Best Time to Go
Since Atlantic City has become the East Coast's answer to Las Vegas with lots of
adult entertainment, shopping, gourmet dining, and glittering casinos, there
isn’t a bad time to visit. If part of the draw is a seaside holiday you’ll
definitely want to visit from late May through early September when bathing suit
weather is at its peak. If you’ve always wanted to see the Miss America
pageant live you’ll need to go in September --- but don’t write off the
other 11 months --- there’s an impressive array of entertainers on hand
year-round.
Average Weather
July is the warmest month with an average high temperature of 75 degrees.
Throughout the summer the heat seldom rises above the mid 80s, and evenings can
be cool enough for a light sweater. Expect the most rainfall in August; the only
month averaging in excess of four inches of precipitation. Throughout the year
an umbrella is a good idea as all the other months average around two to three
inches of rain. December, January, and February are indoor months with averages
in the low 30s and daytime lows in the 20s. Spring and fall are pleasant but
usually too cool for beach-bunnying, and a light jacket or sweater is a
post-sundown must.
Transportation
Atlantic City International Airport serves the immediate area although many
visitors combine a few days in Atlantic City with a trip into New York or other
nearby cities. The New Jersey Transit Service buses run to and from
Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. to Atlantic City. Amtrak
and New Jersey Transit train service from Philadelphia is frequent. Once you are
in Atlantic City you’ll find that your feet are the best way around town.
Walking from one Boardwalk casino to the next is the way to go. Atlantic City
shuttle buses, or Jitney, run 24 hours a day, covering all of Atlantic City plus
the outlying marina casino district for a $1.50 fare. You’ll also find
two-seater mobile chairs on the Boardwalk running 26 blocks from the Hilton to
the Showboat. Some of them are motorized; others are manually operated. The fare
for a ride is expensive --- between $10 and $35 depending on the distance
traveled.
In-Season Costs
Atlantic City is a bargain beach getaway --- even in its summer high season
advance booking can get you a room for fewer than $60 a night if you are lucky.
However, the nicer hotels run around $125 per night during busy times. If you
are coming to gamble and want to stay in a casino hotel, keep in mind that
mid-week rooms are usually about $ten less than weekend rates. This is
definitely a destination that you need to book in advance for the best deal
regardless of whether you are on a budget or having a blow out vacation.
Atlantic City offers a smattering steak houses and seafood restaurants in the
rather expensive range where you can easily spend upwards of $fifty per diner
without wine. But the majority of the town’s eateries are in the moderate
price range, and it is certainly easy to have a great meal for fewer than $25.
The town has a huge array of sandwich shops and inexpensive alternatives. Unless
you absolutely never ever gamble, be certain to figure slot money into your
budget --- the casinos are the big draw here.
Day Trips
If you are a bit overwhelmed by the gaud and glitz of Atlantic City, a great
contrast day trip is the nearby Victorian treasure Spring Lake, New Jersey, 20
miles away. The undeveloped boardwalk and white-sand beaches seem to come from
another era. The lake is home to swans and geese, and with wooden footbridges
and a pretty church sitting on its banks it seems to be something out of the
English countryside.
If you are more in tune with the bucket-and-spade brigade and want a taste of
seashore with cotton candy and merry-go-rounds, take a short drive to Ocean
City, New Jersey, for a ride on the Wonderwheel at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier
located on Sixth Street in Ocean City. The traditional beach amusement park is
open daily June 15th through September 3rd. Parking is free and ride tickets
cost .75. Make certain you bring cash; no credit cards are accepted.
