boardwalk. We think the boardwalk
(17:05):
is a gathering place. It's such a great walkway for
people throughout the entire area to be on, one of
the nicest, most One of the things that's really fun
is just to go up to the boardwalk and watch
all the people, watch all the different people that are here,
and the thing that they're all doing while you're sitting
at the bench walking with watching them, they're all smiling.
(17:26):
I know, I keep coming back to the smile, but
that's because this is a happy place for a lot
of people, and we think maintaining our traditions and nostalgia
of our area and our vacation experience is extremely important.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
And people watching is absolutely free.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
So there you go. It's free.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
It's free, and it's wonderful and you catch the smiles,
you catch the look at kids, at the glance at
their families, and it's really very rewarding.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
It's a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Well that's one thing we need more of in this
world right now is more smile. So any place that
provides that I am all for. Let's talk about upcoming
projects or developments that have you excited about the future
of Ocean City.
Speaker 4 (18:08):
We continue to update not just our buildings and stuff,
but our parks and humenities that the city provides. We
just built a brand new two block park right on
the bayfront downtown at Third Street, with a beautiful playground,
walking areas, areas for concerts, areas for gathering, new pickleball courts,
new basketball courts, and it's probably, per square foot, one
(18:32):
of the most used parcels in Ocean City because people
gravitate to this new park. We also have a skate
park there, and we have the oldest continuously operating municipal
state skateboard park in the country, and we just totally
renovated that park.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
We expanded the.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Street courses, put a whole new observation building in that
park hasn't even opened. It should open sometime this July.
Those are the kind of things that we're proud of.
Those are the you know, recreations, something we can do
not just for ourselves but for our visitors. Our town's
built on recreation, so I'm very proud that we're able
to continue to do.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
That and in the future.
Speaker 4 (19:14):
Right now, we're looking and planning to build a world
class sports complex, you know, where we can host year
round tournaments. Sports marketing and sports in Ocean City has
becomes such a big venture. I was on the boardwalk
this weekend looking out as we had a sand soccer tournament.
There were a couple thousand families in town with their teams,
(19:36):
with their kids, all playing beach soccer for two days
on the beach in Ocean City. Wow, what a wonderful
thing to enjoy it. I mean, they're all having such
a great time. We're going to try to continue to
build on that because sports marketing and sports traveling it's
about families and it's about bringing everybody together. Sometimes it's
the one time of the year the whole family is
(19:58):
together and I think premely important.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
So that's something.
Speaker 4 (20:02):
Else we're looking at to expand into horizon.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
This is our nineteenth year of being a soccer family,
so we haven't tried it on sand yet, so maybe
we'll give that a try.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
It's become very very big. Hey, we find you can
do anything on sand, so beach soccer. It's beach soccer
tournaments are huge in Ocean City and it's people really
have a lot of fun. It's also challenging and surprises
the kids the first time they're out there. It's a
little bit different, but they figure it out.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Yeah. Well, you mentioned pickleball. Have you given in to
the pickleball trend yourself? Personally?
Speaker 3 (20:37):
I've played a few times.
Speaker 4 (20:38):
I wish I had more time to do it, but again,
that that's something that you know that's rejuvenated a lot
of people.
Speaker 3 (20:45):
I think, you know, it's.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Gotten a lot of our seniors involved in our parks,
which is good.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
You know.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
It's it's one of those sports that really everybody can play,
and I think that's what that's what the real nice
thing about pickleball is every buddy can play it.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Yeah, tennis is pretty pretty rough on my bad knees,
but pick a ball, pickle ball, I can do so, ye, yes, yes.
What are some of your favorite personal memories of just
vacationing or just spending time in Ocean City with your
own family.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
Yeah, the first time I came to Ocean City, I
remember I was back in nineteen.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Sixty three.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
And I believe sixty two, excuse me, And I remember
coming and I was just a kid and staying at
this hotel, this old, this hotel was it's been replaced
since then, and staying in that hotel, and that was
back when you stayed in a hotel and the meals
came with your room and you got dressed for dinner
and you went downstairs for dinner and you had to
put on a sport coat and everything. But that was
(21:48):
my first Ocean City experience. But some of that's changed.
The town's a little more casual today. That building has
been rebuilt and is still there. But I fell in
love with being on the boardwalk. I worked on the
boardwalk all through high school and college, grew up in Baltimore,
and came down here during the summers before I moved
here when I graduated from college, and till this day,
(22:11):
I get up and I ride my bike on the
boardwalk and just spend some time.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
If you want to see something absolutely beautiful.
Speaker 4 (22:17):
Get up there early and watch the sunrise over the Atlantic.
It is one of the most beautiful things you'll ever witness.
And in the summer, if you go up on the
boardwalk or walk up on the beach and look to
the west, you'll see thousands of people that have gotten
up early to go sit on the beach or to
be on their balconies along the fron ocean front to
watch that sunrise.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
In Ocean City, yeah, I'm not a morning person, but
at the beach that is one place I will absolutely
get up early to watch the sunrise. It's beautiful. Well,
last question, if a family we talked about some of
the hidden gems, So if a family only has one
day in Ocean City, what should they absolutely not miss
what are the highlights.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
You know, we're known for our beach and you're coming
here for the beach. I mean, that's what it is.
You can spend a whole day on the beach, and
if you're only here for one night or one day
and then spend.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
The evening on the boardwalk.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
That is the true Ocean City experience. That's what you
can't do at home. That's what people come here for.
And grab the thrashers, French fries, you know, the dollies,
popcorn or some of those iconic foods that were famous for.
Ride the rides, go to trippers rides, ride the oldest
operating ferris wheel in the country. You know, do those
(23:34):
kind of things. Those are the memories you'll never forget.
And if you're only here for the day and you're leaving,
I promise you the kids will sleep in the car
on the way home.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Awesome, Well, Mayor, thank you so much for your time
and coming on the show and talking about your beautiful
part of the country. Ocean City definitely sounds like a
fantastic family destination.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Well, it's easy to talk about Ocean City.
Speaker 4 (23:58):
I have best job in the world being mayor of
this resort community and all the people that live here
and come and visit, and I see a lot of
the same people year after year and get to say
hi to them on the boardwalk, and that makes everything.
That's what the job's all about. So I welcome you
and your family and everybody else. Come try Ocean City.
Once you start your Ocean City tradition, I guarantee you
(24:21):
you'll come back awesome.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
Thank you so much, thank you. A very special thank
you to Lauren Davis, government relations manager with the Mayor's
office in Ocean City, for making today's interview possible. Now,
if you're planning your next family getaway, Ocean City should
definitely be on your radar. From sunrise on the beach
to sunset strolls on the boardwalk. It's the kind of
(24:44):
place where memories are made and traditions are born. Make
sure to subscribe to the Family Vacation or wherever you
get your podcasts, and follow us on Instagram and substack
for more family travel inspiration. Remember, folks, to keep your
passports in your heart's open. Safe travels. Everyone.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
I've got in food, all the beach places and hotel spaces, amusement,
park rides and water slides, mountain ranges and seasonal changes.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
I'm here to serve. I'm the fairly vacationers.
Speaker 5 (25:33):
I've got skin full on other beach places and hotel spaces,
amusement park rides and water slides, mountain ranges and seasonal changes.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
I'm here to serve.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
I'm the family vacationers, your family vacationer, your family in case, sir, noway,
I've got to let me.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Want to see a frame.
Speaker 5 (26:10):
It's this of mesime, god loss it do stay me change.
I need to serve on the famy vacations. I got.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
A frame.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
It's this a lease, doc lasic couss game, sad change.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
I'm here, sir.
Speaker 5 (27:11):
I'm a family vacationner. I've got in full on other
beach spaces and hotel spaces, amusement brock rats and waterslides,
mountains wages and see the changes. I'm here, sir. I'm
(27:33):
the family vacationers, your family vacation, your family vacation, your
family vacation, your family vacations
This week on The Family Vacationer, we kick off our
new series on the Best beach Towns in the US
with a look at Ocean City, Maryland. Episode four starts
right now.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Welcome to The Family Vacationer with Robin.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Tracy, your go to podcast for families on the moon.
Welcome back, friends. This is The Family Vacationer and I'm
Rob and I am extremely excited today because we're launching
a brand new series Best Beach Towns in the US. Now,
over the next few episodes, we'll be exploring some of
(00:41):
the most charming, fun, family friendly beach destinations across the country. Now,
while we will be crowning a winter the Family Vacationer's
Best Beach Town in the US, it's not a true
competition because the truth is, whichever of these incredible towns
that you choose to spend your vacation in, you'll feel
(01:02):
like the winner. Now, we're starting the series strong with
one of the most beloved beach destinations on the East Coast,
Ocean City, Maryland. From the iconic boardwalk to crabcakes to
kite festivals, there is something here for every generation. And
I have a first I have interviewed a lot of people.
Over the last five years, I have never interviewed a mayor.
(01:24):
Today that changes. We are thrilled to be joined by
Mayor Richard Mehin to talk about what makes Ocean City
so special for families. But before we get into our conversation,
let's take a quick look at the modern history of
this vibrant beach town. Ocean City was established as a
resort town in eighteen seventy five, when the Atlantic Hotel
(01:46):
opened and the first railroad tracks were laid. Like a
lot of beach towns, it was originally a small fishing village,
but it evolved rapidly into a popular vacation destination thanks
to its pristine beaches and access via ferry and later
the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The twentieth century brought expansive growth,
(02:07):
with the iconic three mile boardwalk being constructed and then expanded.
Tourism boomed with the post war era, and today Ocean
City welcomes over eight million visitors annually. But despite that growth,
the town has managed to retain a laid back charm
that keeps generations of families coming back. And now joining
(02:29):
us to talk all things Ocean City, please welcome the
Mayor himself, Richard mih Mayor, thank you so much for
coming on the show with us.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Oh well, thank you for asking me. We're excited.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Well, let's talk about Ocean City for families who may
not be familiar. How would you describe the personality of
Ocean City, Maryland.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
I would tell you that Ocean City is somewhere to
smile about. That's our logo, and I think we really
live up to that. It's the place where once you
cross over the bridge to cross over the bay to
come into Ocean City. We're an island, really a peninsula.
Once you come over that bridge, it's just like a
sigh relief. You see the background of the buildings, you
(03:11):
can see the ocean as you're coming over the bridge,
you're crossing the bay looking at all the boats. I
think immediately your whole sense of mind, everything about what
you're feeling changes and you start to smile because you
know you're in a place you're familiar with, you love
to be, your family's been coming for generations, or you're
that first time visitor that's just wowed by the fact
(03:34):
they're coming onto the island and going to be here
in Ocean City.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Fantastic. Well, you touched on this, but let's dig a
little deeper in what makes Ocean City a timeless family
vacation destination.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
I think that's a great question. Because we're actually celebrating
our one hundred and fiftieth anniversary this year. That means
Ocean City was established in eighteen seventy five. I'm I'm
going to be able to tell you too much about
that time period. I wasn't here. But what I can
tell you is what I've seen over the last fifty
sixty years, is that you know, Ocean City is a
(04:10):
community and a resort that's built on tradition. We've had
multiple generations of families coming to Ocean City year after
year after year. They come as multi generational units when
they're here. On many occasions, you'll see grandparents, parents, and kids,
and then the next generation. It just kind of proceeds
(04:31):
in that same manner. People love the nostalgia about Ocean City.
They love the beach, the smell of the ocean, the
iconic Ocean City Boardwalk, the bay, you know, all the
little things that you in Maryland anyway. The only place
you can do any of that is right here in
Ocean City.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
And that's the draw.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
And even for that first time visitor, I think they're
already thinking ahead about how they're going to bring their
family back the next for the next vacation Ocean City
and it's truly somewhere to smile a bro.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Well, let's talk about some of the attractions, because you know,
in the holy trinity of family vacation questions, you know,
what is there to do?
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Where do I stay? What do I eat?
Speaker 1 (05:12):
The first one for most families, especially the little ones,
what is there to do? So let's talk about attractions
and experiences that Ocean City has to offer.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
Okay, we'll start. It's kind of common ground. Is our beach.
You know, we have a free beach in Ocean City
and you can go out to the spend your whole day,
you spend your whole vacation out on the beach and
just enjoying the waves, the sand. I mean, we have
a beautiful beach in Ocean City and right behind, running
alongside the beach in our downtown area is our Ocean
(05:42):
City Boardwalk and the boardwalk just to just to enjoy
and experience the sights, the sounds, and the smells of
the Ocean City boardwalk. As you smell the French fries
or the cotton candy, the caramel popcorn, all those things
I think trigger your memories about Ocean City and they
may make you realize, Man, I'm here again. This is
(06:02):
where I want to be. The walking along the boardwalk,
the arcades all the way down the end of the boardwalk,
the Jolly Roger amusement pier, trimpers, rides, all those things
that for generations families. You know, the parents are putting
kids on the same rides as they rode when they
were little kids. And I think those type of memories
(06:22):
are timeless, and I think that's what really makes Ocean
City somewhere very special.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
What about unique events and festivals that families should plan
a trip around. We talked about offline. We talked about
some music festivals. What are some other events and festivals
that families should definitely plan a trip around.
Speaker 4 (06:43):
You know, we kick off our season, believe it or not,
in March when we have our Saint Patrick's Day Parade
and you'll see thousands of people. We're a small community.
We have about seven thousand year round residents. We grow
during the summertime gradually up to becoming the second largest
city population wise in the state of Maryland. People come
(07:03):
here now all year long, but it really kicks off
Saint Patrick's Day, where you have the Saint Patrick's Day Parade.
You'll see thousands of families and kids lined along Coastal
Highway watching all the floats, just enjoying the atmosphere of
being here in March, and the season then starts to progress.
We have a number of different events. We have what
(07:24):
we've called Springfest, and that's the twenty seventh year. This
year we celebrated Springfest, and that's a big festival that's
set up on a downtown area by the inlet. It's
set up, we have tents, we have outdoor areas. There's
a lot of Eastern Shore food which everybody loves to
take taste. There's enter free entertainment. There's just all kinds
(07:46):
of events happening around Springfest, and that's become one of
our established events. When we move into the fall or
throughout the summer, i'll talk about some of the things,
but as far as festivals, we have music festivals, SunFest,
which takes place in September, now in October. Really we've
moved it because the season keeps expanding. That's an arts
(08:08):
craft show, it's a famous show. It's rated one of
the highest ratings for arts and craft show in the country.
And again, lots of music, lots of entertainment. I think
the key is it's all outside and it's right there
on the beach overlooking the ocean and the inlet, and
I think that's the real draw for people to be outside.
And we've established a lot of additional events and we
(08:30):
go all the way into the Christmas holidays where we
like fests. So I think you're building the We have
Winterfest and that's where up at our park area up
in the northern part of town, we have a festival
set up there and a display with over a million
lights and different formations and different types of displays, and
(08:52):
it lights up the entire sky and we have well
over one hundred thousand people that come here just to
go to Winter Festival light. So we're a year round
community offering different types of festivals for the different times
of the year and something for everybody to enjoy.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Within those festivals, let's talk hidden favorites. So you know
when you're coming to especially a town that you've you've
visited before, and you're coming back again and again, like
your town, But what are some hidden favorites that maybe
only the locals might know about or the frequent visitors,
you know.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
I think that you have to basically discover some of
the things in Ocean City that really make a difference
and really can add to your vacation.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
You'll find the locals do it all the time.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
I do it, you know, whenever I can, And that's
riding my bike on the boardwalk. And that's become one
of those things.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
You get up early.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
You can only ride your bike on the boardwalk until
noon because the boardwalk gets crowded, so people get up early.
Maybe you haven't thought about that, but once you get
here you see other people, you realize that's one of
those things that, especially the local, you're going to find.
I go up there, I know the people that are
riding around. That's something you can rent bikes. You can
rent the series where the whole family can get in
(10:07):
one bike and you know, pedal down a boardwalk. Can't
do that other places. You can only put that really
in a place like Ocean City.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
And I think that what.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Gets lost People forget about our bayside and you can
take the kids crabbing. You can rent a jet ski,
you can rent a pontoon boat, take the family out,
you know, for a boating experience, go out on a headboat.
You know, do all those little things. Again you can't
probably do at home, but you know what, you'll always
know and remember you can do them in Ocean City.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
One of the things that we have tried to, you know,
do several shows on along the way because we believe
travel is for everybody. But what are some steps that
Ocean City has made are taken to be more inclusive
and accessible for families that might have special needs.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
Yeah, that's a really good question, and that's something that we.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Take very seriously.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
We have a number of playgrounds in Ocean City. We
just built a brand new, beautiful playground at Third Street,
and we've made sure that there are inclusive playgrounds and
all the equipment in various parks is inclusive so that
every child has the opportunity to enjoy those playgrounds. We
make sure that our beach area is accessible. We have
(11:23):
ad compliant beachmat access at many of our streets. We
have beach wheelchairs that are available at our beach operator
stand and you can pick them up at convention center
other locations throughout town where those that aren't capable of
walking out onto the beach with these chairs, you can
take them all the way up to where the water's
(11:45):
breaking on the sand and they have an opportunity to
enjoy the beach as well.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
And our boardwalk.
Speaker 4 (11:51):
You can rent mobile ability you know, those disability vehicles,
so you can ride anything anybody else can do. We
make sure you can do here as well. Here in
Ocean City, everybody can do. Everybody can enjoy our beach.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
That's fantastic.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Well.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
One of the most important parts of any family vacation
or episode is when we talk about food and oh yeah,
so you guys are on the water. If it swims,
I'll eat it. So I mean out crabcakes. I've been
told thrashers, fries or something you have to try. But
what are some go to recommendations for family friendly dining
(12:27):
in Ocean City.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
That's another good question.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
We have a lot of great restaurants, you know, Ocean
Cities for everybody. So if you want to go out
for a white tablecloth type of dinner, you know, maybe
just as couples, we certainly you certainly can do that
in Ocean City, there's so many of those establishments, but
for the families, I think it's very unique in Ocean City,
and its started here a number of years ago, where
(12:52):
our restaurants and our bayside restaurants that are outside and open,
they've put playground facilities into their built into their restaurants.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
And I'm talking.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
Elaborate, theme oriented playground facilities. I mean, it's to the
point if you go to Fishtails, which is one of
our famous restaurants right on the water, where you can
enjoy the sunsets, enjoy being right on the water. It's
one of those places when you take the kids, they
don't want to leave because they're enjoy in the playground,
you know, and they're going to come back. They grab
(13:23):
a couple bites and they're back on the playground, you know,
and everybody can enjoy dinner, right and not just Fishtails,
but rope Walk and a Lazy Lizard tail Chasers. We
have a number of restaurants that have built those type
of playgrounds into the bayside dining experience to really make
it something that kids look forward to.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
I know, what's a tough question, you know, when asking
about favorite restaurants is asking you to like pick your
favorite child. But yeah, thank you for those suggestions. Now
the third question again in the holy trinity of family
vacation questions, where do we stay? So can you call
out some family friendly hotels or unique accommodations that families
(14:06):
would enjoy in Ocean City?
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Certainly, and the nice thing about Ocean City is we
have such a large variety of vacation accommodations. We have
twenty six thousand condominium units in Ocean City.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Condominiums.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
They can be townhouses or flats and high rises, they
can be just smaller condominiums, ocean front, ocean block, bayside
and Appropsly ten thousand of those are rental properties, so
you can go online and rent and can you can
pick something that would accommodate your family in the area
you want to be. If you want the hotel experience,
(14:43):
we have some very unique hotels. The Carousel Hotel. Not
only they offer indoor and outdoor pool, but they also
have a year round ice skating rink, which the kids
love to be in Ocean City on the beach ice
skating while the parents are sitting watching them and enjoying
you know, Ocean City, the Hilton which is right on
the beach, beachfront in Ocean City, indoor outdoor pools, arcades, shops, restaurants.
(15:11):
We've been very fortunate in Ocean City that we've been
able to continually renovate and rebuild our city and some
of the older properties that no longer offered all those
many amenities have been raised and there's newer properties. I mean,
it's to the point again just like I said, they
want to go to the restaurants. Sometimes the kids just
want to get back to the hotel because they want to.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
Go to the pool, or they want to go to
the amenities. And I think that that's really.
Speaker 4 (15:36):
Helped fill out the whole entire vacation for Ocean City.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
Yeah, well we all know posts COVID that tourism is
booming now one of the problems, and it's a good
problem to have, I would imagine. But when you have
a beautiful destination, everybody wants to come, everybody wants to
enjoy it. Well, it's about balancing that growth with sustainability.
So how does Oceans City balance that growth growth while
(16:02):
keeping the you know, the charm of the beach town intact.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
That's that's challenging, but we've established we do work with
a local organization, particularly in the downtown area, that has
a design review committee, and what we do is we
try to maintain that coastal coastal architecture in our downtown
area and we're expanding that now in other areas of town.
(16:31):
As I mentioned before, we are rebuilding, you know, older
buildings are coming down, newer buildings are being built, but
we're trying to retain that same charm, you know, in
those areas.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
That people are used to.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
They're very nostalgic about Ocean City and the fact that
even though it's newer, it still has that same vibe,
that same feeling. I think that's extremely important. That's difficult,
but it's something that we've strived to be able to
accomplish our boardwalk the same way. We're not changing some
of the things on the boardwalk. We think the boardwalk
(17:05):
is a gathering place. It's such a great walkway for
people throughout the entire area to be on, one of
the nicest, most One of the things that's really fun
is just to go up to the boardwalk and watch
all the people, watch all the different people that are here,
and the thing that they're all doing while you're sitting
at the bench walking with watching them, they're all smiling.
(17:26):
I know, I keep coming back to the smile, but
that's because this is a happy place for a lot
of people, and we think maintaining our traditions and nostalgia
of our area and our vacation experience is extremely important.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
And people watching is absolutely free.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
So there you go. It's free.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
It's free, and it's wonderful and you catch the smiles,
you catch the look at kids, at the glance at
their families, and it's really very rewarding.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
It's a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
Well that's one thing we need more of in this
world right now is more smile. So any place that
provides that I am all for. Let's talk about upcoming
projects or developments that have you excited about the future
of Ocean City.
Speaker 4 (18:08):
We continue to update not just our buildings and stuff,
but our parks and humenities that the city provides. We
just built a brand new two block park right on
the bayfront downtown at Third Street, with a beautiful playground,
walking areas, areas for concerts, areas for gathering, new pickleball courts,
new basketball courts, and it's probably, per square foot, one
(18:32):
of the most used parcels in Ocean City because people
gravitate to this new park. We also have a skate
park there, and we have the oldest continuously operating municipal
state skateboard park in the country, and we just totally
renovated that park.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
We expanded the.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Street courses, put a whole new observation building in that
park hasn't even opened. It should open sometime this July.
Those are the kind of things that we're proud of.
Those are the you know, recreations, something we can do
not just for ourselves but for our visitors. Our town's
built on recreation, so I'm very proud that we're able
to continue to do.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
That and in the future.
Speaker 4 (19:14):
Right now, we're looking and planning to build a world
class sports complex, you know, where we can host year
round tournaments. Sports marketing and sports in Ocean City has
becomes such a big venture. I was on the boardwalk
this weekend looking out as we had a sand soccer tournament.
There were a couple thousand families in town with their teams,
(19:36):
with their kids, all playing beach soccer for two days
on the beach in Ocean City. Wow, what a wonderful
thing to enjoy it. I mean, they're all having such
a great time. We're going to try to continue to
build on that because sports marketing and sports traveling it's
about families and it's about bringing everybody together. Sometimes it's
the one time of the year the whole family is
(19:58):
together and I think premely important.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
So that's something.
Speaker 4 (20:02):
Else we're looking at to expand into horizon.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
This is our nineteenth year of being a soccer family,
so we haven't tried it on sand yet, so maybe
we'll give that a try.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
It's become very very big. Hey, we find you can
do anything on sand, so beach soccer. It's beach soccer
tournaments are huge in Ocean City and it's people really
have a lot of fun. It's also challenging and surprises
the kids the first time they're out there. It's a
little bit different, but they figure it out.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Yeah. Well, you mentioned pickleball. Have you given in to
the pickleball trend yourself? Personally?
Speaker 3 (20:37):
I've played a few times.
Speaker 4 (20:38):
I wish I had more time to do it, but again,
that that's something that you know that's rejuvenated a lot
of people.
Speaker 3 (20:45):
I think, you know, it's.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Gotten a lot of our seniors involved in our parks,
which is good.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
You know.
Speaker 4 (20:53):
It's it's one of those sports that really everybody can play,
and I think that's what that's what the real nice
thing about pickleball is every buddy can play it.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Yeah, tennis is pretty pretty rough on my bad knees,
but pick a ball, pickle ball, I can do so, ye, yes, yes.
What are some of your favorite personal memories of just
vacationing or just spending time in Ocean City with your
own family.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
Yeah, the first time I came to Ocean City, I
remember I was back in nineteen.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Sixty three.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
And I believe sixty two, excuse me, And I remember
coming and I was just a kid and staying at
this hotel, this old, this hotel was it's been replaced
since then, and staying in that hotel, and that was
back when you stayed in a hotel and the meals
came with your room and you got dressed for dinner
and you went downstairs for dinner and you had to
put on a sport coat and everything. But that was
(21:48):
my first Ocean City experience. But some of that's changed.
The town's a little more casual today. That building has
been rebuilt and is still there. But I fell in
love with being on the boardwalk. I worked on the
boardwalk all through high school and college, grew up in Baltimore,
and came down here during the summers before I moved
here when I graduated from college, and till this day,
(22:11):
I get up and I ride my bike on the
boardwalk and just spend some time.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
If you want to see something absolutely beautiful.
Speaker 4 (22:17):
Get up there early and watch the sunrise over the Atlantic.
It is one of the most beautiful things you'll ever witness.
And in the summer, if you go up on the
boardwalk or walk up on the beach and look to
the west, you'll see thousands of people that have gotten
up early to go sit on the beach or to
be on their balconies along the fron ocean front to
watch that sunrise.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
In Ocean City, yeah, I'm not a morning person, but
at the beach that is one place I will absolutely
get up early to watch the sunrise. It's beautiful. Well,
last question, if a family we talked about some of
the hidden gems, So if a family only has one
day in Ocean City, what should they absolutely not miss
what are the highlights.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
You know, we're known for our beach and you're coming
here for the beach. I mean, that's what it is.
You can spend a whole day on the beach, and
if you're only here for one night or one day
and then spend.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
The evening on the boardwalk.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
That is the true Ocean City experience. That's what you
can't do at home. That's what people come here for.
And grab the thrashers, French fries, you know, the dollies,
popcorn or some of those iconic foods that were famous for.
Ride the rides, go to trippers rides, ride the oldest
operating ferris wheel in the country. You know, do those
(23:34):
kind of things. Those are the memories you'll never forget.
And if you're only here for the day and you're leaving,
I promise you the kids will sleep in the car
on the way home.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Awesome, Well, Mayor, thank you so much for your time
and coming on the show and talking about your beautiful
part of the country. Ocean City definitely sounds like a
fantastic family destination.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Well, it's easy to talk about Ocean City.
Speaker 4 (23:58):
I have best job in the world being mayor of
this resort community and all the people that live here
and come and visit, and I see a lot of
the same people year after year and get to say
hi to them on the boardwalk, and that makes everything.
That's what the job's all about. So I welcome you
and your family and everybody else. Come try Ocean City.
Once you start your Ocean City tradition, I guarantee you
(24:21):
you'll come back awesome.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
Thank you so much, thank you. A very special thank
you to Lauren Davis, government relations manager with the Mayor's
office in Ocean City, for making today's interview possible. Now,
if you're planning your next family getaway, Ocean City should
definitely be on your radar. From sunrise on the beach
to sunset strolls on the boardwalk. It's the kind of
(24:44):
place where memories are made and traditions are born. Make
sure to subscribe to the Family Vacation or wherever you
get your podcasts, and follow us on Instagram and substack
for more family travel inspiration. Remember, folks, to keep your
passports in your heart's open. Safe travels. Everyone.
Speaker 5 (25:10):
I've got in food, all the beach places and hotel spaces, amusement,
park rides and water slides, mountain ranges and seasonal changes.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
I'm here to serve. I'm the fairly vacationers.
Speaker 5 (25:33):
I've got skin full on other beach places and hotel spaces,
amusement park rides and water slides, mountain ranges and seasonal changes.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
I'm here to serve.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
I'm the family vacationers, your family vacationer, your family in case, sir, noway,
I've got to let me.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Want to see a frame.
Speaker 5 (26:10):
It's this of mesime, god loss it do stay me change.
I need to serve on the famy vacations. I got.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
A frame.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
It's this a lease, doc lasic couss game, sad change.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
I'm here, sir.
Speaker 5 (27:11):
I'm a family vacationner. I've got in full on other
beach spaces and hotel spaces, amusement brock rats and waterslides,
mountains wages and see the changes. I'm here, sir. I'm
(27:33):
the family vacationers, your family vacation, your family vacation, your
family vacation, your family vacations
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Cardiac Cowboys
The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, and the young, Greatest Generation doctors who made it happen. For years, they competed and feuded, racing to be the first, the best, and the most prolific. Some appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, operated on kings and advised presidents. Others ended up disgraced, penniless, and convicted of felonies. Together, they ignited a revolution in medicine, and changed the world.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.