Charming Bed and Breakfast Steps from the Atlantic City Boardwalk

After Carisbrooke Inn innkeeper John Battista traveled around Europe extensively, he returned with an appreciation for European hospitality and applied it to his B&B, located just blocks from the Atlantic City boardwalk. Guests will see the staff’s friendliness and attention to detail the moment they walk through the door. It starts with the bellhop quickly taking your bags upstairs. After you’re settled in, enjoy the inn’s welcome basket, which might include scones, muffins, cookies, and other baked treats. In the evening, there’s wine and refreshments—you might try John’s special wine blend, fresh bruschetta, and focaccia from an old family recipe.

When the weather is warm, guests can enjoy the complimentary treats and the inn’s three-course breakfast on the ocean-view patio. When it’s chilly, you can dine beside the dining room’s fireplace, staying warm with housemade peaches and cream as well as fresh-made scones and muffins. The main course is always a surprise, but you might get the chance to try the inn’s signature waffles or its spinach-and-gruyère strata, the inn’s take on a quiche.

From the outside, you'll see the inn's American foursquare-style architecture. But inside, you’ll find Victorian touches and a warm color palette reminiscent of a French cottage. Each of the guest rooms is individually styled with antique furnishings and vintage pieces. The inn even has a piano and a guitar if you want to play a few tunes.

Ventnor City, New Jersey: Historical Seaside Hamlet near Atlantic City Casinos

Just 3 miles from downtown Atlantic City’s casinos and clubs lies its more subdued neighbor, Ventnor City. It’s a small, old-fashioned beach community with quaint shops and restaurants, a welcome complement to Atlantic City’s frenetic atmosphere.

The town is the perfect launch pad for trips to the beach’s signature boardwalk, which stretches for 6 miles along New Jersey's eastern coast. Originally built in 1870 to keep sand out of hotel lobbies, the boardwalk grew in popularity as a place where you could drink and gamble during Prohibition without much trouble from the police, as depicted in HBO's Boardwalk Empire. The boardwalk is still popular for its casinos, but it's family-friendly, too; visitors are just as inclined to sit at the beach or stop at one of the many carnival rides.

Proving further that Atlantic City isn't all nightclubs, boardwalk, and casinos is Gardner's Basin, a maritime village along the bay. Here, a community of artisans uses seashells and driftwood to hand-make items such as wind chimes and picture frames. However, the Basin's biggest claim to fame is the 25,000-gallon Atlantic City Aquarium swimming with turtles and rays.

Ventnor City and Atlantic City were damaged minimally during Hurricane Sandy. The cities and their casinos are ready for business and anticipating a successful 2013 season. Read more in this press release from the Atlantic City Alliance. The Alliance notes that the Boardwalk is “still intact and as beautiful as ever.”

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.