Atlantic City

Atlantic City has been a beach resort destination since the mid-1800s, predating its casino era by over a century. The Atlantic City Boardwalk, the first in the world when it opened in 1870, was built to keep sand out of the hotel lobbies. The city literally inspired the original US Monopoly board game, and the street names (Baltic Avenue, Park Place, Boardwalk) are real.

Since 1976 when New Jersey voters legalized gambling, the city has been shaped almost entirely by casino economics. The rise and fall and partial revival of the casino industry defines the built environment. Several massive casino buildings sit empty or repurposed, monuments to the boom-bust cycle.

Ducktown represents an older layer of the city's identity, rooted in Italian immigrant community. The arts are growing in the Noyes Arts Garage space and the African American Heritage Museum adds context most tourist itineraries ignore entirely. Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, built in 1929 and home to the world's largest pipe organ, hosted the Miss America pageant for decades and has hosted everyone from The Beatles to Frank Sinatra.

AC locals have a particular sense of civic pride mixed with clear-eyed realism about what the city is and isn't.

Free drinks on the casino floor are real, but they only come if you're actively gambling. The trick is tipping the cocktail server well on the first round. Cheap out and the drinks slow down fast..

Outdoor drinking is legal on the Boardwalk. You'll see people carrying casino cups and bottles without a second glance. Don't bring glass..

The seagulls on the Boardwalk are aggressive and organized. They will take food directly out of your hand. Hold your funnel cake with intent..

Book hotels mid-week. Weekend rates at the same property can double or triple. The casino math only works in your favor if you're not paying $300 a night for a Friday room..

Tipping rolling chair operators on the Boardwalk is expected. These human-powered wicker chairs have been a Boardwalk institution for over a century.. If someone mentions 'the Monopoly streets,' they're not joking.

Atlantic City literally inspired the board game. Park Place, Boardwalk, Baltic Avenue, these are real streets here.. Don't wander off the Boardwalk or the main casino zones after dark without a clear destination.

Call a Jitney or Uber instead of walking through unfamiliar blocks at night.. The Boardwalk tram runs from Ocean Casino to the Tropicana, costs $5 one-way, and is card-only. No cash accepted.

Atlantic City is a city with real contrasts. The Boardwalk, casino properties, and Marina District are heavily surveilled and well-staffed with security. Between 2015 and 2023, overall violent crime dropped over 40%, and the ACPD has increased community policing presence.

That said, property crime, petty theft, and public drug use remain real issues, especially during peak summer months. Stick to lit, populated areas after dark. If you're going from one casino to another at night, take the Jitney or a rideshare rather than walking.

The blocks immediately behind the Boardwalk can change character quickly. Panhandlers are common and persistent. A firm 'no' and eye contact avoided is the standard local approach.

Car break-ins happen in parking areas, so don't leave valuables visible. ATM skimmers are a known scam locally, so use bank-branded machines inside casinos when possible. Overall: during daylight in tourist areas, it's comfortable and manageable.

Exercise the same common sense you'd apply in any mid-size American city with economic inequality and you'll be fine.

Getting to AC is straightforward. From Philadelphia, the NJ Transit Atlantic City Rail Line runs from 30th Street Station and takes about 90 minutes. Buy tickets in advance to save money.

A shuttle bus connects the rail terminal to the major casinos. From New York, buses are the dominant option and depart regularly from the Port Authority. Once in the city, the AC Jitney runs 24 hours a day on set routes throughout Atlantic City.

It's been operating for over 100 years and is genuinely cheap and reliable. The Boardwalk tram runs from Ocean Casino to the Tropicana at $5 per person one-way, card only, no cash. Wave it down when you see it.

Taxis in Atlantic City are capped at $13 within city limits regardless of distance, which is unusually affordable. Uber and Lyft are available everywhere. The Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) handles regional flights and has taxis, rideshares, and shuttles on-site.

Driving yourself is fine, but weekend parking near the casinos fills fast and can cost $20-30 per day in the lots closest to the Boardwalk. The Marina District properties have easier parking.