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Five editor's picks for around AC
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Photo by Christie Griffin
Fly Borgata offers packages for newbies and frequent Borgata visitors.
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Photo by Christie Griffin
The Water Club's indoor pool overlooks the resort city.
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Photo by Christie Griffin
Izakaya's edamame dumplings
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Photo by Christie Griffin
Back Bay Ale House
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Photo by Christie Griffin
The beach along Atlantic City's boardwalk
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Photo via Joseph L. on Yelp
Café 2825 pasta
Five summers ago, on the dance floor of an Atlantic City nightclub, I met the man I’m about to marry. So it seemed only fitting to go back to where it all began before we say “I do.” The once-booming beach city offers visitors — from retirees to bachelor partiers to anxious gamblers — a variety of pleasures from which to choose.
1.) Fly Borgata
In theory, it’s a five-hour drive from Richmond, but with the potential for traffic snarls on the Interstate 95 corridor, we opted for Fly Borgata, a charter-jet service that the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa began offering last year. (Air-and-lodging packages start at $719 per person.) Leaving from Million Air at Richmond International Airport, Fly Borgata will get you from RIC to ACY in about 35 minutes — with no security check, no infuriating delays and free parking. There was even a hostess who flew with us and pointed us to the shuttle to take us to the hotel.
2.) The Water Club
The Water Club is the sleeker, newer part of the Borgata, and it includes the beautiful Immersion Spa, with an indoor pool overlooking the city. You still have easy access to all the main hotel’s mouth-watering restaurants — such as Izakaya, with its superb modern Japanese fare — as well as two of the best nightclubs in town. With shows, a casino and shopping, it’s as close to Las Vegas as you’ll get on the East Coast. Even if you’re not a big gambler, the field of slot machines can satisfy your curiosity. (I opted for roulette, and my fiancé even won a little at blackjack!)
3.) Back Bay Ale House
If you want to go where the locals go, Back Bay Ale House near the Atlantic City Aquarium in Gardner’s Basin is the spot. “Get the Bob Marley,” they’ll tell you with a wink, and in no time, you’ll have a warm buzz from the refreshing mix of Burnett’s Sweet Tea Vodka, lemonade and mint. Our server advised us not to walk from the bar to the boardwalk, however, as some of Atlantic City’s neighborhoods can be dangerous. Hop in a taxi — or have your sober significant other drive — and make your way to the nearby (and safe) Brigantine Beach.
4.) The Boardwalk
Want a little taste of history — and salt water? We hear you. We also heard the opening to HBO’s Boardwalk Empire play in our heads as we strolled the famous Atlantic City boardwalk. In a city where it’s easy to hole up in a casino for hours on end, don’t forget to take a break for some fresh air, and keep an eye out for names made famous in the board game Monopoly. Got a family in tow? The boardwalk at Ocean City, New Jersey, a 20-minute drive away, is a nice alternative to AC’s boardwalk and beach.
5.) Café 2825
A tiny, hidden gem, Café 2825 is in such high demand that you will be charged $30 per head if you miss your reservation. At this Italian restaurant, the on-point pasta and house-made desserts are what great date nights are made of. Can’t get a seat? Satisfy your craving for Italian at nearby Tony’s Baltimore Grill, another local favorite. Even Lady Gaga stopped by for a pizza slice at 1 a.m. after a recent summer concert.
Postscript: With the news of three casinos closing in August and September — dropping the total from 12 to eight just in the past year — I worry about the future of the city once billed as “America’s Favorite Playground.” Will Atlantic City be able to bounce back? Let’s hope fortune smiles on this resort town.
