My husband’s work on his PhD here at Penn State is starting to wind down, and if you follow our little travel series, you know that we are trying to hit as many east coast landmarks as possible before we leave PA. We’ve shared a few of these little trips on the blog, visiting the Laurel Highlands, Hershey PA, Washington DC, Pittsburg PA, NYC, and the Outer Banks, and today we’ve have teamed up again with our friends at Wyndham to share a fun visit to Atlantic City and Ocean City, New Jersey!
To be honest, I really wasn’t sure what to expect from this trip. When you talk to east coasters about New Jersey, the Jersey Shore, or Atlantic City, you get a lot of mixed reviews. Some people love it, some, not so much, but I was excited to see for myself what it was all about. Plus, I have come to learn through experience that no matter what people say about a location, if I am staying at a Wyndham rental property there, I will love it. And guess what? I totally loved it.
First, let’s talk Atlantic City. My first education regarding Atlantic City comes from 1991 film classic, Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken (OBVI). Sonora dreams about going there, and just like any really cool girl obsessed with that movie in the 90’s, I wanted to go there too. However, the town has changed a thing or two since the 1930’s when horse diving was the entertainment and the city is now dotted with high-rise casinos like a mini-Vegas on the beach. Since we were traveling there with little kids I was a bit concerned about having fun there, but was pleasantly surprised. Now, mind you, we spent zero time in a single casino (one of the many reasons you should stay at the Wyndham Skyline Tower if you are traveling with kids, since there is no smokey casino to navigate through), and we weren’t there to party. If you are going there to party, you will certainly have a blast, since there is plenty of grown up stuff to do. However, regardless of this we also found that there were so many fun things to see and do with little kids!
First, we spent a good amount of our time at the iconic Atlantic City Boardwalk! It was so fun to stroll along and enjoy ocean views on one side and shopping on the other, ranging from high-end retail to saltwater taffy shops. We stuffed our faces with plenty of deep-fried goodness and loved exploring.
At the beginning of the boardwalk is the Central Pier Arcade and Speedway. This pier is packed with fun rides, games, and a gorgeous ferris wheel with amazing views of the ocean and the city. My kids were obsessed.
Plus, along with the boardwalk and pier, Atlantic City is full of great restaurants, AMAZING outlets, an incredible aquarium, a gorgeous lighthouse, and more. There was way more to see and do then we had time for which is always a good reason to plan a return trip!
Let’s talk about where we stayed. I am such a fan of Wyndham that they have nearly ruined me on hotels. When I stay at other places without several bedrooms, a full kitchen, and lots of space for my kids to run I get grumpy and wonder why we stay anywhere else. So, no surprise, we LOVED staying at the Wyndham Skyline Tower in Atlantic City. First, it was a great location for walking to the beach and boardwalk and it was so central to shopping and restaurants while still being close to the other little towns we wanted to explore along the coast.
Next, Wyndham vacation rentals are always SO family friendly. This one had a great arcade and game room, an amazing pool, a movie theater, and lots of fun activities planned for the whole family. Plus, the Wyndham staff are always the kindest people around, and bend over backwards to make sure we are having a great time (which we ALWAYS do).
In addition to the gorgeous accommodations at the Wyndham Skyline Tower were the VIEWS. We kept every curtain in every room open during our stay because it was so gorgeous and we spent a lot of time out on our deck trying to take them in.
Stunning, right? I loved looking at the lighthouse from my breakfast table.
Aside from Atlantic City, we also spent some time in Ocean City, NJ! This was just a short drive from where we stayed so it was fun to take a little day trip there! Visiting Ocean City was fun because it has a completely different feel from Atlantic City. Ocean City is a dry town and they don’t sell alcohol within this city limits, which gives it a really family friendly vibe. The city is darling with the cutest coastal feel and another great boardwalk and pier with so much to see. We loved eating at the coastal cafe’s, walking through the beachy neighborhoods, and of course, playing on the beach! If you are thinking of taking a trip to Atlantic City, I completely recommend tacking on some time to visit Ocean City, too. We loved it.
Funnel cakes beach side? Duh. OF COURSE I’m going to rave about the place! Now, get out that bucket list and add a visit to the Jersey Shore to it immediately! And thank you, Wyndham for another wonderful trip! This one was a real treat.
What summer trips do you have planned this summer? We’d LOVE to hear about them! And be sure to follow Wyndham on Facebook (here and here), Twitter, and Instagram for lots of inspo for your summer getaway plans!
Happy travels!
ox. Liz
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[…] it comes to family travel there is just no better way to do it! We have traveled to Washington DC, Atlantic City and now Pompano Beach, Florida and stayed at Wyndham Destinations properties and each time makes it […]