Atlantic City: America's Playground

   Once upon a time, before World War II ended and the city became plagued by crime, poverty, and corruption, Atlantic City was known as the "World’s Favorite Playground”. The glamorous hotels drew visitors from all over the world and the parties were legendary. During the 1920’s, which many historians consider AC’s golden age, liquor flowed freely in spite of prohibition and gambling took place in the backrooms of nightclubs and restaurants. This era inspired the HBO Original Series Boardwalk Empire, which I think provides a fascinating look at the decadence of AC's golden era. 

   I was 21-years-old when I first visited Atlantic City and I expected glamour. Instead, I saw dirty sidewalks, trash in the street, and run down storefronts. It was disappointing, but I realized AC wasn’t like the other beach towns that I had visited; outside the landscaped casino grounds and the lavishly desgined buildings, AC was dirty and gritty.

    AC is more than just a beach, and even though the beach is free, I wouldn’t go on it because it is a very dirty beach, with trash flying around on the sand and drunken people arguing and disturbing the peace. During one beach excursion, I saw a man grab the women he was arguing with by the arm and physically drag her into a casino.
     The beach may not be up to par, but there are many other things to do such as take in a show, walk the boardwalk, shop, etc. AC has something for everyone, from kids looking to ride the amusement pier rides to adults looking to win a fortune in the windowless casinos.

    My favorite thing to do in AC is shop. The Atlantic City Outlets, known as The Walk, have over one hundred outlet stores, including a COACH, Nike, and Banana Republic. Every time I travel to the outlets I can never resist the allure of the COACH store. I can spend up to an hour in there picking out the perfect handbag. However, since I have visited the outlets several times in the last two years I have several "perfect" handbags. I once waited 45 minutes just to purchase a bag because the line was so long. I recommend going to the stores on a Monday because the stores are less crowded on Mondays, at least they were when I went on a Monday.    
    Unfortunately, parking is at a minimum and the last several times I have been there I was forced to pay for parking. There is free parking, but it several blocks away and, since the area is not the best, I recommend paying the $12. 

      However many attractions are close together. The Walk is a few short blocks away from the boardwalk, where the upscale shopping center, The Pier Shops at Caesars, is located. The Pier Shops have an underwater theme and little blue LED lights hang from the dark ceilings.The mall is connected to Caesars by a second story, glass encased, sky bridge. Gucci, Burberry, and Gucci are just three of the many high-end stores that line the four-story glass structure. 
    Since I can only afford to window shop at these high-end stores, I love going to the fourth floor and watching “The Show.” “The Show” is the largest indoor water fountain display in a mall setting. Water, sound, music, and light come together and create a memorable, spell binding show. After shopping and walking I always welcome "The Show" since I can just sit down, relax, and be entertained for ten minutes. 

After watching “The Show” I love to go out onto the balcony that extends into the ocean and overlooks the beach and snap pictures.  

This picture, which is the view from the balcony, was taken on a warm spring day.

The Jersey Shore

    It's that time a year again, the time when barbeques are fired up, fireworks are shot off, and classic summertime anthems such as ‘Wildwood Days,” “Under the Boardwalk,” and “On the Way to Cape May,” blast from radios as people make the annual Memorial Day trek to their summer homes.

    This weekend is the unofficial start of summer and that means it’s time to head down the shore. However, there are so many different shore towns along the Jersey coast, each special and unique, and at times it can be hard to choose which one to go to. My favorite beach in NJ is Cape May.
       I fell in love with Cape May when I was a little girl with an over active imagination and discovered that the Columbia House, the bed and breakfast where  family and I always stayed, was haunted. I further fell in love when I witnessed a bride in a white, fluffy dress and her tuxedo clad groom on the beach taking their wedding photos and decided that one day I would be the bride on the beach at sunset taking wedding photos with my groom. To this day I still love going down there and immersing myself in the history of one of the nation’s oldest resort towns and hearing about the various ghosts that roam around the drafty old houses and cobble stoned streets. 
     The ghost stories are only one reason I love Cape May. I love smelling the salty air as I walk through the Washington Street Mall. I love strolling down the uneven, grey slate sidewalks and seeing the ornate Victorian homes with their wrap around porches and wooden rocking chairs. I even love Maurice "Buddy" Nugen’s “On the Way to Cape May,” which is a classic song that tells of a love story that begins in Ocean City and continues through the various shore towns with the ultimate destination being Cape May.

     However, Cape May is one of many shore towns that line the Jersey coast. There are many unique towns, each with their own distinct atmosphere, on the way to Cape May. I am going to visit various beaches in Atlantic and Cape May counties and explore the seaside towns to see for myself what each one has to offer. A lot can happen on the way to Cape May…..