Are you excited about spending the summer at the South Jersey shore?
Then Ocean City and its casinos are the places to be to unlock the beach and Boardwalk fun during the unofficial start to summer: Memorial Day weekend. The last weekend in May signals the return of tourists to the resort.
It’s a special opportunity for the queen of resorts to delight its visitors with special events and giveaways as a preview to the summer of 2023 yet to come. Atlantic City is a beach gaming and resort capital, hosting around 27 million visitors per year, according to ACNJ’s website.
But don’t you worry, with AC casinos and parties throughout the area, there is plenty for everyone on the Shore.
Hobbies abound throughout Atlantic Metropolis for Obituary Day saturday and sunday
Memorial Day weekend in Atlantic City also means the opening of Boardwalk arcades, souvenir shops, and fantastic anniversary celebrations at various casinos with giveaways like tote bags, t-shirts, and pop-up bars.
The Beach Music Festival on the shore features bands Blink-182, Turnstile, Japanese Breakfast, Coheed & Cambria, and The Front Bottoms, along with two days’ worth of music on the beach in front of the casinos. A full list of bands and ticket options is available online.
Resorts Casino Hotel has posted a countdown to Memorial Day weekend in Atlantic City on its website. The countdown reminds casino visitors of what is happening for the weekend, including the annual 5,000 beach ball drop on the boardwalk at Resorts to kick off festivities on Friday.
Resorts is celebrating 45 years in business by giving away chances to register to win 45 rooms to mark its anniversary. There’s also a 45th Anniversary T-shirt giveaway on Monday and Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Memorial Day weekend at Resorts begins at noon with MC Bacardi Ardi and DJ Gary, music from SideStory on the main stage, bagpipers, and drag queens until the beach ball drop at 4 p.m.
So, grab your beach chair and sunblock because it’s time to hit the beach, take a dip in the surf, or stroll the historic Atlantic City Boardwalk during Memorial Day weekend.
Most casinos are offering special hotel rates, events, and special breakfast and lunch packages to coincide with the three-day holiday weekend. We’ve compiled a list of go-to favorites for visiting Atlantic City casinos at the unofficial start of summer.
Surely, everyone can find something to do this weekend, but remember you have the whole summer to come back.
Ocean Traditional casino celebrates some years over the Shore
Ocean Casino Resort will be celebrating seven years in Atlantic City.
So this Memorial Day weekend will feature a lineup of birthday celebrations that start with fireworks on Memorial Day weekend and continue through Labor Day weekend.
They’re offering $5 million in gifts and prizes and will unveil the Birthday Bar.
Parties off the shore over at Showboat
When you’re finished with the beach, visit Showboat.
Specifically for BOGO Party time at Lucky Snake, where axe throwing is buy one, get one half off.
There’s also mini-golf Wednesday on May 29th, where tourists get half off on mini-golf throughout the day.
Holiday contest, fireworks in addition to a champagne collation
Kick off summer in Ocean City this Memorial Day weekend at Hard Rock Atlantic City, which is offering a 10X Free Play Multiplier, 15X Free Play Multiplier, and a $200,000 Memorial Day Sweepstakes.
Then, Tropicana offers weekly fireworks displays at 10 p.m. every Saturday starting Memorial Day weekend and continuing through September.
And don’t forget to add a touch of class to the weekend at Golden Nugget Atlantic City, which features a champagne brunch buffet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chart House. Reservations required.
Tunes and funny + sodas and rubberbandz
Borgata hosted a range of acts this past weekend.
It began with a musical tribute to Billy Joel on Friday, followed by comedian and actor Tom Papa on Saturday, which segues nicely into Comedy Club night on Sunday. Get tickets online.
The Garden at Bally’s Main is the place to be every Friday and Saturday. Enjoy $5 drinks, live bands, and DJs until 2 a.m. with no cover charge.
New in 2023 is Latin Nights, starting on May 29 from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. During the Beach Music Festival on May 27-28 at Bally’s Beach Bar, get up close and enjoy the music. Admission includes table seating, two beverages, lunch entrée, and free entertainment. Bally’s Beach Bar opens at 10 a.m.
Relax apart with indoors swimming
Outdoor isn’t for everyone, but if you like it, the pool inside the glass-domed oasis at Harrah’s Atlantic City maintains a constant 82-degree temperature and provides a lush tropical atmosphere to relax. Enjoy drinks poolside and relax in a lounge chair, daybed, or cabana. Reservations are required.
Construction continues at Bart Blatstein’s $100 million Island Waterpark at Showboat in Atlantic City. While it was hoped that the new waterpark would be open in time for Memorial Day weekend, it’s looking more likely to be sometime in July.
Once complete, Island Waterpark will feature over 100,000 square feet of amusement rides and a retractable glass roof, making it a year-round destination. The indoor section of the water park will include water slides, pools, and lazy rivers accompanied by food and beverage outlets, party rooms, locker rooms, and retail space.
And also don’ testosterone forget about the shore
Don’t forget, the Atlantic City beaches are free. No beach badge is required.
Lifeguards are on duty from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at beaches from Caspian Avenue to Jackson Avenue.
Atlantic Metropolis awaits, hence don’ testosterone hesitate this kind of Memorial Daytime weekend
When traveling to the Atlantic City casinos by car and using the Atlantic City Expressway this Memorial Day weekend, a pleasant surprise will be the fact that Chickie’s & Pete’s Sports Bar will cover the highway tolls for motorists heading east through the Egg Harbor Toll Plaza between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Friday.
That’s pretty generous, considering the cash toll for passenger cars is $4.55, up from $4.52 in 2022.
The restaurant chain also plans an event for travelers from noon to 5 p.m. at the Senator Frank S. Farley Service Plaza in Hammonton with free crabfries and other food and drinks from Hershey’s Ice Cream, Mars, Carlo’s Bakery, Applegreen, and Monster Energy Drink. You can also expect a demonstration by the New Jersey State Police K9 Search and Rescue Team and a display of fire and rescue equipment from Atlantic City International Airport.
Chickie’s & Pete’s owner Pete Ciarrocchi said he decided to pay the tolls on Memorial Day as a way to honor his family’s military service, including his father, Pete Sr., and uncles Bo and George, who both served in the military. He said George Ciarrocchi, his restaurant mentor, received a Gold Star for valor.
Stephanie Loder is a self-employed writer. This vulnerable woman has worked as a reporter, editor and newsroom editor for Gannett/USAToday in New Jersey and North Carolina.
View all of posts simply by Stephanie Loder
