Top Things to Do in Atlantic City – Our Top Suggestions

Atlantic City is a seaside city in the state of New Jersey that is renowned for its array of casinos that have led it to be known as the “Las Vegas of the East Coast”. There are nine different casinos in Atlantic City in total with establishments from some of the biggest brands in the gambling industry.

AC – as it is sometimes referred to – inspired the American version of the board game Monopoly and there is so much more to see and do here aside from just playing cards or spinning the reels. In this comprehensive Atlantic City tourist guide we will look at the history and culture of the city as well as our top things to do in Atlantic City and places to see in Atlantic City.

• Atlantic City Tourist Guide
• Our Top Three Places to See in Atlantic City
• More Tourist Attractions in Atlantic City
• Atlantic City Culture

Atlantic City Tourist Guide

Atlantic City is located on the east coast of the USA facing the Atlantic Ocean and has become a hotspot for tourists with over 27 million visiting every year, making it one of the most popular destinations in the entire country. The city itself has a relatively small population of around 40,000, considering how well-known it is, although the wider urban area is thought to be home to around 300,000 people.

Atlantic City was incorporated on May 1, 1854 and has a long history of being a vacation resort for Americans, known in the 20th century as the “Nation’s Playground” with lots of hotels going up in the area during this period. From its first edition in 1921, the Miss America beauty pageant was held in Atlantic City until 2004, later returning to the city from 2013 to 2018. As tourism skyrocketed plenty of organized crime was drawn to AC, while the 1930s through to the 1960s were a heyday for nightclub entertainment.

Then came a period of economic decline which led to gambling being seen as a way to revitalize Atlantic City, with a referendum approving casino gambling being passed in 1976. This led to hotels being converted into casinos and new casinos being built in the area, eventually developing into the tourist destination it is known as today.

Our Top Three Places to See in Atlantic City

In this section we are going to examine our top three places to see in Atlantic City in more detail.

1. Atlantic City Boardwalk

Aside from casinos, the Atlantic City Boardwalk is the main attraction in the city and one of the top things to do in Atlantic City on your visit. It opened way back in 1870 – the first boardwalk in the entire world – and at 5 ½ miles long (9 km) it is also the world’s longest and busiest. You can walk the entirety of it taking in breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean and the beaches along it, or sit back and let your legs rest on the boardwalk tram instead. You could also rent a bike to cycle it between the hours of 6am to 10am when the boards are open to bike riders or try out the iconic rolling chairs which were once the only vehicle allowed on the boardwalk.

It is probably one of the US’ most iconic coastal walks and deserves a good amount of your time and you could easily spend a day doing this if you want to stop in at all the stalls, arcades and food spots, with ice cream and salt water taffy particular favorites. Schiff’s Central Pier is a great spot for arcade games and go-karts with fun for the whole family. You can try and get the high score in a huge number of different games or play the cranes for your chance to win some awesome prizes. Go-karting right on the seafront is a cool experience if you are looking for extra thrills.

Along the Boardwalk you’ll find major attractions like the Boardwalk Hall, House of Blues and Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Museum as well as an array of casinos, hotels, retail stores, restaurants and amusements. There is also miniature golf, concerts, the Steel Pier amusement park (which we will discuss in more detail below) and the Atlantic City Marathon – one of the oldest in the US that typically takes place on the third weekend in October and covers around 8 miles (13 km) on the boardwalk.

2. Absecon Lighthouse

The Absecon Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in New Jersey (and third-tallest in the USA), measuring in at 171 feet (52 m) in total and overlooking Absecon Inlet. One of the main tourist attractions in Atlantic City, the lighthouse is open to the public at Pacific and Rhode Island Aveneus in Atlantic City every day in July and August and from Thursdays through Mondays the rest of the year. One of the oldest lighthouses in the country you’ll see stunning views of the Atlantic City skyline and come up close and personal with the original first-order Fresnel Lens, which was first lit back in 1857 three years after construction initially began.

The lighthouse has undergone a multi-million dollar restoration project including a brilliant replica of the lightkeeper’s dwellings as well as an educational museum with exhibits including ocean life, shipwrecks, keepers, lighthouse history and more. There is also a gift shop, the Fresnel Lens exhibit in the original oil house and the expansive grounds outside to explore. It is only a short walk away from the boardwalk but save some energy as you’ll need to climb 228 steps to get to the top.

3. Steel Pier

Another of the top things to do in Atlantic City, The Steel Pier is a 1,000-foot-long (300 m) amusement park that was built on to a pier on the boardwalk in 1897, opening a year later. It was hugely popular for most of the 20th century as a venue for concerts, exhibits and its amusements. In total there are 24 different rides with light rides designed for young kids, medium and heavy rides for young adults and special rides like The Wheel, The Slingshot and even helicopter tours.

The Steel Pier is owned by the Catanoso Family and is located across from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. They have lots of different food and drink options as well as the Steel Pier Pub and a number of different bars, with the season running from April through October.

More Tourist Attractions in Atlantic City

It would be remiss of us not to mention the great ​​casino hotels you can find in Atlantic City, but in this section we are going to focus on more tourist attractions in Atlantic City away from gambling.

If you want to escape the crowds and get in touch with nature you can go dolphin watching with Atlantic City Cruises, who have been taking people out on the Atlantic Ocean for nearly 30 seasons from May through October. The area is home to bottle-nosed dolphins who you’ll get a chance to see if you’re lucky. They have even been known to come right up to the boat and show off their playful side so be sure to pack your camera.

This one is actually located in Margate City, 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Atlantic City but we’ve included it because it has become an icon for the wider area. Lucy the Elephant is a quirky waterfront landmark that was constructed in 1881 by American inventor James V. Lafferty to help promote real estate and attract tourists to Atlantic City. Today the six-story elephant makes for a great guided tour (which runs throughout the year peaking in the summer months), while there is no charge to visit the grounds which is a lovely spot for a picnic.

Shoppers will love Tanger Outlets The Walk, an outdoor outlet mall spanning three blocks and offering over 100 stores including brands like Ralph Lauren, J.Crew Factory, Crocs, Nike, Under Armour, Skechers and much more. The Walk opened in August 2003 and is the only outlet mall in AC making it a shopping haven for locals and tourists alike.

Museum buffs have two strong choices with the Atlantic City Historical Museum covering over 150 years of the city’s rich history, having opened in 1985. The Atlantic City Experience encompasses the best historical and cultural resources in the city from diving horses to dance girls and much more besides and is open to the public on weekdays from 9am to 5pm. A project of the Atlantic City Free Public Library, you’ll find the exhibit at the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall just off Chicken Bone Beach.

The Boardwalk Hall itself is worth a look, built in 1929 as the country’s original convention center and playing host to legendary artists such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and Elton John over the years. The 141,000-square-foot venue has a capacity of nearly 15,000 and runs a host of other shows and events as well as concerts.

The other poignant museum to visit is the New Jersey Korean War Memorial, which was constructed to honor the 191,000 New Jerseyans who served in the conflict. A lighter option is the Atlantic City Aquarium which is great fun for little ones with highlights including the likes of sea bass, sand tiger sharks and northern stingrays as well as the twice-daily exotic animal show.

The Atlantic City Airshow – also known as Thunder Over the Boardwalk – takes place in AC every year over the boardwalk since it was established in 2003. One of the largest air shows in the entirety of North America, it is unique for being a beach show and taking place on a Wednesday in August as hundreds of planes fill the sky with some reaching as high as 15,000 feet (4,600 m) and as low as just 50 feet (15 m) over the water.

Also the Atlantic City Ballet is a prestigious ballet school that opened in 1982 and has grown in prestige, putting on dance shows for visitors including The Nutcracker, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Dracula at the Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. This is a must see in Atlantic City for ballet fans.

Atlantic City Culture

Atlantic City is sometimes referred to as “Monopoly City” because of it being portrayed in the American version of the board game Monopoly, with properties on the board named after locations in and around AC. The TV show Boardwalk Empire was set in Atlantic City during the Prohibition era and raised interest in the Roaring Twenties time of the city, starring Steve Buscemi.

Festivals like the TidalWave Music Festival and North to Shore Festival are held in Atlantic City, while the Orange Loop neighborhood near the beach has a big focus on live music. There isn’t a great deal of top-level professional sports teams to watch in Atlantic City, although they do have soccer team Atlantic City FC who play in the NPSL.

While Atlantic City is known as a hotspot for land-based casinos, the wider state has one of the biggest online gambling landscapes in the country, with players able to choose from around 20 different New Jersey online casinos.