Atlantic City Travel Guide, Discount & Cheap Atlantic City Travel & Tourism, Free Atlantic City Travel Guide Online

Atlantic City Travel Guide: Discount & Cheap Atlantic City Travel & Tourism, Free Atlantic City Travel Guide Online

Atlantic City has become synonymous with its sparkling strand of hotel casinos, 12 in all - Bally's, Caesars, The Borgata, The Atlantic City Hilton, Harrah's, Resorts, The Sands, Showboat, Tropicana, and three bearing the Trump name, The Plaza, The Marina and The Taj Mahal. Millions of annual visitors flock to the city, on southeast New Jersey's Absecon Island, to try their luck at the casinos, where cards shuffle and chips snap 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The casinos have more to offer than the chance to make a quick million, and the city has more to offer than just the casinos.

Situated on a vast stretch of white, sandy beaches, Atlantic City has been a tourist destination since the mid-19th century, when it became a favorite of Philadelphia residents seeking a summer refuge. As beach resorts go, Atlantic City boasts an impressive list of firsts: the world's first boardwalk, first color postcards, first saltwater taffy, and the first Miss American pageant, which continues to be held here every October.

Redevelopers halted the city's slow decline in the 1970s, when the resort was opened to gambling. The old seaside hotels gave way to glitzy casinos on prime Boardwalk property. Now, more than 34 million people visit annually to experience the casinos' headline entertainment, fine dining and shopping. A state-of-the-art Convention Center replaced its antiquated predecessor, promising scores of conferences and trade shows to further boost tourism.

The city is working to create a more culturally rich environment as well. A new Ocean Life Center explores the fragile connection between sea and shore, with live fish and marine exhibits. The Atlantic City Historical Museum documents the city's rich history. Atlantic City is also home to two sports teams - the Atlantic City Seagulls, a United States Basketball League franchise, and Atlantic City Surf, a semi-pro baseball team.

The fun doesn't stop when you cross the bridge to leave. Drive through southern New Jersey's Pine Barrens to 18th-century Smithville or down the coast to the posh beach towns of Stone Harbor or Sea Isle City. And at the southern tip of the state, about an hour from the bustle of the casinos, visitors can enjoy the charming Victorian mansions that abound in Cape May.

Atlantic City Attractions: Atlantic City Travel Guide, Discount & Cheap Atlantic City Travel & Tourism, Free Atlantic City Travel Guide Online

The Boardwalk
(888) 847-4822,
(609) 348-7100

It's the most valuable property on the Monopoly board, which was modeledafter Atlantic City, and it's the hottest spot in town. Built in 1870,it's the world's first boardwalk. Victorian ladies and gentlemen once strolledits venerable planks – "walking the boards" – to take in the ocean breezes.Now, the 4.5-mile Boardwalk is lined with casinos, hotels, restaurants,shops and amusements, all overlooking the crashing waves of the Atlantic.

Atlantic City Convention Center
Mississippi Avenue
Atlantic City, N.J. 08401
(609) 449-2000
The ultra-modern convention center calls itself "America'sNortheast Business Address." With 500,000 square feet of exhibit spaceand an additional 109,100 square feet of meeting space, the facility islarger than any other convention center from Boston to Atlanta.

Atlantic City Historical Museum
Garden Pier
Atlantic City, N.J. 08401
(609) 347-5839
Free

Adjacent to the Boardwalk, the museum features a permanent exhibit titled:"Atlantic City: Playground of the Nation," which includes costumes, posters,souvenirs and Miss American memorabilia. Other exhibits showcase the city'spiers, nightlife and ethnic contributions.

Ocean Life Center
Gardner's Basin
800 N. New Hampshire Avenue
Atlantic City, N.J. 08401
(609) 348-2880
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

This marine science attraction explores the connection between the seaand the land, especially well-suited to its venue, as Atlantic City islocated on a fragile barrier island. The center's goal is to increase awarenessand appreciation of the ocean world. An atrium contains 29,800 gallonsof live exhibits, and the center also features interactive displays andindoor/outdoor observation decks.

Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum
New York Avenue and Boardwalk
Atlantic City, N.J. 08401
(609) 347-2001
This museum exhibits oddities from Robert Ripley's world travels.Visitors can also view films and experience an interactive funhouse.

Absecon Lighthouse
Rhode Island Avenue
Atlantic City, N.J. 08401
(609) 449-1360
Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Monday, or by appointment

Opened in 1857 and last used in 1933, historic Absecon Lighthouse oncehelped guide mariners into the island's treacherous inlet. The double-walledmasonry structure is the tallest lighthouse in New Jersey. Though no longerused, it is a romantic symbol of days past.

Lucy the Elephant
9200 Atlantic Ave.
Margate, N.J. 08402
(609) 823-6473
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends, April to mid-June and Septemberto October
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily mid-June to Labor Day

There is nowhere else in the world you can step inside a 6-story, 90-tonmetal elephant, which was built in 1881 for $38,000 as a real estate marketingstunt. When she was new, Lucy attracted throngs of visitors who wantedto tour her insides and step out on the "howdah" – her observation deck– to view the ocean. In the 1970s, Margate residents raised money to repairLucy, who had fallen into disrepair and had been closed to visitors sincethe early 1960s.

Nearby Attractions

Towne of Historic Smithville
Route 9 and Moss Mill Road
Smithville, N.J. 08201
Hours: Variable by season
(609) 652-7777

Take a 10-mile ride from the glitz and glitter of the casinos and youcan immerse yourself in an 18th-century village. The Smithville Inn wasonce a stagecoach stop; today, the painstakingly restored property servesas a fine restaurant. Other restored cottages and colonial homes are nowused as gift shops and smaller eateries.

Wheaton Village
1501 Glasstown Road
Millville, N.J. 08332
(800) 998-4552
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily April 1-January 2 (winter hours limited)

Glassblowing is a time-honored South Jersey craft, and Wheaton Villageis dedicated to the art. The museum showcases some of the finest glassart of the region, and includes educational displays about the glassblowingprocess.


Noyes Museum of Art
Lily Lake Road, off Route 9
Oceanville, N.J. 08231
Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday

Dedicated to art collection, the Noyes Museum features the work of regionalartists as well as 19th- and 20th-century folk and fine art.

Atlantic City Events: Atlantic City Travel Guide, Discount & Cheap Atlantic City Travel & Tourism, Free Atlantic City Travel Guide Online

• 
  February: The Atlantic City Annual Classic Car Auction
• 
  April: The Boat & Yacht Show
• 
  April: Atlantic City Home & Garden Show
• 
  Late April/Early May: Spring Festival, including a Tulip and GardenWeekend and Spring Victorian Weekend
• 
  June: New Jersey Fresh Seafood Festival
• 
  June: Beachfest, the East Coast's largest beach party, with concerts,sand-sculpting and other beach-related activities
• 
  October: Miss America Pageant

Atlantic City Facts: Atlantic City Travel Guide, Discount & Cheap Atlantic City Travel & Tourism, Free Atlantic City Travel Guide Online

Population:

40,517

Time Zone:

Atlantic City is in the Eastern Time Zone
. When it is 12:00 noon in New York City;

it is 12:00 noon in Atlantic City.

Average Temperatures:

When to Visit:

The ocean acts as an insulator, keeping Atlantic City a bit warmer in the winter and a bit cooler in the summer than the inland areas. Still, expect lows in the 20s and 30s in the gray winter months, a mild and rainy spring, and a temperate autumn with distinct possibility of "Indian summer" weather. Summers are sunny, hot and can be humid, especially in August, though the sea breezes are refreshing. Inside the climate-controlled casinos, the weather is perfect year round!

National Holidays:

New Year's Day Jan. 1

Martin Luther King, Jr., Day 3rd Mon. in Jan.

President's Day 3rd Mon. in Feb.

Memorial Day last Mon. in May

Independence Day July 4

Labor Day 1st Mon. in Sept.

Thanksgiving Day 4th Thurs. in Nov.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dec. 24 and 25

New Year's Eve Dec. 31

Getting There:

By Car

From the North, major interstate highways connect with the Garden State Parkway South, to the Atlantic City Expressway

From the South, I-95 to the Delaware Memorial Bridge to Route 40 to Route 322. You can also get to Atlantic City via the Cape May Lewes Ferry. From Delaware, take the ferry to the Garden State Parkway North to the Atlantic City Expressway.

From the West, via Philadelphia, Walt Whitman Bridge to the North South Freeway and than to the Atlantic City Expressway. You can also take the Route 40 exit that will take you into Atlantic City but is much a longer trip

By Rail

New Jersey Transit runs direct from Philadelphia's 30th street station. For more information, call 1-800-772-2222. Free casino shuttle service is also available from the Atlantic City terminal to all casinos. Service provided by New Jersey Transit stops directly at the Convention Center with complimentary transfers to all casinos.

By Air

Into Atlantic City, It is a quick 20 minute ride from Atlantic city International Airport to the Atlantic City Convention Center. You can fly in from most major cities

Getting Around: More than 80 percent of Atlantic City's visitors are day-trippers who arrive by car or charter bus and never leave the casinos.

Once in town, nearly all of the casinos and attractions are within walking distance along the 4.5-mile Boardwalk. One of the grandtraditions from Atlantic City history is a ride in the Rolling Chairs : wicker vehicles that cruise the Boardwalk and can be hired for a few dollars per trip. Jitneys, or shuttle buses, are another basic means of transportation in Atlantic City. Taxis are also available; the best way to catch one is to line up at a taxi queue or make telephone arrangements. Finally, a car is an absolute necessity if you wish to leave the casino/Boardwalk area

and venture off Abseco Island to visit nearby attractions.

Atlantic City Kids Activities: Atlantic City Travel Guide, Discount & Cheap Atlantic City Travel & Tourism, Free Atlantic City Travel Guide Online

Ocean Life Center
Gardner's Basin
800 N. New Hampshire Avenue
Atlantic City, N.J. 08401
(609) 348-2880
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

Children marvel at marine life, and will delight in the aquariums, touchtanks and interactive exhibits the Ocean Life Center has to offer. Theywill leave with a greater appreciation of the creatures that live in thedeep as well as the region's marine ecosystem.

The Steel Pier
Trump Taj Mahal
Virginia Avenue and Boardwalk
Atlantic City, N.J. 08401
(609) 345-4893

No trip to the Jersey Shore is complete without a night of rides, carnivalgames and cotton candy, all of which are available at the Steel Pier.

Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum
New York Avenue and Boardwalk
Atlantic City, N.J. 08401
(609) 347-2001

This odd museum exhibits oddities from Robert Ripley's world travels.Visitors can also view films and experience an interactive funhouse.

Absecon Lighthouse
Rhode Island Avenue
Atlantic City, N.J. 08401
(609) 449-1360
Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Monday, or by appointment

Opened in 1857 and last used in 1933, historic Absecon Lighthouse oncehelped guide mariners into the island's treacherous inlet. The state'stallest lighthouse provides a moving history lesson, as children considerwhat it must have been like for sailors in a time without electric lightsor sophisticated navigation tools, and only the oil-fueled flame of thelighthouse for guidance.

Lucy the Elephant
9200 Atlantic Ave.
Margate, N.J. 08402
(609) 823-6473
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends, April to mid-June and Septemberto October
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily mid-June to Labor Day

Lucy is the world's biggest metal elephant. Her 90 tons of metal stand6 stories tall, and stepping inside her is enough of a marvel to fuel anychild's imagination. Lucy was built in 1881 for $38,000 as a real estatemarketing stunt. When she was new, Lucy attracted throngs of visitors whowanted to tour her insides and step out on the "howdah" – her observationdeck – to view the ocean.

Towne of Historic Smithville
Route 9 and Moss Mill Road
Smithville, N.J. 08201
Hours: Variable by season
(609) 652-7777

A stroll along the historic, brick-lined streets of this 18th-centuryvillage will give children a glimpse of South Jersey's colonial past. Youngshoppers will enjoy the year-round Christmas shop, bakery and toy storesthat are housed in the restored cottages and homes.

Cape May County Park Zoo
Route 9 and Crest Haven Road
Cape May, N.J. 08210
(609) 465-5271
Free
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

More than 85 species of wild animals live at this zoo, some on its 55-acreAfrican Savannah and others in its extensive aviary. A picnic area andplayground are located just adjacent to the zoo, which is a half-hour drivesouth of Atlantic City.

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