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Do people go to Atlantic City for any reason other than
gambling?

Sure they do. The city is a major draw for conventions,
corporate meetings, and morale-building events. Atlantic City is
also a major wedding destination. The city offers a combination
of nightlife perfect for bachelor parties. Women love the town’s
upscale beauty, which makes it an ideal wedding backdrop.
Atlantic City is in the middle of a massive suburban and even
rural population, but it’s only a short trip by car or train
from New York City, Philadelphia, and a few other major cities.

Not everyone who comes to AC is coming to gamble. In fact,
increasingly, fewer people who arrive on Absecon Island are
planning to gamble at all. This is a big problem for the
casinos, but a big help for people who are visiting or moving to
the city who have no interest in placing bets.

Atlantic City was originally a resort town, a natural
landscape of beaches, dunes, and bays at the southern tip of New
Jersey. Once, the area was dotted with tiny health spas and
resorts catering to the wealthy. Though legalized casino
gambling (a product of 1970s economics) changed the face of AC
forever, the now-$3 billion industry did nothing to wipe out the
natural beauty of the place where it was built. As the casinos
disappear, you have an opportunity to enjoy the area for its
original purpose as a haven from the big city.

Yes, Atlantic City is a small town of just 39,000 people or
so. It has a certain small-town appeal, especially if you travel
a mile or two south. Attached to the city (mostly to the south)
are several small suburban neighborhoods that function as
independent cities. Towns like Ventnor City and Margate swell
the local population and provide a lot of places of interest to
tourists.

26 million people visited Atlantic City last year, and fewer
than forty percent of them placed a bet in a casino. They got to
the city mostly by car, though some arrived on a plane or by
rail. Tourism is still a major part of the local economy – which
is why the city is perfect for visitors who aren’t planning on
darkening the door of a casino.

So how do you decide what to do in AC if you aren’t
interested in gambling? You can start by reading the tips
offered on this page. You can also take a look at some of the
activities we recommend, in four separate categories. If you
want to jump straight to one of these categories, please use the
relevant button below.

Tips for Picking a Non-Gambling Activity

The easiest way to figure out what to do in Atlantic City is
to answer four simple questions.

• What time of year is it?
• What age groups are taking part?
• How much time do you have?
• How much do you want to spend?

The answers to these questions help narrow down your choices.
You can add questions if you want – that’ll narrow down your
choices even more. The answers to these particular questions do
tend to get people on the right track toward picking an activity
in the AC area that’s not in a casino though.

What time of year is it?

Atlantic City has the Atlantic Ocean for an eastern border.
It’s also located in a fairly active part of the country,
weather-wise. Ice and snow in the winter months mean that your
best bet in terms of weather is the months of May to September.
The average high for the months of November to February is 44
degrees; the average low for those months is a chilly 29
degrees. It’s not a great time to do anything BUT sit in a
casino and place bets. But if you’re there between May and
September, you’ll find warm days, temperate nights, and lots of
sunshine.

If your visit is during the cold months, you’ll want to stick
to lots of indoor activities. AC gets about 20 inches of snow a
year, so you might find yourself snowed in. Don’t worry. There’s
still plenty to do in AC indoors besides sit at a slot machine.
If, on the other hand, you’re in the area during the warm
months, you should DEFINITELY set some time aside for the many
outdoor activities available in the area.

What age groups are taking part?

Your options for entertainment and activities vary depending
on if you have any kids in the crowd. If your group is made up
mostly of adults, you have a lot more choices. Atlantic City is
family-friendly, but many of the options are geared more for
grown-ups than kids.

How much time do you have?

Do you need entertainment to fill an hour? Do you have an
entire day to kill? The amount of time you need to kill also
plays a role in determining what activities you choose. Much of
AC’s charm comes from the part of the country where it lies, so
some of these activities require a journey. If you have extra
time, you have a wider range of activities to choose from.

How much do you want to spend?

Did you come to AC looking to spend big and experience a
little luxury? Plenty of activities are right for your budget.
Do you have a day to kill and not much money to spend? We can
help you there, too. The trick isn’t spending a ton of money.
It’s matching your budget to activities that are available and
having the best time you can for what you want to spend. Most
activities below cost some amount of money, though we’ve
intentionally included both inexpensive and high-dollar options
on purpose to show range.

Now that you’ve thought about the four most important
factors, look through the lists below. They contain a great
selection of recommended activities in the Atlantic City area,
and none of them involve gambling. These ideas may inspire you
to think of your own activities – that’s great! So long as you
stay within the parameters of your answers to the questions
above, you’ll have a great time.

Best Luxury Activities

Even after a spate of casino closings and a general downturn
in the city’s economy, Atlantic City still appeals to big
spenders who don’t want to make the cross-country trip to Las
Vegas for their casino gambling, wining, and dining. The
following activities are designed for guests to the city that
are expecting some of the finer things in life, regardless of
the cost.

Have a five-star meal at Bobby Flay at Borgata

This is not your father’s steakhouse. Bobby Flay’s steakhouse
at the Borgata serves $50 steaks like they’re appetizers. They
also have specials, rare wines, and multi-course tastings
available at three and four times that price point. You’re going
to spend some coin for a meal at this spot, but it’s the
glitziest of AC’s many steakhouse-themed eateries. It’s also the
place where you’re most likely to see celebrities grabbing a
bite before or after a show at the casinos.

Stay at The Water Club

AC’s newest boutique hotel is actually part of Borgata – a
very successful part. You can take your pick from gigantic lofts
to smaller guest rooms, all built around a theme of “luxurious
elegance,” according to the Borgata’s website. You can pay
anywhere from a few hundred to well over $1,000 a night at this
smaller and ritzier cousin to the popular Borgata next door. As
an added bonus, you’ll be as far away from the gambling as you
can get and still be in a five-star hotel in AC. Make a
reservation online for special deals and offers to local
businesses.

Charter a private boat for a fishing run

The place where the continental shelf meets the deep part of
the Atlantic Ocean is called the Canyons. During the summers,
canyon runs are the main fishing event in an area known for its
excellent fishing. You can charter an overnight trip for a small
group to “run the canyons” for tuna, shark, and other big
predators, but you’ll pay for the privilege. At the cost of
around $6,000 per day, you can have the run of a 60 foot ship, a
crew that knows how to run the canyons, and breakfast, lunch,
and dinner. Several companies make these runs – so take a look
locally and make your pick.

Website:
http://www.atlanticcitynj.com/media/fact-sheets/

Sample rare wines at a Prohibition-era restaurant

Make a reservation early. The Knife and Fork Inn tends to
fill up, especially during peak tourist season. The Knife and
Fork is special – it’s probably the closest thing to a
traditional gourmet restaurant that’s available in or near
Atlantic City, not counting the lovely restaurants up Atlantic
Avenue in the “suburbs” of Ventnor and Margate. The Knife and
Fork is home to a world-class sommelier, as well as a library of
300 rare and connoisseur-level wines. Drinking in a place
popular among Prohibition-era gangsters? Nothing’s more AC than
that.

Book a two-day spa experience for two

We’re going to use Immersion Spa as our example here. It’s at
the mega-popular and mega-ritzy Borgata, and because they have
luxury packages for couples that will set you back as much as
$1,400 a night. Atlantic City has always been a big area for
spas, resort treatments, and natural beauty. They have high
prices, but if you’re on a budget, you can book treatments at
rates much lower than this. If you want to give Immersion a try,
you can reach them at.

Awesome Day Trips

Because AC is so close to a lot of different big cities and
interesting parts of the country, you can take day tips by car
to have a number of different experiences. All of the ideas
below are within a day’s drive of Absecon Island, and many of
them are built around family-friendly activities.

Drive to Ocean City

Take a thirty-minute drive south from the city (and pass over
two toll bridges) and you’ll find yourself in historic Ocean
City. Ocean City is a family-friendly seaside resort. There’s no
drinking in public on the island that the city is built on, and
most activities are designed with the entire family in mind.
Frequently rated the top family beach in the country, Ocean City
is a hidden jewel just a short drive from the hustle and bustle
of AC’s casino industry.

Visit Philadelphia

If you arrive in AC by plane or train, you may not realize
just how close Philadelphia is. An hour by car, a little longer
by a special express train, and you and your family or friends
can be checking out the Liberty Bell. If driving isn’t your
thing, revel in the awesome public transit system in AC and
Philly, and spend about 90 minutes total getting back and forth
from the City of Brotherly Love. The ticket will only set you
back about $12. Philly is a cultural hotspot with live music,
amazing food, museums, and other big-city attractions.

Address: Philadelphia, PA

http://www.visitphilly.com/

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the epicenter of the Pennsylvania
Amish country, is less than three hours from AC by car. You and
your group could easily travel, see the sights, grab a bite to
eat, and be back in Atlantic City in plenty of time for evening
activities. If you don’t think Amish Country is cool, think of
it as a giant outdoor bazaar and amusement park, and bite your
tongue. Most people in your group will have a blast, and you’ll
spend next to nothing.

Visit New York City by train

Okay, so it’s an eight-hour round trip. And yeah, that eats
up a good chunk of your day. But if you can grab a nap on the
way to and from the city, you’ll steal those hours right back.
Let’s face it. NYC is the epicenter of everything cool about
America. Live music, theater, art, amazing food, and that
beautiful skyline – all this can be yours for a $30 ticket and a
few hours napping next to a stranger.

Tour and fish the back bays

Some of the best bass fishing in the world is right in
Atlantic City’s backyard – along the inlets of the back bays of
the Atlantic Ocean that lie on the other side of the city from
the Atlantic. During the spring and summer months, the back bays
are a hotbed of wildlife activity, including world-class bass
and flounder fishing. You can easily spend a day seeing the
wildlife, taking photos, and doing a little fishing. All you
need is a willing guide – the area has plenty of fishermen
willing to help you tour the area for a small fee.

Best Free Activities

Cities built around gambling are not known as great places to
be broke. Sure, you can find cheap buffets and earn comps at the
casinos… if you’re a gambling customer. What can you do in
Atlantic City for free? The ideas below should get you thinking
in the right direction.

Atlantic City Gambling Tips 2020

Stroll the Boardwalk

Few American beaches have boardwalks. None of the others are
as long as the one in Atlantic City. Designed with people in
mind, the boardwalk is wide enough to accommodate bikers,
walkers, and people-watchers. You can get amazing views of the
surrounding seaside and dunes from the boardwalk, or use it as a
home base for a beach adventure or a stroll through downtown.

Take in the Water Show

Similar to the Bellagio Dancing Fountains of Vegas, Caesar’s
Atlantic City puts on a fantastic water show set to music. The
entire show is seven minutes, but it only takes place once an
hour, so getting a good seat is half the fun.

Visit Gardner’s Basin

Gardner’s Basin is a tiny waterfront community located along
the inlets of the back bays of the Atlantic Ocean. These days,
it’s mostly a string of restaurants built over the water and
with emphasis on outdoor seating. You can sit and eat and watch
the boats pass, but you don’t have to buy anything to enjoy the
view. There is also an active artist colony and lots of wildlife
to watch along the way.

Check out the Absecon Lighthouse and Museum

A totally free tour of the Absecon Lighthouse would be the
perfect free trip for a family with kids, or even a romantic
trip for a couple. You can see amazing views of the AC skyline
and check out an interesting little museum, including the
worlds’ first-ever Fresnel lens. It’s a short trip from the city
and they’re open all year long.

Watch an Atlantic City Surfing Club competition

During the summer, AC has a very active Swim and Surf club
that hold competitions for about a four-month span. Local
surfers don’t quit when the water gets cold, either – you can
see surfers in wetsuits tackling the surprisingly-good local
waves all year. You can find out about upcoming events on social
media.

Website:
https://www.facebook.com/Atlantic-City-Surfing-Club

Family-Friendly Activities

Vegas has been rebuilt into a family vacation destination.
Gone are the days when the casinos were smoke-filled caverns
filled with desperate men gambling away their rent money.
Today’s Vegas is a kinder, gentler gambling Mecca. That change
never really came to Atlantic City – at least not to the
casinos. Look and you can find plenty of family-friendly
experiences in and around AC.

Have a day at the beach

The famous boardwalk and beaches of Atlantic City are too
often overlooked by casino customers. The city’s entire eastern
border is made up of beaches. Some five miles of the city is
bordered by the boardwalk, which was the first of its kind in
America. You won’t spend a dime to hang out on the beach, swim,
get some rays, read a book, and explore the boardwalk. It’s a
huge part of the city’s heritage that can’t be missed. And it’s
free.

Visit the Steel Pier

The Steel Pier is a historic site where an amusement park and
concert hall and boxing arena once stood. The Steel Pier has
been revived and renovated to make it a more family-friendly
environment. And it’s being expanded all the time. Future plans
include the world’s tallest Ferris wheel and further expansion
of its restaurant and retail shops. Your kids can enjoy a few
amusement park rides and other kid stuff, while the adults do a
little window-shopping.

Eat salt-water taffy where it was invented

Fralinger’s is a local candy shop with history. Salt-water
taffy was accidentally invented at Fralinger’s in the early 20th
century when a batch of taffy candy was ruined during a flood.
The candy is still served worldwide. Your family can hit up the
same location where it was invented. If you’re lucky, you’ll get
a special quick tour of the facilities. Sure, your kids will get
a sugar high, but they can walk it off at the nearby shops while
you and the other adults do some window-shopping.

Take your picture with Lucy the Elephant

Lucy the Elephant is a classic family-friendly attraction
just outside of Atlantic City. She’s also the world’s only hotel
shaped like an elephant. You have to see Lucy to believe it.
Basically, it’s an old-school hotel from the area’s golden days
in the 1920s, and she’s still standing. You can tour inside of
her, and eat at a couple of nice restaurants nearby, but the
thing you absolutely MUST do is get a picture of you and your
group with Lucy in the background.

Get free admission to the Cape May County Zoo

The Cape May County Park and Zoo is cooler than you might
expect, considering it’s a smallish county zoo. The zoo and park
are well-maintained. It’s a popular area, so it’s well-supported
by locals. The park and zoo are clean, the animals are active
and healthy-looking, and they’ve done maintenance to make the
park an amazing experience for all visitors. We can’t recommend
it enough, especially if you go on certain Saturdays during the summer,
when all admission is free.

Some Points to Conclude

Atlantic City has fallen on hard times. You can’t write about
the city without writing about the decline of the tourism and
casino industries. But it’s still a hub for entertainment. And
lots of business meetings, conferences, and get-togethers take
place here on the Jersey shore. Yes, the casinos are struggling,
but that doesn’t affect the quality or amount of non-gambling
activities available at all. If anything, the city is reaching
out for non-gambling visitors more than ever. They’re also
looking for new forms of revenue through things besides casino
bets.

As the city looks for new revenue, it’s going out of its way
to welcome guests regardless of their gaming preference. If you
find yourself in Atlantic City, or just an hour away in
Philadelphia or any of the other population centers nearby, the
city is worth a look, even if you’re not a gambler. We’re sure
you’ll find that some of the twenty non-gaming activities
suggested above work for you and for the needs particular to
your visit.

I enjoy traveling to Atlantic City, but it is not Las Vegas of the East Coast just because it has an economy centered on legalized gambling. Here’s some information on having fun and winning in Atlantic City.

Choose a hotel on the boardwalk. Atlantic City is not a particularly nice place outside of gambling facilities, and it’s easier to stay in your happy little tourist bubble if you stay on the boardwalk.

While the beach is right there, and quite lengthy, remember that the amount of sand is quite shallow and quite shell strewn. Atlantic City’s beach is clean, but not pristine, and the ocean is very cold well into the summer. If you’re big on swimming make sure your hotel has a pool as well.

In my own experiences in both Atlantic City and Vegas, I tend to win more in Vegas. I don’t know if there is any statistical validity to this, but I thought I’d warn you.

While the servers that roam the casino floor only tend to offer coffee or soda, you can get free alcoholic drinks from them as well, just ask.

There’s a lot less to do in Atlantic City than in Las Vegas. Come to relax, spend time with your significant other, gamble and hang on the beach. It’s not a busy vacation. It’s a lie in bed and get away from it all vacation.

Are Atlantic City Casinos Profitable

Buffets are over rated. Never go to a buffet except for dinner, as it’s just not a value otherwise. The best buffet in Atlantic City is in the Wild West Casino next to Caesars, although if you like your steak medium rare, ask for it rare; they tend to over cook.

Atlantic City Casino Tips

Atlantic City is a haven for seniors. If you’re not a senior be prepared to be the only youngster there. My traveling companion and I were consistently shocked by this.

If you take the bus to Atlantic City from New York City (and possibly other locations, I’m not sure), you can get cash back at the casino, such that the bus comes out to only about $10 RT per person, which with current gas prices can be quite a savings.

In Atlantic City bars in different casinos serve at different hours. At Caesars we couldn’t find a drink before 1. At the Wild West Casino I was having margaritas at 10am.

In my own non-scientific Atlantic City experience the slot machines on the edge of the casinos tend to pay out the best, but stay away from the progressives. In all my gambling trips Top Cat and Winning Streak have always been the kindest to me.

Don’t bring rolls of dimes and nickels to Atlantic City hoping to get rid of them. Even the dime and nickel slots tend to only take quarters.

Don’t bring singles, the change machines on the casino floors in Atlantic City only take $5s and up. It’s very frustrating.

Only an expert gambler can understand what betting on a high stake is where poker online is a good place for practice and while Atlantic City is no Las Vegas when it comes to casinos, it still has its own merits despite the change machines not taking more than $5.

Latest Atlantic City Gambling News

Have a great time and play sane!