A Hidden Gem in Atlantic City
I don’t think I’d recommend Atlantic City to anyone. Or at least not “Atlantic City on a budget.” It is - like Vegas - a city of over-indulgence. And if you don’t have the budget to over-indulge, then it’s not much fun. Vegas makes up for that in glamour and spectacle - even if you aren't spending money, there's something exciting happening around every giant, decorated corner. Atlantic City is in too much of a financial struggle to make a spectacle. Even last week, about 1/3rd of the boardwalk is boarded up, and the rest seems limp and tired. The bar we were most looking forward to visiting was completely closed down, and every single roof-top pool we attempted to visit was either closed entirely, or only open to hotel guests. I’d give Atlantic City, as a whole, 1 star out of 4. However, we did find one hidden gem - a gem that actually made us want to spend another weekend there: The Pool at Harrah’s.
Daniel and I have an unexpected love-affair with the hotel/casino Harrah’s. When we heard about the good news of Daniel securing a job on the hit TV show, Gotham, we celebrated by visiting Harrah’s buffet in Lake Tahoe, California. So it was only fitting that, at the news of his promotion from Production Assistant to Production Secretary with Marvel Television, we visited Harrah’s again. And that’s when we found The Pool.
After 3+ hours of walking the boardwalk and being turned down by rooftop pool after rooftop pool, then being tossed around by waves when we tried to swim in the ocean, we decided to take an Uber across the city and visit an indoor pool. (I would always prefer an outdoor pool, even in the rain, so The Pool at Harrah’s was at the bottom of our list.)
When we got there, though, I instantly regretted not ex-ing every rooftop pool off of our list and going straight to Harrah’s first thing. It was absolutely stunning.
Imagine a giant amphitheater with a glass ceiling that the sun shines brilliantly through, and giant palm trees and other tropical plants hiding a large pool and multiple jacuzzis. Then put a cherry on top of that daydream: it was 21+ only, so there were no children in sight.
Over the four hours we spent there, Daniel and I took advantage of the complimentary lockers, towels and citrus-infused water. The pool had beach balls and lounge chairs floating in it, and the jacuzzis were giant. We snagged ourselves some lounge chairs on the side of the pool and both fell asleep for a good hour because of how peaceful the environment was (we’re getting so old.) And, of course, we helped ourselves to some pina coladas at the bar. They were the first pina coladas I’ve had since our honeymoon that I thought could have rivaled Carnival Cruise’s. It was a Sunday afternoon well spent, and we’ll make a point to go back in the off-season because the environment is kept at 81 degrees fahrenheit all year long!
Logistics:
The Pool has a $10 cover charge on everyday except for Saturday, when it is $20. It is free to guests of Harrah’s.
We’re definitely planning on spending a Saturday night at The Pool because their “Pool After Dark” party sounds like too much fun to resist! Check it out.