It would seem Atlantic City has been trying to hang on for a really long time! Perhaps even more so after nearby states Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut legalized gambling making it unnecessary for those who like to pull the 1-arm bandit to travel to Atlantic City. Fun factoid: The Miss America Pageant was created in 1921 to keep tourists in Atlantic City through the Labor Day weekend. Whether you’re a fan of the pageant or not, it is another iconic part of American culture, quite possibly also hanging on to days gone by. As a matter of fact, we parked our car in the garage of the Boardwalk Hall where they were rehearsing the upcoming pageant which will be held on September 11.

I think it’s safe to say Atlantic City is intrinsically linked with the Miss America Pageant. And, I’d have to say it’s clearly evident this is the case. It’s everything one would expect it to be and if one were to believe the reviews, it’s barely hanging on.

What I found on the shore of Atlantic City Beach and Boardwalk was a sense of days gone by a lost era trying to stay afloat (pun intended). It’s an American classic, Atlantic City, one of those places that most everyone has either visited, or is curious about doing so. Just over the bridge from the sleepy seaside village of Brigantine Beach, New Jersey, lies the shore of Atlantic City’s Beach and Boardwalk.

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