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hen you think of Atlantic City, New Jersey,
family fun is probably not the first thing
that pops into your mind. But when it
comes to sand, Skee-Ball, and saltwater
taffy, Atlantic City (affectionately known
as AC) is one of the top locations to visit
for a true Jersey Shore family experience.
Whether you’re looking for beach time,
animal encounters, or exceptional dining
and shopping, our five-day itinerary packs in excite-
ment and leaves plenty of time for relaxation.
Da y 1: The World’s Most Famous Boardwalk
Begin your visit in the center of the action: the Atlantic City boardwalk. Built
in 1870, America’s first boardwalk is the best place to experience AC’s vibe.
Start at Steel Pier, which recently underwent a $23 million renovation (open
seasonally; check steelpier.com for hours). With rides ranging from the
timeless double-decker carousel to the extreme SlingShot (shooting you
225 feet into the air in 1.5 seconds), there’s something for everyone at this
classic pier amusement park. Games are also available, but save your
quarters for the Central Pier Arcade & Speedway, which offers all varieties
of arcade games and a go-kart track. It’s the perfect place for families to
get a PG–rated casino experience, playing slot machines for tickets
redeemable at the huge prize center.
Continuing up the boardwalk, duck into Haunted Tales or Ripley’s
Believe It or Not if you’re into attractions that tend toward the creepy.
Either can take under an hour and leave you with lasting — if not bizarre —
memories. Next, put on your international spy hat and try Ripley’s Laser
Maze Challenge. Who hasn’t always wanted to navigate a web of lasers,
just like in the movies?
The boardwalk can be overstimulating, so be sure to take a walk on
the beach. AC beaches are free to access, and there are multiple walkways
connecting the boardwalk to the shore.
By now you’re tired and hungry. Rest your feet and take a rolling chair —
a classic AC experience where you are pushed in a wheeled cart up the
wooden boardwalk — to Rainforest Cafe. It’s literally a rain forest inside,
complete with animatronic gorillas, exotic fish, and simulated thunder and
lightning that strikes every few minutes. My 10-year-old daughter, Cassie,
and I were seated right next to a large aquarium and made friends with a
puffer fish, who seemed to stare at us through our entire meal.
Skip dessert at Rainforest Cafe, and cross the boardwalk to It’Sugar
at The Pier Shops at Caesars, where your family will be in candy heaven.
Once the kids are sugared up, take them to the second level of The Pier
Shops for a round or two of GlowGolf — indoor minigolf in the dark — or
head back out to the boardwalk for classic outdoor minigolf just a few steps
away. Better yet, have dad or grandpa take them golfing while the other
adults browse the shops. I loved Lush for its unique, all-natural bath and
body products — I brought home a few sweet-smelling bath bombs.
End your day on the boardwalk with the free 3-D light and sound show
projected onto the front of Boardwalk Hall (right next to the minigolf course).
Beginning at 6:00 p.m. and running every half hour, the eight-and-a-half-
minute show reflects the personality of Atlantic City through surround sound,
theatrical lighting, and architectural video mapping.
INTERVAL WORLD Summer 2015 57
Originally built to shield
chic beachfront hotels from
the sand, Atlantic City’s
boardwalk has evolved into
an entertainment mecca —
day and night.
Driendl Group/Exactostock-1598/SuperStock; Jon Hicks/Corbis