Mark Twain could have easily described Atlantic
City when he famously said: "The reports of my death have been greatly
exaggerated."
All you seem to hear these days is how Atlantic City is down and it can't get up.
Not true.
I played some excellent golf courses, hit the slots, hoisted
a few at the Original Irish Pub, had a shot of Tequila at the Tropicana's taco
and tequila bar, strolled the Boardwalk, feasted on a funnel cake and gorged
myself on some of the best Italian food and seafood I've enjoyed in all of my
global travels.
Atlantic City is much more than mega-casinos and the
Boardwalk and tourism officials are working diligently to expand its appeal.
After spending a few days there, rest assured, golf
vacationers, especially buddy trippers, will find "AC" very
accommodating on many levels.
Once you put the clubs away for the day, there are few
destinations that can match the off-the-course entertainment that encompasses
24-hour casino gaming, big name shows, comedy clubs, pub crawls, eclectic
dining and deep sea fishing.
GOLF OVERVIEW
There are 20 courses within 25 minutes of the Boardwalk in
Atlantic City. The menu features lots of diversity, too. On my visit, I played
a couple of classic, tree-laden layouts, a links style course and a replica
holes course.
Word is, they started swinging the sticks in the area way
back in 1890s so golf is an integral part of the overall Atlantic City
experience.
Better still, Atlantic City offers reasonably priced golf
packages. The average cost is about $375 per person for a 3 day/2 night stay
with three rounds of golf. Casino accommodations typically run around $475 and
value-oriented hotels are approximately $275 for the package.
Here's where I played:
In conversation with local, well connected golf tourism officials, other play suggestions include Ron Jaworski's Blue Heron Pines, Shoregate GC and Galloway GC.
7 Little Things I Liked
1. The free Wi-Fi you can access while walking
outside on the Boardwalk.
2. The funnel cakes on the Boardwalk. The best in
the world. Period.
3. The affable and all around great guy, Mike Charlton,
who is a Greater Atlantic City Golf Association member, owner of GolfAC.com and
knows everything about Atlantic City golf vacations.
4. The Turtle Nine Putting Course at Seaview
Hotel & Golf Club.
6. The traditional clubhouse at Atlantic City Country Club that has lockers for swimmer Michael Phelps, PGA Tour star Hale Irwin and other notables
7. The amazing bowl of homemade white bean soup I had at Twisted Dune.
ACCOMMODATIONS
I stayed at Tropicana Casino Resort. It's a great place for
golfers in Atlantic City. It's located directly on the Boardwalk and has a
24-hour casino, 25 restaurants including Carmine's and Chickie's, Pete's Sports
Bar and Crab House and Hooters, lots of bars and nightclubs, concert showroom,
IMAX theater, spas, swimming pools and shops.
Atlantic City has a good mix of casino hotels as well as
reasonably priced chain offerings like Ramada, Comfort Inn and Days Hotel,
which are offered in golf packages.
DINING
You can get everything from fantastic funnel cakes to
phenomenal seafood in Atlantic City. There's a terrific blend of old and new
restaurants with some that have been around for decades and others inspired by
celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay, Gordon Ramsey and Guy Fieri.
On my visit, I dined at some of Atlantic City's most
heralded traditional restaurants.
Angelo's
Fairmont Tavern--Known as "Little Italy By the Sea", this cozy
restaurant has been serving home style Italian fare for more than 80 years.
Forget all these chains, this place is the real thing. Owned by the Mancuso
family since 1935, this traditional Italian restaurant has a wood bar, pictures
of Sinatra on the wall and huge portions. If you want to celebrate a round of
golf and truly immerse in the Atlantic City lifestyle, eat at Angelo's. The
menu is dotted with classic favorites. I had the sauteed mussels in red sauce,
fried calamari and lasagne with a meatball. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!
Dock's Oyster
House--Opened
in 1897, this classic seafood restaurant is an absolute don't miss in Atlantic
City. Let's face it, you don't stay open that long unless the food is great--
and, believe me, it's phenomenal. The dining experience encompasses white
tablecloths, professional veteran waiters and a comprehensive menu of
spectacular seafood specialties and prime steaks. I had Oysters Rockefeller,
Potato Crusted Flounder and the Apple Crisp topped with vanilla gelato. This is
the best seafood restaurant I've ever dined at. Period. End of Story.
Original Irish
Pub--With
walls dotted with vintage black and white sports photos, friendly service and
prices that look like they haven't changed since the 1980s, this is a great
place to gather after a full day of golf. For lunch, you can get a hamburger
for $4.00, turkey sandwich for $4.50 and grilled chicken sandwich for $6.50.
There's also an excellent selection of beers at reasonable prices. Chances are,
you'll meet and see Cathy Burke, the wonderful long-time owner, who greets
every customer with a smile and good cheer. Better still, it's open 24 hours.
Other exceptional places that are popular with golfers,
include Carmine's, Capriccio, Cuba Libre, Chef Vola's, Il Mullino N.Y.,
Gallagher's Steak House and Landshark Bar & Grill. For a quick bite,
don't miss the legendary White House Subs, a local mainstay since 1946.
THINGS TO DO
Stroll the
Boardwalk--Running
about 4.5 miles, this wide wooden walkway dates back to 1870. Updated and safe,
it has complimentary Wi-Fi and is lined with casinos, nightclubs, restaurants
and saltwater taffy shops.
Casino Gaming--The biggest
names in gaming are represented in Atlantic City. Wanna throw some bones or
play black or red? The top casinos are Borgata, Ceasars, Harrah's Tropicana,
Bally's Wild West, Trump Taj Mahal, Resort Casino and Golden Nugget.
Big Name
Entertainment Shows--The casino showrooms feature lots of major entertainment
acts such as Jerry Seinfeld, Toby Keith, REO Speedwagon and Beach Boys founder
Brian Wilson to name a few.
Deep Sea
Fishing--If
you can't win at the tables or slots, there's some excellent deep sea fishing
charter options in Atlantic City and nearby Ocean City and Point Pleasant. The
big catches are Striped Bass, Bluefish, Tuna, Mahi and Marlin.
Outlet Mall
Shopping--The
Tanger Outlets near The Boardwalk is an open-air mall spanning three city
blocks with 109-stores, including Columbia Sportswear, Timberland and Kenneth
Cole.
Bass Pro Shop--Opened in
April 2015, this expansive, wilderness-themed store has been a huge hit in
Atlantic City. Overflowing with fishing and hunting gear and outdoor apparel,
the store also has a 13,000 gallon aquarium and pistol range.
Steel Pier--This iconic
amusement park pier stretches 1,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean. It has 25
rides, an arcade and food outlets.
LOCATION
Atlantic City is situated 96 miles south of New York City.
Philadelphia International Airport is 65 miles from Atlantic City. Fifteen
minutes from the Atlantic City Boardwalk is the Atlantic City International
Airport, which is serviced by Spirit Airlines, Air Canada and Choice Aire.
Other distances to Atlantic City: (Harrisburg, Pa-155 miles, Hartford, CT--226
miles and Boston, MA-326 miles).
THE SCOOP
Visit DoAC, which is a great place for general
information upcoming shows, accommodations and restaurants. For golf package
information, call 844-475-2922 or click to PlayACGolf.
For those who wants lots of party opportunities after golf,
I suggest clicking to Atlantic City Golf After Dark. Devoted casino
gamers that want "Golf 'n Gamble" packages can click to Golf and
Gamble or call 877-946-5318.
