The Movers.com Blog

In this post, Movers.com blogger Rebecca talks about the joys and perils of moving to and living in Atlantic City, a major tourist hotspot in the Garden State.  Most of her tips can be applied to other tourist hotspots throughout the country.

The famous Atlantic City boardwalk.

Beaches, boardwalks, shopping centers, and casinos…  Welcome to Atlantic City!  When I lived in Manhattan, I heard the phrase,  “I am going to AC this weekend” almost as often as I heard people grumble, “That ATM’s broken.”  I think it’s safe to say that the ATMs in Atlantic City–the land of gambling and glamour–are probably some of the most reliable machines in the world.  This popular tourist hotspot made and dominates its niche by combining both beach and casino cultures into an intoxicatingly fun place.

Attracting more than 30 million annual visitors, it may be surprising to learn that Atlantic City is home to only about 40,000 full-time residents.  30 million visitors make for a lot of congestion and traffic in this town, so how do the full-time residents move into the city and navigate its amenities in the years to follow?  Here are a few pointers for living in Atlantic City:

• If you do have a car, leave for work and appointments early.  Hang around the office for a bit after hours to avoid rush hour traffic.  Consider asking to extend your hours Mondays through Thursdays so that you can have Fridays off altogether.
• Avoid shopping on the weekend and instead opt to run errands during the early part of the week. This is also a good tip to follow for residents of any beach-based area during the summer tourist season.
• When moving, pick a less popular day of the week (such as Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays)  to move and at a time before or after commuter traffic peaks.  This will make your relocation run much more smoothly.
• When walking around, if the city’s noise gets to be a bit too much, grab some earplugs or headphones and listen to music.
• Even if you only have to move a short-distance, precisely map out your moving plan in advance.  This will be beneficial to you and your movers by helping to plan around tourist traffic on popular boulevards.
• Secure your spot on the beach with towels, umbrellas, and coolers (if allowed).  You don’t want to hog premium space at the beach, but feel free to give yourself enough distance from other beach goers, residents, and tourists.
• If you are moving, it is ideal to save money at your old home that you can use in your new place.  Gas is expensive, so take advantage of your knowledge of the city by parking near enough your destination that you can walk without wasting time and gas circling around for a spot.

I have been to Atlantic City a few times and I have always had a great time. En route to the casinos, shops, and restaurants, I have occasionally seen a moving truck slowly pushing its way through traffic.  It made me wonder how long it would take the crawling truck to arrive at its destination.  You don’t want to be in that situation–especially if you’re moving locally and paying by the hour!

Have you ever moved to a tourist hotspot?  Perhaps you’re living in one now–and hating the throngs that invade on weekends.  Share your experiences with a comment!