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Before 1978, Atlantic City was all about sea breezes, sandy toes and pounding waves.
Then gaming rolled in, and glittery casino resorts with fancy restaurants, major league entertainment, boutique shops and spas took the spotlight.
Still, even as groups are drawn to Atlantic City’s nine casino resorts, they always find time to enjoy its sand and sea.
Seaside Stops
One exhilarating option is a climb up Absecon Lighthouse, New Jersey’s tallest lighthouse. It stands tall on a square of green lawn a few blocks from Atlantic City’s famed boardwalk. A climb up its 228 steps requires strong legs and lungs, but the reward is a breathtaking look at the Jersey shore.
Of course, enjoying Atlantic City’s seaside location doesn’t have to be strenuous. Beach services are happy to set up comfy chairs and umbrellas in the soft sand. Slow strolls along the surf’s edge provide a peaceful break from the cacophony of the casino floor.
Many beach bars along the five-mile iconic boardwalk are perfect for post-gaming gatherings. The Steel Pier and its four bars are a good place to start. Two bars that sit where the pier meets the bustling boardwalk are prime for people-watching. A drink at the Wheel Bar can calm nerves before a spin on the pier’s 227-foot-tall Wheel. For a wider view, helicopter rides take off at the pier. And, to feel truly out to sea, groups can settle in for drinks, dancing and dining at the pier’s Ocean Reef Oasis Bar, 1,000 feet out over the Atlantic.
Many of the six casinos along the boardwalk have beach bars, including LandShark Bar & Grill at Resorts Casino Hotel, open year-round. And, for those who might want to get away from the crowds, there’s the VUE at the Claridge Hotel, Atlantic City’s only rooftop bar, where heat lamps take the chill off cool evenings.
Surf’s Up
Getting out on the back bay or sea is still one of the best ways to appreciate Atlantic City’s coastal location, and there are many ways to do that. For an active adventure, there’s deep sea fishing, parasailing, surfing lessons and kayak tours. A boat tour of the back bay is a more sedate option. The Tiki Boat, a covered pontoon with its own bar, works well for parties of 25 or fewer, and because it motors on flat waters, spills or seasickness are not issues. Atlantic City Cruises’ 130-passenger yacht, with its open and covered decks and enclosed spaces, is well popular for sunset and dolphin watching cruises.
And, while much about a trip to Atlantic City is in the hands of Lady Luck, a cruise of the waters around the city offers one sure thing. “There are lots of dolphin pods in the area, so we guarantee you will see dolphins!” said Heather Colache, tourism account director for Visit Atlantic City.
For more information, please contact:
Heather Colache
609-318-6097
heatherc@visitatlanticcity.com
visitatlanticcity.com/group-travel
