How Ocean City is gearing up for shore rental season

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (WPVI) -- It may not feel like it, but the height of the spring/summer 2025 shore season is just around the corner.

Ocean City is gearing up with a variety of ways to keep visitors.

"Take a look, the views are unmatched," says Glen Losch, general manager of Port-O-Call Hotel.

Port-O-Call Hotel is offering month-long rentals -- a superior ocean-front room could run about $23,000 for 30 days. A deluxe bayside room will run just under $17,000 for a summer month. Housekeeping, gym and an oceanfront pool are included, as is a complimentary umbrella and beach chair service.

Clay Rossiter, of Fox Realty, says weekly shore house rentals are slightly down, about 5%, so far this year. There may be several factors at play.

"European vacations look very cheap right now and look very appealing. I think people kind of put that thing off during COVID-19," said Rossiter.

"The stock market is up and down, and that's the first thing that you reconsider doing, or not doing a vacation," he said.

For those looking down the shore, now is the time to book that vacation rental. On average, it costs about $4,000 a week.

"Really, for me, some sunshine will get everyone back to thinking about Ocean City and the shore," said Rossiter.

Jilly's has an empire of boardwalk shops, from candy to arcades, French fries, and t-shirts.

"Cabin fever makes them eventually come out and droves when it does warm up," said Jody Levchuk, co-owner of Jilly's Arcade.

Jilly's employs about 30 to 40 J1 Visa students from overseas. There has been an uptick in applicants.

"When they have a good experience working with other Americans and American businesses, they bring that back to their country," says Levchuk.

Because rental properties can be so expensive, Jilly's and several other businesses also own lodging for their seasonal employees.

There are still vacancies for rental properties, but coveted summer weeks are nearly 80% full in many spots.