THINGS TO DO

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There are fun things to do all along the boardwalk. If you are a morning person, you can rent a bike and tour the boardwalk. Biking is only allowed from 6:30 am to 10 am in the summer, and from 7:30 am to 10 am in spring and fall.

At the very north end of the pier, past the Showboat Casino, is the Garden Pier Art Center & Historical Museum. Check out a performance or tour the museum featuring Miss America memorabilia. Admission is free, and they are open 10 am to 4 pm daily.

Check out Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum, a fun interactive museum with over 400 exhibits, located next to the Resorts Casino. After Ripley's, brave the Amusement Park at the Steel Pier.

Need a break? Pop into Tuina-Massage at the south end of the boardwalk for a Chinese back or foot rub. $10.00 buys you 10 minutes of backbone bliss!

If you are having technology withdrawal, check your email at the Atlantic City Cyber Cafe near the Ocean Club Condominiums on the Boardwalk. The owner Lance, can tell you anything and everything you ever wanted to know about Atlantic City. He's usually surfing away at one of the tables.

For more adventure, visit the aquarium, or take a fishing trip or a boat cruise. Just pick up the #1 Jitney anywhere along Pacific Ave to the Marina. While you are there, take a tour of the Ocean Life Center and Aquarium at Historic Gardner's Basin. You can also take a day or sunset cruise with Atlantic City Cruises, or take a fishing trip with Blue Water Adventures. Try deep-sea fishing with Captain Applegate's.

If you are going by car and you've got your clubs handy, check out the golf packages offered by Quality Inn, Comfort Inn West or Clarion Inn.

If you are without a car and the golf bug bites, The Clarion offers overnight golf packages and provides a shuttle to all local courses before 10 am and after 2 pm.

Also, if you are going by car, visit Lucy the Elephant in Margate, a historical landmark on the beach just 10 minutes south of Atlantic City. (Unfortunately, however, there is no way to get there by public transportation just yet.)

LODGING

To save on your hotel, try staying in West Atlantic City or Pleasantville, NJ, just 10 minutes away. Most of the hotels there, like the Clarion Inn, Comfort Inn West and the Days Inn, have lower rates, swimming pools and free frequent shuttle service to the casinos and/or golf courses. Of course, you can also find deals in the city like we did at the Comfort Inn or the Quality Inn. In Ventnor, only a few steps from the beach and boardwalk, try the Carisbrooke Inn. Absecon, a historic hamlet just a few miles away from Atlantic City, is home to the charming Dr. Jonathan Pitney House. The New Brighton Inn, a Victorian architectural landmark, is also nearby, in the shoreside resort town of Ocean City.

Being closer to the action is always best, so remember to check with the casinos first to see if they have any special packages, or boardwalk hotels like Sheraton Atlantic City.

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DINING

You'll find hot dogs, french fries, casino breakfast buffets and ice cream everywhere you turn. Check out the Hard Rock Cafe at the Taj Majal, Atlantic City Bar & Grill. Graebel's is for finer dining. You'll have no trouble blowing your diet here.

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NIGHTLIFE

This city never sleeps! Take in a casino show, go bowling or enjoy live music at the Hard Rock Cafe, Atlantic City Bar & Grill, or The Flying Cloud. Be sure to check out the laser show. If all else fails— gamble!

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TRANSPORTATION

Atlantic City is very public-transportation-friendly. There is frequent service by numerous travel companies. Either they will drop you off at the train station or the bus depot at the center of town, or they'll drop you off at specific casinos.

TRAIN:

Take an Amtrak train to Atlantic City from Penn Station. Frequent departures.

You'll need to change trains in Philadelphia.

Confirm Schedule with Amtrak 800 USA-RAIL.

Travel time: 4 hours by train.

BUS:

If you prefer the bus, take Academy Bus Lines or Greyhound Bus Lines from Port Authority straight to Atlantic City and get there in half the time and half the price. Frequent departures.

Return tickets are good for four days, so you can make a weekend out of it if you are lucky at the slots. You'll also get a cash voucher for the casino worth most your fare price.

We don't recommend taking the local neighborhood buses at bodegas that offer Atlantic City trips for one reason: TIME. By the time you wind your way through the borough to pick up people at all its stops, you'll have killed at least an hour and you'll still be in New York. Also, the buses tend to fill up with regulars during the weekends. Go during the week, if you decide to take these buses, and take Academy or Greyhound on the weekends. You'll have a better chance of getting an empty seat next to you.

When coming back, make sure you note on the schedule which casinos your carrier picks up from and at what times. Even though service may be frequent, they do not make stops at all casinos—so choose your casino to be picked up from and get there on time.

As always, it's a good idea to confirm schedules. Academy: 212-971-9054 or 800-242-1339; Greyhound: 800-231-2222.

Travel time: 2-1/2 hours by bus.

JITNEY:

If you get tired of walking the boardwalk, and you want to be at the other end, you can hire a boardwalk buggy transport. The cheaper way to go is to take a Blue Jitney that makes frequent stops (every 5-10 min.) along Pacific Avenue (1 block up from the beach). Fare is $1.50. Station signs will tell you what number Jitney to take depending on where you want to go.

CAR:

Garden State Parkway to Atlantic City Expressway, take to the end.

Travel time: 2 hours by car.

CAR RENTAL:

Renting a car near Atlantic City is cheaper than in NYC. Rent a car at Enterprise-Rent-A-Car (located 5 minutes away in Pleasantville) for the weekend for only $14.99 per day. Just let them know where you are, and "they'll pick you up."

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TRAVEL TIPS

Packing Extras: Sunglasses, suntan lotion, bathing suit, extra $ to gamble!

Surprisingly, the neighborhood behind the casinos, once decrepit and deserted, is rapidly improving. Still, for now we recommend you stick to the 2 blocks closest to the boardwalk at night.

MAP

For a detailed map of Atlantic City, please click here.