Let’s start this out “Jeopardy”-style:
Answer: An elephant, a lighthouse and the world’s loudest organ.
Question: What three things did you not see coming in Atlantic City?
I had been to Atlantic City a couple of times in my younger days, when I sought out the city’s casinos and excitement. But I enjoyed a whole other view of Atlantic City at the invitation of Heather Colache, tourism account director for Visit AC.
To be clear, my view was not clear during my late January visit. Despite a steady breeze—sustained winds of 25 mph, gusting to 35 whenever I stepped outdoors—visibility was a foggy quarter-mile or less.
But just as a blind person relies on other senses to experience life, I put away the camera and binoculars and gathered a sense of the place through its people and (indoor) places.
Most prevalent of all is the sense of hometown loyalty and pride in place. I was amazed by the number of natives who work in the tourism industry there, including my guides: Heather and Jessica Kasunich, Visit AC’s communications manager.
Their passion for the product sets an authentic tone to the town, and I appreciated that touch of Mayberry amid the jangly casinos and high-energy attractions.
That said, I like jangly casinos and high-energy attractions—along with great food, fun venues and unique experiences. Had I visited on a windless day, I still would have been blown away by the options and offerings along the AC stretch of the Jersey Shore.
A place to stay
Even the most ardent, all-night gambler needs a place to stay, and AC has seven casino hotels, plus a good number of non-casino properties, from small inns to large resorts.
I stayed at the Tropicana, and while I enjoyed a spacious room and the casino, what most impressed me about this NTA-member property was not the quarter slot machines, but The Quarter. This attractive complex has more than 50 dining, drinking and shopping options, and it’s laid out in a cool homage to the streets of Old Havana. I did all my shopping there (which was mostly limited to take-home chocolates).
I dined with my Visit AC hosts at Carmine’s, a family-style Italian restaurant located in The Quarter.
“We have the wow factor,” said Lynn Manzi, Carmine’s special events director. “That’s the first word out of a guest’s mouths when the food arrives on a platter.”
Carmine’s does extensive group business. “During the season I host as many as a thousand buses,” Manzi said. “Our bus customers come in the spring and summer to see a show and have a good time. The groups come back in the fall, when the shows change, and then they come at Christmas. It’s a different experience every time.”
During the peak of a storm that dumped an inch of rain on AC, we visited another NTA-member property, Resorts Casino Hotel. Despite the winds and fog outside, we had a delightful breakfast with Meg Lewis, the hotel’s executive director of marketing and bus operations, and Donna Bell, bus marketing tour and travel manager.
This place is ideal for groups.
“Our casino is 38 steps from where buses drop off passengers, and we have two theaters, which seat 300 and 1,200,” Meg told me. “We partner with Mohegan Sun, and we have a single owner who continues to put money back into the property.”
Groups that visit in August for the city’s annual airshow can access Resorts’ exclusive viewing area with covered seating, and the hotel provides lunch. Resorts accommodates groups throughout the year, of course.
“Tour operators can make their own packages here,” she said. “The basic one is a show, a meal each day and slot plays, and they can add on a meet-and-greet with the entertainer.”
A site inspection with Donna included a history lesson. “The room renovations are fantastic, elegant and comfortable, and I love the nostalgia with this place and with this city,” she said. “Ocean Tower has lots of adjoining rooms because it was used by the military.”
Near the end of World War II, the hotel was requisitioned by the federal government and became the Atlantic City Air Forces Training and Reception Center Hospital. Many of the rooms have unique configurations, some with huge closets.
Departing Resorts, we visited more hotels, and everywhere we went, the locals talked about the freakish weather—but more about groups visiting the destination.
“Ideally, tour operators would package Atlantic City midweek and the major cities on weekends,” advised Karen Tarnovski, tour and travel sales manager for Caesar’s, Harrah’s Resort and Bally’s, all of which are connected. “Come stay with us on weekdays, when Philly is expensive. Then stay in Philly—or in New York City—on weekends, when it’s cheaper there.”
We returned to the Resorts complex for lunch with Debbie Gutjahr, sales manager at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville and Landshark Bar and Grill.
Landshark is a beach bar that sits across the boardwalk from Margaritaville. It has a breezy atmosphere with indoor areas, a deck and seating right on the beach.
“We create a space for groups, depending on the group’s size and the bar package,” Debbie said. “I do a lot of full buyouts, especially in the off-season.”
Margaritaville, too, offers lots of options, including a buffet for up to 120 guests, with an interior wall and outside doors that can be open or closed. “When our doors are wide open, it’s a whole different feel,” Debbie said. “We want to do more with groups, and I’ll customize something to make the most of any budget.”
I recommend building a budget that includes the Caribbean chicken egg rolls. And key lime pie.
Another cool space we explored was The VÜE. Located in the Claridge Hotel, it’s the only rooftop bar in Atlantic City. “It’s great for the airshow and fireworks displays,” said Jessica Jarvis, sales manager for hotel.
Rolling into town
The Wheel is opening this spring, and while 2018 visitors will be excited, the tourism community is ecstatic.
“We’ve been talking about The Wheel opening for a couple of years, and after some delays, the clouds have parted and it’s really ready,” says Heather Colache of Visit AC.
The 227-foot attraction, third tallest on the East Coast, is set to be open weekends through April, and then run every day starting in May.
“This view—there’s nothing like it on the Jersey Shore. Our wheel is 300 feet out into the ocean, and you can see for miles up and down the coast,” says Sharon Franz, sales and marketing director for Steel Pier, where The Wheel is located. “It’s such a smooth ride; you don’t even know you’re moving.”
Patrons will move, though. Seated in climate-controlled gondolas, they’ll make five revolutions during the 15-minute ride. Franz says that tour operators will get a discount, and packages can include a grab-and-go lunch or a beverage in a souvenir cup.
“The Wheel means a lot to us, and we partner with Steel Pier on several projects,” says Resorts Casino Hotel’s Lewis.
Before the attraction’s 14,000 LED lights illuminate the evening sky, visitors can take a late afternoon ride. “The view of the sunset on The Wheel is spectacular,” Franz says. “You have to get up that high to see the western sky over the buildings.”
A town to tour
After our hotel inspections, we embarked on a drive-about; Heather had lots more to show off in her hometown:
Atlantic City offers tax-free shopping on clothing and shoes, and at the 100-plus stores in Tanger Outlets, you can say, “Let. There. Be. Clothes and shoes.” Situated on three streets, the NTA-member retail center includes Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Chico’s, H&M, DKNY and Bass Pro Shops. Tour operators can get coupons for their groups and vouchers for group leaders and coach drivers.
Gardner’s Basin is a maritime park located in the city’s back-bay area. “This place is hopping during the spring and summer, and we enjoy what we call ‘local summer’ during the fall,” Heather said. In addition to shopping and dining, sightseeing boats and fishing excursions, there’s the three-story Atlantic City Aquarium.
A tunnel connects the Boardwalk to the back bay and several large hotels, including Golden Nugget, Borgata and Harrah’s. “A lot of people like that vibe,” Heather said, “and they can connect to the rest of the city with 24-hour jitneys as well as Uber and Lyft.”
The Sheraton Atlantic City is adjacent to the convention center, and it also houses the unofficial Miss America museum, which features gowns, crowns and other memorabilia.
Boardwalk Hall is a multipurpose arena that hosts concerts, events and meetings. It has quite a history, including in August 1964, when the Democratic National Convention nominated Lyndon Johnson there. And a week later, with “All the Way with LBJ” banners still hanging from the rafters, The Beatles performed to a sold-out crowd of 18,000, including President Johnson’s two daughters, who stayed in town to catch The Fab Four.
Wine, please
I’m no oenologist, but I loved visiting Sharrott Winery in Hammonton, a 45-minute drive from AC. Upon our arrival, Heather discussed with owner Larry Sharrott Jr. the tasting party she hosted using only his wines. And then we had our own party. I sampled a dry Riesling, an unoaked Chardonnay, a couple of reds and Wicked, a port-style red that makes you sit up and pay attention.
The winery is adding a tasting room that will seat 80 and include two bars and several seating configurations. Scheduled to be completed by early April, the new space will have glass garage doors opening onto a patio and a wall of windows overlooking the vineyard.
Sharrot is formally educated, with a wine degree from University of California at Davis. “I like to think of myself as a jazz musician who is grounded in classical music—and then goes out and creates,” he said.
Answer: An elephant, a lighthouse and the world’s loudest organ.
Lucy the elephant has been an Atlantic City resident since the 1880s. Built as a 65-foot-tall eye-catcher for selling real estate in South Atlantic City, Lucy has served through the decades as a tea room, bar, private residence and, now, a museum. There are guided tours, and visitors can get a good view from the howdah.
At 171 feet, Absecon Lighthouse is New Jersey’s tallest lighthouse. Visitors can climb 228 of its 240 steps for a nice view of the city. (I could not have mounted those final 12 steps.) Decommissioned in 1933, the light still comes on at sundown—but for tourists, not ships. Open every day, July and August; Thursday through Monday the rest of the year.
The Boardwalk Hall Auditorium Organ is the largest organ in the world—with 33,112 pipes. It’s also the world’s loudest: One of the stops blows out 138 decibels. (A jet fighter engine registers 120 decibels.) From May through September, there’s a free 30-minute concert every day at noon. And on Wednesdays at 10 a.m., take a two-hour walking tour of the building and the organ, currently being restored.
For more information on Atlantic City, contact Heather Colache of Meet AC or go to meetac.com.
Top photo by Havas – AC Alliance
