Things to do / Travel Guide
“The costumes, the scenery, the make-up, the props …” There's no business like show business in Atlantic City, the hub of the Jersey Shore's nightlife. The moment you step onto the Atlantic City Boardwalk the marquees make an impact. With a star-studded roster of top-flight performance artists - some of the biggest names in the business - Atlantic City is a mecca for all that razzles and dazzles. Music, comedy, magic - you name it, Atlantic City's got it! But if you can't make it that far down the coast, the north Jersey Shore also offers lively after-dark action.
For decades, Atlantic City performance halls and arenas, casino hotels, and clubs have hosted nightly shows featuring the nation's best in entertainment industry. Indeed, famous comedians, singers, and bands would agree themselves that this Jersey Shore hub is one of the East Coast's most exciting and happening hot spots. Like all things glamorous and glitzy, Atlantic City's nightlife comes with a price tag - tickets for many headline performances can cost anywhere from $50-$250. But if you don't feel like emptying your wallet for front row seats, there's also plenty of free entertainment along the Atlantic City Boardwalk, where spunky and spirited live performance shows are commonly staged.
Entertainment at Casino Hotels in the Jersey Shore
Nearly every casino hotel hosts a wide range of live performance acts throughout the week. Hip resorts like the Atlantic City Hilton and the Borgata, as well as business mogul Donald Trump's properties, the Taj Majal, Trump Plaza, and Trump Marina, are known for playing host to top-notch music stars from Dixie Chicks to Melissa Etheridge, the Black-Eyed Peas to Shakira, and Ashlee Simpson to Tom Jones.
If you need to laugh off some bad luck at the gaming tables, a troupe of talented comedians will help take your mind off the temporary misfortune. Funnymen Brad Garret, Wayne Brady, George Carlin, and Howie Mandel are among the regulars who work the AC circuit, ensuring a round of laughs throughout the year.
You won't believe your eyes when you attend an Atlantic City performance by masters of magic. Cirque du Soleil, David Copperfield, and other legends of legerdemain dazzle audiences year-round with their trapeze tricks and illustrious illusions.
Live Performance Venues in the Jersey Shore
Atlantic City has several venues that boast every kind of live performance. The behemoth Atlantic City Convention Center, on Kirkman Boulevard, occupies 31 acres and hosts large concerts for every music style as well as international DJ expositions. Boardwalk Hall is a 13,800 seat arena that large World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) events as well as musical concerts showcasing headliners such as Elton John, the Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand, Madonna, and Bruce Springsteen. And you can chase away the blues at the largest House of Blues complex in the country. Known for its southern-inspired cuisine restaurant and top-notch live entertainment, the 2,500-seat venue frequently hosts Grammy-award winning artists like Eminem, Hootie and the Blowfish, Counting Crows, Peter Frampton, and countless others.
The PNC Bank Arts Center at Telegraph Hill State Park, off of the Garden State Parkway, is reputed to be one of the best performing arts locations in New Jersey. This north Jersey Shore venue offers headline performances by entertainers like Liza Minnelli, Tom Jones, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Tony Bennett, and others. World-class symphonies play there as do world-famous musicians, dancers, and comedians. Count Basie Theater on Monmouth Street in Red Bank is also considered one of the premier north Jersey Shore concert venues. Count Basie's schedule is packed with some of the nation's best musical entertainment. Red Bank is also home to the Two River Theater, where the quality of performances ranks right up there with those of New York City's Broadway district.
Nightclubs in the Jersey Shore
If you're not content to just sit back and watch, Atlantic City's nightclubs are great places for you to show off a little of your own talented timing and fancy footwork. While the options on and around the Boardwalk are seemingly limitless, Deja Vu on New York Avenue is one of the classic Jersey Shore favorites. The club features a multi-level, ultra-modern setup with state-of-the-art light and sound systems, and some of the nation's best DJs. Many Atlantic City casinos also have their own dance clubs. For instance, Trump Marina's The Wave, on Huron Avenue, is billed as one of Atlantic City's hottest spots. Latin Night, 80s Night, as well as live band weekends ensure that The Wave enjoys an ever-rising tide of locals and tourists looking for a good time.
North Jersey Shore Nightlife
Along the north Jersey Shore, Asbury Park (Bruce Springsteen's hometown), Long Branch, and Sea Bright are known for their nightlife. In Sea Bright, try the trendy, upscale nightclubs or yuppie cocktail lounges along Ocean Avenue. Rock fans should plan a stop at the Stone Pony on Ocean Avenue, among the most prominent rock clubs in New Jersey. Springsteen played there often and, if you're lucky, you might catch the Boss himself; he occasionally still comes around to jam with the locals. You can make a quick stop at The Fast Lane on Fourth Avenue, where Jon Bon Jovi had his humble beginnings in the early 1980s. Belmar is another north Jersey Shore nest of nightlife. College students and 20-somethings in particular pack the local bars and nightclubs; you can try some of the spots on Sixteenth Avenue. Not to be outdone, you can bank on the up-and-coming town of Red Bank for some of the Jersey Shore's best jazz and blues clubs. When the sky blackens and fills with stars, the Point Pleasant Beach bobs to the beat of the bars and nightclubs scattered up and down the Boardwalk.
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