By Laura D.C. Kolnoski
ATLANTIC CITY – It’s been a milestone summer for Atlantic City, and visitors seeking variety in their seaside fun are the winners. Two rebranded casino hotels celebrated one-year anniversaries, while outdoor venues continue to open and/or reinvent themselves, offering a kaleidoscope of options.
During August and September, music will rock outdoor stages, beach bars beckon and family-oriented fun awaits. The Steel Pier’s new Observation Wheel is a big hit, with more rides added. Boardwalk trams introduced in 2014 are so popular, capacity has doubled. Together with the economical jitney buses and traditional rolling chairs, a network of transportation options allows relatively easy travel between the casinos and marina district. Name brand outlets just west of Caesar’s continue to attract throngs of shoppers.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – “In its first year, Hard Rock Atlantic City generated $320 million in gaming revenue, hosted 450,000 concert attendees, welcomed 3.6 million visitors, and accommodated approximately 1.2 million hotel guests,” said Jim Allen, Hard Rock International chairman and CEO, at a press conference June 28. “We employ over 3,900 team members, with 945 of those being Atlantic City residents. An additional 350 seasonal jobs were added.”
A decked Beach Bar opened on the 17-acre property this summer. Upstairs, overlooking the boardwalk where the Taj Mahal’s gold minarets once stood, the new outdoor Balcony Bar offers an expansive space to imbibe, nosh and watch the action below.
“There are still a few things left, but we’re working on it,” Allen told The Two River Times exclusively after the press conference. “We will continue to invest and reinvest. We’re redoing a ballroom right now.”
Visitors flock to the venue’s second floor New Jersey room, where costumes and artifacts of Garden State greats like Bruce Springsteen, Frankie Valli, and Frank Sinatra grace the displays. The company’s famed memorabilia collection is dispersed throughout, lining the halls, walls and restaurants, and inside specially-designed display columns on the casino floor. Viewing them and reading their explanatory plaques can take an entire afternoon.
Ocean Casino Resort – The former Revel, finally flourishing under new ownership, timed it’s 2018 opening for the same day as Hard Rock’s. The competitors have since joined forces to attract folks to the northern end of the boardwalk for music, food trucks and events. Ocean joined in the one-year anniversary celebrations, co-sponsoring a parade, fireworks, and other revelry.
Changes and upgrades include the 1927 Lounge & Speakeasy, a 1920s-themed lounge with video poker slots, live entertainment, DJs, and live “Prohibition;” variety shows; Pit Boss BBQ & Fish Fry, and the High Water Wine Bar overlooking the casino floor featuring 42 wines by the glass and wines on tap. Smoking is now allowed in designated areas, new elevators have been installed, signage has been improved, retailers have been added, and a buffet is coming soon. A Top Golf Swing Suite with expansive ocean views and casino gaming is attracting families, bachelor and bachelorette parties, birthdays, and corporate events.
Golden Nugget – The Deck Bayfront Bar & Restaurant – the large, meandering outdoor venue on Farley Marina – remains a primo place for summer fun. Panoramic views of the city’s boardwalk, skyline, yachts and other watercraft, live music on stage, dancing, casino games, and more attract revelers into fall. Themed music nights include Reggae, Island Music, Country Wednesdays, and Born in the USA Thursdays.
The hotel’s roof deck will host the International Winefest Friday and Saturday, Aug. 23 and 24, with samples of over 100 wines from around the world. The event kicks off with a Wine & Jazz Reception Under the Stars with live music, award-winning cuisine, and an array of French Champagne.
Tropicana – Sundown at Cabana Five, an upscale sunset Happy Hour Thursday through Sunday 6 to 8 p.m. on the see-and-be-seen outdoor pool deck, serves up specialty cocktails, light bites, a fire pit, and views. Every Saturday the Trop presents Fireworks by Grucci, at 10 p.m. through Sept.14.
The 12th Annual Taste of the Quarter, a premier AC foodie event, is set for 6 to 9 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19 featuring more than 25 restaurants.
Resorts – Since the addition of Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville and its beachfront Landshark Bar & Grill to Resorts in 2013, the first casino to open after gambling was legalized in 1978 by the late entertainer and talk show host Merv Griffin continues to expand its boardwalk and outdoor spaces. This summer, the former retail store at Landshark has been transformed into Fins Bar, where guests can dine, drink, and gamble where merchandise once hung. The walls open out into the lower portion of the bar directly on the boards with seating and fire pits.
Inside, for a third consecutive year, Capriccio Italian restaurant has been awarded the Wine Spectator’s 2019 Award of Excellence. To qualify, a restaurant must offer at least 90 wine selections, feature an assortment of quality producers, and match them to the menu in both price and style.
Insider Tip: For easy weather-proof access to Hard Rock, take the above street corridor from Resort’s Dining Level (4th Floor). Resorts, maximizing Hard Rock’s music theme, has resurrected the “hands in cement” slabs that originally lined its entrance, with hand prints and signatures of Griffin’s famous friends including Wayne Newton, Dolly Parton, Dean Martin, and other luminaries of the age. Paired with original videos of the stars making their imprints, they create an enjoyable nostalgic display.
The Biergarten AC – On the boardwalk adjacent to the Tropicana, the cool vibe and ambiance of Biergarten AC, opened last summer, is getting raves and crowds eager for the raw bar, outdoor games like Jenga and corn-hole, local, German and European brews, full bar, live entertainment, and barbecue and smoker fare. Tasting parties and special events, too!
VUE – The historic Claridge Hotel, no longer a casino and now owned by Radisson, has increased its entertainment and dining options, attracting visitors to its new life as a boutique hotel that celebrates the city’s storied past. (Note photos of Marilyn Monroe enjoying her mid-century stay in the lobby.)
For stunning 360-degree vistas of the entire city, Atlantic Ocean, and beyond, take the elevator to the 23rd floor to the VUE Rooftop Bar & Lounge. Voted “Best Bar You’ve Never Heard Of” by Atlantic City Weekly and winner of an Open Table Diner’s Choice Award, it offers a wraparound deck with ample seating, special events, themed nights, Happy Hours, food, a Southern Sunday Brunch through Sept. 1, and a contemporary inside bar.
Gardner’s Basin – When it’s time to leave the hustle, bustle, bells, and lights of the casinos, historic Gardner’s Basin – a maritime fishing village turned tourist spot on the Absecon Inlet across from the marina district – offers casual waterfront dining, fishing, boating, dolphin cruises, a crafters’ village, free concerts, killer views of the Marina District and Coast Guard Station, and a two-story aquarium beloved by youngsters and adults.
