AC Entertainment GuideGo. See. Do.

ATLANTIC CITY'S TOP ATTRACTIONS

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Absecon Lighthouse

31 S Rhode Island Avenue  |  Atlantic City, NJ  |  609.449.1360  |  abseconlighthouse.org

    * New Jersey’s tallest Lighthouse
    * The country’s third tallest Lighthouse
    * 150 years old, 1857-2007
    * Located in Atlantic City
    * Open for climbing!

$7.00 Adults 13+, $4.00 Children 4-12, Free to Active Military and Children Under 3, Dogs Welcome

Sept-June: Thu thru Mon 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
July & August: Open Daily 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Closed Major Holidays

Atlantic City Aquarium & Historic Gardner's Basin

800 N New Hampshire Avenue  |  Atlantic City, NJ  |  609.348.2880  | acaquarium.com

The Atlantic City Historic Waterfront Foundation was incorporated in 1976 and functions in a public-private partnership with the City of Atlantic City specifically to operate and develop Historic Gardner’s Basin. It is a 501 c tax exempt organization. Its purpose is to provide waterfront recreational access to the public, conduct marine education programs for schools, youth groups and adult eco-tour groups and Maritime Historical preservation. A unique feature of the Historic Gardner’s Basin as an attraction is it’s accessibility via watercraft. Boaters from throughout the area visit the Basin regularly for its restaurants, the Atlantic City Aquarium, the Crafters Village and other amenities.

$7.00 Adults, $5.00 Seniors 62+, $4.00 Children 4-12

Daily 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Atlantic City Art Center

New Jersey Avenue  at The Boardwalk  |  Atlantic City, NJ  |  609.347.5837  | acartcenter.org

One of Atlantic City's secret treasures, the Art Center has been providing residents and visitors alike with an unparalleled opportunity to view the work of noted national and regional artists with the beautiful Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop for the past 40 years.

Re-opening July 31, 1994 after a $5 million 2-year restoration under a 1991 City of Atlantic City bond ordinance, the pier continues to house the Atlantic City Art Center and the Atlantic City Historical Museum.

Garden Pier derived its name from the beautifully arranged flower gardens on its deck. Its previous career was a glamorous, having featured international headlines while serving as a summer setting for musicals, concerts and plays.

Atlantic City Convention Center

One Convention Boulevard  |  Atlantic City, NJ  |  609.449.2000  | acccenter.com

The Atlantic City Convention Center was developed in part as an aspect of the city's ongoing attempt to recreate itself as a year-round destination rather than a mere summer resort — the same thought process that later led to its development as the first major gambling center in the U.S. outside of Nevada in modern times.

Opening in 1997, the center includes 500,000 sq ft (46,000 m2) of showroom space, 5 exhibit halls, 45 meeting rooms with 109,000 sq ft (10,100 m2) of space, a garage with 1,400 parking spaces, and an adjacent Sheraton hotel.

As of 12/31/08, it is the site of North America's (possibly the world's) largest single-rooftop solar photo-voltaic installation. 18,436 panels supply a peak output of 2.72 MW and are expected to generate approximately 25% of the center's total yearly usage.

Outside the convention center is an interactive bronze statue of Bert Parks holding a crown. When a visitor puts their head inside the crown, sensors activate a recorded playback of his "There She Is..." line through speakers hidden behind nearby bushes. (Wikipedia.com)

Atlantic City Cruises

800 N New Hampshire Avenue   |  Atlantic City, NJ  |  609.347.7600  | atlanticcitycruises.com

Can you SEA yourself having a wonderful time? Feeling WAVES of excitement?

Then hop aboard Atlantic City Cruises for a fun-filled cruise along the Oceanfront Skyline of Atlantic City.

Have the chance to get up close and personal with locals. We offer daily Dolphin Watching Adventure. Your entire gang is welcome to join us each and every day for a thrilling view of beautiful Atlantic Bottle-Nosed Dolphins.

Available on Board:  Beverages & Snacks,  Disposable Cameras, Binoculars for Rent, Souvenir Photographs, Souvenir Hats & Shirts and  Lifetime Memories.

Remember To Bring: Comfortable Footwear, Camera / Film, Video Recorder, Sunscreen / Sunglasses and Light Sweater or Jacket.

The enclosed portion of the main deck has a bar and galley, wide panoramic windows, wall-to-wall carpeting, upholstered seating, and is encircled by a full walk-around deck with ample external seating. The upper deck can be fully enclosed with perimeter seating offering great vistas and a large, airy environment, ideal for dining, dancing, entertaining or holding meetings. The enclosed upper deck and lower decks can be heated to accommodate cruises year round.

Cruisn 1 is United States Coast Guard licensed, inspected and certified to carry 150 passengers. However, in order to more comfortably satisfy our guests, we recommend a maximum of 100 guests. Cruisn 1 also has a 20 KW generator which provides ample electrical power for catering and entertainment.

Reservations are taken on a "first come-first served" basis and may be subject to advance payment. Reservations are recommended for each scheduled cruise but are not confirmed until after cruise fares have been received.

Atlantic City Historical Museum

New Jersey Avenue  at The Boardwalk  |  Atlantic City, NJ  |  609.347.5837  | acmuseum.org

The Atlantic City Historical Museum is committed to preserving the rich history of this one-of-a-kind seaside resort. It is open daily (check for major holidays) from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and is free to the public. Check parking signs in the lot across from the museum for current parking restrictions. The museum is wheelchair accessible. For more information, call (609) 347-5839.

Our newest exhibit Shore Deco: Atlantic City Design Between the Wars.   1919-1939 is in the Al Gold Photography Gallery.

Atlantic City Art Center: While at the museum on Garden Pier, please be sure and also visit the beautiful Atlantic City Art Center presenting three galleries featuring painters, sculptors and photographers. Free admission from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Atlantic City Race Course

4501 Black Horse Pike  |  Atlantic City, NJ  |  609.641.2190  | acracecourse.com

Meeting/Convention Facilities: Approximately 150,000 sq.ft. indoor space available for off-season rental; 40-acre parking lot can be subdivided for outdoor rental. Contact Maureen Gallagher-Bugdon (609) 641-2190 for show or rental information.
 
A.C. Racebook: Full-card, year-round simulcasting offered 7-days a week (11:00 AM to 11:00 PM) from climate-controlled Racebook offering Snack Bar refreshments.
   
Jockeys' Quarters: Brick building adjacent to Paddock offering facilities for male & female jockeys, including locker & recreation rooms, bath, shower, steam room & sauna, television area, snack bar, masseure, and film, reading & colors rooms.

Boardwalk Hall

2301 Boardwalk  |  Atlantic City, NJ  |  609.348.7000  | boardwalkhall.com

Historic Boardwalk Hall, which first opened in 1929, received an extensive $90 million renovation and restoration to transform the building into a modern special events arena capable of variable seating for up to 14,700 people for a main stage concert or 10,300 people for hockey. It is centrally located on Atlantic City's world famous boardwalk and flanked by amenities and attractions one would expect from any other world class destination.

It was declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1987.  The renovation has received nine architectural and engineering awards, including a 2003 National Preservation Award, Design and Construction magazine's 2002 Renovation Project of the Year, and Building magazine's 2002 Modernization Award. In 2003 and 2004  Billboard magazine recognized Boardwalk Hall as the top grossing mid-sized arena in North America.  In 2005, 2006 and 2008, Billboard and Venues Today recognized Boardwalk Hall as the highest grossing mid-sized arena in the world.

Among the new amenities to Boardwalk Hall are a new NHL regulation-sized ice rink and ice-making system; an exterior Loggia which can be used as a pre-function space or a smoking area for patrons; a spacious concourse, and wireless capabilities throughout the building.  All seats within the arena offer excellent sightlines beneath a spectacular 137' barrel-vaulted ceiling.

Boardwalk Hall contains the world's largest musical instrument, a pipe organ of over 33,000 pipes, 8 chambers, its console the world's largest of 7 manuals and over 1000 stop keys, and one of two actual 64'stops (the other found in the Sydney Town Hall). Also included in this organ are pipes which are on 100 inches of pressure, the Grand Ophicleide being the loudest and also most famous. The Guinness Book of World Records states the following "..a pure trumpet note of ear-splitting volume,.. six times louder than the loudest train whistle." However, these stops are actually well refined and are not overpowering in Boardwalk hall due to its massive interior size. The organ now lies mostly unplayable due to lack of routine maintenance, water damage from the leaking roof, and careless maneuvers during the restoration of Boardwalk Hall itself. The relays were severed, pipes were stepped on, windlines cut, and tremendous amounts of concrete dust fell during the replacement of the Hall's seating. The cost of the complete restoration and repairs is estimated at around $15 million.

The venue seats 10,500 people for ice hockey, and can accommodate over 17,000 for concerts.

Historic Cold Spring Village

720 Route 9  |  Cape May, NJ  |  609.898.2300  | hcsv.org

Historic Cold Spring Village is an Early American open-air living history museum portraying the lifestyles, trades, crafts and architecture of a small South Jersey rural community. The Village consists of 26 restored buildings on a 22 acre wooded site. They house a variety of historically costumed craftspersons and interpreters who demonstrate basketry, woodworking, broommaking, tinsmithing, weaving, spinning, blacksmithing, 19th c. farming, printing, bookbinding and open-hearth cooking.  In addition to the craft buildings, visitors will find a Country Store, Welcome Center, Old Grange Restaurant, Bakery and Ice Cream Parlor.  Special events are held every weekend from late May through mid-September in addition to weekday family activities.  Seasonal hours, call for additional information.

Lucy The Elephant

9200 Atlantic Avenue  |  Margate, NJ  |  609.823.6473  | lucytheelephant.org

Lucy the Elephant is a national historic site as well as a unique example of the eccentric architecture of the late Victorian age, Lucy the Elephant is arguably the most beloved tourist attraction in the Atlantic City area. Located in the neighboring town of Margate, the 119-year-old elephant-shaped building has come to the brink of demoliton several times, only to be saved by outpourings of public protest and grass-roots fund-raising fervor.

Lucy's massive size is apparent in comparison to an adjacent two-story souvenir shop (above, center) and the beachfront "I Love Lucy" sandwich shop (above, left). She stands at the edge of the sand, looking out at the ocean. The photo above right shows the view from the "howdah," or ornate Indian riding carriage, on Lucy's back.

$6.00 Adults, $3.00 Kids 12 to 2, Free for Children under 2

Open March 31-April 30: Wed, Thu, Fri 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Sat & Sun 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Closed Mon & Tues.

The Noyes Museum of Art

733 Lilly Lake Road  |  Oceanville, NJ  |  609.652.8848  | noyesmuseum.org

Building upon the vision of founders Fred W. and Ethel Noyes, it is the mission of The Noyes Museum of Art to provide enriching exhibitions, educational programs and care for the collection for all its beneficiaries. The Museum fulfills this mission by providing exceptional arts education activities and through the collecting, preserving and exhibiting of fine art, crafts and folk art with an emphasis on New Jersey and the Mid-Atlantic Region.

$4.00 Adults 13+, $3.00 Seniors (65+), $3.00 Students with ID,
Free to Members and Children under 6

Open Tues-Sat 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Sun Noon to 5:00 PM.
Closed Mondays and Major Holidays.

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

New York Avenue at The Boardwalk  |  Atlantic City, NJ  |  609.347.2001  | ripleysatlanticcity.com

Housed in a bizarre building that looks as if it's about to be destroyed by a wrecking ball, the eclectic museum has amongst its oddball treasures, a lock of George Washington's hair, a 27 room miniature wood carved castle and a host of the most amazing artifacts ever assembled under one roof!
 
$15.99 Adults 13+, $9.99 Children 5-12

Open 365 Days a Year, Call for Current Hours

Senator Frank S. Farley State Marina

600 Huron Avenue  |  Atlantic City, NJ  |  609.441.8482  | state.nj.us

Situated on Clam Creek, the marina is a short distance from the Atlantic Ocean via Absecon Inlet, or the Intracoastal Waterway. From exit 40 of the Garden State Parkway, it is a 15-minute drive on Route 30 to Farley, which is located directly across Huron Avenue from Trump's Marina Hotel Casino.

Berths: 640; maximum length: 300 feet; draft: 12 feet.

Dockside: Water, electricity, cable TV hookups, telephone hookups.

Other Facilities: Ice, laundry, shower/sanitary facilities, restaurant, lounge, luncheonette, bait and tackle, charter boats, ship store, gas and diesel fuel, holding tank pumpout.

Steel Pier

1000 Boardwalk  |  Atlantic City, NJ  |  609.345.4893  | steelpier.com

Steel Pier originally opened in 1898 and quickly became known for showcasing the world's top entertainers. From the 1920's through the 50s everyone who was anyone played Steel Pier. W. C. Fields was a member of the minstrel group that appeared during the Pier's inaugural season, but headline appearances quickly followed for him and everyone else. Guy Lombardo, Benny Goodman, Jimmy Dorsey, Mae West, Charlie Chaplin, The Three Stooges, Bob Hope, Amos 'n Andy, Frank Sinatra - everyone played Steel Pier. It's been said that Big Bands weren't really big until they started to play on Steel Pier.
 
With 24 rides, games and prize wheels, a food court and free admission, the Steel Pier is successfully luring back the family trade to a town that had become a one - dimensional casino resort. A custom made, double-decker carousel, fashioned by Italian craftsmen, features hand-painted scenes from Atlantic City's past.

Now with several increasingly successful seasons under their belts, the group has set its sights clearly on the future with plans for a water park and bigger, faster, more thrilling attractions. These modern - day pioneers hope that their success will give other entrepreneurs the courage to continue to revive the family entertainment that once made Atlantic City the Queen of Resorts.

Call for seasonal hours and prices.

Tomasello Winery

225 White Horse Pike  |  Hammonton, NJ  |  888.MMM.WINE  | tomasellowinery.com

To make great wine you need hard work and you need passion. Both attributes have been in the Tomasello family for three generations.

Tomasello Winery was founded in 1933 and is a now run by the third generation of the Tomasello family. They are dedicated to the production of fine varietal wines made from grapes grown on their 70 acres; as well as the production of premium fruit wines.

There is a saying in the wine industry that "great wines are made in the vineyard". Throughout our 75 years they have been dedicated to growing the varietals that thrive in theirr vineyards and produce the highest quality wines.

Over the years they have had generations of loyal customers and have had the great opportunity to meet many of the new generations of wine lovers that are learning about and enjoying Tomasello wine as well. They are passionate about the wines they produce and hope that you will enjoy them in the company of your good friends and with a hearty meal.

Tuckerton Seaport

120 West Main Street  |  Tuckerton, NJ  |  609.296.8868  | tuckertonseaport.org

The Tuckerton Seaport, a working maritime village, is located along the Tuckerton Creek. This one-of-a-kind attraction, in the heart of historic Tuckerton NJ, brings the Jersey Shore's maritime traditions of the past and present to life through people, exhibits and hands-on activities. Discover the Jersey Shore's unique maritime heritage and the interaction between culture and nature on the Barnegat Bay. Experience the rich traditions of the Jersey Shore and its Baymen through the Seaport's recreated and historic buildings, demonstrations, interpretive exhibits, events, festivals, live aquatic displays and more. Decoy carvers, boat builders, basket makers, and baymen entertain, educate and delight visitors of all ages. Stroll the 3/4 mile boardwalk and experience life on the Tuckerton "Crik". Identify birds and plants on our 1/4 mile nature trail. Tour our site and view garveys, sneakboxes, cruising yachts and party boats displayed on land and water.

$8.00 Adults, $6.00 Seniors 62+, $3.00 Children 6-12, Free for Members and Children under 5

Open Daily 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Wharton State Forest

4110 Nesco Road  |  Hammonton, NJ  |  609.561.0024  | state.nj.us

Wharton State Forest, on the borders of Burlington and Atlantic counties, is the largest single tract of land within the New Jersey State Park System, with over 110,000 acres. It is the home of the Annie M. Carter Nature Interpretive Center, which features nature hikes, slide/video programs, hands-on activities and live animal displays. Many of these presentations focus on the delicate nature of the ecology of the Pinelands and the impacts of human activities on this geographic area. The Interpretive Center is open from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Wednesday through Sunday, from April though November. It is open on Tuesday through Saturday from December through March.

Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center

1501 Glasstown Road  |  Millville, NJ  |  800.998.4552  | wheatonvillage.org

Watch world class glass art created in the Glass Studio. Tour the Museum of American Glass with its notable collection. Walk through the Craft Studios and see skilled artists at work. Explore South Jersey’s rich cultural traditions in the Down Jersey Folklife Center. Browse through the finest selection of handcrafted gift items in our wonderful museum stores. A variety of special events, exhibitions and educational programs are offered throughout the year.

$10.00 Adults, $9.00 Seniors 62+, $7.00 Students, Free to Children under 5.

Open January to March: Fri, Sat & Sun Free 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
April to December: Tue-Sun 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.