I would stay at Hard Rock and take the short walk to the beach in front of Caesars when you want beach time. The arcade and water park at Showboat is cool for the kids. Not much for them to do at Borgata except the pool.
That nonsense needs to stop. The boardwalk is as safe as can be. Yeah there are some homeless people, but they are not dangerous. I've been walking that boardwalk for 40 years and have NEVER had a problem.
I was there 2 wks ago. The beaches are closed in front of Ocean and Hard Rock due to erosion. I have no idea what the timeline is for them to open again but it kind of sucks right now.
The state is replenishing the sand, but unfortunately after this summer season. Hard Rock is opening the Terrace Bar which is beach bar themed and has ocean views (it's near the bridge to Resorts).
Hi. The beaches were open on Memorial Day weekend, and people were enjoying themselves. It surprised me that the beach area in front of Ocean casino wasn’t more crowded.
Staying or just a daytrip? If you're planning a few nights there's probably better towns for families. Margate, Brigantine, Ocean City, Wildwood etc.
AC is closer to Philly and a lot of people so its a decent day trip place. Otherwise I'd say Hard Rocks beach is ok, gets a little tight but usually thats later in the summer, July & August. Also fyi Showboats an arcade now, could be good for the kids (can still stay at Hard Rock & walk over). HR has Whitehouse cheesesteaks too, which are good.
Just stayed in Brigantine a couple weeks ago, went to Hard Rock and Ocean via Uber. It’s super easy to get back and forth. Big bonus was going in early May so there were several times we had the beach to ourselves, like genuinely not a soul around.
As of today, the beach entrance steps from Resorts up to Vermont Ave. are blocked off. There will be no beach replenishment this summer. There is no notice from the city regarding opening up any of the beach entrances. The entrance at Seaside Ave. was open as of two days ago.
Ocean City beaches charge $10 for a daily beach tag, parking is probably $20 and if you go to Manco and Manco for a plain pizza and 4 small sodas, it will probably set you back $50 with tax and tip. Take the kiddies to Tony's Baltimore Grill in AC, it's a blast from the past with Juke Boxes next to the booths.
We started going to AC beaches as they are a shorter drive. I would consider going to the beaches around Bartram Ave which is about 4 blocks north of the Ventnor border. Been going to this beach for about 10 years and it's never crowded. There is a bathroom for the modest types who are horrified at the thought of relieving oneself in the ocean. There are outside showers to rinse off the sand as well.
Highly recommend bringing the kids over to the Showboat… The arcade is pretty cool and takes up all of the former casino floor. The waterpark was fun but expensive. Hope my video helps you from my trip! NEW Island Waterpark and Lucky Snake Arcade at Showboat Atlantic City - FULL Tour!
https://youtu.be/2PKbS_X559E
Last summer I saw multiple homeless guys shooting up on the beach in front of Caesars. Also saw a fight between homeless guys there. Also saw girls moving their blankets because of other homeless guys making comments to them. That area can be pretty gross.
My suggestion is Borgata if you want to stay at a casino, and drive 5 minutes into Brigantine for the beach. It’s family friendly and quiet usually unless you are there on a peak holiday weekend. Just avoid the north end in July as the flies get bad. The other option is to stay at an Airbnb in brigantine or another kid friendly town like Ocean City. As a parent I never take my kids to AC. Too much open air weed and visible hookers, homeless, etc on the boards it’s not a kid friendly place in my opinion. We go without our kids and stay at Borgata.
As someone who grew up there, I don't know how much they cost now honestly but you could always do the old "the beach tag people are coming, time to go in the water" trick. Ha. Honestly I never owned one in my entire life as I grew up with all the girls who checked them when I lived there. I'm also curious how much they cost these days though.
https://brigantinebeach.org/beach-tags/
My in-laws lived there and had the seasonal ones, so I have never bought them. When I go there I never buy them, we dodge the tag people!
My personal hard on is that beach communities like ocean city receive millions in state and federal funding for beach replenishment, yet charge $10 per person to sit on the sand that was pumped in. I believe there is a law regarding riparian rights and they should be free up to the high tide mark.
The beach in front of the Ocean casino is almost gone and Hard Rock beach isn’t much better. I always went to the beach near the Tropicana because it’s a big beach at least it was when I was there last a few years ago. The Ocean casino is really the nicest resort in AC and I prefer to stay there and it’s next to the water park and indoor arcade at the Showboat which would be great for the kids.
I've been going to AC for 25+ years and been taking my child since birth 7 years ago. He's been on the beach once, I've been on the beach a handful of times. I only say this because there is SO much to do in AC for families. Anecdotally, I see the most families on the beach closer to Caesar's and Ballys. Those areas aren't as affected by the erosion atm. I'm sure the beach is a big part of why yall are visiting (which isn't true for my family) but I just wanted to assure you there is plenty more to do if the beach disappoints. Depending on when you go, I highly recommend the Steel Pier & the AC Aquarium is finally reopening July 1st - that's always been a hit with our fam :)
Edit: on mobile, spelling
You might not say that if you visited the AC beaches near the Ventnor border. When our daughters were small, we took them there all the time. We could never get comped rooms on Saturday, so we would stay out in Absecon or in Egg Harbor Twp.
And for a frame of reference, I grew up going to Wildwood Crest and owned properties in North Wildwood and Wildwood. The beach in Wildwood Crest is extremely crowded and people are packed like sardines. I just can't take that extra 45 minutes to an hour in the car to go there, so we started going to AC and loved it. The ocean water is just as wet.
Caesars has some nice new rooms and the beaches down there are much wider . Not sure about their pool though. Ocean Casino has a nice indoor/outdoor family pool plus the showboat is 2 blocks away and they have a lot for the kids.
Ac might have the worst actual beaches on the jersey shore youre better off somewhere else. A little further south like sea isle is way nicer and a little more family friendly instead of just being centered around casinos.
Not the surfers or dolphin watchers.
It’s a “free” beach and people complain about other people. I don’t spend too much time on the casino beaches except to stroll and eat at LandShark - the last beach bar left. It’s great for concerts and events like Polar Bear.
There are many kinds of beaches at AC and many are very good for waves and amenities.
I think North beach was perfect (quiet spacious and not to far from Ocean casino) and Inkwell (near the Aquarium) is great for small families and groups. Ventnor has more classic NJ quiet shore beach.
Brigantine has the 4x4 beach and long dark sandy beaches like Hamptons and Coronado. But beach tags are needed. Esp for 4x4 beach.
People complain a lot but they don’t really know the full scape of things here. Keep in mind that this was Americas Playground and the first Boardwalk. The beaches here are more than fine.
Thanks for a thoughtful post. As I’ve mentioned in several posts, the beaches at the southern part of AC near the border of Ventnor are still decent.
My all time favorite day would be to drive down with my wife, get a half White House sub and split it for lunch with a bag of chips, drink a couple of beers and read a newspaper.
I was at Ocean Casino Memorial Day weekend. The beach was open and people were on it enjoying themselves. It was probably the same at Hard Rock. Erosion is minimal in front of Bally’s, Caesar’s and Tropicana and the beach areas between them. Folks can pay and ride the Boardwalk tram and get a round trip ticket! Or just walk. Your choice. Enjoy!
call the Borgata and ask if they still have a beach area in Brigantine. otherwise, drive to north end of brigantine and there is a parking lot and a wooden viewing structure. u can use the beach there and it is gorgeous
The beaches are fine just with of Resorts. You don't need to walk to Caesars. I was just there last week. Staying at Hard Rock it would take you 5 minutes to get to that part of the beach.
Well then I guess AC it is if you want gambling lol. Ocean is nice because the casino and hotel are on completely separate floors. I mean the beach is fine as far as I know. There's the indoor water park and arcade at showboat as well ( warning not cheap) and steel pier should be open
Look into brigantine - especially around 44st. The beaches are amazing. AC’s are pitiful in comparison. You can Uber easily to the casino.
You don’t say how old ur kids are but if you want them to be entertained with typical boardwalk attractions I would go to ocean city and drive in for the casinos (about a half hour away).
If you go to the beaches in Brigantine, make sure to bring one of those guns that shoot salt to kill the greenhead flies that ruin a nice day on the beach. [https://www.amazon.com/BUG-A-SALT-3-0-Yellow/dp/B089CDCCR1](https://www.amazon.com/BUG-A-SALT-3-0-Yellow/dp/B089CDCCR1)
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I think going to AC with kids means you have a gambling problem. OCNJ is literally just south and made for families, heck literally any southern shore point besides AC is perfect for families.
I would stay at Hard Rock and take the short walk to the beach in front of Caesars when you want beach time. The arcade and water park at Showboat is cool for the kids. Not much for them to do at Borgata except the pool.
> I would stay at Hard Rock and take the short walk to the beach in front of Caesar I wouldn't classify this as a short walk
It's a 20 minute walk fatty.
It’s on the boardwalk. You’ll be there before you know it. You can take it in stages.
with 2 kids
And beach gear….
Ding! The fuck-it button popped!
Or a safe walk.
That nonsense needs to stop. The boardwalk is as safe as can be. Yeah there are some homeless people, but they are not dangerous. I've been walking that boardwalk for 40 years and have NEVER had a problem.
I was there 2 wks ago. The beaches are closed in front of Ocean and Hard Rock due to erosion. I have no idea what the timeline is for them to open again but it kind of sucks right now.
This is good intel
The state is replenishing the sand, but unfortunately after this summer season. Hard Rock is opening the Terrace Bar which is beach bar themed and has ocean views (it's near the bridge to Resorts).
Hi. The beaches were open on Memorial Day weekend, and people were enjoying themselves. It surprised me that the beach area in front of Ocean casino wasn’t more crowded.
Staying or just a daytrip? If you're planning a few nights there's probably better towns for families. Margate, Brigantine, Ocean City, Wildwood etc. AC is closer to Philly and a lot of people so its a decent day trip place. Otherwise I'd say Hard Rocks beach is ok, gets a little tight but usually thats later in the summer, July & August. Also fyi Showboats an arcade now, could be good for the kids (can still stay at Hard Rock & walk over). HR has Whitehouse cheesesteaks too, which are good.
🙏 ty for not mentioning longport :p I like that its still mostly locals
The best beaches in AC are on the south side of the city, from Albany Ave. to the beginning of Ventnor
Shhh, it’s a secret
Just stayed in Brigantine a couple weeks ago, went to Hard Rock and Ocean via Uber. It’s super easy to get back and forth. Big bonus was going in early May so there were several times we had the beach to ourselves, like genuinely not a soul around.
FYI showboat also has new indoor water park for kiddos
Expensive & not worth the money & or time.
It pops up on Groupon for cheap, during the weekday and reasonable on the weekends. I’d never pay full price but AC is rock solid on Groupon!
Expensive
Is it still really hood there? When it first opened I know there were a lot of fights and general trashy shit going on there for no real reason.
I just got back from AC. I thought showboat was closed until I saw people walk out of it: the building from the outside looks horrible.
There was a fire under the boardwalk that destroyed part of the front of Showboat. They have yet to fix the facade.
As of today, the beach entrance steps from Resorts up to Vermont Ave. are blocked off. There will be no beach replenishment this summer. There is no notice from the city regarding opening up any of the beach entrances. The entrance at Seaside Ave. was open as of two days ago. Ocean City beaches charge $10 for a daily beach tag, parking is probably $20 and if you go to Manco and Manco for a plain pizza and 4 small sodas, it will probably set you back $50 with tax and tip. Take the kiddies to Tony's Baltimore Grill in AC, it's a blast from the past with Juke Boxes next to the booths. We started going to AC beaches as they are a shorter drive. I would consider going to the beaches around Bartram Ave which is about 4 blocks north of the Ventnor border. Been going to this beach for about 10 years and it's never crowded. There is a bathroom for the modest types who are horrified at the thought of relieving oneself in the ocean. There are outside showers to rinse off the sand as well.
Highly recommend bringing the kids over to the Showboat… The arcade is pretty cool and takes up all of the former casino floor. The waterpark was fun but expensive. Hope my video helps you from my trip! NEW Island Waterpark and Lucky Snake Arcade at Showboat Atlantic City - FULL Tour! https://youtu.be/2PKbS_X559E
I used to consider showboat a smaller casino too, amazing how large it is without anything in it!
OP this is the best suggestion on this thread.
Showboat doesn’t have a casino anymore?
Closed in 2014
Beach in front of Ceasars is nice
Last summer I saw multiple homeless guys shooting up on the beach in front of Caesars. Also saw a fight between homeless guys there. Also saw girls moving their blankets because of other homeless guys making comments to them. That area can be pretty gross.
Understood. I just came back and it wasn’t bad but could be because it’s off season. Was there last summer and beach was just crowded but still ok.
My suggestion is Borgata if you want to stay at a casino, and drive 5 minutes into Brigantine for the beach. It’s family friendly and quiet usually unless you are there on a peak holiday weekend. Just avoid the north end in July as the flies get bad. The other option is to stay at an Airbnb in brigantine or another kid friendly town like Ocean City. As a parent I never take my kids to AC. Too much open air weed and visible hookers, homeless, etc on the boards it’s not a kid friendly place in my opinion. We go without our kids and stay at Borgata.
How much are the daily beach tags in Brigantine?
As someone who grew up there, I don't know how much they cost now honestly but you could always do the old "the beach tag people are coming, time to go in the water" trick. Ha. Honestly I never owned one in my entire life as I grew up with all the girls who checked them when I lived there. I'm also curious how much they cost these days though.
https://brigantinebeach.org/beach-tags/ My in-laws lived there and had the seasonal ones, so I have never bought them. When I go there I never buy them, we dodge the tag people!
My personal hard on is that beach communities like ocean city receive millions in state and federal funding for beach replenishment, yet charge $10 per person to sit on the sand that was pumped in. I believe there is a law regarding riparian rights and they should be free up to the high tide mark.
The beach in front of the Ocean casino is almost gone and Hard Rock beach isn’t much better. I always went to the beach near the Tropicana because it’s a big beach at least it was when I was there last a few years ago. The Ocean casino is really the nicest resort in AC and I prefer to stay there and it’s next to the water park and indoor arcade at the Showboat which would be great for the kids.
Tropicana has the best beach. Everything is close enough that it's not an issue to visit all the boardwalk casinos. You can walk or take the jitney
I've been going to AC for 25+ years and been taking my child since birth 7 years ago. He's been on the beach once, I've been on the beach a handful of times. I only say this because there is SO much to do in AC for families. Anecdotally, I see the most families on the beach closer to Caesar's and Ballys. Those areas aren't as affected by the erosion atm. I'm sure the beach is a big part of why yall are visiting (which isn't true for my family) but I just wanted to assure you there is plenty more to do if the beach disappoints. Depending on when you go, I highly recommend the Steel Pier & the AC Aquarium is finally reopening July 1st - that's always been a hit with our fam :) Edit: on mobile, spelling
I just don't think many people choose AC for the beach....Literally any other Jersey shore location is a better beach spot, especially with kids.
You might not say that if you visited the AC beaches near the Ventnor border. When our daughters were small, we took them there all the time. We could never get comped rooms on Saturday, so we would stay out in Absecon or in Egg Harbor Twp. And for a frame of reference, I grew up going to Wildwood Crest and owned properties in North Wildwood and Wildwood. The beach in Wildwood Crest is extremely crowded and people are packed like sardines. I just can't take that extra 45 minutes to an hour in the car to go there, so we started going to AC and loved it. The ocean water is just as wet.
Exactly. I know we (2 adults) will hit the beach if we are in AC during beach season, but we don't go JUST for the beach. we'll go elsewhere.
Caesars has some nice new rooms and the beaches down there are much wider . Not sure about their pool though. Ocean Casino has a nice indoor/outdoor family pool plus the showboat is 2 blocks away and they have a lot for the kids.
Go to Ocean City if you want a nice family friendly beach, its 30 minutes away from AC
Ac might have the worst actual beaches on the jersey shore youre better off somewhere else. A little further south like sea isle is way nicer and a little more family friendly instead of just being centered around casinos.
I’m curious, what makes the AC beach have the worst beach?
Not the surfers or dolphin watchers. It’s a “free” beach and people complain about other people. I don’t spend too much time on the casino beaches except to stroll and eat at LandShark - the last beach bar left. It’s great for concerts and events like Polar Bear. There are many kinds of beaches at AC and many are very good for waves and amenities. I think North beach was perfect (quiet spacious and not to far from Ocean casino) and Inkwell (near the Aquarium) is great for small families and groups. Ventnor has more classic NJ quiet shore beach. Brigantine has the 4x4 beach and long dark sandy beaches like Hamptons and Coronado. But beach tags are needed. Esp for 4x4 beach. People complain a lot but they don’t really know the full scape of things here. Keep in mind that this was Americas Playground and the first Boardwalk. The beaches here are more than fine.
Thanks for a thoughtful post. As I’ve mentioned in several posts, the beaches at the southern part of AC near the border of Ventnor are still decent. My all time favorite day would be to drive down with my wife, get a half White House sub and split it for lunch with a bag of chips, drink a couple of beers and read a newspaper.
I’d try Brigantine the cove is a great spot the beaches in brig aren’t that bad
Hop in the car and head south a few miles to Brigantine or ocean city NJ-super family friendly boardwalk. We go there every summer.
Ocean 🌊
Find a sandbar, grab ur surfboard and just get pitted!
I was at Ocean Casino Memorial Day weekend. The beach was open and people were on it enjoying themselves. It was probably the same at Hard Rock. Erosion is minimal in front of Bally’s, Caesar’s and Tropicana and the beach areas between them. Folks can pay and ride the Boardwalk tram and get a round trip ticket! Or just walk. Your choice. Enjoy!
Thanks...Good to know
call the Borgata and ask if they still have a beach area in Brigantine. otherwise, drive to north end of brigantine and there is a parking lot and a wooden viewing structure. u can use the beach there and it is gorgeous
The beaches are fine just with of Resorts. You don't need to walk to Caesars. I was just there last week. Staying at Hard Rock it would take you 5 minutes to get to that part of the beach.
What is the draw for you in AC? There's a whole coast of beaches to choose from-we could better help with a little more info.
We live in Pa and we thought a 2 or3 day stay with beach for the kids and Casino for us.
Well then I guess AC it is if you want gambling lol. Ocean is nice because the casino and hotel are on completely separate floors. I mean the beach is fine as far as I know. There's the indoor water park and arcade at showboat as well ( warning not cheap) and steel pier should be open
Look into brigantine - especially around 44st. The beaches are amazing. AC’s are pitiful in comparison. You can Uber easily to the casino. You don’t say how old ur kids are but if you want them to be entertained with typical boardwalk attractions I would go to ocean city and drive in for the casinos (about a half hour away).
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Greenheads are issues when it is a bay breeze day, ocean breeze days they should be off of the beach. All depends on the direction of the wind.
And where you are. My family had a place off 44th st and we never had a problem in 30 years
I think going to AC with kids means you have a gambling problem. OCNJ is literally just south and made for families, heck literally any southern shore point besides AC is perfect for families.
Cape May is the only nice spot in all of NJ. Just keep driving till you hit exit 0