Atlantic City Travel Advice

jasonlaus said:
The only thing for certain is the entire hotel will smell like Marijuana. There's one more certainty, but people will cry if I say it
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Ahhhhh, with such an enlightening post, you must add Belching alcohol burps, farting old men and of course cigarettes in the carpeted gaming area. But don't forget, the E. Coast casino hospitality, is quite different than Vegas.
 
GentlemanJames said:
COREYD - Not Many Options; unless you are simply going to Uber it directly to Harrah's (which is actually over the bridge on Brigantine island, nowhere near downtown AC boardwalk casinos; being 3 miles away), then, my best advice would be:

If you are flying into Philly, you could:

1. From inside PHL Airport, take the local train (SEPTA Regional Rail line) from the Airport train platform to Philadelphia 30th St. Station ($7, 20 minute ride);

then,

2. From within 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, you then board the NJ TRANSIT Atlantic City Rail Line (around $15, 1 hour 30 minutes) to AC Train Station;

then,

3. From the Atlantic City Train Station, grab a waiting cab over the bridge to Harrah's in Brigantine (less than 10 minutes, probably cost you nearly as much as both train tickets combined with tip!) - OR, if you see one of the local Jitney Mini-Buses marked for Harrah's waiting for a full load of passengers (or simply ask the driver) those are only a couple of dollars - slower and bumpier; but cheap at $2.50.

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So, from Philadelphia Airport, you will arrive at Harrah's in 2 hours travel-time for about $25 total, if you use the Jitney and one short and one longer, but really relaxing, train rides between Philly and AC - Driving direct by car takes 1 hour travel-time (depending on the traffic), by comparison.

While at Harrah's, you can also take a Jitney (mini shuttle buses that go from casino to casino) up and down the road to both The Borgata or The Golden Nugget to get around for a couple of dollars if you want to visit the other casino resorts on Brigantine island.

As far as going into downtown AC-proper is concerned, I can't recommend it - unless you have a specific destination in mind.

There used to be an absolutely fantastic Mexican restaurant on Atlantic Avenue called, Los Amigos, which was partly owned by Patricia Shemeley (one of the 3 'Amigos'), who was an old golfing-friend of Jean 'The Queen' Balukas; however, that restaurant is now sadly closed after a very, very long run.

Even the Atlantic City Billiard Club is no longer located in Downtown AC. They moved their entire operation out of Atlantic City and about 10 miles (15 minute drive) up the Atlantic City Expressway to Egg Harbor Township on the Black Horse Pike. It's a good/friendly room with 20+ Gold Crowns, c.7000 sqft. - "No Bar, No Pinball Machines, No Bowling Alleys... just Pool, nothing else." So, if you want to check-out the local players while 'in-town', you might drop in there; but, I absolutely recommend calling first to confirm hours of operation and league-traffic/in-house tournaments, etc, for any given day.

Let me know if you need any other info - GJ
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Harrahs is before brigatine island. I live about 15 miles north and take the wife to AC about once a month
 
Thanks so much for all the feedback! Settled on just renting a car at PHL to drive and drop off at ACY and Uber/Lyft to the casino, and I'll do the same on the way back to PHL on Sunday. I can get around town during the week with Uber/Lyft easy enough. Looking forward to my first US Open experience!
 
Island Drive said:
Ahhhhh, with such an enlightening post, you must add Belching alcohol burps, farting old men and of course cigarettes in the carpeted gaming area. But don't forget, the E. Coast casino hospitality, is quite different than Vegas.
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No, I don't have to add those things, because they are clearly not a thing if you've been there in the recent past. But if it keeps your white knight armor shining brightly, carry on. BTW, over the last 5 months I've spent time in Philly, Cleveland, Nashville, Biloxi, vegas(at least a month) denver, ft Lauderdale. There is nowhere I'm more certain that the entire place smells like weed and everybody looks the same. I posted similar for last year's us open. I'd never spend another cent staying at Harrahs in AC(that's Atlantic city) for the person I'm responding to
 
CoreyD said:
Thanks so much for all the feedback! Settled on just renting a car at PHL to drive and drop off at ACY and Uber/Lyft to the casino, and I'll do the same on the way back to PHL on Sunday. I can get around town during the week with Uber/Lyft easy enough. Looking forward to my first US Open experience!
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I hadn't thought of that as an option. How much do the one-ways cost?

One other expense of having a rental car for the whole time is parking at Harrah's which is somewhere between $10 and $30 per day.
 
CoreyD said:
Thanks so much for all the feedback! Settled on just renting a car at PHL to drive and drop off at ACY and Uber/Lyft to the casino, and I'll do the same on the way back to PHL on Sunday. I can get around town during the week with Uber/Lyft easy enough. Looking forward to my first US Open experience!
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COREYD - Hope you have a great time! - GJ

chuckpilegis said:
Harrahs is before brigatine island. I live about 15 miles north and take the wife to AC about once a month
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Yes, this is technically correct - however, much like not confusing first-time travelling tourists from out-of-town to the fact that the Las Vegas Strip is technically not in Las Vegas, but rather in Paradise, NV. - I thought it best not to confuse first-time travelers with that information, since in order for them to get from the Atlantic City Train Station to Harrah's by public transportation or cab, they will be driven out-of-town and away from Downtown AC for 3 miles - which might appear to those "not in the know" that they are "headed in the wrong direction" and being driven away from where they think they should be going via the AC/Brigantine connector. - GJ
 
jasonlaus said:
No, I don't have to add those things, because they are clearly not a thing if you've been there in the recent past. But if it keeps your white knight armor shining brightly, carry on. BTW, over the last 5 months I've spent time in Philly, Cleveland, Nashville, Biloxi, vegas(at least a month) denver, ft Lauderdale. There is nowhere I'm more certain that the entire place smells like weed and everybody looks the same. I posted similar for last year's us open. I'd never spend another cent staying at Harrahs in AC(that's Atlantic city) for the person I'm responding to
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Thx, but this bite ''There's one more certainty, but people will cry if I say it'' made this knights armor (thanks for the compliment) do its thing. So, what is your certainty?
I'm glad you said this, speaks loudly to many.....EVERYBODY LOOKS THE SAME. :)

I'm glad your right on all accounts.
Thx Tommy Chong, for your Marisol/moment.

And bye, bye the way, society HATED the BEATLES when they arrived, like those that HATED Elvis, because he shook his hips.

bye
 
Bob Jewett said:
But where else can you get selfies on all the streets in Monopoly?:eek:

At least do the orange set:
New York Avenue
Tennessee Avenue
St. James Place
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BOB - As you found out, there is no "Free Parking" like Monopoly in AC :(, so that Selfie is out too; and, you'd have to travel two towns over to Margate, NJ to get a selfie of "Marvin Gardens" - properly spelled Marven, for Margate/Ventnor, but misspelled in the game - to complete the Greens; but, unlike going for the Oranges, you won't risk a dust-up with aggressive pan-handlers in Margate, nor while over at Harrah's - being 3 miles away from the downtown nonsense. - GJ
 
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Zerksies said:
Definitely has been on the downward slope for 20+ years. I don't go there as often as I did when I was a kid. But it gets shittier every time I go down.
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Last time I was there was summer of 87-it was horrible then. Casinos in the hood. I think pre ww2 it was a nice spot.
 
Bob Jewett said:
I hadn't thought of that as an option. How much do the one-ways cost?

One other expense of having a rental car for the whole time is parking at Harrah's which is somewhere between $10 and $30 per day.
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It's possible to spend less than $100 for the day if you don't get any rental protections/coverages. The convenience is worth the price, personally. This is a simpler solution than some 3-step itinerary involving buses/trains.
 
Fatboy said:
Last time I was there was summer of 87-it was horrible then. Casinos in the hood. I think pre ww2 it was a nice spot.
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FATBOY - This is correct. Dad grew up in AC prior to becoming a pilot in WWII; and, even during the depression/prohibition era when he was a little kid, he said it was the greatest place to grow-up for a kid and then as a young man graduating high school prior to the war. He said the Boardwalk/Hotel scene was amazing; and, AC truly was "The Jewel of Seas" during those years. - GJ
 
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GentlemanJames said:
FATBOY - This is correct. Dad grew up in AC prior to becoming a pilot in WWII; and, even during the depression/prohibition era when he was a kid, he said it was the greatest place to grow-up for a kid and then as a young man graduating high school prior to the war. He said the Boardwalk/Hotel scene was amazing; and, AC truly was "The Jewel of Seas" during those years. - GJ
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We lived in North Jersey during the '50's and summered in Bradley Beach where the family had a summer home.
We would go to AC once in awhile and it was incredible during those years.
 
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