<p>so i’m planning on a one day trip to atlantic city. i plan on going with a friend, hitting the beach, some casinos, etc… </p>
<p>anyway, I’ve never been there before… and i’ve never been to a casino. does anyone have any suggestions on what to do or where to go? i plan on getting down there pretty early, probably around 7 or 8, and will probably stay till about midnight… i want to go to the casinos, build a sand castle, and is there any decent amusement park type place? i’m just trying to map out my day… any suggestions would be greatly appreciated… oh and are there any good places to eat?</p>
<p>(btw, is there such a thing as a slot machine that you play with pennies? I really want to get rid of my pennies)</p>
<p>i’m not an idiot, i just want to play a few things and get rid of my change… that’s about it. my other thought was to skip the casinos and just go to ocean city and spend the day there… anyone have any ideas for ocean city? i just was thinking it would be neat to go to a casino as i’ve never been there… plus i have a mound of quarters and nickels and some pennies… so once the change is gone i’d be leaving the casino anyway.</p>
<p>I don’t like casinos much because if nothing else they are nearly all very smokey. Five minutes in there and you will smell the cigarette smoke on your clothes and hair for the rest of the night.</p>
<p>They have plenty of games that will take your quarters off you very quickly and maybe your nickels too. But you are stuck with those pennies.</p>
<p>Actually, Needsajob, that isn’t true. We’re on vacation in Jersey this week and visited Bally’s on Tuesday while in AC and there were a ton of smokers at the slots!</p>
<p>fendergirl, I’d highly recommend that you choose Ocean City over Atlantic City. AC is really not a pleasant place to spend any amount of time, in my opinion. I hadn’t been for many years and thus wanted to see the Boardwalk, the beach, etc. and really have no desire to ever return now. It’s dirty, it’s tacky, and it’s filled with people who look like they’re not enjoying anything about life. The slots don’t take actual coins, you have to ‘purchase’ either casino cards or for smaller amounts, ‘tickets’ which are then inserted into the slot machine and the amount is registered within the machine to allow you to play until you’ve exhausted that amount.</p>
<p>The Jersey smoking ban didn’t affect the casinos. I liked the Taj Majal when I visited AC, nice floor, plenty of slot machines. There is a newer casino called the Borgata, which is supposed to be real nice. Read the trip advisor website for some decent casino reviews.</p>
<p>Actually, you might want to EAT at a casino. My recollection of Tahoe and Las Vegas is that the food can be pretty inexpensive for what you get–after all, that’s not where they expect to make the bulk of their money. Could be Atlantic City is the same.</p>
<p>I have been to AC 5 times for trade shows. AC is pretty much a dump when you get away from the little section around the convention center and the casinos. There’s a new (theoretically outlet) shopping area close to the convention center (midtown).</p>
<p>This past spring was the first time I’d been to a casino. IMO – boring and sad. We were at the Taj for a seminar. The food was incredible, the decor is astounding. But the casino just doesn’t do it for me. If you are into the beach thing … go to the beach and don’t bother with AC.</p>
<p>If you go to AC there are really just two places that are a cut above and are actually decent. Actually if you go to one of these you’ll have a good time:</p>
<p>-The Quarter at the Tropicana. You can gamble in the Trop, then there’s a nice new 3 level indoor “mall” (the Quarter…nicer than the average mall) with interesting shopping, IMAX theater and decent (not fabulous but you’re not looking for that) restaurants, some transplanted from NYC. Like PFChang’s, Carmine’s, etc. Big plus for the Quarter if you’re into it…there are several clubs upstairs for drinking/dancing.</p>
<p>-The Borgata, just because it’s new and nice. Overall though go to the Trop because it’s on the beach whereas the Borgata is not. </p>
<p>I believe the beach in AC is free. The Boardwalk is interesting if you’ve never been there, but it’s mostly dumpy and many of the people walking the boards look like they just escaped from somewhere.</p>
<p>Eating…for cheap good Italian go where the locals have gone for years…the Baltimore Grill, on Atlantic Avenue just a block west of the Quarter.</p>
<p>Another BIG plus for AC… The Walk. It’s a new outdoor outlet mall just as you get into town at the foot of the AC Expressway. Has the typical Ralph Lauren, etc but also an H&M, a very big shoe store (not DSW but like it) and many others.</p>
<p>btw smoking ban is exempt for AC casinos, the one place it really should be in effect.</p>
<p>In OC you’ll find a much more “wholesome” crowd but it’s more boring. Cleaner boardwalk with lots of junk food (Mack and Manco pizza is a must) and a few good surf shops if you’re into that for clothes, sandles (7th St Surf Shop at Bwalk and 7th of course). There’s not much in OC besides the beach. You’ll need a beach tag for maybe $5 or so for a day but can take your chances (when you see the taggers coming go down to the water or fake sleeping). Have fun and make sure you go on a sunny day…</p>
<p>For someone of your age (young I presume!) you’ll have much more fun in AC than OC.</p>
<p>Fendergirl
You are the right age for the Borgota.Be there at night,you’ll have fun.
If you’ve never been to a Casino,its fun to try.AC may be sad to some but for the first timer she’ll have a good time.You may want to reverse the hours of your trip somewhat…start later in the day and stay out later.Mornings may be when you see the “sad” types,when the busses roll in.
Theres a Great Adventure/Six Flags in NJ but not nearby and it would take all day.If however you’re into coasters and amusement park rides it might be worth staying over and fitting a day in there.They have some great rides.S’s favorite…Kingda Ka.Discount tix from McDonald’s (2 for 1 admissions M-F) and AAA.Last year there were Coke cans that got you 2 for 1.There hotels nearby but you could stay in AC and then go there.</p>
<p>i’ve been to the six flags before. i live close enough by that i don’t need to stay over to go to a place like that. i have this thing with not going to amusement parks on weekends… However i’m going to canada’s wonderland on canada day, so i’m sure that place is going to be packed solid. </p>
<p>maybe we’ll start our day a little bit later and stay out later. i don’t want to spend the night down there because i have so many vacations planned this summer i really don’t want to pay for another hotel. i just got back from a ten day trip and i’m actually leaving to go to the beach in delaware in a few hours… i’ll be back sunday… and i’m going to toronto at the end of this month… so i’m just looking for a little one day get away with some friends.</p>
<p>my original thought was that we’d go out for breakfast, drive to AC, hang out on the beach, maybe head to the ripleys believe it or not (does anyone know if it’s any good, i always found the show interesting), grab some lunch, go to this steel pier amusement ride place and ride some things, maybe find mini golf or some place with go-carts, build a sand castle (i can not go to a beach without building a sand castle. i have quite the array of buckets. ), do some shopping or play some games, and then later grab dinner and head to a casino. if there are any little gaps in the day, step in and check out the different casinos so we can figure out which one to go to later. does that sound do-able, or won’t I be able to fill up my day with those things?</p>
<p>i went to ocean city a few years ago with my parents and i remember the beach being alright, and the boardwalk being decent… but i just don’t know if i could fill up a full day without getting bored, which is where the casino thing came into play. last summer i went to wildwood and they had a thing where they show movies on the beach, so if ac doesn’t work out maybe we’ll go to wildwood and do the beach and the amusement parks and catch a movie on the beach… but i still want to get rid of my change :)</p>
<p>I went to AC once for a conference. My recollection – a bunch of grey-haired old ladies obsessively feeding slot machines with their, no doubt, meager social security incomes. It was not a pretty picture.</p>
<p>my grandparents go to AC a few times a year to play the slot machines, and have came home on three sep. occasions where they won $5,000 on one, $3,000 on another, and $2,500 on another… if only I could be so lucky :)</p>
<p>The Borgata is very nice, but you will need a truck load of coins :). Very important- it is not on the Boardwalk, it is away from other hotels. Also, the other poster is correct that you don’t put coins in. They really would prefer that you put dollars in (ie: $20, $50 bills). Even nickel/penny machines can really be dollars per spin if you load up the machine. You can easily go through such large amount of money in such a short period that is not enjoyable. I doubt that you will be in there very long. You would be better off going to the bank and cashing in your coins and then having a nice dinner at the Borgota, or somewhere else, without stepping foot into the Casino. BTW, Homestead is a very nice expensive restaurant within the Borgata.</p>
<p>i’m sure i’d be better off not going to a casino however i’m not going to blow all of my money or anything , it’s just part of what i want to do because i’ve never been to a casino before i’m going in with x amount of dollars, and any winnings (if i have any) go back in my other pocket and we won’t be playing with them… once i use the money i intended to use on gambling that’ll be it, and any winnings will just be extra to come home with me (or to get dinner with) if we’re only there 15 minutes then we’re only there 15 minutes. i did just find a comedy club in the one casino, maybe we’ll check that out…</p>
<p>“Casino gambling = a tax on the mathematically impaired” or stupid people.</p>
<p>very true. However, it can also be a great entertainment. It is called rerceational gambling. I just love those slot machines.</p>
<p>How can you enjoy?</p>
<p>Decide how much you are willing to lose - decide on your entertainment budget. Think of it as a going to a concert or a Broadway show or expensive place to eat. Don’t even think of winning - you never will win and if you don’t you will feel lousy. For lots of fun play on nickel or penny video slot machines (some even have half cent machines). Those old 3-reel type slot machines are boring. Penny machines are my favorite. Once in a while the machines do stuff that is very entertaining. On penny machines plan on ‘donating’ about $10-15/hr. On my ‘lucky’ days I have ‘donated’ about $3/hr and on worst days about $16/hr. The best looking casinos in AC are Borgata, Caesar’s Palace and Trump Taj.</p>
), do some shopping or play some games, and then later grab dinner and head to a casino. if there are any little gaps in the day, step in and check out the different casinos so we can figure out which one to go to later. does that sound do-able, or won’t I be able to fill up my day with those things?</p>