Things to do in Atlantic City

Casinos are the main draw in Atlantic City and as specialists in big-house entertainment; they offer full lists of options to keep patrons indoors. Most casino hotels schedule a variety of performances, from comedy to magic and music to theatre. For those wanting to venture out, Atlantic City holds some unique treasures.

Boardwalk

The boardwalk is not only the world’s first oceanfront boardwalk; it’s also the world's longest. This famed beachfront strip is renowned as the original offstage runway for the Miss America Pageant. The planked sidewalk was originally built in 1870 as a midpoint and sand buffer for the coastal hotels. Over the years it was expanded and elongated, and it gained in popularity as a place to stroll and to be seen. Its fame was even marked by being the most valuable property to be held in the board game Monopoly. Today it is also home to most of the town’s casinos, with doors opening straight from the gambling floor, onto the wood. Between the resorts, dozens of trinket shops offer gambling and beach-related souvenirs. During summer days, boardwalk eateries serve a variety of snacks and sweets that locals associate with a day at the beach, such as frozen custard, funnel cakes and pizza by the slice. Also, sample some saltwater taffy, a treat that traces its origins to the boardwalk in 1883.

Atlantic City Convention Center

Visit the main hall of the original and former home of the Miss America Pageant to view the largest pipe organ in the world, with 33,112 pipes. The 1929 building was recently refurbished and stands as a landmark of the city’s earlier stature as a bustling resort. Situated right on the boardwalk, the Convention Center is home to many big-name concerts and shows, including Madonna and Cirque du Soleil, as well as championship boxing matches and the state’s high school wrestling finals.

Absecon Lighthouse

Climb the 228 steps to the top of New Jersey’s tallest lighthouse to catch a sweeping view of the state’s coastline. Opened in 1857, it also stands as the third-tallest lighthouse in the country. The lighthouse stood unused from 1933 to 1997, but is now fully operational. The yellow and red lighthouse has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the lighthouse hosts several events, such as art exhibitions, wine tasting and murder-mystery shows.

Ocean Life Center

This showcase of marine life is a great trip for children, with eight large aquariums including a petting tank and artefacts from shipwrecks. It is an educational experience that is also fun and gives children the chance to observe marine life that they would not normally see.

Steel Pier

Situated by the ornate Taj Mahal casino, Donald Trump’s Steel Pier is a great collection of standard boardwalk games and rides that pepper the Jersey shore. Play Skee-Ball, fire pellet machine guns to win prizes, take a whirl on several rushing amusement park rides and enjoy some cotton-candy. The pier was originally built by Quakers in 1898 as a place to relax over the waters, but it was soon opened to the public. The Steel Pier then became known for its circus-like attractions, including boxing cats and, most famously, a woman who rode horseback off the pier, diving 40 feet into a pool. It also hosted several big acts, including sharpshooter and show-woman Annie Oakley in its opening year. In later years, the pier hosted performers such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and the Supremes. In recent decades it has become known among amusement park buffs for its history and its nostalgic rides.

Museums

Atlantic City is renowned for its museums, but a few exhibitions of art, history and oddities are available. The famous comic institution ‘Ripley’s Believe It or Not’ highlights the bizarre from around the world in a wacky museum on the boardwalk. The exhibits change frequently, but children are sure to delight in the always freaky displays. The Atlantic City Historical Museum exhibits date back to the earlier days in the city’s past, when big band jazz and Frank Sinatra were weekly acts. Regional and local art are also on display at the adjacent Atlantic City Art Center.  This is known as the Miller Art Center.