There’s plenty of ways to warm up with your special someone down the Shore this spring. Check out our list of ideas, schedule the babysitter and hit the road for a date night to remember.
Offbeat Ideas
Spice up your normal date night with something a little more exciting at the Shore.
You can meet the eerie inhabitants of Cape May during one of the Ghostly Trolley Tours offered through Cape May Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities. Take one of the spooky tours around town or to the lighthouse – you’ll want to squeeze your sweetie tight as you wind through the darkened Victorian streets of Cape May beneath the flickering gas lamps.
For a high-flying time, take a helicopter ride and enjoy unbelievable views of the Atlantic Ocean, Wildwood Boardwalk, sandy beaches and more. Choose from different tours (including the option to create a private custom tour) aboard one of the helicopters that depart from the helipad located at the back of Morey’s Adventure Pier.
If you prefer to stay a little more grounded, check out one of the Shore’s many craft breweries, distilleries or wineries. Cape May Brewery Company, Ship Bottom Brewery in Beach Haven, Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery in Rio Grande and Little Water Distillery in Atlantic City are just a few of the many places where you and your partner can sip drinks while savoring each other’s company.
Just a few blocks from the Atlantic City boardwalk, swing by The Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University, which has interesting exhibits and events running all year long. Check out one of the Shore spot’s “Second Friday” events, which celebrates the openings of the newest galleries with live music and wine.
Delectable Dining
The Shore is packed with restaurants that offer something for every taste, and some of the country’s most acclaimed chefs have raised the level of cuisine far beyond the casino buffet.
At The Borgata, award-winning chef Michael Symon has made a splash with classic Italian fare at Angeline. Drawing from family recipes, including his mother’s Sunday Sauce, this culinary hot spot in The Borgata offers everything from handmade pastas to wood-fired fare, with a comprehensive wine list and swanky décor that will make you want to linger over dessert.
Iron Chef Jose Garces is one of the most celebrated chefs at the Shore, and last year he opened not one but two new eateries inside Tropicana Casino & Resort. Featuring amazing beachfront views and long-kept recipes from Garces’ own family in Ecuador, Olón serves up everything from ceviche and fresh oysters to house-made empanadas and cold beer. His second restaurant, Okatshe, was born from Garces’ culinary experiences in Tokyo and features Asian specialties like sushi, ramen and yakatori.
Down in Cape May, you can enjoy dinner while watching the sunset at Hemingway’s Restaurant inside The Grand Hotel. With mouth-watering steaks, locally sourced seafood and specialty cocktails named after some of the famous fishing boats in Cape May, it’s a wonderful place to unwind and enjoy the company of your special someone.
The huge wine list and to-die-for crab cakes at Rio Station make it another date-night-worthy spot. The restaurant has been using the same crab cake recipe for nearly 30 years (so you know they’re good), and Rio has won the the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence eight years in a row.
Cool Clubs
You and your beloved can dance the night away at Shore spots where the beat goes on.
At The Borgata’s Gypsy Bar, you can rock out to live music all week long and sample tequila flights, margaritas and other unique cocktails. Check out the bar on the first Friday of every month for drink specials, themed parties and awesome tunes from the house band, Gypsy Wisdom.
If shaking your groove thing is more your style, head over to Boogie Nights inside The Tropicana. Hit the lighted dance floor beneath the giant disco ball and relive the magic of the ’70s and ’80s every Friday and Saturday night.
Over at Harrah’s Pool After Dark, you can mingle with A-list celebrities and big-name DJs every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night. The VIP atmosphere, elevated stage and massive LED walls make this a nightlight experience of epic proportions.
Stage Offerings
If heading to a great show is more your speed, theater companies at the Shore offer everything from show tunes to symphonies.
Bringing Broadway to the beach since 1950, Surflight Theatre’s 2018 mainstage schedule is sure to dazzle audiences with productions of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “The Wedding Singer,” “Saturday Night Fever” and more. Plus, there’s more than a dozen special concerts and comedy nights on the bill throughout the year.
You can also watch the talented dancers of the Atlantic City Ballet Company as they leap and glide across the Circus Maximus Theater at Caesars in Atlantic City. This spring, the company will bring two Shakespearian classics to life during “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on April 14 and “Romeo & Juliet” on May 6.
Theater-lovers can also catch compelling productions at Cape May Stage’s historic Robert Shackleton Playhouse. This season, the company’s mainstage will showcase “Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End,” “Chapter Two,” “The Lion In Winter” and more, plus its annual Broadway Series every Monday night throughout the summer.
MARK THE CALENDAR
Grab your special someone for these exciting events happening down the Shore this spring.
Defying Gravity featuring Broadway Star Kelli Rebke
April 7
Ocean City Music Pier
Jerry Seinfield
April 14
The Borgata Event Center, Atlantic City
Tracy Morgan
April 21
Caesars Atlantic City
Waretown Spring Wine Festival
April 28 & 29
Wells Mills County Park, Waretown
AC 2: An Intimate Evening with Anderson Cooper & Andy Cohen
May 5
The Borgata Event Center, Atlantic City
Bay Atlantic Symphony: Brahms & Mozart
May 6
Stockton Performing Arts Center, Galloway
Jackson Browne
May 12
The Borgata Event Center, Atlantic City
