Call it a boost from Jersey Shore or concerted marketing outreach, Atlantic City has been blipping up our radar these days. Suffice to say, it may not be the gayest destination around—crowds do lean towards guido and there’s only one proper bar in town, the Westside Bar & Lounge—but with proximity and easy transport from major Northeast cities, it sure can be fun for a weekend of classic casino cavortin’ and resortin’ at the pools, poker tables, clubs, spa and buffet.
Thanks to a queer-friendly concert series (Kathy Griffin this past weekend was a riot), our current fave place to bed down is The Water Club, a luxe non-gaming boutique-style hotel tower within the Borgata complex.
Upcoming Highlights:
• Counting Crows on July 31
• Kris Allen on August 7
• Rihanna with special guest Ke$ha on August 14
• MGMT with Violens on August 21
• Chelsea Handler on August 27–28
• Daniel Tosh (of Comedy Central's Tosh.0) on October 29
Pre-show, spend the day preening at the gorgeous 33rd-floor Immersion Spa
featuring two-story panoramic windows, a private lap pool and
Ayurvedic-inspired treatments. Or hit the adult-only pools, a series of
five spots both indoors and out that become a scene on steamy days.
(Come early.) At Izakaya, a lively, clubby atmosphere,
extensive sake list and delicious takes on modern Japanese pub food
(sea scallop rolls, and Kobe beef rotobayaki—divine!) is a good bet for
grub near the venue.
After the show, create a gay gaggle and head to MIXX, for go-go girls and a body-quaking sound system, or the more upscale dress-code-enforced mur.mur, which don’t close till the party stops (around 5am).
Click here for Borgata’s entertainment schedule.
Not feeling the resort experience? Check out our "Day in Atlantic City" guide published earlier this spring.
