Whether you chose to #DOAC by day or enjoy #DOACNightlife, you can't go wrong at #AtlanticCity this summer!

#DOACNightlife Bus

I have spent a lot of time the last two weeks visiting one of my favorite places, Atlantic City. Both by night, on an Atlantic City bound Party Bus enjoying the City's Nightlife, and then again by day, exploring great eats, the boardwalk, beach, casinos, pools and more!

And of course when I find something I love I just have to share it!

My visits out there were actually so extensive I am going to split this into multiple posts, and the pictures that didn't make this post you will be able to find on our Pinterest Page on our 'Travel' Pinterest Board. I was trying to make separate boards for each place I visit, but I think it's easier to drop them all in Travel and then just label where each picture was taken!

DJ Nigel Richards keeps tunes & fun flowing on the AC Party Bus!

I boarded the Party Bus above a bit skeptical about how fun Atlantic City Nightlife would be on a Monday night, and I can tell you they don't call it a 'party bus' for nothing my friends, we actually had not one, but three DJ's on board (I would say four technically, but no one knew they had #TheOfficialTwitterPartyDJ on board and I kept that one to myself!), and the 45-foot 'Nightclub-on-Wheels' provided us a curated experience,our own bartender, and a guide to keep the group organized and show us around the city.

Steve kept the Beverages coming! :)

Below: The bus can carry up to 30 passengers and we definitely had a full house and a great atmosphere!

Below: Our first stop was the Hard Rock at Taj Mahal in Atlantic City to have some drinks and a bite to eat!

The picture above was actually taken during my day trip the following week (just thought you'd like to see it from the outside)

Below: Here are some more photos taken at The Hard Rock in Atlantic City:

Above: Couldn't resist getting a shot of this fun neon sign which reads: No Drugs or Nuclear Weapons Allowed Inside

Below: I always like to remind folks, to 'look up', here is the view up above our heads, it reads "Love All Serve All"

Below: Check out the cool guitar above the bar:

Below: Keith Richards Memorabilia at The Hard Rock Atlantic City

Below: Loved the look of the cool stained glass:

We also got to visit the popular night spot Mur Mur at Borgata! But before our group had to depart we had to leave our mark:

I got to return for what was supposed to be an overnight trip, there was a few of us up there and we were assigned to different Casinos, we got Trump Plaza, and I extended my trip and added on a night at Tropicana Hotel and Casino!

On the way to Trump Plaza on the Boardwalk, Atlantic City

Below: View from our room's window:

Below: After getting settled, it was off on a private jitney as a cocktail reception at the Pool awaited us at Golden Nugget Atlantic City:

Above: Trying to re-create the magic of my shot from 2012, not bad right? This is the view when you look up while sitting poolside, pretty sweet right?

Above: Look up! Check out the chandeliers in the lobby while on my way up the escalator!

Above: The H2O Bar, Poolside at Golden Nugget Atlantic City

Above: DO AC welcomes bloggers

Above: Crowdtap welcomes bloggers

Above: The Ascending Butterfly Editorial Team enjoying the View at the Cocktail Reception at Golden Nugget Atlantic City!

Above: I snapped this shot while I was seated, look at the cool reflection in the clouds of this shot (see the people's reflection on the upper right? And a Way to Go to Golden Nugget, that's how clear the glass I was sitting behind actually was!)

My Take:

I had an amazing time on both the DO AC Nightlife Party Bus and my CrowdTap Atlantic City Experience Sampling, so much so that I extended my stay and stayed at Trump Plaza courtesy of CrowdTap, then at Tropicana the next day on my own, there was so much to see and do both by day and by night! I have been visiting Atlantic City pretty much monthly since I turned 21 as there is always something to see and do and it's literally super easy to get there by bus from the City, it has always been one of my favorite 'staycation' destinations and one I always enjoy especially during Summer. If it's been awhile since you've been there, you should definitely check it out, and visit the Do Atlantic City website to check out events and happenings so you can  plan your trip!

There is so much more I got to see and do that I will have to recap this adventure in multiple posts, so consider this an overview, and know there is more to come!

What is your favorite Vacation Spot Butterflies?

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FTC Disclosure:  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Crowdtap and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Fourth of July, Fireworks and DUALITY - This is NOT your Grandma's Atlantic City!

When I turned 21 my mom asked me how I wanted to ring in my big day, and without blinking an eye, I told her I wanted to join her on her girls weekend to Atlantic City. She always seemed so excited to visit, and her and her friends always would always come home laughing about their adventures. I wanted to find out what all the fuss was about! Instead of waiting for her next girls weekend, we decided to make it a Mother/Daughter weekend. That weekend was the start of a twice monthly ritual that has continued to this day. I didn't want to ring in my day 'bar hopping' or 'clubbing', but I knew I wanted to have fun. From the very first visit up until today, Atlantic City never fails to surprise me. It's always just a little more than I thought it could be, and it's come a long way from the bingo granny's and dark, smoky gaming halls where you lose track of time.

I love to visit the Caribbean every winter when it gets super cold here in New York City. But summers don't always lend themselves to me getting enough time off to plan a Caribbean vacation. But I can do a great 'staycation' or a long weekend in the summer, and when I do, it's usually Atlantic City. It combines so many great things I enjoy, first of all, the Beach. Being near the Ocean is my favorite place to be. I'm also a foodie and a Seafood lover, and Atlantic City has an amazing assortment of Restaurants at various price levels. If you are a Raw Bar/Shellfish lover like I am, there are tons of options both inside and outside of the Casinos to chose from.

There are tons of great shows, concerts, festivals and family friendly activities including: the Ocean Life Center Aquarium, Dolphin and Whale Watching Cruises, the Absecon Lighthouse, Lucy The Elephant, Tropicana Casino has an Imax Theatre (and a great Comedy Club), mini-golf on the boardwalk, the Steel Pier Amusement Park, Ice Skating at the Flyer Skate Zone, and the fanastic Water Show at the Pier Shops at Caesar's Atlantic City. “The Water Show” is a dramatic blend of music, sound, and light. There are two distinct versions of the show. A daytime version which takes guests on a musical journey through the history of dance, and a nighttime show, a more sultry performance choreographed to the jazz song “Fever.” Between shows, “intelligent” fountains keep guests mesmerized with their playful diversions. I never tire of seeing the Water Show!

Well butterflies, Atlantic City’s Water Show attraction - a $7 million dollar water, light and sound extravaganza now has a rival, a rival which will debut to the public on Fourth of July after the City's Fireworks Display on the Boardwalk.  The new show, Duality, created by Moment Factory who has produced similar shows in Lyon (France), Montreal, Vancouver and Ottawa, as well as multimedia elements for shows performed by Celine Dion in Las Vegas, Jay-Z, Arcade Fire, Madonna, Cirque du Soleil,  Microsoft, Disney and various other clients brings a highly sophisticated 3D projection show that includes surround sound, theatrical lighting and the latest architectural video mapping technologies that will bring Boardwalk Hall’s historic façade to life! The same company that revved up the Super Bowl's halftime show, is going to rev up Atlantic City with a free show that tells a story and reflects the personality of the city.

Photo courtesy of Moment Factory and the Atlantic City Alliance

On July 4, 2012 at 9:30 p.m. the Atlantic City Fireworks show titled “Let it Rock,” will begin. The show, by Fireworks by Grucci (The infamous Fourth of July Fireworks in NYC is also produced by the Grucci family!),  is approximately 20 minutes in length and will be visible for a one mile stretch of the Boardwalk and beach from Revel Resort (Atlantic City's first ALL SMOKE FREE Casino!) on Metropolitan Avenue to The Atlantic Club on Boston Avenue and will be choreographed to music and broadcast on 95.1 WAYV FM radio. Following the fireworks show, musician Kevin Rudolf will perform a free concert at Kennedy Plaza including “Let it Rock” and select songs from his new album. At 10:15pm, the Atlantic City Alliance will debut, Duality,  a 3D sound and light show on the façade of the historic Boardwalk Hall.

Photo courtesy of Moment Factory and the Atlantic City Alliance

Duality Run Time: The show runs approximately 8 ½ minutes long and will play twice per hour beginning at dark. Times are subject to change based on seasonality and special events within Boardwalk Hall.

The Atlantic City Alliance (ACA) is a New Jersey not-for-profit corporation launched in the fall of 2011 whose primary mission is to revitalize and rebuild Atlantic City’s reputation and to broaden the destination’s appeal beyond a gaming area to a multi-night, year-round destination in order to drive increased visitation.


The ACA announced a new five-year program designed as part of the Atlantic City Master Plan to drive tourism through interactive public art displays. Each free public display will be engaging and thought provoking and will serve as a cultural point of interest for Atlantic City visitors, inviting them to linger and experience the boardwalk in a totally new way!


Atlantic City is no longer that dark, smoky gaming pit! You actually no longer want to lose track of time here, you want to maximize your time so you can eat, catch a show, check out the great shopping at The Walk and The Pier Shops, hang out on the beach, and just let the sun shine in on your Atlantic City experience! If it has been awhile since your last visit, make it a point to visit Atlantic City this summer season!

This effort is part of the ACA's larger marketing campaign, "Do Anything, Do Everything," which launched in mid-April 2012 and aims to increase visitation to Atlantic City. The goal of this new $30 million  campaign is to build a year-round visitor base and shift consumer perception of the city. Atlantic City has truly come a long way, it has always been my 'happy place' and always will be, but I've greatly enjoyed watching it grow and evolve throughout the years. I look forward to seeing the new life and new energy that ACA will bring. Atlantic City has become increasingly family friendly throughout the years and this new show will breathe new life and bring new energy to the Boardwalk and to Atlantic City.

Photo courtesy of Moment Factory and the Atlantic City Alliance

“While the world's great museums showcase art for appreciation as well as scholarship, moving art outside to the blank canvas of the sky, the ocean and the historic Boardwalk here in Atlantic City can be a catalyst to evolve how people think about our city," said Liza Cartmell, President of the Atlantic City Alliance. "Atlantic City has long been known as a place that pushes the limits to showcase the new and the unique and this is just one more example consistent with its history of innovation".

Photo courtesy of Moment Factory and the Atlantic City Alliance

I remember many of my friends asking me why I chose Atlantic City for my 21st birthday. Why not Vegas they asked incredulously, and my answer then was 'I want to swim in the Ocean, not a virtual beach, a REAL beach'. And while my reasons for returning year after year have evolved just as much as Atlantic City has evolved, the sun, the sand, and the historic boardwalk are still my favorite reasons to visit, the new phenomenal FREE shows are a definite bonus!

Take a look at the making of Duality on video here:

Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall from Moment Factory on Vimeo.

While I don't have pictures from my very first birthday visit, here is a picture of me on my birthday in 2006:

2006 Photo Courtesy of Ascending Butterfly taken at Caesars Atlantic City

Here is a picture of me in May of this year visiting the newly renovated Golden Nugget Casino:

2012 Photo Courtesy of Ascending Butterfly taken at Golden Nugget Casino, Atlantic City

I can't wait to check out the new Duality 3D Light show in Atlantic City! Fun and Fireworks all near the Ocean is my idea of holiday heaven!

Get Social and Share how you DO AC on Facebook and Twitter - make sure to use the hashtag #HowIdoAC in your tweet!

So Butterflies, tell me, how are you spending your Fourth of July? Be sure to leave us a comment here and let us know! And if you opt to visit Atlantic City and check out Duality, be sure to let us know!

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FTC Disclosure: This sponsored post is brought to you with the support of the Atlantic City Alliance. Visit them on Facebook and Twitter for more information.