One of America's oldest seaside resorts, Atlantic City is most famous these days as a weekend gambler's mecca and a town that's in the midst of an impressive rebirth. To wit: The town's new slogan is "Atlantic City: Always Turned On." It's the East Coast's answer to Las Vegas, and home to many of the same names: Caesars, Bally's, the Tropicana. Tourists come by the millions (more than 35 million per year) to try their luck at the city's 11 casinos, eight of which line the world's first oceanfront boardwalk, opened in 1870. The city itself began life in 1854 and celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2004 with a lot of fanfare, and two more glittering mega-casinos are planned to rise along the Boardwalk in the next 5 years.
Despite its historic pedigree, Atlantic City went to seed post-World War II, abandoned in the wake of cheap, easy air travel to Florida and the Caribbean. In the 1970s, in a last-ditch effort to reinvigorate this once-proud Victorian vacation resort, the state of New Jersey instituted casino gambling -- and though the unconventional urban-renewal plan has had its rough spots, the past 5 years have seen an influx of luxury that has added a younger, moneyed visitor to the Atlantic City mix. With options including glossy hotel rooms going for $600 a night, a Wolfgang Puck eatery, and a Gucci boutique, Atlantic City is more upscale than ever before.
The city is in the midst of a multibillion-dollar renewal plan that has resulted in sparkling new convention and visitor centers, new bus and train terminals, a new outlet mall complex, and a generally more cleaned-up appearance. The opening of the Borgata in 2003 added quite a bit of luster to the city's revitalization efforts. In 2004, the Tropicana launched the Quarter, an Old Havana-themed complex consisting of added hotel space, restaurants, retail venues, and an IMAX theater. Meanwhile, Caesars debuted the Pier at Caesars, a multimillion-dollar retail-and-entertainment complex featuring fabulous Coach, Baccarat, and Tiffany & Co. boutiques. And in 2008, the opening of the Water Club, the Borgata's "boutique style" sister property, gave the Marina District an added dash of sophistication.
Atlantic City clearly has Vegas aspirations: It hopes to reemerge as a luxe playground catering to adults and has already succeeded in ratcheting up its cool factor enormously. We've yet to see if the Boardwalk is going to be as successful as Sin City in integrating families to the mix of visitors (though plenty of families do take advantage of the beach); few kids are seen with parents at the casinos, though a new boutique hotel on the Boardwalk, the Chelsea, is very kid friendly.
And clearly, this isn't Vegas. There's not a lot to do beyond the casino hotels, shopping, and the beach, and though the neighborhood in the immediate vicinity of the Boardwalk is looking better nowadays, we still don't recommend walking around that area after dark. If you're with the kids, Cape May, or Ocean City, New Jersey, are better options: These shore towns are cleaner, quieter, and safer.
Still, if you're looking for glitz, you'll find it in A.C. (baby)!
