Beach & boardwalk: The beach is where it all started: pristine sand with healthy salt air and a developer who saw the promise it held. Now Atlantic City is one of the world's favorite destinations and the beach differentiates it from any other gaming locale. During the summer, the beaches are guarded by the country's first lifeguard organization and the water is safe thanks to a stringent State water quality program. Millions of guests stroll, ride a bicycle or tour the Boardwalk on a distinctive rolling chair. The first permanent Boardwalk was built in 1870 as a way to keep sand off of hotel carpets. Today, the Boardwalk is more than four miles in length and 60 feet across at its widest points.

Arts & culture: The Atlantic City area is full of history and locations to celebrate it. Among them: The Atlantic City Historical Museum, the Civil Rights Garden, New Jersey Korean War Memorial and Atlantic City Art Center. Other notable sites off the Boardwalk include: the famous Absecon Lighthouse, the Atlantic City Aquarium Ocean Life Center and abundant antiquing, nearby historic villages, lush gardens, wineries, zoos and more.

Adventure: Atlantic City's oceanside location provides ample opportunity for day cruises, sailing, fishing, boat, canoe or kayak rental. Nearby local, state and national parks such as Atlantic County Park at Lake Lenape, Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge and Bass River State Forest offer scenic views, hiking trails, bird-watching and log cabins.

The Boardwalk
(888) 847-4822,
(609) 348-7100
It’s the most valuable property on the Monopoly board, which was modeled after Atlantic City, and it’s the hottest spot in town. Built in 1870, it’s the world’s first boardwalk. Victorian ladies and gentlemen once strolled its venerable planks – “walking the boards” – to take in the ocean breezes. Now, the 4.5-mile Boardwalk is lined with casinos, hotels, restaurants, shops and amusements, all overlooking the crashing waves of the Atlantic.

Atlantic City Convention Center
Mississippi Avenue
Atlantic City, N.J. 08401
(609) 449-2000
The ultra-modern convention center calls itself “America’s Northeast Business Address.” With 500,000 square feet of exhibit space and an additional 109,100 square feet of meeting space, the facility is larger than any other convention center from Boston to Atlanta.

Atlantic City Historical Museum
Garden Pier
Atlantic City, N.J. 08401
(609) 347-5839
Free
Adjacent to the Boardwalk, the museum features a permanent exhibit titled: “Atlantic City: Playground of the Nation,” which includes costumes, posters, souvenirs and Miss American memorabilia. Other exhibits showcase the city’s piers, nightlife and ethnic contributions.

Ocean Life Center
Gardner’s Basin
800 N. New Hampshire Avenue
Atlantic City, N.J. 08401
(609) 348-2880
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
This marine science attraction explores the connection between the sea and the land, especially well-suited to its venue, as Atlantic City is located on a fragile barrier island. The center’s goal is to increase awareness and appreciation of the ocean world. An atrium contains 29,800 gallons of live exhibits, and the center also features interactive displays and indoor/outdoor observation decks.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum
New York Avenue and Boardwalk
Atlantic City, N.J. 08401
(609) 347-2001
This museum exhibits oddities from Robert Ripley’s world travels. Visitors can also view films and experience an interactive funhouse.

Absecon Lighthouse
Rhode Island Avenue
Atlantic City, N.J. 08401
(609) 449-1360
Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Monday, or by appointment
Opened in 1857 and last used in 1933, historic Absecon Lighthouse once helped guide mariners into the island’s treacherous inlet. The double-walled masonry structure is the tallest lighthouse in New Jersey. Though no longer used, it is a romantic symbol of days past.

Lucy the Elephant
9200 Atlantic Ave.
Margate, N.J. 08402
(609) 823-6473
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends, April to mid-June and September to October
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily mid-June to Labor Day
There is nowhere else in the world you can step inside a 6-story, 90-ton metal elephant, which was built in 1881 for $38,000 as a real estate marketing stunt. When she was new, Lucy attracted throngs of visitors who wanted to tour her insides and step out on the “howdah” – her observation deck – to view the ocean. In the 1970s, Margate residents raised money to repair Lucy, who had fallen into disrepair and had been closed to visitors since the early 1960s.

Nearby Attractions

Towne of Historic Smithville
Route 9 and Moss Mill Road
Smithville, N.J. 08201
Hours: Variable by season
(609) 652-7777
Take a 10-mile ride from the glitz and glitter of the casinos and you can immerse yourself in an 18th-century village. The Smithville Inn was once a stagecoach stop; today, the painstakingly restored property serves as a fine restaurant. Other restored cottages and colonial homes are now used as gift shops and smaller eateries.

Wheaton Village
1501 Glasstown Road
Millville, N.J. 08332
(800) 998-4552
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily April 1-January 2 (winter hours limited)
Glassblowing is a time-honored South Jersey craft, and Wheaton Village is dedicated to the art. The museum showcases some of the finest glass art of the region, and includes educational displays about the glassblowing process.

Noyes Museum of Art
Lily Lake Road, off Route 9
Oceanville, N.J. 08231
Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday
Dedicated to art collection, the Noyes Museum features the work of regional artists as well as 19th- and 20th-century folk and fine art.