Family Friendly Atlantic City. There’s a phrase I never thought I’d type…especially 3 years ago driving to A.C. from Philly at midnight! Fortunately for Ayva and me, we were shown a different side of Atlantic City thanks to Jen and Karen of Family Friendly AC who invited us to stay overnight at the fabulous Harrah’s Resort and see an A.C. that we could experience and enjoy together!
There’s a lot about vacationing in Atlantic City that works for our little family of two. First, it’s a short, easy ride from Philly. If you’ve ever traveled with a toddler, you can understand the significance of that! Most importantly, though, there is so much to do! When we arrived in A.C., we went to the Harrah’s Resort for lunch with a fabulous group of bloggers and their families, and learn all about what the city had to offer from reps from Harrah’s and the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority. Then we checked into our lovely room and took a nap! The beds were so huge and comfortable that I actually had to wake Ayva up after an hour and a half because she was still knocked out! And this is the 20 Minute Nap Queen, so that’s quite an accomplishment.
Now, I’ve stayed at the Harrah’s Resort before, but I had never experienced the Family Fun Center and Pool. After Ayva’s nap, I squeezed myself into a bathing suit, got my little Bathing Beauty in hers, and headed down to the see what we could get into. The Family Fun Center was really fun! There is a family pool and jacuzzi, shuffleboard, mini-golf, a rooftop deck perfect for sunbathing, and an ARCADE!!! So cool! Ayva wasn’t really into the pool, but she loved reading her book and watching birds out on the deck! When we left the Family Fun Center, we went to dinner at the Reflections Cafe, one of the many restaurants at Harrah’s, had some ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s, and retired back to our luxurious bed, exhausted from our full day in A.C.!
The next morning, we headed to the Tropicana Resort to watch a film in their IMAX theatre. Okay, I had no idea how cool the Tropicana is! It’s like stepping into a different world! A really cool, tropical world! We watched the movie, Coral Reef Adventure, and of course, with the big screen and bright, lifelike colors, it was like being underwater. Even my 2 year old loved it!
From there, we headed to Gardner’s Basin, a quaint area of Atlantic City where the Atlantic City Aquarium is located. Ayva went crazy over the boats, and I can’t wait to take her back later this summer to see dolphins on a cruise with Atlantic City Cruises! After a yummy lunch at the restaurant, Scales, we went to the aquarium which had lots of cool activities going on…including a touch tank! Gardner’s Basin is a great place to take little ones, and I could see spending the whole day out there. From the boat ride, to the aquarium, and all of the free space that allows for lots of playing and picnics, there’s plenty to do to keep the whole family busy.
We had a great visit! It’s funny, as much as love Atlantic City, I’ve never, ever thought of it being a place where I could take Ayva. I’m so grateful for the folks of Family Friendly AC for showing me family friendly Atlantic City…I can’t wait to go back!*Disclosure – I was invited to attend Bloggers on the Beach to experience family friendly Atlantic City. I received complimentary and/or discounted services during my visit, but am not being paid for this post. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
