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When you think of Atlantic City you think of the glitzy hotel casinos - Bally's, Caesars, The Borgata, The Atlantic City Hilton, Harrah's, Resorts, Showboat, Tropicana, Trump Plaza, Trump Marina and Trump Taj Mahal. Millions of visitors flock to the city each year to try their luck at the casinos. But there's more to the hotels than just gambling and there's more to the city than just the casinos.
Thanks to a very nice stretch of beachfront and boardwalk Atlantic City has been a tourist destination since the late 1800's, when it became a favorite of Philadelphia residents seeking a summer refuge. Atlantic City can boast of an impressive list of firsts for beach resorts: the world's first boardwalk, first color postcards and the first saltwater taffy. It was also the long-time home of the Miss America pageant.
Redevelopment halted the city's decline in the 1970's, when the resort was opened to gambling. The old seaside hotels gave way to huge casinos on prime Boardwalk property. More than 34 million people visit each year to experience the casinos' headline entertainment, fine dining and shopping. A new, larger Atlantic City Convention Center replaced its older predecessor (which is still in use for events on the Boardwalk) and hosts conferences and trade shows to further boost tourism.
