Is Atlantic City a Quality Vacation Destination in 2023?
Growing up, I heard a lot about Atlantic City – it sounded like a glamorous place that functioned as an East Coast Vegas with beach access. What’s not to love about that? Since then, it’s certainly had its ups and downs. While it’s not currently a particularly trendy destination, it still has some of the positive attributes that made it so popular in its heyday. Lets analyze if Atlantic City remains a quality vacation destination in 2023!
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The Beach/Boardwalk
Lets face it, the Boardwalk has seen better days. However, it remains an excellent spot for people watching, and it has a certain retro charm. This was my first experience with a northeastern style boardwalk, and unfortunately, it didn’t quite meet my expectations. Cheap souvenir shops (that all seem to be selling identical t-shirts) line the walk, and not one of them tempted me to take a closer look. I was hoping for a slice shop or ice cream parlor to lure me in, but the establishments all appeared too questionable (from a health inspection standpoint) for me to feel comfortable grabbing a fun beach treat.
The Steel Pier amusement park offers a fun diversion for the kids, and some other activities cater to the younger crowd, including 2 waterparks.
On the beach side, there are a couple of bars – we checked out the Bally’s beach bar. The drinks were only slighly overpriced, and the view of the coast is great. They also had a chair/umbrella setup rental option that was a pretty good deal: 35 for 2 chairs and an umbrella. This takes us to the beach itself – full disclosure, I’m used to Florida beaches, and the water was a little chilly for me (mid July). My Michigan born husband had no issue with it, however! There’s a wide expanse of sand for lounging, and if you stay within an easy walk from a beach bar, you have yourself a vacation spot!
The Casinos
There is a lot of quality variation among the casinos in Atlantic City. Also, you should be aware that casinos remain the last refuge for smokers. They try valiantly to keep air circulation going to reduce the secondhand smoke circulating, but it’s still noticeable. That said, if you like jumping into a blackjack game or trying out some slots, you will be entertained!
On the boardwalk, there are 6 main casinos: Caesar’s (we stayed here) including Wild Wild West, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Tropicana, Bally’s, Ocean Resort and Resorts Atlantic City. The marina district houses the Borgata, Harrah’s, and the Golden Nugget. We stayed on the boardwalk, but the marina district is described as having a more upscale feel. Some of the boardwalk casinos are badly in need of a facelift (I’m looking at you, Tropicana!).
The Restaurants
I can’t go any further before discussing one of the best sandwich spots I’ve ever been: White House Subs. There are two locations in Atlantic City – the original free standing location, and an outpost in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. We ate at the original, with walls papered in photographs of famous patrons through the decades. I ordered the meatball sub and Todd ordered the White House Special (chock full of salami, ham, capicola, and provolone). Huge, amazing subs that were worth every calorie!
There are also many chains and celebrity chef-helmed restaurants (for instance, Gordan Ramsey has a stronghold in Caesar’s, while Wolfgang Puck provides dining for the Borgata). You may pay an arm and a leg, but at least you are spoiled for choice!
The Location
Atlantic City really shines here – with easy access from multiple major cities, it’s an easy weekend break. They have their own international airport, but it’s easy to fly into Philly as well – you are there in an hour! Traffic can be an issue – we (unintentionally) arrived in Philly at about 4am due to flight delays, and had no issues (of course), but on the way out at about noon on a Saturday, it took twice as long. It is approximately 2 hours from NYC and Newark as well. If you aren’t as into gambling, the beachside location is a plus.
The Bottom Line
So, should you head to Atlantic City for your next weekend break? Well, if you are into gambling, are in the area and would like to hit a beach, or have fond boardwalk memories from your childhood, it’s a pretty good way to pass a long weekend! I would not go out of the way, however – the years have not been so kind to AC. Attractions and shops are a bit dilapidated or closed completely (we spent an interesting afternoon exploring the Pier Shops at Caesars – nearly every shop had been closed for multiple years, we felt like urban explorers!). AC is hanging on though, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it experience a renaissance in the near future!
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