4 Best Nightlife in New Jersey Shore, New Jersey

Parker Brothers may have to rejigger the Monopoly board to reflect this newcomer. One of the hottest properties in town is not on the Boardwalk but in the Marina district, way on the other side of the city. When it opened in 2003, the $1.1 billion casino-hotel was the first addition to Atlantic City since 1990 and exists on a scale more akin to Las Vegas than anything in these parts. Glitzy yet trendy, Borgata encompasses a 161,000-square-foot casino with more than 250 table games and 3,475 slot machines, 12 restaurants (including offerings from Bobby Flay and Wolfgang Puck), and two theaters that each seat more than 1,000 people. The architecture and interior design, a blend of modern elements and old-Italy motifs, combined with the Borgata's nightclubs and specialty boutiques pull in a younger, hipper crowd than the other area casinos.

The former home of the Trump Marina, the refurbished and rebranded waterside casino markets itself toward a raucous younger crowd by booking mixed martial arts events, rock tribute and cover bands, and bawdy comedians. Gamblers tear into steaks at Vic & Anthony's or take in ocean views and seafood at the Chart House before hitting the 80,000 square-foot gaming floor. The hotel runs the adjacent state marina and is one of the only casinos in town you can arrive by yacht.

Off in the Marina District, near the Borgata and Trump Marina, Harrah's has a distinct, perhaps mellow, vibe compared with the other casinos in town. It's known as a haven for slot players. The hotel also has eight restaurants (including Dos Caminos and Luke Palladino), several shops, and a large theater where seasoned crooners and comedians grace the stage and entertain an older crowd. But it's not entirely sedate. The Pool After Dark ropes in effortlessly fit twenty-somethings with its popular weekend dance parties.

The house may always win, but this casino doesn't take itself too seriously. It is, after all, a place where once upon a time you were able to play tic-tac-toe against a live chicken. Such gimmicks may be gone, but with the addition of "The Quarter" entertainment complex, the Caribbean-themed hotel is welcoming guests to sing karaoke at the gleefully gaudy Planet Rose, pause for some laughs at The Comedy Stop, and disco dance at Boogie Nights. There's also an IMAX theater that showcases spectacular documentaries and the latest 3D Hollywood blockbusters. Sure, some things are a bit out of place—is that a Soviert-themed restaurant with a statue of Lenin in the middle of Old Havana? But it's all in good fun. For those who take their poker seriously, the casino has one of the better rooms in Atlantic City.