Atlantic City may be famous as a gaming and beach mecca, but there's more to the place and its environs, even during winter. Some events are holiday-themed, including concerts and Victorian home tours, but there are also many indoor cultural and entertainment venues for visitors to enjoy, both associated with the casinos and otherwise.
As a summer destination, Atlantic City, its Boardwalk and its area beaches go way back. In more recent decades, Atlantic City has added many indoor attractions as well, with its casino complexes the best known. But there are other attractions for the wintertime guest.
Even the Atlantic City Boardwalk has a winter side to it. The 13,800-seat Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, dating from 1929 and on the National Register of Historic Place, is a prime venue in town. The recently renovated hall features musical entertainment, sports and other kinds of shows.
Visitors can go to Garden Pier to see the Atlantic City Historical Museum and Atlantic City Art Center any time of year. For a more off-the-wall cultural experience, try the Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum and its more than 400 exhibits, including a scale-model of Columbus' ship Santa Maria made entirely of thousands of matchsticks.
The Atlantic City Convention Center conducts conventions and other business meetings, but it also has events of interest to travelers. Popular musicians perform there, boxing matches take place there and it hosts special exhibitions ranging from classic car roundups to antique shows.
Most of the hot dog stands on the Boardwalk will be closed in the cold months, but a tasty array of dining options in Atlantic City, and not just at the casinos, remains on tap. Area seafood restaurants are a top choice, considering the closeness of the fishing grounds of the north Atlantic, but there's a world of other choices, from fine fusion dining to inexpensive (but delicious) ethnic fare.
Wintertime in or near Atlantic City offers a number of special events, such as:
• Various Christmas tours of picturesque Victorian houses, such as in Cape May and Tuckerton Seaport, which also has an annual Christkindlmarkt (Christmas market.
• The Atlantic City Ballet's annual performance of the beloved Nutcracker.
• Ocean City's nonalcoholic First Night Celebration, starting on Dec. 31 and continuing to midnight, with kids' activities, music, games and fireworks.
• The First Day at the Beach, also in Ocean City, featuring a 5K run, a polar-bear dip in the icy ocean for those brave enough, and other activities.
• The annual Gambler's Classic indoor auto racing in January: Legends cars, micro stocks, champ karts and more.
Naturally, Atlantic City's 11 casinos don't go away during the winter, and they offer a lot more than just gaming--though there's enough variety at the tables and at the slots to satisfy even the most ardent high-betting thrill seekers.
Besides being gaming palaces, for instance, some of the casinos have attached shopping palaces, such as the Pier Shops at Caesars and the Quarter at Tropicana. Also, some of the best spas and health clubs on the East Coast are nestled in Atlantic City's casino complexes, such as Bellezza Salon at Bally's, Crimzen Health Spa at Trump Marina Hotel Casino and the Spa at the Hilton Casino Resort.
Naturally, casinos offer entertainment, with some of the biggest names in show business appearing in Atlantic City. Other entertainment can be found at such spots as the Mardi Gras Showroom at the Showboat Atlantic City, the Caesars Palace Circus Maximus theater and the Main Ballroom of Bally's Atlantic City. Casino-based nightlife is nonstop during the evening and wee hours, such as at the Casbah Lounge at Trump's Taj Mahal Casino or the Blue Martini at Bally's, which can whip more than 100 martini variations to the beat of live music.
