Seaside resort town of Atlantic City in New Jersey is famous for its casinos, but this East coast entertainment mecca is also home to lovely sandy beaches, golf courses, museums, popular concerts, an aquarium, a historic lighthouse and the longest boardwalk in the planet. The original inspiration for the board game Monopoly, Atlantic City is now again all about vacations and entertainment!
Beach & gambling resort Atlantic City is located on the Atlantic East coast of the US in the state of New Jersey. Situated on Absecon Island close to the mainland, Atlantic City was founded in 1854 as a developed beach vacation resort for the urban workers of Philadelphia, and a railroad was built between the two cities. Atlantic City was a popular beach resort until the mid 20th century, after which it fell into decline. Atlantic City revived after casino gambling was legalized in the city in 1976, and now the city hosts many large casinos and other entertainment venues as well as summertime vacationing crowds again.
Atlantic City Boardwalk, the world's first and longest boardwalk is the backbone of Atlantic City, stretching 4.1 miles / 6.6 km across the city shore and providing access to many hotels, shops, restaurants, piers and casinos. Ocean Pier and Steel Pier along the boardwalk are popular amusement parks, Million Dollar Pier hosts a shopping center and Garden Pier contains a historical museum and an art center.
More entertainment options. There are many large malls and outlet shopping centers offering good shopping in Atlantic City. Many shows and concerts in Atlantic City are held at the Boardwalk Hall as well as in the casinos. The city is home to an aquarium called Ocean Life Center, as well as a few historical sights, including the Absecon Lighthouse that offers also great views over the shoreline, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, and Lucy the Elephant, a historical building made to look like an elephant on Atlantic Avenue. There are also several great golf courses in Atlantic City and its surroundings.
Beach & gambling resort Atlantic City is located on the Atlantic East coast of the US in the state of New Jersey. Situated on Absecon Island close to the mainland, Atlantic City was founded in 1854 as a developed beach vacation resort for the urban workers of Philadelphia, and a railroad was built between the two cities. Atlantic City was a popular beach resort until the mid 20th century, after which it fell into decline. Atlantic City revived after casino gambling was legalized in the city in 1976, and now the city hosts many large casinos and other entertainment venues as well as summertime vacationing crowds again.
Sights and activities in Atlantic City: casinos, beaches, concerts & golf courses
The main attractions of Atlantic City are the casinos. There are 11 large casinos in Atlantic City that offer a great variety of gambling, entertainment and nightlife options. Another popular attraction here is the long sandy beach where you can go swimming, sunbathing, fishing or trying a variety of water sports during the summer months. The beaches stretch far south from Atlantic City, but gambling is restricted into the city area only.Atlantic City Boardwalk, the world's first and longest boardwalk is the backbone of Atlantic City, stretching 4.1 miles / 6.6 km across the city shore and providing access to many hotels, shops, restaurants, piers and casinos. Ocean Pier and Steel Pier along the boardwalk are popular amusement parks, Million Dollar Pier hosts a shopping center and Garden Pier contains a historical museum and an art center.
More entertainment options. There are many large malls and outlet shopping centers offering good shopping in Atlantic City. Many shows and concerts in Atlantic City are held at the Boardwalk Hall as well as in the casinos. The city is home to an aquarium called Ocean Life Center, as well as a few historical sights, including the Absecon Lighthouse that offers also great views over the shoreline, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, and Lucy the Elephant, a historical building made to look like an elephant on Atlantic Avenue. There are also several great golf courses in Atlantic City and its surroundings.
Atlantic City travel information and practical tips
Atlantic City has a subtropical climate moderated by the ocean. The summers here are warm and humid with a pleasant sea breeze and winters are cold with some snowfall.
Photo: Mtl_Shag, used under Creative Commons License (By ND 2.0)
Rainfall in Atlantic City is moderate throughout the year, and there are occasional strong storms during the autumn months.
Travel to Atlantic City is easy. The city has an international airport with mainly domestic flights to Atlantic City, and the larger and more connected airport in Philadelphia is just an hour away from there. You can easily travel to Atlantic City by train from Philadelphia or by bus from the states of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Traveling to Atlantic City by your own car is also easy as the city is well connected with the main highways.
Public transport in Atlantic City is available in form of local buses and mini-buses called jitneys that carry casino-goers 24 hours a day. The 4-mile boardwalk that hosts eights of the 11 casinos in Atlantic City is not hard to walk through, and there are also blue trams and shaded rolling chairs that you can hire with a local guide. Taxis are also available, and car rental in Atlantic City is easy at the airport.
Visitor services. Hotels in Atlantic City are usually large beach resort or casino hotels that offer also spas and all types of other entertainment. A few smaller hotels and inns can also be found in the city. Restaurants in Atlantic City range from luxurious casino restaurants to local restaurants serving many types of cuisines. Nightlife in Atlantic City is concentrated in the casinos as well as downtown clubs and bars.
Safety. Atlantic City is generally a safe place to visit. Violent crime and theft do happen here, but you are most likely safe from it if you do not flash too many valuables around or wander on the back streets alone at night.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Philadelphia, Delaware, New York
