Discover Atlantic City’s New Hotspots

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Eat, drink, and play at Bally’s new The Yard venue.

By Laura D.C. Kolnoski

ATLANTIC CITY – This historic city’s famed boardwalk and marina districts are booming this summer as fun-seekers return in force for concerts, festivals, beach bars and a slew of new enhancements and attractions. Our guide below ensures your AC adventure achieves maximum velocity.

TOP TIPS

~ Wear comfortable shoes to keep you going, and steady on steps, escalators and slick floors.

~ Board the boardwalk trams. Plentiful, upgraded and $4 one way, these comfy timesavers facilitate casino-hopping and operate year round.

~ Take the street jitneys. The sleek fleet gets riders from the boardwalk to the marina and back without moving the car. $2.50 one way.

~ Gambling? Obtain a Player’s Card at each casino and use it consistently at slot machines and gaming tables to earn spe- cial offers, comps, free parking and more.

BALLY’S
ballyac.com

The boardwalk stalwart made the biggest splash with a $100 million extreme makeover under new ownership. (Caesar’s and Bally’s have separated with Caesar’s retaining the Wild Wild West section. Visitors can still walk indoors between Bally’s and Caesar’s.)

~ Carousel Bar – Take a slow-mo spin on New Jersey’s only 360-degree indoor revolving bar, replacing the Lobby Bar. Clever craft cocktails celebrate boardwalk flavors like saltwater taffy, cotton candy, and popcorn. Daily happy hour.

~ The Yard – This spacious new indoor/outdoor venue on the ocean-facing courtyard was an instant hit after debuting in July. The glass-enclosed beer garden, arcade, music venue and gastropub features specialized cocktails and a curated tap list.

~ Hotel – All 750 rooms have been renovated, some into eye-popping suites with pool tables, free-standing ocean view tubs and high design.

~ Casino – Rugs, chandeliers and furniture have been replaced, a multitude of new slot machines added and improvements continue.

BORGATA
theborgata.com

Dining makes headlines here. Wolfgang Puck’s and Bobby Flay Steak have departed. The American Bar & Grille now occupies Puck’s space. In June, B Prime Steakhouse, a “modern and chic alternative to classic steakhouses” with cuts from New Jersey, Japan, Idaho and Texas opened in Flay’s former location.

CAESAR’S
caesars.com

Caesar’s, which now owns Harrah’s and Tropicana, is invest- ing $400 million throughout the properties, half of it at Caesar’s. Room upgrades here are nearing completion. The rooftop pool and bar have been revamped, and by year’s end, the top three floors of the Centurion Tower will become a Nobu hotel.

~ Nobu – Scheduled to open this fall, acclaimed Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s latest Japanese restaurant will overlook the ocean on the casino floor.

~ William Hill Sportsbook – Opposite Wild Wild West, this 15,230-square-foot $10 million sportsbook offers an immersive, reimagined experience with five private Fan Caves, massive screens and more.

~ Yes Chef – Michelin-starred Chef Gordon Ramsey is adding to his Pub & Grill with an immersive Hell’s Kitchen restaurant. The centerpiece will be the kitchen, recessed into the floor and visible from every seat. The design mimics the cooking show and the menu features Ramsay’s signature dishes.

HARRAH’S
caesars.com/harrahs-ac

~ Baywalk – On its ample promenade overlooking the Absecon Inlet, Harrah’s has added a live music stage, container bar, gazebo, seating and activities like cornhole, all best viewed at sunset.

~ Bobby’s Burgers – Food Network’s Bobby Flay personally cut the ribbon on his newest fast casual location Aug. 12.

~ Chicken Guy! – The Mayor of Flavortown’s latest, opening Aug. 30, joins his other location here, Guy’s Sammich Joint. Celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s other AC spots are Guy’s Bar-B-Que Joint at Caesar’s and Guy Fieri’s Chophouse in Bally’s.

OCEAN RESORT
theoceanac.com

Reinvention of the former Revel continues with a $55 million property-wide transformation. Twelve floors of previously unfinished rooms and suites were completed and booked for summer.

~ The Gallery Bar, Book & Games – Overlooking the vast casino floor a new, 12,000-square- foot gaming and entertainment area features LED walls, a 100- foot elevated bar, and a sweep- ing open staircase.

~ Serendipity3 – Try the legendary Frozen Hot Chocolate at AC’s outpost of the Manhattan ice creamery in the former Café 500. Brunch, dinner and late-night eats also served.

Resorts’ ocean view pool has been completely renovated and expanded.

RESORTS
resortsac.com

Atlantic City’s first casino has its newest year-round, indoor/outdoor pool complex. Opened in July, the third-floor space has expanded into an entertainment venue with a new sound system, televisions, bar, fitness center, custom Italian tilework and private party and event space. The highlight of the $4 million renovation is the all-new 50-by-26-foot pool with ocean views and a state-of-the-art retractable roof.

SHOWBOAT
showboathotelac.com

Under Philadelphia real estate mogul Bart Blatstein’s ownership, Showboat is transitioning from its casino past to the family-friendly venue he believes vital to the city’s future.

~ Lucky Snake Arcade – The massive arcade spanning the former casino floor draws crowds for its cutting-edge games, mini-golf, virtual reality, bars, boxing ring, special events and music.

~ Raceway at Lucky Snake – High performance custom vehicles crafted in Italy zoom riders through a 40,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art indoor electric go-kart track with an “Escaping Las Vegas” theme. Racers can film their ride via helmets equipped with 4k cameras while fans cheer from viewing areas stocked with arcade games and refreshments.

~ Oasis Waterpark – Construction began earlier this year on Showboat’s $100 million Oasis Waterpark, anticipated to open next year.

A tiki bar, shops, and Adult Zone will be part of Showboat’s new Oasis Waterpark, due to open next year.

More Casino Connections:

Golden Nugget
goldennugget.com/atlantic-city

Hard Rock
hardrockhotels.com/atlantic-city

Tropicana
tropicana.net

This article originally appeared in the Aug. 25, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.