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Possible 1st Atlantic City trip, help!

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Casino Hotels' started by weluvvegas, Oct 22, 2012.

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  1. weluvvegas

    weluvvegas Casino Countess

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    The husband and I talked last night about possibly going to AC in Feb instead of my yearly Vegas birthday trip. It would be for 3 nights, over a Thurs/Fri/Sat (because of work and kids' schedules). We've never been there so I need some questions answered...

    -What would be the best casino/hotel to stay in? Are there Total Rewards properties there? I know there is no MLife...
    -Since we wouldn't have any comps, are the rooms expensive?
    -What airport would we fly into and how do you get to the hotel from there?
    -Is there more to do around the area than the casinos? Any good sightseeing during the day?
    -Would we freeze our asses off in February?

    -Should we go there or back to Vegas?
     
  2. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    i've never been there, but from what i've read about it, there's nothing much to do but casinos and it's definitely cold as hell in NJ in February. why would you want to go there considering the flight from Dallas is longer to AC than it would be to Vegas? stick to Vegas!
     
  3. anton73

    anton73 Low-Roller

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    I live 2 hours from AC and I still prefer flying to Vegas.

    They do have TR properties, Caesars and Ballys are the ones I frequent most.

    Cost can be high, especially Friday and Saturday night's during the summer months.
     
  4. amjacob

    amjacob Tourist

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    Caesars, Ballys, and Showboat, which are CET properties, are all on boardwalk. I prefer Caesars over the others. I imagine that the nights you want to book are expensive. Check out www.caesars.com to get the room rates. Other than the boardwalk, there is some open-air shopping off the boardwalk but really nothing else to do. If you flew into AC, they have a small airport. I imagine you would need a cab ride to the boardwalk. It is cold in February and walking the boardwalk on a cold day is no fun. My suggestion would be that you avoid AC in favor of LV during that month. There is much more to do in LV than being stuck in a casino on a cold day.
     
  5. JillyFromPhilly

    JillyFromPhilly Tourist

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    There is not one reason I can think of to go to AC instead of Vegas if you don't live in the area - even in the summer! I'm an AC veteran, and the only reason I go there instead of Vegas is distance [2.5-hour drive VS. 5-hour flight]!

    If you're used to Vegas, it is 99.9% likely you will be extremely disappointed by AC. Seriously. Some of the hotel/casinos are nice, but half of them are run-down dumps - and even the best ones can't really hold a candle to what the strip has to offer. The boardwalk & beach are the only other "attraction" in town besides the casinos [most of AC besides the marina & boardwalk is a straight-up ghetto] - and really, even the boardwalk is mostly junk stores & cheap shore food, too - all the good dining & shopping is concentrated in the hotels, the pier mall off of Caesars, and an open-air outlet mall a little inland.

    And that's pretty-much AC in a nutshell IMO - not worth the effort if you're not already in the area and are looking for a true vacation destination.
     
  6. Jerseyguy

    Jerseyguy MIA

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    Ditto,not the best time to visit

    Could have a foot of snow,come here in summer or fall.
     
  7. Max2589

    Max2589 Low-Roller

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    There is a reason the majority of us east coasters make the trek out to Vegas vs driving to AC, its a dump. I can make it to AC in 90 minutes with no traffic and still rarely go. Although I recently had a great stay at the Revel, I think you would have some regret to have planned a vacation around it. Maybe a weekend in Summer would be nice. Jilly said it best, Ghetto! You wouldnt even want to walk a block.
     
  8. Dewey089

    Dewey089 VIP Whale

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    I just got back. In October I could ride my bike on the boardwalk and walk along the beach. It was still off season, but there was plenty to do.
    http://foxwoodspokertr.blogspot.com/2012/10/atlanticcity-october-8-to-12-overall-it.html
    I'd never go in February.
    Many of the reasons are listed in the other posts.
    I'd add that you can't be sure that once you get North, your airplane won't be stranded somewhere like Chicago while they wait for better weather.

    The food is about twice as expensive. The shows are less than half of Vegas offerings, and I suspect those dry up even more in winter.

    I'd go to Laughlin in February before I went to Atlantic City. You have the same ability to walk along the water and the same predominance of older folks and the same watering down of entertainment. But the place is dirt cheap and warm enough to be outside. Those two venues feel a lot alike to me only Laughlin is oppressive in August and Atlantic City is oppressive in February.
     
  9. hammie

    hammie VIP Whale

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    Check out Key West, you can use the same currency and mostly everyone speaks English. The drive across the overland highway from Miami should be a bucket list item.
     
  10. Tbone3336

    Tbone3336 VIP Whale

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    I would agree with everyone else. If your flying and have no special reason to be in the area of AC during that time, (visiting family or something), go to Vegas! I make the 45 min ride to A/C every other month for an overnight, and that is becoming less and less frequent. Go on certain days of the week in February and restaurants are closed or limited hours, had this happen to us twice. If it were a matter of not flying I could see it, but if you have to fly head to vegas.
     
  11. bratkar

    bratkar Low-Roller

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    Another one here. I'd rather make it up to Foxwoods or Mohegan to gamble for three days then go to AC and we arent much on gambling. I agree with everyone else, In February, AC never... Summer is even iffy in our books. What about Reno?

    I have to agree somone else mentioned Key West....... We were going to go there in December this year, of course, free rooms in Vegas changed that story. But thats another AMAZING place.

    Kelli
     
  12. weluvvegas

    weluvvegas Casino Countess

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    Well you have totally convinced me. No AC in Feb....or maybe ever lol

    We just thought it would be a nice change of scenery but I'm not a fan of COLD so nevermind.

    Key West is an awesome idea...just one problem...no casinos? haha
     
  13. oghuman

    oghuman VIP Whale

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    I live about 2 1/2 hours from AC I go there about every six weeks for two or three nights. Lately I've been asking myself why don't I just go to Vegas instead. The reason I don't is the hassle of flying. I see absolutely NO reason to go to AC in February if you're flying - go to Vegas. If you wanted to do it in the summer that would be OK but AC can't match anything in Vegas, maybe if you hit NYC too.
     
  14. rustytrombone1027

    rustytrombone1027 Low-Roller

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    Yep, I am piling on. I go to AC once every other month or so to play poker. I would not fly there in February. If you want to go, do it somewhere between May and October. I stay at the Borgata, which is very nice. The only other casino I would consider staying at is the Revel, which has been open for less then a year.
     
  15. Gomar

    Gomar Low-Roller

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    "-Would we freeze our asses off in February?
    -Should we go there or back to Vegas?"

    Let's see now, YES, you'll freeze till death do yer part!
    Better to go to NYC, LaGuardia or JFK, site see, then go to the Port Authority take the Greyhound(Not Academy) bus to AC for 1 day.
    Check out the new Revel; Taj, Caesar's, Borgata are good. In fact, I mostly gamble in Bally's, but go all over besides Trop and Hilton.

    As for the area, it has a shopping mall, but all the stores are in NYC so why bother?!

    Yes, TR is used in AC except Trump's props.
    BTW, wait until April/May if you only want AC for 3 days.
     
  16. hammie

    hammie VIP Whale

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    Miami has casinos, never been to one, though, Key West is 3 hours by car.
     
  17. prozac

    prozac Tourist

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    ..

    .agree, i went to a/city by flying into philadelphia airport and my parent drove from a/city to pick me up, 1 hr drive each way, but time flies, minimal traffic, 1 toll road ..there is a small airport in a/city, however limited air options .. like above, taj is good, real good, i liked revel the best ..borgata is nice, though i didn't go into it .. no mlife

    .. ceasars, ballys .. cool places to visit .. i went in august, it was perfect ..

    ..
    ..
    $$

    ..but echo everyone else, vegas can't be beat, a/city is not even close ..

    --cheers ..$$$

    .
     
  18. DMSCR

    DMSCR High-Roller

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    Used to head to AC much when I was living in the East Coast. On the boardwalk the best casino is the newly built/open non-smoking Revel which is right next to the Showboat. Other than Caesars can be somewhat acceptable all the others are a major dump. The better hotels/casinos are located at the Marina. Borgata is the best of them and the closest to what you will find in Vegas. The Golden Nugget is okay since under new management and actually Harrah's in AC is much better than the one in Vegas. The Marina hotels are out of the way and the best way is to either travel by jitney or if you are a Total Rewards member you can take the shuttle bus from one of the CET properties and head to Harrah's then take the jitney to either Borgata and/or Golden Nugget.

    Plus be careful in AC as it is not safe. I can say you are better off in Vegas than in AC.
     
  19. sherry126

    sherry126 Newbie

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    I love AC in the winter! Crowds are gone! Yes it's cold but how much time do you spend outside anyway? There are 4 TR casinos in AC, best are Harrahs and Caesars. The view from the diamond club at Caesars is great. You can fly into AC airport on Spirit or Air Tran I think. Jitney covers AC casinos.
    However, best casino is Borgata, hands down. Not on the ocean but in the Marina. Revel, well, I don't care for it. It's not just the non smoking -food costs a fortune, I have had no luck with their machines. Borgata will match your diamond card from harrahs for Black Label, the food is excellent and the slots are the loosest in AC, in my opinion. Easy to get rooms in the water club in winter also.
    After the cleanup from Sandy, there should be some great deals to get customers in to Atlantic City, so you might want to check out!
    It's definitely not Vegas but has a charm of it's own.
     
  20. earth-3

    earth-3 VIP Whale

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    AC is an option only when you can't possibly make it to Las Vegas.
     
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