Time was when Cape May businesses would hardly recognize that Atlantic City existed, and even if they did, it would be to turn up their haughty Victorian noses, pinching them to say the least, at their northern neighbor.
Times, though, are changing in the new, moving-on-up Atlantic City, so the Great American Trolley Company from Cape May has bought in - now in its fourth summer of running Atlantic City Trolley Tours.
Each Monday through Wednesday throughout the summer, Great American picks up passengers in its white, cable-car-like trolleys at five locations around Atlantic City, with tours of primarily Atlantic City venues. The Thursday tour is that Victorian-snooty Gingerbread Tour of Cape May, but not to worry, Great American has found plenty of Casino City stuff worth touring about on the other three days.
Mondays, there are two different style tours. "Shoreline and Shipwrecks" actually gets patrons out on the water. After pickup, the trolley goes to Gardner's Basin and drops off passengers for a one-hour boat ride around Atlantic City waters, with narrated tales of shipwrecks, lighthouses and marine mammals, water fowl and fish. After that, trolley tourers get a seafood sampler lunch at the Back Bay Ale House and then have time to walk around the shops at Gardner's Basin – or visit the Atlantic City Aquarium there – for a couple of hours.
The other Monday tour is "Shop 'Til You Drop," which starts at The Walk, the outlet fiesta in downtown Atlantic City. There, those on the tour get coupons for further discounts at outlets like Jones New York, Tommy Hilfiger and Aldo Shoes.
After a couple of hours there, patrons will be shuttled over to the Pier Shops at Caesars, first for lunch at Phillip's Seafood Restaurant, and then two more hours of shopping at the Pier overlooking the beach and the Atlantic.
The Tuesday tour is "Splash of Atlantic City," which starts off with a photo-op with Absecon Island's most famous pachyderm, Lucy the Elephant. Then it's back to Atlantic City for an all-points tour, with narration about history, nefarious doings, legends and all-around gossip about the city. The tour ends at Absecon Lighthouse, with plenty of time to walk up the 228 steps to the old beacon housing.
Wednesday is the "Grapevine and Vintage Shopping" tour, a bit of offshore Atlantic City. Visitors spend the morning at Renault Winery for a tour and wine-tasting. After that, it's over to the Noyes Museum of Art, which is mostly local or craft pieces, and then lunch and shopping at Smithville.
The Thursday tour in Cape May also has a wine component - this time the Cape May Winery and Vineyard - and then more touring and shopping in Cape May itself.
Each tour starts with a 10-10:30 a.m. pick-up at five places around Atlantic City: the Flagship time-share apartment; the Fairfield Windham; the Atlantic Palace at New York Avenue and the Boardwalk; Boardwalk Hall, and the Tropicana Casino-Hotel.
Tours are five to six hours long and drop visitors back where they started. The prices are $25 for "Shorelines;" $22 for "Gingerbread;" $20 each for "Grapevine" and "Splash," and $17 for "Shop 'Til You Drop." *
For reservations and more info about Great American Trolley tours, call 609-884-0450.