As much as I love visiting Las Vegas, for those of us on the East Coast, it’s not exactly a quick getaway — it’s a full trip that requires flights, advance planning, and time off work. Atlantic City, however, lies just two hours away, making it easy for a quick weekend getaway. Atlantic City and Vegas are often put in the same category of destinations, yet I believe they’re truly very different. At least I thought so — until I visited Ocean Casino Resort.
Even though this resort opened in 2018, I’m almost embarrassed it took me this long to finally experience it for myself. Ocean Casino Resort sets itself apart from the other boardwalk hotels with a complete “Vegas” feel — from its tall building structure, luxury amenities, and modern design. Like Vegas hotels, everything you want here is right under one roof, including dining, activities, and nightlife. If you’re planning a trip to AC and want a Vegas getaway feel on the East Coast, here’s what you can expect in a stay here.
Ocean view rooms
With a hotel name like “Ocean”, guests are going to expect beautiful ocean views from the rooms — and I got just that. Upon walking into the hotel room, the first thing that I noticed was the amazing floor-to-ceiling windows with great views of the Atlantic City boardwalk and beach. Even in the dreary winter months, this view brought joy to my stay. No matter what room you’re assigned in the hotel, you’re guaranteed stunning ocean views.
The contemporary hotel room reminded me a lot of modern Vegas hotel rooms, with luxury touches like a full-size lounger near the window to enjoy the ocean views. If you’ve stayed in AC hotels years ago and have a “dark, dingy” picture in your mind of what Atlantic City hotels are like — this room will surely change your mind. After a long night out, I found this room to be enjoyable, comfortable, and functional to stay in. Even the way the hotel has elevators separated by floor reminded me of a stay in a high-rise Vegas hotel.
Dining & bars
Sure, your hotel room and it’s functionality matters when you choose to stay at a place like Ocean Casino Resort. However, we all know you didn’t come to Atlantic City to sit in your hotel room. The real draw to this hotel is everything that lies on the main floor — the casino, nightlife, and of course, the bars and restaurants. During my stay, I tried two of the resort’s most popular dining spots: Ocean Steak, a fine-dining steakhouse and Sunny’s, a vibrant breakfast/brunch restaurant. While dining at these restaurants, I almost forgot I was in Atlantic City, as the service, atmosphere, and food quality was more like what you’d expect in Vegas.
Wine tastings at Bottled
Throughout my stay here, several things about the vibe and atmosphere stood out that made the stay feel different than other Atlantic City hotels I’ve stayed in. One of my favorite parts was my wine experience at Bottled, a wine store and bar that offers a unique wine tasting experience with Enomatic wine dispensers.
There’s something extra fun about watching your wine pour from the dispensers and trying several different types. Unlike ordering a regular glass of wine at a restaurant, the Enomatic wine dispensers here let you try quarter- or half-size glasses to get a full tasting experience. I highly recommend coming here before dinner reservations as a sort of “happy hour” to enjoy light charcuterie board bites & stellar wines. Before your visit, you can also check the rotating wine tasting calendar to check out featured wine events for even more tastings, too.
Ocean’s 18 Mini Golf & Bar
Every hotel on the Atlantic City boardwalk has a selection of more or less the same offerings — slot machines, table games, restaurants, bars, etc. But throughout my stay at Ocean Casino Resort, I noticed Ocean tries to do things differently. Ocean attracts visitors who want to do more than just eat and gamble during a stay in Atlantic City. Like the wine tasting experience with the Enomatic wine dispensers, the recently-opened Ocean’s 18 Mini Golf & Bar creates a unique experience visitors can only find at this hotel.
Using the same technology as The Sphere in Las Vegas, this indoor multi-million-dollar entertainment destination gives visitors a break from the casino floor. This indoor mini golf course doesn’t feel like your typical childhood course. Complete with a vibrant bar in the center, there are a total of 18 holes (9 upstairs, 9 downstairs) across a massive 8,000 square-foot space.
Whether you’re visiting with friends, family, or on a date night, I can see this spot being a hit for nearly any type of guest. Experiences like these are what set this spot apart from just a hotel, making it truly feel like a “resort”. Though I didn’t get the chance to visit this go-around, I look forward to checking out the year-round, heated indoor/outdoor pool here — something else I hear sets this vibrant resort apart from other Atlantic City hotels.
