Attractions


Atlantic City is one of the oldest seaside resorts in America and has long been a tourist magnet. Located on Absecon Island, in the state of New Jersey (NJ), Atlantic City grew dramatically after the arrival of the railroad in the 1850s.

As a major gambling resort with a number of enormous casino complexes, such as Caesars, Bally’s, Harrah’s, Borgata and Donald Trump’s Taj Mahal Casino, Atlantic City boasts a number of spectacular beaches, and the world’s first boardwalk, built in 1870. Atlantic City’s boardwalk is lined with amusement piers, museums, restaurants and a host of other popular tourist attractions, including the famous and extremely historic Rolling Chairs.

 

The idea of an animal-shaped building was innovative, and in 1882 the U.S. Patent Office granted Lafferty a patent giving him the exclusive right to make, use or sell animal-shaped buildings for seventeen years. Lucy is the oldest example of zoomorphic architecture.Lafferty, in fact, constructed several elephant-shaped buildings. The first was built at South Atlantic City, which later changed its name to Margate. This structure, whose original name was “Elephant Bazaar”, was dubbed “Lucy the Elephant” in 1900. She stands 65 feet (19.7 m) high, 60 feet (18.3 m) long, and 18 feet (5.5 m) wide, weighs about 90 tons, and is made of nearly one million pieces of wood.

She was sold to new owners in 1887. The second to be built, the Elephantine Colossus, also known as the Elephant Hotelwas built at Cony Island Amusement Park in Brooklyn, New York. It was 12 stories (122 feet, 37.2 m) tall, with legs 60 feet in circumference. It held a cigar store in one leg and a dioramic display in another, hotel rooms within the elephant proper, and an observation area at the top with panoramic sea views. The Elephantine Colossus was destroyed by fire in 1896. The third, officially the Light of Asia, but dubbed Old Dumbo by locals, was built at Cape May in 1884. It was later torn down: only Lucy survived into the next century.

 

 

Housed in a Bizzare building that looks as if its about to be destroyed by a wrecking ball treasures, a lock of George Washington’s

Hair, A 27 room miniture carved castle and a host of the most amazing artifacts ever assembled under one roof!

 

“Dive and Dine” features the aquarium’s diver in the 25,000 gallon “Fish of the Mid-Atlantic” tank. Audiences can watch and interact with the diver as she hand-feeds cownose rays, swims with nurse sharks, and dives with dogfish in the tank.

Participants also have the opportunity to interact with the diver asking questions during the show. This underwater picnic is included with paid admission to the aquarium. The feeding show lasts approximately 20 minutes with a question and answer session afterward.