Atlantic City: The Perfect Place for Adults and Children

By Shanea Patterson

8/23/09

So, you don’t have a passport and you figure getting one between now and the end of the year with your family’s finances is near impossible, but you’d love to squeeze in a family vacation before shooting the kids back off to school, right? But you’re low on cash and travel expenses. Well, if you’re anywhere near the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and/or Philadelphia, you might want to try visiting Atlantic City. It offers the perfect blend of both adult and family fun. From night clubs and adult entertainment to amusement parks and the beach, Atlantic City is the perfect destination spot to have it all!

Just a few highlights of visiting Atlantic City for myself and my significant other were for one, the beach. It may be littered with shells, tiny rocks and trash, but overall, the beach was an incredible experience. To feel the waves smack against your body underneath the gleam of the barely there sun was both relaxing and exciting. In some instances, the waves would nearly knock you off your feet, while some would merely soak your knees. Lifeguards were cautious not to let anyone go out too deep because of the oncoming hurricane, which many beachgoers were reluctant to care about.

The restaurant Flames, located a few blocks from the Hilton on the Boardwalk is an authentic Italian Restaurant. The menu was completely in the native language, replete with descriptions in English just underneath. Perfect for brunch, the restaurant offers fruity drinks, omelets and other breakfast foods with tropical fruit as a side dish. With huge white umbrellas covering each wooden table and palm trees lining each wall of the outdoor dining area, the restaurant is a tiny bit of paradise.

One thing you may want to note is that research on hotels does nothing for you. In the long run, it won’t matter how much research you’ve done on a hotel. There’s nothing a visitor’s guide or pamphlet will be able to tell you about a hotel except everything the hotel’s website will offer. For instance, I thought the Hilton would be a great place to stay because the visitor’s guide said it was located on the boardwalk, but that doesn’t really guarantee a great stay. For one, it wouldn’t be able to tell you that it’s mostly for the elderly retirees that want to gamble away their live savings and for families with tons of kids. Going as a young couple with no children, this wasn’t a pleasant surprise. To have to step in the 5 foot deep pool and see wrinkling, sunburned, liver spotted bodies wasn’t exactly the picture I had in mind when I looked at the brochure for the pool.

However, our trip wasn’t totally ruined by that little factor, considering the fact that we weren’t looking to stay in the hotel the entire trip. One other important thing to note if you’ve never been there before, is to realize that everything in Atlantic City isn’t centrally located on the boardwalk. Say you’re looking to hit the IMAX theater and you decided not to drive, but to take a bus like the Leprechaun or a Coach Bus. You’re going to have to do a lot of walking in this city. They do have various modes of transportation, such as the famous Rolling chair on the Boardwalk. Workers push tourists in what look like little carts made out of tweed down the boardwalk and its $5.00 for 0-5 blocks; $10 for 6-10 blocks and an additional $5 per 5 blocks. But you get the picture. They also have Jitneys (small commuter buses) that won’t break your pockets. It got us all the way from the Atlantic City Aquarium back to the Hilton (which is over 30 blocks) for only $2.25 per person, which is cheaper than taking a cab, which charges much more and after you hit a certain mileage, they charge by the mile. Jitneys are small, but they go really fast (faster than you’re average city bus) and probably cost less in major metro areas.

The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory was another one of my favorites. I’m a chocolate lover and they have oversized chocolate to boot in that small little shop, though they’re quite pricey. For a near one pound chocolate peanut butter cup, it’s $5.50. Though, when I tried to take a bite out of it, I understood why it was so expensive. I couldn’t finish it alone and had to recruit help from hubby.

Atlantic City has much to offer including museums for the children, the Steel Pier Amusement Park, Ripley’s Believe it Or Not Museum (which is really incredible; outside they actually have a faucet with running water, but it’s hanging in mid air, connected to nothing, which is great for adults and children alike), trolley tours, fine dining and tourist attractions on almost every block. The Tropicana had more to offer inside than the Hilton did, such as the IMAX theater, shopping and dining all in one. Two floors of casino play was available, one for smoking, one for non-smoking and if you ride the Leprechaun bus to Atlantic City, they give you a buffet coupon which is good for a free meal, as well as $22 in free Casino play, both of which have to be redeemed the day you arrive.

Overall, Atlantic City is the perfect alternative to an expensive vacation, if you book ahead of time. It offers both traditional and educational fun for children, as well as adult entertainment (not on the boardwalk).