The kingpin of Jersey Shore nightlife, Atlantic City is a mix of celebrity style, glorious food and timeless seaside fun. Plan your summer of AC with these tips from New Jersey Travel & Tourism and be sure to check out the Atlantic City website for the latest happenings before you go.
The Boardwalk’s Empire
One of New Jersey’s enduring attractions, the Atlantic City Boardwalk owns pride of place as a historic icon and the center of AC action. Riding a bike is an easy, breezy way to see the four-mile-long stretch known as The Great Wooden Way. Bike rentals are offered at several locations, and you can bike from 6 a.m. to 12 noon throughout the summer. Another boardwalk option for “family date night”: Atlantic City Miniature Golf and authentic Jersey subs from White House Sub Shop, now offering a second location at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
Of course, the Boardwalk is the realm for many of Atlantic City’s casinos, where you’ll find headliner entertainment and an array of dining concepts from celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay (Caesars), Jose Garces (Tropicana and Ocean Resort Casino) and Guy Fieri (Bally’s), as well as Wolfgang Puck, Bobby Flay and Geoffrey Zakarian at the Borgata. And Resorts Casino Hotel serves up the soup immortalized in Seinfeld at the Original Soupman. (Fun fact: Resorts Casino is also home of AC’s first slot machine.)
Strange Finds
Go ahead and say it: truth is stranger than fiction. The Greater Atlantic City Region features some weird and wonderful attractions. Bring your appetite for oddities to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, located on the AC Boardwalk. (Weird fact: One of the items in Ripley’s Odditorium is a roulette table made out of 14,000 jelly beans.) Or take a short drive south to Margate to view Lucy the Elephant, an architectural wonder billed as “the only elephant in the world you can walk through and come out alive.” During the summer, this 65-foot-high National Historic Landmark is open daily for guided tours.
Family Adventures
For seaside family thrills, we have two words for you: Steel Pier. This legendary attraction opened in 1898, hosted the first Miss America Pageant in 1921 and made news with diving horses in 1929. With everything from bumper cars to double dips, Steel Pier boasts all of the boardwalk classics, but a high-flying addition, the 227-foot-high Observation Wheel, lets you capture bird’s-eye views of the AC skyline and the Atlantic Ocean in temperature-controlled gondolas. Another way to see the sights: a chopper ride with Steel Pier Helicopters.
On the Tasting Trail
The question about dining in Atlantic City isn’t where…it’s where to next! Treat your palate to TripAdvisor favorites like Capriccio at Resorts Casino, the Asian-inspired Buddakan and the BYOB hideaway, Chef Vola’s. Go to Dock’s Oyster House for old-school dining, enjoy the retro Prohibition-era vibe of the Knife and Fork Inn, dig into Jersey-style Italian comfort food at Tony’s Baltimore Grill or satisfy your sweet tooth with the classic boardwalk treat: James’ Original Salt Water Taffy.
On the Cheap
Think Atlantic City sounds pricey? You’ll be surprised at how far your dollar will go! Take a look at the long list of free or low-cost things to do in AC, and don’t miss the ultimate freebie: Atlantic City’s fabulous beach. You can also learn about AC’s architectural treasures with the AC Tour Guy, who gives free tours by appointment. Or take advantage of no-cost events, like family-friendly Movies Under the Stars and the thrilling “Thunder Over the Boardwalk” Airshow on August 21. And for brands on a budget, shop A (Abercrombie & Fitch) to Z (Zumiez) at Tanger Outlets.
In New Jersey, every new day brings a brand-new destination…like Atlantic City! Plan a boardwalk day or beach getaway at visitnj.org, where you can find places to stay, download a free NJ travel guide or sign up for e-news from New Jersey Travel & Tourism.
