After school wrapped up in June, my wife Sue and I started scouting locations for our summer vacation. We established three key criteria to follow in the selecting of our destination. It needed to offer quick access to a mixture of fun as well as relaxing activities; be a strongly recommended, well-established resort facility in a beautiful location; and be situated inside a three-hour drive from our northern New Jersey abode.
Ocean Place in Long Branch, NJ seemed like a possible candidate. It's right on the beach, and it's a brisk one hour drive from our home. Activity-wise, however, it doesn't offer much: while it seems to be a fine place to stay or to conduct a corporate meeting, the numerous off-premises attractions listed on the Ocean Place web site require lots of driving to get to, and we were looking for more on-premises choices and less long trek-dependent options. Ocean Place also doesn't offer much in the way of local scenery: there's the beach and boardwalk behind the resort, and, well, that's about it.
Crystal Springs Resort in Hamburg, NJ also looked interesting. It's in a beautiful country setting and the facilities looked great, with lots of activities to choose from. The only problem was that the majority of the offerings - especially the ones outdoors - were similar to what we had already experienced the summer before at Smugglers Notch in Vermont. We were trying to find something new and unique, and Crystal Springs didn't have enough of either to keep us or our youngsters interested. Plus, we were looking for a destination close to the beach.
I then came across info about Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club in Galloway, NJ. The property had great reviews, and it appeared to be a popular destination for vacationers and golfers. Seaview was founded in 1914 by Philadelphia industrialist Clarence H. Geist as a lush country escape for the upper crust. Its facilities, which include 297 guest rooms and 39,500 sq. feet of modern conference center and special event space, sit on 670 wooded acres, and are only 8 miles from Atlantic City attractions. Along with being home to 2 of New Jersey's oldest and most prestigious 18-hole golf courses, Seaview also offers a 22-acre driving range, a fitness center, a game room, tennis and volleyball courts, basketball courts, a running trail, 2 pools (indoor and outdoor), and a satellite of a historic local art studio, Noyes Museum, which hosts exhibits by area artists.
The more we found out about Seaview, the more appealing it was - so we came up with a plan. We'd use Seaview as a strategic base of operations from which we would make daily (and possibly several daily) jaunts to things to do in Atlantic City. This would give us the best of 2 worlds: the thrill of A.C.'s energetic entertainment options and the chill of Seaview's laid back locale. (As much as possible, we planned to take advantage of the many physical activities available at Seaview as a way for Sue and I to grab some exercise and also to keep the kids moving.)
After a very direct sub-two and a half hour car ride, we pulled into a graceful, curved drive that led to the entrance of Seaview's main building. The structure was originally built in 1915, and its stately exterior and original early 20 th century ambiance are still intact. Beautifully manicured lawns, a fashionable dining patio, and colorful foliage surround the building - along with a sleek 9-hole practice green and a mini-golf area for youngsters. Inside, the lobby is wide and immaculate with classic decor and plush furniture, and it's a great place to sip, talk, or unwind.
We had two adjoining rooms in the main building, and they were just right. Each had a comfortable living room-type area, desk, and mammoth flat-screen TV. An elegant dressing alcove with a sink, magnifying mirror, blow dryer, and large closet/storage space led straight to an impressive, marble-floored bathroom with a separate bath and stand-alone multi-head shower stall. The beds looked comfortable and turned out to be outstanding: they gave everybody the deepest, most relaxing vacation sleeps that we ever had.
The service at Seaview was fantastic, specifically from the engineering department and housekeeping. When we had a question about how to operate our air conditioning system and also to report a stuck door, a technician was up at our room and resolving the problem within a couple of minutes. Requests to housekeeping for extra pillows, plastic laundry bags, and other items were also delivered fast. The team at the reception desk was also impressively organized, pleasant, and eager to resolve any issue/question/dilemma that we had.
An especially notable aspect of the Seaview experience was the food: it was not just appetizing, it was truly remarkable. Seaview's chefs grow many of the herbs that they use in their tasty creations, and much of the kitchen's produce, meat, and fish are sourced from local growers/producers. The wholesome freshness shined through at all our breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, with everything that we ordered looking and tasting delicious.
The many activities available to us at Seaview didn't disappoint: my 15 year-old son Eddie and 11 year-old daughter Lee spent hours playing billiards in the game room and burning up energy in the 2 pristine swimming pools; Eddie and I both got some runs in on a gorgeous and quiet nature trail, which gracefully weaved through and around the Pines Golf Course; I worked up a sweat in the clean and well equipped fitness room; and Eddie and I divvied up a couple of ball buckets on the driving range (we're both sub-novices, so while our swinging prowess was quite awkward, we had a blast).
Speaking of the links, Seaview happens to be a popular and highly respected golfing resort: its courses were faves of Presidents Warren G. Harding and Dwight Eisenhower, and have been graced by such greats as Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, who captured his first major there at the 1942 PGA Championship. We saw golfers aplenty during our stay, including guys who were taking breaks from company meetings at Seaview's conference center as well as families from around the country whose children were competing in the 2013 U.S. Kids Golf Open (hosted by Seaview). Along with their legacy course choices, Seaview also offers comprehensive golfing lessons and family golfing packages.
We had an eclectic assortment of activities scheduled in Atlantic City, and given how close and convenient it was to get there, we ended up heading over each day during our trip. The drive to A.C. was around 12 minutes from Seaview, and parking near the boardwalk cost $5 for the entire day at any of the casino lots. Access to the wide, clean beaches was FREE, and there were shower facilities along the boardwalk to wash off salty skin and sandy feet.
Our itinerary through our week at Seaview included stops at a variety of family-oriented Atlantic City attractions, including:
The Steel Pier, America's oldest boardwalk amusement center (SteelPier.com) - First opened to the general public in 1898, the historic Steel Pier should be the 1st stop on any visit to Atlantic City. Packed with arcade games, indulgent samplings of classic boardwalk delicacies, and rides with appeal to visitors ranging from toddlers to adults (including helicopter tours and the insane Slingshot thrill ride), Steel Pier offers families an ideal sampling of the classic A.C. boardwalk experience.
James Candy Company factory tour, a mouth-watering look at the production process behind one of America's premier family-owned candy manufacturers (JamesCandy.com) - For 5 generations, the brands of James Candy Company - which include Bayard's Chocolate, Fralinger's Salt Water Taffy and James Candy - have been pleasing sweets lovers of all ages across the U.S. and around the globe. James Candy's offerings are made by experienced artisans, a number of whom have been with James Candy for many years (the factory employs over 200 workers from the Atlantic City area). Many of the company's original (and yummy) chocolate, taffy, fudge, and macaroon recipes that were invented at the beginning of the 20th century are still being used, as are a number of the machines that are utilized in the production processes. Levi Fox, an adjunct professor at Stockton College and Rutgers University, leads the James Candy factory tours in the summer, and manages to mix bonbons of history (American and regional), science, cooking, geography, business, and industry into his enjoyable and engaging presentation. The tour delights the brain and thrills the senses: the aromas on all four floors of the factory are hypnotizing, and the tastes are amazing (there are samples aplenty during and following the tour). Eddie, Lee, and I were blown away by this extraordinary experience, and the sugar rush after was way cool.
Ripley's Atlantic City Odditorium, a museum featuring amazing relics from the journeys of world explorer Robert Ripley, along with a wide collection of strange, shocking, and amusing "oddities" (Ripleys.com/AtlanticCity) - The Ripley's Odditorium is pure, straight-up fun. It includes weird artifacts that Ripley accumulated in his early 20th century journeys, multi media presentations of unusual phenomena, brain teasers/quizzes, optical illusions, eerie exhibits, and a whole lot of surprises. The displays offer a lot of history and engaging facts for both kids and grownups, and all of us had a great time taking it all in. Expect plenty of conversations and questions to spring from this entertaining and unpredictable tour.
Atlantic City Aquarium, a small yet glorious collection of marine life displays and noteworthy interactive exhibits (ACAquarium.com) - Located in the historic Gardner's Basin district - a maritime park that offers concerts, artisan crafts and antiques, a farmer's market, fishing charter boats and themed cruises, and rustic cafes - the modern and colorful A.C. Aquarium lets families get a close-up look at exotic marine creatures and local nautical history. The little ones will be wowed when a diver gets in a 25,000 gallon "Fish of the Mid-Atlantic" tank to feed black drums, sea bass, cownose rays, smooth dogfish sharks, a loggerhead sea turtle, and more - and everyone will like the 900 gallon touch tank of baby stingrays, which enjoy getting petted and actually pop their heads out of the water to say hello!
Blue Man Group, a multi-media stage show featuring music, comedy, and and dazzling technology (BlueMan.com) at Caesars Hotel & Casino - Sue and I had seen Blue Man Group's original show in Manhattan in the early 90s, and it was fantastic. The latest version of their performance mixes slapstick, crazy gross outs, boisterous percussion, rock n' roll energy, social commentary, and cutting edge technical effects - all rolled into a celebratory party vibe. The other-wordly Blue Men take the crowd on a joyous trip that is perfect for both adults and kids. Unwary audience members are selected by the Blue Men throughout the show to be part of their onstage exploits, and if you're lucky enough to be a victim - I mean, participant - you should definitely leap at the opportunity to join the fun.
So what were the takeaways from our week long jaunt to Seaview and Atlantic City?
1. Atlantic City offers a varied choice of fun, unique, and reasonable family-friendly activities and attractions. We could have stayed in the area for another whole week and still not gotten to many extra A.C. experiences that we'd have enjoyed.
2. Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club is an exceptional escape for families (or couples) searching for a fall escape, spring break, or summer vacation, with lots of activities to please those seeking activity or relaxation.
3. Seaview is an ideal home base for area visitors who want to enjoy all of the pizzazz that A.C. has to offer, but also want a break from the city's high energy vibe.
To express our collective satisfaction with our Seaview/Atlantic City jaunt using gratuitous casino terminology, the trip was not exactly a blind bet - thanks to the wild card of many positive online reviews, we knew that our roll of the dice would yield some big pay outs. What we did not realize was how much of a lucky run we'd be on: our top shelf Seaview experience made us feel like true high rollers, and our daily visits to the action of "America's Favorite Playground" delivered a royal flush of memories, excitement, and fun.
Ocean Place in Long Branch, NJ seemed like a possible candidate. It's right on the beach, and it's a brisk one hour drive from our home. Activity-wise, however, it doesn't offer much: while it seems to be a fine place to stay or to conduct a corporate meeting, the numerous off-premises attractions listed on the Ocean Place web site require lots of driving to get to, and we were looking for more on-premises choices and less long trek-dependent options. Ocean Place also doesn't offer much in the way of local scenery: there's the beach and boardwalk behind the resort, and, well, that's about it.
Crystal Springs Resort in Hamburg, NJ also looked interesting. It's in a beautiful country setting and the facilities looked great, with lots of activities to choose from. The only problem was that the majority of the offerings - especially the ones outdoors - were similar to what we had already experienced the summer before at Smugglers Notch in Vermont. We were trying to find something new and unique, and Crystal Springs didn't have enough of either to keep us or our youngsters interested. Plus, we were looking for a destination close to the beach.
I then came across info about Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club in Galloway, NJ. The property had great reviews, and it appeared to be a popular destination for vacationers and golfers. Seaview was founded in 1914 by Philadelphia industrialist Clarence H. Geist as a lush country escape for the upper crust. Its facilities, which include 297 guest rooms and 39,500 sq. feet of modern conference center and special event space, sit on 670 wooded acres, and are only 8 miles from Atlantic City attractions. Along with being home to 2 of New Jersey's oldest and most prestigious 18-hole golf courses, Seaview also offers a 22-acre driving range, a fitness center, a game room, tennis and volleyball courts, basketball courts, a running trail, 2 pools (indoor and outdoor), and a satellite of a historic local art studio, Noyes Museum, which hosts exhibits by area artists.
The more we found out about Seaview, the more appealing it was - so we came up with a plan. We'd use Seaview as a strategic base of operations from which we would make daily (and possibly several daily) jaunts to things to do in Atlantic City. This would give us the best of 2 worlds: the thrill of A.C.'s energetic entertainment options and the chill of Seaview's laid back locale. (As much as possible, we planned to take advantage of the many physical activities available at Seaview as a way for Sue and I to grab some exercise and also to keep the kids moving.)
After a very direct sub-two and a half hour car ride, we pulled into a graceful, curved drive that led to the entrance of Seaview's main building. The structure was originally built in 1915, and its stately exterior and original early 20 th century ambiance are still intact. Beautifully manicured lawns, a fashionable dining patio, and colorful foliage surround the building - along with a sleek 9-hole practice green and a mini-golf area for youngsters. Inside, the lobby is wide and immaculate with classic decor and plush furniture, and it's a great place to sip, talk, or unwind.
We had two adjoining rooms in the main building, and they were just right. Each had a comfortable living room-type area, desk, and mammoth flat-screen TV. An elegant dressing alcove with a sink, magnifying mirror, blow dryer, and large closet/storage space led straight to an impressive, marble-floored bathroom with a separate bath and stand-alone multi-head shower stall. The beds looked comfortable and turned out to be outstanding: they gave everybody the deepest, most relaxing vacation sleeps that we ever had.
The service at Seaview was fantastic, specifically from the engineering department and housekeeping. When we had a question about how to operate our air conditioning system and also to report a stuck door, a technician was up at our room and resolving the problem within a couple of minutes. Requests to housekeeping for extra pillows, plastic laundry bags, and other items were also delivered fast. The team at the reception desk was also impressively organized, pleasant, and eager to resolve any issue/question/dilemma that we had.
An especially notable aspect of the Seaview experience was the food: it was not just appetizing, it was truly remarkable. Seaview's chefs grow many of the herbs that they use in their tasty creations, and much of the kitchen's produce, meat, and fish are sourced from local growers/producers. The wholesome freshness shined through at all our breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, with everything that we ordered looking and tasting delicious.
The many activities available to us at Seaview didn't disappoint: my 15 year-old son Eddie and 11 year-old daughter Lee spent hours playing billiards in the game room and burning up energy in the 2 pristine swimming pools; Eddie and I both got some runs in on a gorgeous and quiet nature trail, which gracefully weaved through and around the Pines Golf Course; I worked up a sweat in the clean and well equipped fitness room; and Eddie and I divvied up a couple of ball buckets on the driving range (we're both sub-novices, so while our swinging prowess was quite awkward, we had a blast).
Speaking of the links, Seaview happens to be a popular and highly respected golfing resort: its courses were faves of Presidents Warren G. Harding and Dwight Eisenhower, and have been graced by such greats as Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, who captured his first major there at the 1942 PGA Championship. We saw golfers aplenty during our stay, including guys who were taking breaks from company meetings at Seaview's conference center as well as families from around the country whose children were competing in the 2013 U.S. Kids Golf Open (hosted by Seaview). Along with their legacy course choices, Seaview also offers comprehensive golfing lessons and family golfing packages.
We had an eclectic assortment of activities scheduled in Atlantic City, and given how close and convenient it was to get there, we ended up heading over each day during our trip. The drive to A.C. was around 12 minutes from Seaview, and parking near the boardwalk cost $5 for the entire day at any of the casino lots. Access to the wide, clean beaches was FREE, and there were shower facilities along the boardwalk to wash off salty skin and sandy feet.
Our itinerary through our week at Seaview included stops at a variety of family-oriented Atlantic City attractions, including:
The Steel Pier, America's oldest boardwalk amusement center (SteelPier.com) - First opened to the general public in 1898, the historic Steel Pier should be the 1st stop on any visit to Atlantic City. Packed with arcade games, indulgent samplings of classic boardwalk delicacies, and rides with appeal to visitors ranging from toddlers to adults (including helicopter tours and the insane Slingshot thrill ride), Steel Pier offers families an ideal sampling of the classic A.C. boardwalk experience.
James Candy Company factory tour, a mouth-watering look at the production process behind one of America's premier family-owned candy manufacturers (JamesCandy.com) - For 5 generations, the brands of James Candy Company - which include Bayard's Chocolate, Fralinger's Salt Water Taffy and James Candy - have been pleasing sweets lovers of all ages across the U.S. and around the globe. James Candy's offerings are made by experienced artisans, a number of whom have been with James Candy for many years (the factory employs over 200 workers from the Atlantic City area). Many of the company's original (and yummy) chocolate, taffy, fudge, and macaroon recipes that were invented at the beginning of the 20th century are still being used, as are a number of the machines that are utilized in the production processes. Levi Fox, an adjunct professor at Stockton College and Rutgers University, leads the James Candy factory tours in the summer, and manages to mix bonbons of history (American and regional), science, cooking, geography, business, and industry into his enjoyable and engaging presentation. The tour delights the brain and thrills the senses: the aromas on all four floors of the factory are hypnotizing, and the tastes are amazing (there are samples aplenty during and following the tour). Eddie, Lee, and I were blown away by this extraordinary experience, and the sugar rush after was way cool.
Ripley's Atlantic City Odditorium, a museum featuring amazing relics from the journeys of world explorer Robert Ripley, along with a wide collection of strange, shocking, and amusing "oddities" (Ripleys.com/AtlanticCity) - The Ripley's Odditorium is pure, straight-up fun. It includes weird artifacts that Ripley accumulated in his early 20th century journeys, multi media presentations of unusual phenomena, brain teasers/quizzes, optical illusions, eerie exhibits, and a whole lot of surprises. The displays offer a lot of history and engaging facts for both kids and grownups, and all of us had a great time taking it all in. Expect plenty of conversations and questions to spring from this entertaining and unpredictable tour.
Atlantic City Aquarium, a small yet glorious collection of marine life displays and noteworthy interactive exhibits (ACAquarium.com) - Located in the historic Gardner's Basin district - a maritime park that offers concerts, artisan crafts and antiques, a farmer's market, fishing charter boats and themed cruises, and rustic cafes - the modern and colorful A.C. Aquarium lets families get a close-up look at exotic marine creatures and local nautical history. The little ones will be wowed when a diver gets in a 25,000 gallon "Fish of the Mid-Atlantic" tank to feed black drums, sea bass, cownose rays, smooth dogfish sharks, a loggerhead sea turtle, and more - and everyone will like the 900 gallon touch tank of baby stingrays, which enjoy getting petted and actually pop their heads out of the water to say hello!
Blue Man Group, a multi-media stage show featuring music, comedy, and and dazzling technology (BlueMan.com) at Caesars Hotel & Casino - Sue and I had seen Blue Man Group's original show in Manhattan in the early 90s, and it was fantastic. The latest version of their performance mixes slapstick, crazy gross outs, boisterous percussion, rock n' roll energy, social commentary, and cutting edge technical effects - all rolled into a celebratory party vibe. The other-wordly Blue Men take the crowd on a joyous trip that is perfect for both adults and kids. Unwary audience members are selected by the Blue Men throughout the show to be part of their onstage exploits, and if you're lucky enough to be a victim - I mean, participant - you should definitely leap at the opportunity to join the fun.
So what were the takeaways from our week long jaunt to Seaview and Atlantic City?
1. Atlantic City offers a varied choice of fun, unique, and reasonable family-friendly activities and attractions. We could have stayed in the area for another whole week and still not gotten to many extra A.C. experiences that we'd have enjoyed.
2. Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club is an exceptional escape for families (or couples) searching for a fall escape, spring break, or summer vacation, with lots of activities to please those seeking activity or relaxation.
3. Seaview is an ideal home base for area visitors who want to enjoy all of the pizzazz that A.C. has to offer, but also want a break from the city's high energy vibe.
To express our collective satisfaction with our Seaview/Atlantic City jaunt using gratuitous casino terminology, the trip was not exactly a blind bet - thanks to the wild card of many positive online reviews, we knew that our roll of the dice would yield some big pay outs. What we did not realize was how much of a lucky run we'd be on: our top shelf Seaview experience made us feel like true high rollers, and our daily visits to the action of "America's Favorite Playground" delivered a royal flush of memories, excitement, and fun.
About the Author:
Barry Zeger is a travel writer who, together with his family, spent a week at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club.
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