Las Vegas has nothing over this seaside gaming oasis, known as the gambling centre of the East Coast. From adults to kids, it offers something for everyone.  

And it isn’t in a desert. In fact, Atlantic City has a magnificent beach, raked and cleaned every day, leaving no trace of the rubbish that seems to pile up by evening. On my early morning walk, there wasn’t even a gum wrapper to be seen, only seashells near the shoreline.

With the sand sifting through my toes, watching some early risers making sand castles with their kids against the backdrop of the oceanfront hotels’ colourful cabanas, the stroll seemed like a good way to start the day.

Joggers and fast and slow walkers all seemed of the same mind. Early morning is also the time for cyclists to enjoy the uncrowded even-surfaced Boardwalk. Bikes can be rented and used up until 10 a.m. After that the wide wooden walkway becomes a traffic jam of people.

The yellow lined middle section is supposed to be for chair rides, these rickshaws pushed by hand, taking the place of cabs. But the young man who was my “driver” had to keep yelling, “honk honk” to get the pedestrians off his “road.”

It’s about $5 to ride five city blocks, a good opportunity to see what’s available. For example, there’s always a small queue for Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum with its 13 themed galleries.

There are a variety of outdoor cafes, which are always full, and takeout food counters are plentiful for those who aren’t watching their waistline or are avoiding the many expensive restaurants.

You pass some of the most well-known casino hotels.

Tropicana is one of the oldest and largest with 2,600 rooms but in need of renovations and it’s here you can see nightly Broadway performances.

Then there’s Caesar’s Atlantic City, part of the umbrella that also covers the off-the-Boardwalk hotel and the stunningly designed, fairly new, Harrah’s  with its domed pool area filled with tropical plants and where ultra violet rays are eliminated.

For those in need of retail therapy, The Pier Shops at Caesar’s features some 80 stores and restaurants with upper-end shopping – Gucci and Louis Vuitton -– and various other brands like Victoria’s Secret and Anne Taylor. In this complex is a marvelous innovation – floor to ceiling curved window areas fitted with beach chairs and real sand, palm trees and plants, all overlooking the ocean.

 The 1,250-room Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort and its relatively new attached and luxurious 350-room Chairman Tower seems smaller than it really is. Of course, there’s drama before even entering as seven two-ton stone elephants flank the entrance to the Carrera marble lobby. There’s a bright directional walkway skirting one of the largest (161,000 square feet) casinos in the world. Cashing out noises persist. Along the walkway is a white-table-cloth-cuisine experience at Il Molina and by 6.30 p.m. every table is filled. Many guests are eating just before the performance in the 5,000 seat on-site Etess Arena. Add your Comp Dollars gained at the casino to purchases at any of the on-site stores or evening venues.  Other hotels are taking this interesting recession tip to add to their amenities.

Across the Boardwalk from this hotel is The Steel Pier, an arcade park opened in 1898 as a feature attraction for the city. Kids still love the Ferris wheels and carnival atmosphere.

The bayside Historic Gardner’s Basin is a lovely, quaint area where large boats are moored and high quality craft shops in picturesque cabins offer non-kitschy handmade products. The aquarium offers happy hour for both adults and kids with the water displays of sea creatures, big and small.

And who wouldn’t go off the Boardwalk for the best Mac and Cheese (macaroni with the greatest mix of Italian cheeses) at The Chelsea Hotel?  I’m still thinking about my tasting of this fast and simple meal.

But it’s still the casinos that pull in the crowds. The clinking of the slots, hoots of success from the tables, the private areas for the big spenders, make it clear these huge venues are definitely the top reason to visit.

If you go: West Jet Airlines flies directly from the larger Canadian cities.