Courtesy MAC
Atlantic City Splash
A drive of under 50 miles up the Garden State Parkway will take you from Wildwood to Atlantic City, a destination that is legendary for gaming, nightlife, beaches and boardwalk. Groups that visit will find 12 modern casino resorts, as well as a number of attractions and activities that give them a look at the city’s colorful past.
“For groups, a lot of the popular attractions are on our trolley tours,” said Heather Colache, director of tourism at the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Association. “The Splash of Atlantic City takes them to the historic Absecon Lighthouse, the tallest in New Jersey and the third tallest in the United States. Then they go down to get a historic overview of Gardner’s Basin, which was known for rum-running in the 1920s.”
The area’s alcohol smuggling trade of the Prohibition era has been dramatized in the recent television series “Boardwalk Empire,” and groups can take another tour that highlights the bootlegging history. The tour visits a historic Irish pub and other sites connected to the “Boardwalk Empire” story.
For a more wholesome experience, the 4.5-mile Atlantic City Boardwalk mixes historic charm and modern flair.
“We call it the old wooden way,” Colache said. “It was built in the 1800s so that when people came in off the beach, the sand wouldn’t get into the grand hotels. It became an iconic tribute to Atlantic City.”
For a couple of dollars, you can get a ride down the boardwalk in a hand-pushed rolling chair. The chairs have been an essential part of the Atlantic City scene for 125 years and are the perfect way to finish your trip with a classic New Jersey coastal experience.
