How’s Night Life in New Jersey’s Beach-Side Party Town
Atlantic City is known for one of the biggest nightlife scenes on the East coast. Well, at least that was before this pandemic ruined the way we travel and party. Despite the many travel disruptions, I decided to make my first trip after months of quarantining! Atlantic City is known for its beach boardwalk lined with dozens of restaurants and casinos. I was curious to see how the party atmosphere was affected. There may be quite a bit of restrictions in place, but there’s still plenty of cool things to do. Here’s my post-covid experience in Atlantic City.
General tips around Atlantic City
All restaurants and bars in New Jersey are limited to only take-out and outdoor seating as of right now. This makes the wait for food and drinks on the boardwalk horrendous! It’s also required to wear masks almost everywhere except the beach, with a 6ft maintained distance from others. A lot of stores and excursions will have a maximum occupancy capacity, so be prepared to wait for these too.
Atlantic City Beach
For those living in the north-east, Atlantic City Beach makes for a great road trip. It may not compare to the greatest beach in the world, but it’s pretty nice. The beach itself is free and there’s a few beach bars where you can get refreshments.
Board Walk
Atlantic City’s beach board walk stretches on for miles and is lined with tons of restaurants and casinos. Majority of people are wearing masks, and there’s enough space to keep a good distance between others. If you decide to eat anywhere on the strip, make sure to make a reservation before hand. If you have time you can walk down by the Steel Pier, where you can enjoy the 1,000 ft long amusement park.
New Jersey Korean War Memorial
While strolling down the boardwalk, you might come across the Korean War memorial. Take some time to pay respect among the statues. Reminds me of my adventures through Korea. There’s also a World War I memorial close by.
Absecon Light House
At the far north end past the boardwalk stands New Jersey’s tallest light house. Masks are required but you can actually still go to the top. The Absecon light house is open daily from 10am to 5pm and 8pm on Thursdays.
Tanger Outlets
Right behind the beach and boardwalk is a huge outdoor mall area. Check out 109 big name stores spread out around 3 blocks. There is limited capacity for stores so expect to wait outside to get in some places.
Atlantic City Casinos
As the sun sets, The shoreline comes to life with the various casinos that light up the night. Try your luck in some of the best casinos like the Borgata, Caesar’s Palace, and Bally’s. The hotels offer really good rates for weekdays. Just imagine you’re in a miniature Las Vegas. Masks are required inside and there are barriers set up for all the table games.
The Quarter at Tropicana
Step back in time in this old-Havana inspired casino resort with a plethora of clubs, stores, and restaurants. You’ll feel the Latin vibe as soon as you walk in. Grab some drinks from Cuba Libre or Wet Willy’s, where you can get cheap refills with a purchased slushy cup. Check out all the entertainment and nightlife here.
Lucy the Elephant
Take a short drive south of Atlantic City to see the world’s largest elephant; Lucy! This six-story colossal structure was made in the late 1800s and has a very unique history. You can buy tickets to tour inside the Margate elephant in the gift shop. It’s surprisingly spacious inside, and you even get a cool view of the ocean. Make sure to bring your mask!
The pandemic might have ravaged the travel industry, but Atlantic city is still a great place for nightlife. There’s lots of great sight seeing during the day and exciting casinos and bars once the sun sets. A weekend should be enough to experience most of the activities. Traveling has been impacted a lot this year, but hopefully we can bring you more awesome travel content soon. Stay safe, and keep leveling up!
Here’s our Atlantic City travel vlog! Check it out if you prefer a video version of Atlantic City 😉
