Getting Active & Outdoors
• Get your golf on: Casino gambling and sports books are not the only games in town. Golf is another option, especially now that several previously private courses in and near the destination are open for public play. One of the oldest facilities of its kind in the U.S., the layout at the Atlantic City Country Club has been named the number-one public golf course in New Jersey by Golf Week, Golf Magazine and Golf Digest. The course is known for its finely manicured fairways and large sloping green complexes protected by sand bunkers. Long carries over natural ponds and saltwater marshes make a formidable challenge for any golfer. The Vineyard National Golf Course at Renault at Renault Winery Resort & Golf features a 7,200-yard layout with vineyard views. Meandering subtly through South Jersey’s Pinelands, the course offers challenges at every turn — such as an island green surrounded by treacherous bunkers at the third hole, and a bentgrass hollow at the 10th hole. Situated on 350 acres of land, the Ballamor Golf Club has wide, easy-to-hit fairways and large greens. One highlight is the 15th hole, a 347-yard par four with a challenging tee shot. After clearing the water, players must decide whether to carry a massive bunker on the left corner of a dogleg with a 220-yard drive or take a long shot with bunkers everywhere in sight.
•
Atlantic
City’s Inlet neighborhood will be home to North Beach Mini Golf, slated to open on the Boardwalk at Euclid
Avenue this year. With views of Absecon Lighthouse and Absecon
Inlet, the attraction will feature a natural motif with greenery, nautical
elements, and flowing water. Several of the course’s holes will pay homage to
Atlantic City’s casino gaming heritage. Bike rentals will be available as well.
• Don’t have time to hit the greens? Topgolf Swing Suite at Ocean Casino Resort offers
an immersive experience with seven private bays to play; food; beverages, and
views of the ocean and Boardwalk.
• Bike the boards: A bicycle ride is one of the best ways to experience Atlantic City's famed five-mile Boardwalk and all it offers. Cycle nonstop or pause to enjoy ocean views, shops, restaurants, bars and traditional beach-resort treats like salt water taffy and fudge.
• Ride the waves: Atlantic City has three surfing beaches: Crystal Beach at New Hampshire Avenue, Delaware Avenue Beach and Downtown Beach at Raleigh Avenue. Several surf shops on the Boardwalk, including AC Surf School, provide surfing lessons as well as rent out equipment. Paddleboard rentals and lessons also are available.
• All aboard: Boardwalk Tram Service operates electric tramcars that transport visitors anywhere along the Boardwalk from the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel Atlantic City to the Tropicana Casino and Resort. Adult fare is $4 one way and $8 for an all-day pass; group rates are available on request.
Extending Your Trip in Atlantic City
•
Atlantic City’s aptly nicknamed Little Water
District is home to three adjacent venues: The Seed: A Living Beer Project, Little Water Distillery, and
Westecunk Axe Throwing. A 5,000-square-foot craft
brewery and tasting room, The Seed features a seven-barrel brewing system with
nine taps and a dedicated side-pull lager line. Its menu of specialties
includes saisons (highly carbonated pale ales) and mixed-fermentation ales made
from local fruits, grains, and botanicals. In addition to libations produced on
its premises, Little Water Distillery offers a 30-minute tour during which
visitors can enjoy a tasting of its spirits and an overview of its history and
distilling process. The tour operates every Friday at 5 pm and on weekends at 1
pm. Westecunk Axe Throwing is open to individual visitors and can be booked for
small groups.

Mad for Macaroons
The
G. Carl Tripician Co. has been making macaroons since 1910, when the shop was set up on the Boardwalk. The almond and coconut delights are made with the original recipe and join a delicious slate of modern delectables.
• History lesson: Journey back in time by climbing the 228 steps of the Absecon Lighthouse, New Jersey’s tallest lighthouse, which recently underwent a multi-million-dollar restoration and now features a Fresnel Lens exhibit in its original Oil House, a museum, and a replica of the original light keeper’s cottage.
• Retail therapy: From quaint boutiques and kitschy stores on the Boardwalk to malls and outlet centers, Atlantic City is a paradise for shoppers. The Quarter at Tropicana beckons with more than 25 luxury shops. Tanger Outlets Atlantic City is the place to go for discounts on a wide variety of brand-name merchandise, including apparel, shoes, home furnishings and accessories.
• See the Cape: Not far from Atlantic City — and well worth the short trip — is the seaside resort town of Cape May. Stroll the Historic District for a look at the Victorian architecture for which Cape May is known. The Emlen Physick Estate, built in 1879, offers a glimpse of life as it was lived more than 100 years ago. Eclectic and traditional shops, along with restaurants, line the Washington Street Mall, a pedestrian promenade that spans three blocks.
• A corking good time: Take a break from cocktails and casinos with a visit to one or more wineries in the Atlantic City region. Bellview Winery in Landisville produces more than 20 estate-grown varietals and more than two-dozen wines. Renault Winery, one of the oldest continuously operating establishments of its kind in the U.S., is now being revitalized by Vivamee Hospitality to reflect the vision of Master Vintner Louis Nicholas Renault, who hailed from Rheims, France, and established his winery in Egg Harbor City in 1864. Hamilton is home to Plagido's Winery, which specializes in hand-crafted, artisanal wines produced from small lots of grapes using a basket press, as well as DiMatteo Vineyards and Winery, whose Pasquale Red, Chambourcin, Niagara and other varietals are consistently featured in the Winner’s Circle at the prestigious International Wine Competition and other events.
Sports Betting in A.C.
The legalization of sports betting in New Jersey puts Atlantic City at the forefront of being able to support esports, while legally betting on esports. Today, in Atlantic City you can place sports bets at any of the nine casinos Sportsbooks and online!
In Walking Distance
The following are in walking distance of the Atlantic City Convention Center:
Grab a bite (and a brew): The historic Tun Tavern, Atlantic City's first brew pub, offers a rotating menu of handcrafted beers along with casual fare. Lunch specialties include a "super-sized pretzel" served with Ale-infused cheese sauce, sweet stout mustard and cheddar crab dip; or try the Blue Claw Fries covered in melted cheddar cheese and blue claw crabmeat, and dusted with Old Bay seasoning.
For another extensive beer menu plus pub fare prepared from locally sourced ingredients, check out Wingcraft Kitchen & Beer Bar. Wingcraft's "The Manhattan Project" burger, named the "#1 Burger in South Jersey" by At the Shore magazine, is topped with smoked gouda cheese, crispy fried onions and honey barbecue steak sauce.
More Food & Fun in Atlantic City
• The Orange Loop, the three-block expanse is
chock-full of one-of-a-kind restaurants, bars and live music venues and this
hip district continues to grow. Among the venues are attractions here are Rhythm
and Spirits and Bar 32 Chocolate & Cocktails.
Bar32’s menu includes a wide variety of
desserts made with its own hand-crafted chocolate, as well as cocktails. The Bar32
Chocolate & Cocktails experience also includes music, with playlists
tailored to each of the establishment’s chocolate bars. All chocolate is made
from premium cacao beans and incorporates ingredients from around the world.
• Cardinal has opened at the South New York Avenue site that previously housed the now-shuttered Bourre. Featuring contemporary American cuisine, the restaurant offers an all-day menu at the bar and an a la carte menu of dinner items “from the sea, the garden, and the farm.” Cardinal will also serve craft cocktails and wine, as well as non-alcoholic cocktails and a selection of locally brewed beers and spirits.
• Attention, dog lovers: A second location of Philadelphia’s
iconic Good Dog Bar has opened on
Atlantic Avenue in a spot previously occupied by the long-shuttered RL Lounge. The
venue features a patio where dogs are welcome, 5,000-square-foot, 96-seat
offers two “pooch-themed” floors with two full-size bars, and a second-floor
game room. The menu focuses on locally sourced, fresh food, with options like
wings that have been brined for 48 hours before being cooked, burgers
hand-stuffed with Roquefort cheese, poke bowls, Vietnamese Banh Mi, and daily
specials prepared primarily from freshly caught seafood. A comprehensive bar
menu extends beyond “draughts, cans, bottles, and wine” to include signature
cocktails such as the Social Butterfly, made with Tito’s, cucumber mint
butterfly pea flower syrup, fresh lemon, and prosecco.
• Dos Caminos Mexican
restaurant at the Golden Nugget Atlantic
City in the
center of the casino floor, has opened. It has a ceviche bar and a menu that
features Dos Caminos’ “killer guacamole” street food such as queso fundido made
with dark beer and pickled jalapenos, skilled-baked nachos with queso and “all
the fixings,” nearly a dozen taco options, and traditional plates like
enchiladas with mole poblano, chiles rellenos, and fajitas. Specialty dishes
will include skillet chimichangas, skirt steak asada, mole short ribs, and
Oaxacan shrimp quesadillas.
• Cuzzie’s Pizzeria Kitchen
is the newest addition to the roster of dining venues found along the
increasingly vibrant beach block of Tennessee Avenue. The restaurant
bills itself as “pushing the boundaries” of pizza, with offerings
included a square pie with pepperoni cups.
• Atlantic City’s The Seed: A Living Beer Project
has been ranked first on the USA TODAY 10BEST
“Best New Brewery”
list for
2021. The 5,000-square-foot craft brewery and tasting room features a
seven-barrel brewing system with nine taps and a dedicated side-pull
lager line. Specialties include saisons (highly carbonated pale ales)
and mixed-fermentation ales made from local fruits, grains and
botanicals.
•
Attendees can participate in friendly competition at Westecunk Axe Throwing.
• Book
a tour or tasting for your group at Little Water Distillery, a craft distillery
founded by brothers Mark and Eric Ganter.
• Boardwalk sweets: Atlantic City is known as the Salt Water Taffy Capital of the World, and James’ Candy Company, offering dozens and dozens of flavors, is the perfect place to get your fix. For $5, you can enjoy a 30- to 40-minute tour to see how the candy — as well as James’ caramels — is made. Steel's Fudge has been an Atlantic City staple since 1919, when Elizabeth and Howard Steel started selling the confection prepared from an old family recipe that’s still in use today. Flavors range from traditional options like chocolate, chocolate walnut and vanilla to more unusual choices such as pumpkin, pistachio and chocolate turtle caramel. Once featured on the Food Network, Steel’s also offers salt water taffy, popcorn and macaroons. Ices from TLC's Polish Water Ice boast a creamy texture and are made fresh daily. New flavors are added to the menu every year; this year, look for sour blast blue raspberry and cola. Vanina’s Ice Cream is a one-stop shop for all the classic shore treats you can think of: soft and hard ice cream (atop a waffle, if you’d like), fried Oreos, fried cheesecake, fried pickles, smoothies, slushies, fresh-squeezed lemonade and funnel cake.
• Solving mysteries is the fun on tap at Escape AC, housed in the Tropicana. Players are given an hour to discover clues, solve puzzles and break out of one of four Atlantic City–themed rooms: The Poker Room, Casino Cage, the Boardwalk and Backstage. Success rates for sleuths vary between 5 percent and 25 percent. Escape AC accommodates groups of up to 200 people, with 40 players hunting for the way out per round.
• Thrilling obstacle courses across 80 acres of forest fields await at AC Paintball. Large groups of up to 100 players can test out the Black Ops course, while smaller teams can square off on the Hyperball Field. Bookings can be made for full- or half-day experiences.
• A taste of Brooklyn Italian cuisine can be savored at Cafe 2825. Staying true to the owners’ Brooklyn and Southern Italian roots, the famous eatery serves fare prepared from fresh, authentic ingredients. House specialties include Sunday Gravy (homemade meatballs, bracciole and Italian sausage in red gravy, accompanied by rigatoni) and Chicken Sorrentino ala Jacquelina (francese-style chicken breast layered with eggplant, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh tomato), among others. Café 2825 is also known for offering “tableside experiences,” such as the preparation of burrata-style fresh mozzarella cheese straight from the curd; it’s then sliced and served warm with sauteed tomatoes and homemade ricotta topping.
Among other top restaurants in Atlantic City are: