Atlantic City is a resort city on New Jersey's Atlantic coast that's known for its many casinos, wide beaches and iconic Boardwalk. Established in the 1800s as a health resort, today the city is dotted with glitzy high-rise hotels and nightclubs. In addition to gambling at slot machines and table games, the casinos offer spa treatments, performances by famous comedy and music acts, and high-end shopping.

Atlantic City (AC) may be the largest city on the Shore, but the vision of 'Vegas on the East Coast' has foundered and casinos have gone bankrupt. But the hotels can be a bargain and the lovely beach is free and often empty because most visitors are indoors playing the slots. And in contrast with many homogeneous beach enclaves, the population here is more diverse.

As for the Prohibition-era glamour depicted in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire, there's little trace – though you can still ride along the boardwalk on a nifty wicker rolling chair. As you do, consider that the first boardwalk was built here, and if Baltic Ave rings a bell, it's because the game Monopoly uses AC's street names. A later contribution: the Miss America pageant, though it's now held in Vegas; the Miss'd America drag pageant fills the gap.