Atlantic City’s Borgata is a Little Piece of Vegas in the Garden State

I am not much of a gambler, but my recent stay at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa was like hitting the jackpot. From the moment you stroll into this billion dollar property, you feel as if you are in for something special. Opened in 2003 as Atlantic City’s first new casino hotel in 13 years, the Borgata’s owners Boyd Gaming and MGM Mirage spared no expense when constructing this massive building.

The casino’s grand entrance and impressive casino floor reminded me of some of the Sin City properties that I have frequented. The massive 161, 000 square feet casino floor offers over 4,000 slot machines and 200 table games. Some of the games available for you to lose some moolah include poker,black jack, and roulette.

I enjoyed a great dinner at Wolfgang Puck American Grille

In addition to the casino, Borgata has many things to do for the non-gambling traveler. Hungry? Then dine at one of the 13 restaurants that range from fine dining options like Old Homestead Steakhouse and Wolfgang Puck American Grille to a more casual experience like the delicious Borgata buffet and the casual-cafe Roma (highly recommend the Roman breakfast wrap).

I was booked in a classic room with two queen sized beds and stayed on one of the more pricey nights of the year (the Saturday after Thanksgiving). Fortunately I was given the media rate for my visit, but when I checked their prices through March, I was pleasantly surprised to find more than a few weekday rates at $99 through January and $129 in February and March.

The classic rooms at the Borgata are what you would expect from a 4-star luxury casino. Amenities include floor-to-ceiling windows, super soft mattress and pillows, over-sized glass-enclosed shower and complimentary high-speed internet. One letdown in the room is the out of date tube television.

With all the money the casino makes (Borgata has been the highest grossing casino in AC since it opened in 2003 with the exception of one month and is usually booked to capacity) you would think by now they would upgrade to flat-screen televisions in all rooms.

Concerts and comedians frequently perform at the Borgata’s numerous entertainment venues. The 3,700 seat Borgata Event Center has seen the likes of Pearl Jam, Bon Jovi, Jay-Z, Aerosmith, Sting, Depeche Mode and Gwen Stefani rock the house. While funny people like Robin Williams, Jim Norton and Chris Rock have made many people laugh at the intimate Music Box theater.

If you like late night action, than the Borgata has got you covered my night owls. Down some tequila and listen to some great music at the Gypsy Bar, enjoy a fancy drink and good conversation at the B Bar ultra-lounge, and hang with the beautiful people at mur.mur, which is an ultra-hip nightclub known for celebrity sightings and music spun by world famous DJs.

For more information on the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, check out their official website.

Tags: atlantic city, borgata, casino, mgm mirage, new jersey

Is ACES Train Worth the Gamble?

I was recently provided with a complimentary ride from New York City down to Atlantic City on the ACES luxury express train. Operated under a partnership which includes Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Caesars Atlantic City, Harrah’s Resort, NJ Transit and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, ACES (which stands for Atlantic City Express Service) is definitely an excellent idea that could use just a little tweaking.

ACES only runs Friday through Sunday, with various departure times throughout the day between New York’s Penn Station, Newark’s Penn Station and of course Atlantic City. I chose the Saturday morning 9:16am out of Penn Station. It left right on time with plenty of seats to choose from.

I was given a first class ticket, which meant I was to sit upstairs in this double decker train. While the seats in first and coach are different in size, there is not that much of a difference. So if you are looking to save some cash for gambling later, go with the coach and you will be fine.

First class provides travelers with not only bigger seats, but a waiter as well. You are given a menu when the train first leaves the station and you are instructed by the waiter that he will come around, take your order and bring you the food. Sounds good right? Well it was a nice feature, but I could have easily have gotten up and ordered a cold turkey sandwich myself.

I think ACES has a good idea here, but the food was really nothing special. I have complained in the past about the lackluster Amtrak food options, well ACES is just a tad bit better.  In addition to the boring food I inhaled, the waiter only accepted credit or debit when it was time to pay my bill of $10. But cash tips were acceptable.

The ride down to Atlantic City was very enjoyable. I actually told the person traveling with me that I could see myself taking this train ride again. My first class seat was big, comfy and reclined back pretty far. I was actually able to get some rest before emptying my wallet to the slots and roulette tables at the various casinos in Jersey.

The prices in my opinion are a little on the high side. To ride the rail each way will put you back $29-$39 for coach and $49-$59 for first class. ACES does offer a special $39 round-trip fare, but you must travel the same weekend and originate from Atlantic City.

That is a pretty hefty amount to fork over before you even get to gambling. Hopefully the people at ACES will soon realize that if they lower fares or provide riders with incentives like “buy four rides – get one free”, they might possibly generate continuous traffic throughout the slow winter season.

It was just announced last week that ACES plans to cut service from the current 18-run weekend schedule to 11 due to an expected decline in passenger traffic during the colder months.  While I liked my experience on the ACES Train, until I see an upgrade on the menu to reflect an actual “first-class” feel and a fare adjustment that is more competitive with driving yourself or taking the bus, I will probably only use the service when I am feeling lucky.

To take the gamble and ride in style, check out ACES Train.

Tags: aces train, atlantic city, borgata, caesars, casino, harrah's, new jersey, new york city, newark, penn station

Are You Ready For Some Travel?: Five Great Football Stadiums

Ah crisp, cool weather has arrived in New York, the sun is setting earlier, leaves are already starting to fall off some of the trees on my street, and I even wore a sweatshirt outside today in the park. That can only mean one thing…football season is here!

The NFL is back and kicked off last night with the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers squeaking out an overtime victory against the Tennessee Titans. Honestly one of the main reasons I love football is that its the perfect excuse to get away with drinking a few beers and eating some unhealthy food at 1pm on a Sunday.

What’s more, it is also a great reason to travel. Yes I usually always find a way to incorporate everything I enjoy into travel. While I prefer to wander the globe in search of  amazing food, historic sites, unique hotels, and the occasional concert, one other thing I love to do is visit an away game and tailgate with the “enemy.” It is definitely a worthwhile road-trip experience that everyone needs to try at least once in their life. With that, here are my top five favorite football stadiums (in no particular order):

Lambeau Field: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Lambeau Field is home to the legendary Green Bay Packers. Each year thousands of “cheese heads” fill this historic stadium, which was the first built exclusively for an NFL franchise. It is also the longest continuously-occupied stadium in the NFL, giving it more memorable moments than any other stadium in the United States. Witnessing a game at Lambeau has often times been dubbed by Packers fans as somewhat of a “religious experience.” It is without a doubt in my mind the second best reason to visit Green Bay, Wisconsin. The first? That would be the abundance of cheese.

Soldier Field: Chicago, Illinois

Located along Lake Michigan in one of my favorite cities is the Chicago Bears’ home Soldier Field. Named after American soldiers that have died in wars, this stadium recently underwent a second rebuild in 2003, making it one of the newer stadiums in the NFL. At a seating capacity of 61,500, it also makes Soldier Field the smallest stadium in the NFL. Either way this city is football crazy and they prove it on a weekly basis when they arrive hours before game time and pregame in the extremely chilly Chicago weather.

Gillette Stadium: Foxborough, Massachusetts

As much as it pains me to admit this as a New York sports fan…I really like Gillette Stadium. Home to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, this fairly new stadium, which is starting it’s 8th NFL season, has already hosted many memorable pigskin moments. Some of those include 2003 and 2007 AFC Championship victories and the coldest game in franchise history, with temperatures dropping to a frosty 4 degrees (-10 with wind chill).

Heinz Field: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Steel City truly is home to some of the most die hard and rabid fans in all of football. Pittsburgh is home to wild tailgate parties, vocal fans in the stands, and an incredibly superb stadium. Built on the site of the old Three Rivers Stadium, the eight year old Heinz Field has a picturesque view of downtown Pittsburgh in the backdrop and the Great Hall is one of the best concourses in the NFL. When in Pittsburgh, be sure to check out Peppi’s for their enormous sandwiches, awesome cheese steaks, and of course the widely popular and delicious Roethlis-burger.

Giants Stadium: East Rutherford, New Jersey

Did you really think a lifelong “Noo Yawka” would leave out the stadium that is home to the recent Super Bowl winning New York Giants (and occasionally that other team which will remain nameless). I mean many of my football memories have occurred in the swamp lands of New Jersey. As bias as this may seem coming from a local, I have  to admit that the New York/New Jersey crowd knows how to put on one hell of a tailgate in the parking lot. Football weather in these parts are usually not pretty (think cold with a mixture of brrr), so there are plenty of grills fired up and adult beverages to go around. Giants Stadium holds 78, 741, making it the third largest NFL stadium (behind FedEx Field and Cowboys Stadium). It is set to be demolished in 2010 to make room for the new Meadowlands Stadium.

Saturday Travel Shot: Atlantic City, New Jersey

Early morning on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Eerily quiet...but within a few hours this place will be bustling with high rollers and beach bums.

America’s Best & Worst Airports For 2009

Travel + Leisure Magazine just released it’s list of the United State’s “Best & Worst Airports” for 2009.  They compiled information on flights that departed more than 15 minutes late from the country’s airports between April 1, 2008 and March 31, 2009 courtesy of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

There are some notable highlights from this year’s list of aviation hub angels and offenders. We have a new number one “worst” in ‘09, Seattle (SEA) dropped off the top 10 “best” list, Chicago (MDW) fell from the “worst” list, and it should come as no surprise that all of the New York area airports made an appearance (…and not a good one). Here are this year’s winners and losers:

Worst Airports:

#1 – Newark (EWR)

#2 – Chicago (ORD)

#3 – Miami (MIA)

#4 (tied) – Dallas (DFW)

#4 (tied) – New York (LGA)

#4 (tied) – New York (JFK)

#7 – San Francisco (SFO)

#8 (tied) – Washington DC (IAD)

#8 (tied) – Atlanta (ATL)

#8 (tied) – Philadelphia (PHL)

Best Airports:

#1 – Salt Lake City (SLC)

#2 – Portland (PDX)

#3 (tied) – Washington DC (DCA)

#3 (tied) – Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP)

#5 (tied) – Los Angeles (LAX)

#5 (tied) – San Diego (SAN)

#5 (tied) – Tampa (TPA)

#5 (tied) – Detroit (DTW)

#9 (tied) – Phoenix (PHX)

#9 (tied) – Orlando (MCO)

So what is your favorite and least favorite airport? If you want to vent and share some airport horror stories, feel free to comment below.

For more information on this list, check out TravelandLeisure.com.

Tags: arizona, atlanta, california, Dallas, detroit, florida, georgia, jfk airport, los angeles, miami, michigan, minneapolis, minneapolish-st paul, minnesota, new jersey, new york, newark, oregon, orlando, pennsylvania, philadelphia, phoenix, portland, salt lake city, San Diego, san francisco, tampa, texas, utah, washington d.c.