Atlantic City is one of the most popular tourist destinations ever since casino gambling developed here - There are 12 casinos and a wide variety of restaurants employing over 45000 people and 33 million visitors a year spend over four billion dollars between them!!

Atlantic City is a gambling paradise and there isn't really any other reason for coming here. There are over 30,000 slot machines and 700 blackjack tables for you to try your luck, needless to say ATM machines are located near the gaming areas of all the casinos and each establishment will be only too willing to help you exchange foreign currency in a bid to help you spend your cash!

All the gaming areas have the same look and feel to them and noise is guaranteed. If you want a relaxing break and peace and quiet this is definitely the wrong place to visit. The casinos aren't as glitzy as their counterparts in Las Vegas, although casino developers Steve Wynn and Donald Trump are sure to change that in the future as they battle it out for supremecy.

All casinos have a Casino Control Commission walking the floors - this is who to speak to if you suspect a dealer is cheating or if you have any other complaints about unfair play. The minimum age for visiting a casino is 21 years old and this applies even if you don't gamble and just want to walk around and soak up the atmosphere.

The board game Monopoly was modelled on Atlantic City and visitors will notice many of the street names are the same as those in the game. Story has it that in 1904 a local teacher called Lizzie J Magie invented a game called the Landlord's Game. An unemployed man named Charles Darrow who visited Atlantic City came up with the idea of Monopoly, which many believe he stole from the original Landlord's Game. Eventually Parker Brothers bought the copyright from him and the rest is history. Monopoly is now sold in 80 countries in over 26 different languages.

All the casinos offer buffet style food - as much as you can eat in an attempt to keep you gambling as long as possible. Free drinks including cocktails are also on offer and these can be quite potent - just another little trick that the casinos do in order to make you feel relaxed and carefree to make you part with more money!

Room rates in Atlantic City vary according to the time of year you visit. In winter it is possible to get a room for as little as $50 per night but prices rise dramatically in the more popular summer months. Casino hotels offer the most expensive accommodation but if you want to experience the high life these are the places to stop. Room rates can reach $450 per night, but they do include tickets for a show, meals, use of the health spa and casino chips.
Travelers visiting on a budget should be aware that the cheaper motels, situated just off the Boardwalk are used as pick up spots for the many prostitutes!

A wide range of entertainment is on offer in Atlantic City including jazz bands, discos and top star entertainers like James Brown. The tickets for the best shows can reach up to $400.

Casino Info:

Atlantic City Hilton:
Boardwalk at Boston Avenue
Tel: 609-340-7100
500 Rooms

Bally's Park Place and Wild West Casino:
Park Place at the Boardwalk
Tel: 609-340-2000
1200 Rooms

Caesar's Atlantic City:
Arkansas Avenue at the Boardwalk
Tel: 609-348-4411
1000 Rooms

Claridge Casino Hotel:
Indiana Avenue
Between Pacific Avenue and the Boardwalk
Tel: 609-340-3400
500 Rooms

Harrah's Marina Hotel Casino:
Brigantine Boulevard
Tel: 609-441-5000
760 Rooms

Resorts Casino Hotel:
North Carolina Avenue at the Boardwalk
Tel: 609-344-6000
670 Rooms

Sands Hotel Casino and Country Club:
Near the Boardwalk
Tel: 609-441-4000
www.acsands.com

Showboat Casino:
Delaware Avenue and the Boardwalk
Tel: 609-343-4000
700 Rooms

Tropicana Casino and Entertainment:
Lowa Avenue at the Boardwalk
Tel: 609-340-4000
1020 Rooms

Trump's Marina Resort:
Huron Avenue
Near Brigantine Boulevard
Tel: 609-441-2000

Trump Plaza Casino Hotel:
Missippi Avenue at the Boardwalk
Tel: 609-441-6000
560 Rooms

Trump Taj Mahal:
1000 Boardwalk
Tel: 609-449-1000


Places to Stay:

Reservation Service:
Tel: 800-447-6667

AmeriRoom Reservations Hotline:
Tel: 800-888-5825


Budget Hotels:

Inn of the Irish Pub:
164 St James Place
Tel: 609-344-6093

Brunswick:
Next to Inn of the Irish Pub
Tel: 609-344-8098


Mid Range Hotels:

Ascot Motel:
Lowa at Pacific Avenue
Tel: 609-344-5163 or 800-225-1476

Best Western Envoy Inn:
1416 Pacific Avenue at New York Avenue
Tel: 609-344-7117

Comfort Inn:
154 Kentucky Avenue
Between the Boardwalk and Pacific Avenue
Tel: 609-348-4000

Days Inn:
Boardwalk at Morris Avenue
Tel: 609-344-6101 or 800-329-7466

Econo Lodge:
117 S Kentucky Avenue
Tel: 609-344-9093 or 800-323-6410

Holiday Inn Boardwalk:
Boardwalk at Chelsea Avenue
Tel: 609-344-4193

Howard Johnson Inn:
Tennessee Avenue at Pacific Avenue
Tel: 609-344-4193

Quality Inn:
South Carolina Avenue at Pacific Avenue
Tel: 609-345-7070

Atlantic Palace Suites:
Boardwalk at New York Avenue
Tel: 609-344-1200 or 800-527-8483

Madison House Hotel:
123 Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard
Tel: 609-345-1400


Places to Eat:

Tun Tavern:
2 Ocean Way
Tel: 609-347-7800
Atlantic City's only Microbrewery

Old Waterway Inn:
1700 Riverside Drive
Tel: 609-347-1793
Away from the other casinos in Venice Park.

Abe's Oyster House:
Atlantic Avenue at Arkansas Avenue
Tel: 609-344-7701
Top Seafood Restaurant

Docks:
2405 Atlantic Avenue
Tel: 609-345-0092
Top Seafood Restaurant

Knife and Fork Inn:
Near Albany Avenue
Tel: 609-344-1133
Seafood and steaks
www.knifeandforkinn.com

Bacchanal:
Caesar's Atlantic City
Tel: 609-348-4411
7 course meal with entertainment and wine wenches!

Pickles:
Park Place at the Boardwalk
Tel: 609-340-2000
Huge portions and buckets of garlic cured pickles on every table.

G & S Italian Market:
3004 Atlantic Avenue
Tel: 609-345-0787
Pasta, pizza and huge pastries.

Angelo's Fairmount Tavern:
Missippi Avenue at Fairmount Avenue
Tel: 609-344-2439
Budget Italian Restaurant

Tony's Baltimore Grill:
2800 Atlantic Avenue at Lowa Avenue
Tel: 609-345-5766
Budget Italian Restaurant

Irish Pub:
164 St James Place
Tel: 609-344-6093
Decent drinks and cheap dinners
Open 24 hours


Entertainment:

Club Mirage:
The Boardwalk
Disco

Deja Vu:
New York Avenue & the Boardwalk
Tel: 609-348-4313
Raunchy, featuring scantily clad waitresses.

Casbah:
1000 The Boardwalk
Tel: 609-449-5138
Situated in the Taj Mahal
Very popular place drawing crowds from everywhere.

Studio 6:
12 South Mount Vernon
Tel: 609-347-7873
Attracts gay and straight people.

Comedy Stop:
Located in the Tropicana Casino
Tel: 609-340-4020

Transport

Bus:
Casino buses run from New York.
Cost - around $20 return: includes quarters for the slot machines and food vouchers.

Academy Buses:
Tel: 800-442-7272

Greyhound:
Tel: 800-231-2222

Gray Line:
Tel: 212-397-2620

Academy and Greyhound buses depart from Port Authority to Atlantic City daily. Cheap fares Monday to Thursday.
Gray Line buses depart from 900 Eighth Avenue in Midtown.

Car:
Atlantic City Expressway - runs directly from Philadelphia
Atlantic City - exit 38 off the Garden State Parkway

Air Travel:

Atlantic City International Airport:
Tel: 609-645-7895
Just off Tilton Road in Pomona

Spirit Airlines:
Tel: 800-772-7117

US Airways Express:
Tel: 800-428-4322

Both these airlines connect Atlantic City with Detroit, Boston, Newark, Philadelphia and many Florida cities