first time in atlantic city? read this before you do anything else

claire
Jun 12
11 min read

so you're coming to atlantic city. maybe it's for the weekend, maybe you're here for the fifa world cup matches up north and someone told you the hotels are cheaper "down the shore", maybe you just typed "is atlantic city worth visiting" into google at 1am. whatever brought you here, welcome. this is the only guide you need, written by someone who actually grew up here, moved away for a long time over it, and now lives here again on purpose and loves it on purpose.

first, some brief history, because atlantic city's history is completely slept on. before any of this existed, absecon island was swampy, bug infested marshland. pre-colonization, it was a retreat and escape for the lenape. what we can tell from history is that this has always been a place people came to rest, to heal, to fish, but rarely to stay for long. because of that, it became a sort of refuge.

the world famous (and world's longest) boardwalk was originally built in 1870 as a way to keep sand from being tracked into the brand new hotels. storms kept knocking it down, so it was laid out each summer, picked up each winter, and the cycle repeated until they finally built it year round and stretched it up and down the island. as the city grew, so did the boardwalk.

atlantic city was also unique in its diversity and economic opportunity from the very start. newly freed black americans could move here and build a real living without facing the hardships of philly and other more established, more racist east coast cities, alongside irish, jewish, and italian immigrants all carving out their own corners of the island. it was really quite the place. and people have always come here to drink and gamble, no matter what the laws said. we transcribed a 1901 police court report of st. patrick's day arrests here if you want proof that the party predates the casinos by a long shot.

it goes deeper than that though: in the 1910s, mayor william riddle openly campaigned to legalize gambling, pitching atlantic city as "an american monte carlo". he was about a sixty years early. riddle is a whole story on his own, a rich guy who genuinely believed in justice, whose mother founded the chelsea neighborhood with an all-female corporation in 1883. we wrote a full piece on him here and it's a good place to start if you want to understand how this all kinda started. riddle actually got writte out of history by the machine at the time - you know, they guys who fought for prohibition then celebrated the beginning of it with a drink?

oh, and the diving horse this magazine is named after? a real act on steel pier where a horse dove forty feet into a tank of water while thousands watched. this city has always been a little unhinged and that is the charm.

people will tell you atlantic city is dangerous or dead or sad. those people drove from the expressway to a casino parking garage, lost $200, ate at a food court, and then left. they never saw the city. don't be those people.

what to actually do

walk the boardwalk, obviously. go early in the morning when it's just locals, joggers, and old men with metal detectors. walk down to where the sand meets the water and back. it costs nothing and it's the best thing we have. walk it at lunctime, people watch beach first-timers and the daily visitors. find that one super tan guy who wears speedos and swims really fast out deeper than the life gaurds would allow us regular plebs. go out night where people are having the best night of their life, or the worst, and people watch. eat some funnel cake. say hello to ac batman and maybe hand him 5 bucks (he really does fight crime, yes. his name is curtis and he is more batman than batman in many ways).
go to the beach! also obvious. if you liken a quieter beach experience, i recommend going south of albany avenue. if you wanna party/show off, go in from of ceasars or bally's or anywhere near a beach bar. honestly, i don't fuck with any of the current beach bars as they stand. just remember beach etiquette: you're a jerk if you play your music so loud your neighbor can hear it, if you litter you will get 75 years bad luck, if you litter pick you will get 5 years good luck for each item picked, and if you swim outside of life guard hours, that is at your own risk. we get some pretty crazy current changes in ac and throughout the jersey shore thanks to the hudson canyon, so please i'm begging you. stick to life guard hours, they're here every day from 9am-6pm. also yes, the beaches are free. don't litter so we can keep it that way <3

hit the food trucks at o'donnell park and have a picnic in the park with your friends. no food trucks? no problem, i also recommend boom, mexico, and poke bowl for takeout for your picnic. but anywhere not in a casino would prob tickle your fancy - ac deli next to trop is also great and cost effective.

hit the bars! but the good ones!
chelsea pub = great vibes, pool tables, historic, great outdoor smoking area. order the fried chicken.
tony's baltimore grill = a classic. pizza is a staple in this city, the vibes are unmatched. also historic. amazing staff.
cdm = brand new! cleaner/brighter, right on the boardwalk. good food, kinda pricy but very kind staff.
proud mary's = a locals spot. good cheap food, pool tables.
wonder bar = good after hours spot. great place to grab happy hour. sit on the dock and watch boats roll up in the bay. shout out melanie and whiskey richards!!! their tuna sandwich rips.
angeloni's club madrid = cool. hip. the music will never let you down. incredible new happy hour. incredible staff. incredible food. can be pricy if not happy hour, but plates are shareable. it's cost effective to split a few things with your homies.
kelsey & kim's = soul food that will fix whatever is wrong with you. go for sunday brunch trsut me.
iron room = it is back! chef kevin absolutely outdid himself with this one! every single thing on the menu is mouth watering. its location feels like a refuge, you need to walk through bar 32 or the cigar lounge to get back there. once you are back there, you're in paradise. call ahead for the bigger, shareable meals (worth it i promise) or enjoy the smaller plates. the udon carbonara might be my all-time favorite thing on a menu right now in this city. the attention to detail in the place is great, too -- the fine china and glasses, as well as the big beautiful table on the deck all belonged to chef kevin's grandmother. another place where the music is bangin'. this is where i plan to be all summer, shout out amber the sweetest bartender ever. her martini will kick your ass so heads up before you go lol. other bonmus? it is attached to bar 32 so you can have the most delectible dessert.
tenn ave beer hall = this place is fine. they changed their menu and cheapened their food i noticed. still worth going to, especially if you have a large group and want to sit outside. nice fire pit area.
cardinal = another fantastic bar/restaurant. chef michael brennan's brain child, it's kind of like american meets asian fusion. i am a sucker for their fried chicken sandwich and they do dollar dogs when the phillies play. another really, really great outdoor spot if you have a big party.
kings pub = formerly the pic-a-lilly. it gets packed fast, but the food is so good at this spot. the crowd is always a hoot, as well.
the irish pub = closed temporarily. wanna do the city a favor? write mayor small and tell him to lay the fuck off of cathy!
simpson = by chef simpson! if you like jamaican food, this place is the way. tasty drinks and the jerk chicken tacos are soooo to die for.
anchor rock club = usually, there is always something going on here. and usually, it is great. live music, markets, beach shows, etc. the list goes on. right off the boardwalk, best venue around. if you can see gutter drunk here, you'll fall in love with ac on the spot.
little water distillery = local spirits made right here in the city, go do a tasting.
ducktown tavern = open 24 hours, which you will be grateful for at some point. be sure to order the hamcheck (johnny hamcheck appreciation moment).
back bay ale house - old school, great bar food. sit outside, watch the boats drive by, and enjoy a free sunset shot and sunset in the summertime.
byrdcage = the city's only gay bar. the food is fantastic and vibes excellent. adorable back patio, but things really heat up upstairs! get the coconut ball things!
the bar at the end of the steel pier = many don't realize, but once you walk through the rides and amusements, right next to where the helicopter leaves from, is an adorable little bar at the edge of the pier. look out into the sea, enjoy a nice cocktail, and watch the helicopter come and go. it is truly such an underrated vibe, especially at sunset. good place to get romantic lol or bring your friends.
mexico = STRONG but tasty margs. kinda pricey but sooo worth it. a spot that i have been going to since i was a kid, not much has changed.
in the casino:
ossu asian tavern reigns supreme. kevin and stanley are the coolest people so be sure to tip them well when you go. great fresh sushi, very fair prices. i hope they expand their hours as for the most part they're only open thursday, friday, saturday.
bally's circle bar (the rotating one) - SO expensive, but it is fun the spin around. djs usually suck but everyone who works there is super kind plus the people watching is out of this world.

these are just off the top of my head! be sure to follow along to know about what's going on all over the city and stay in the loop when i put out my full bar/restaurant guide.

getting around

here's the thing nobody tells you: you don't need a car in atlantic city. the city is super walkable, and as you walk our 48 blocks, keep an eye out for the murals. they're everywhere once you start looking.

the atlantic city public arts foundation created a whole mural map, check it out here: https://atlanticcityartsfoundation.org/map so you can make an afternoon of it.

when your legs give out, take the jitney. it's that lil blue bus that you'll see running up and down pacific avenue around the clock and costs less than your coffee. download jitney surfer so you can see where they are instead of standing on a corner squinting into the distance. and if you're coming from philly, the train drops you right in town, then the jitney will shuttle you into the city for free, no car required at any point. if you have a car, get a resorts players card and park there for free. but please, we really would prefer if you left your car at home.

ok but where's the music/art

anchor rock club. if you only take one recommendation from this entire guide, take this one. it's a real venue with real shows where people actually show up to see each other and see a band, not to get squeezed for every dollar. it sits at the center of the orange loop, the few blocks around new york ave where the bars and venues cluster. check their calendar before you book your trip and plan around it if you can.

the seed is the other essential stop, a brewery that doubles as one of the best hangs in the city. bonus points if you catch cj sooy's open jam every 2nd and 4th thursday, where you can play, sing, or just get groovy with whoever shows up.

and if you want art, the noyse arts garage is where amanda and german host life drawing classes, both incredible local artists with studios there. walk in a stranger, leave with a sketchbook habit.

luck for you, though, you can see all of the artsy fartsy happenings on my events calendar here: https://www.divinghorseac.com/events

little side quests

north beach mini golf = exactly what it sounds like and exactly as fun as you remember mini golf being. a truly unique course, you can also rent one of those old timey multiperson bikes.

alibi gin = no location to visit, but it's owned by an ac local and it's really, really good even if you don't think you like gin. grab a bottle while you're in town.

pho sydney = i almost wanna gatekeep. i've been coming here since i was a kid and nothing has changed. it is some of the best vietnamese food in atlantic city. heck maybe even the whole area.

brittany's = another spot i've been drooling over since i was a kid. if you haven't tried scrapple. theirs is delicious.

hayday coffee = darling coffee shop right off the boards in the orange loop

cleo's corner = darling coffee shop further inland with great ice cream

white house subs = been making subs since 1946 and the walls of famous visitors prove it. get a cheesesteak or a white house special and split it, the halves are the size of your arm.

platters - god damn my mouth waters for their chicken. you can't go wrong here.

boardwalk hall organ = the largest pipe organ in the world lives inside boardwalk hall, and they do free concerts on wednesdays. go hear the building shake.

absecon lighthouse = the tallest lighthouse in new jersey and you can climb it. 228 steps, one incredible view, and a much better photo than anything you'll take in a casino.

chicken bone beach = the historic black beach of atlantic city, and in the summer they host free jazz concerts. go for the music, stay for the history, it connects to everything we talked about at the top of this post.

atlantic city aquarium - it is not much, but it is adorable. in the gardners basin district, i can't recommend it enough if you have kids with you.

sunrise = our beach faces east, which means the sun comes up over the ocean. it's free, it requires waking up, and it's worth doing once. the boardwalk at dawn belongs to a completely different city.

got an extra afternoon? lucy the elephant is a six story wooden elephant down in margate, a quick jitney or bike ride away. she's older than the statue of liberty's pedestal and she's seen things.

one more thing before you light up

weed is legal in new jersey, but there are rules about where you can and can't smoke, and the beach cops do not care that you're on vacation. we built weed world: https://www.divinghorseac.com/weed-worldfor exactly this, a full guide and a dispensary directory so you can do it right.

ok go have fun

atlantic city is a working class town. we like a good time, but we also don't put up with nonsense. don't be a karen or i'll rob you. kidding haha. but seriously. being kind in this city goes along way. and dont' forget to tip well!

that's the guide. follow us on instagram to know what's going on all over the city, check the events calendar before you come, and grab a copy of the zine from the shop or any of our pickup spots while you're here. it's five bucks and it's a great souvenir.

see you out there.