Destination attractions things to do in atlantic city

Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest

When I was a little girl, my Grandparents moved from Philadelphia to Atlantic City. Once a month or so, my parents took us to that famous shore town to visit with my Grandparents, and because of that, my sisters and I got to see a place of unusual charm, strange beauty and fun.

Recently, as a matter of curiosity, I looked up one of the places that my Grandfather used to take my sisters and me for a treat, and to my absolute delight, saw that the old Dairy Queen on Ventnor Avenue was still there - even after all these years. For those of you who plan on bringing your children to Atlantic City, you might want to go there for their brownie fudge sundae. It's awesome.

Salt Water Taffy is another object that brings back great and tasty memories, and there are lots of other foods, things and places that can bring back memories for you, or even be the beginning of future memories for you and your kids.

Just so that you know, while it is true that Atlantic City is famous for the casinos, there are plenty of things to do with kids, too, from the beach and the Boardwalk attractions, to the Flyers Skate Zone, the Aquarium and the amusement parks.

Now, before I talk about all the cool things you can do in Atlantic City, let me give you just a tiny soupcon of background and history on the place, so you might appreciate even more of what Atlantic City has to offer.

Atlantic City, situated by the Atlantic Ocean on Absecon Island, was originally inhabited by one of the tribes of the Lenni Lenape Indians. They settled the land, but others migrated to the area as well. As time went on, other people moved onto the island and the place changed with the times. In the 1850's, Dr. Jonathan Pitney and his acquaintance, civil engineer Richard Osborne, conceived of the idea of bringing the railroads to the seashore locale and when it arrived, so did the influx of tourists and visitors.

A bit of trivia that might interest you is that Mr. Osborne has been given the credit for naming the city Atlantic City, and Dr. Pitney got the recognition for naming the city's streets: those parallel to the ocean were named after the big seas and oceans of the world (ie. Atlantic, Pacific, Baltic), and the east/westbound streets were all named for the states in the United States. Pretty interesting, huh?

On June 16, 1880, Atlantic City formally opened as a seaside resort chock full of famous, landmark hotels, celebrities and tons of glamour. Atlantic City grew and prospered until the end of her heyday in the 1930's and 1940's. After that point, the city began something of a decline in fortunes until 1976, when the Gambling Referendum was passed, and gambling became legal in the State of New Jersey. Since that time, until the present, Atlantic City has grown and changed and become once more the Casino showplace in the East, and one of the strongest tourist draws in the US.

There are now an extraordinary amount of things that you can do when visiting Atlantic City.

If you want to see a Vegas-style show, dine the spectrum from the casual to the elegant, play the slots, enjoy a game with your best poker face or hobnob with the baccarat set, the Casinos are the place for you. Atlantic City has a dozen major casinos, each with a different flavor or theme, and enough excitement and variety to keep you from ever getting bored.

Now, of course there is the beach and ocean, and the world famous Boardwalk in Atlantic City, but did you know that you can find other kinds of entertainment just off the Boards at the Boardwalk Arcade, Steel Pier (yes, it is still standing and still putting on shows), Central Pier Arcade and Speedway, Passport Voyages of Discovery, the Atlantic City Art Center on Garden Pier, Wow VR Live, and, depending on the time of year, the Miss America Pageant at the Atlantic City Convention Center.

Just as a side note, you should know that the Boardwalk is open year round, and the casinos never close. So, there is always something to do 24/7.

Still looking for more things to do?

How about the Atlantic City Historical Museum, Ripley's Believe It or Not, the Royal Rolling Chairs (to ride or tour the Boardwalk) and the Chicken Bone Beach Historical Society (an African American cultural celebration with live jazz entertainment.)

There is also the Absecon Lighthouse, the New Jersey Korean War Memorial and the Ocean Life Center. Just outside Atlantic City, there are two fine wineries, too: Renault in Egg Harbor City and Balic in Mays Landing.

There are campgrounds if you wish to camp or are traveling in a motor home, and guided tours abound in this city. If you want to pursue more athletic interests, there are facilities a-plenty to go boating, cruising, kayaking and sailboating. There are fishing boat expeditions, power boat rentals and places where you can go windsurfing and kitesurfing, too. You can play golf and mini-golf, and you can visit some excellent spas and health clubs, as well.

Atlantic City hosts (and boasts) some professional teams, too. You can catch a game of hockey (the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies), minor league baseball (the Atlantic City Surf) and football (the Atlantic City Card Sharks.)

Atlantic City is convenient to get to, too, because it is only a short day trip kind of drive from either Philadelphia or New York, and additionally, if you would rather fly, Atlantic City has its own airport of which you can make use.

All in all, if you are looking for a fun place to go, whether romantic, family-oriented, or just a place to spend the day (or week or month), then Atlantic City is the place you want to go because it has everything you could ever possibly want to do.