The Borgata offers Fun Year-Round

Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa is the city’s No. 1 resort for many reasons. And having visited in both the summer and winter, I can see how it retains its ongoing popularity.

I’d often wondered what it would be like to spend a weekend at an Atlantic City casino-resort in the peak of summer – and last July, I found out that it’s a blast.

When the Borgata opened in 2003, it was the city’s first new casino in 13 years. Last year it completed a $55 million redesign and rebrand of the former Water Club (now renamed the MGM Tower). With more than 700 guestrooms and suites having undergone remodeling (there are 2,000 rooms and suites in total at the Borgata), we were booked in the MGM Tower, and more than pleased with our spacious queen suite, which offered a sweeping view of Atlantic City’s back bay.

Known for its elegant accommodations, top-notch entertainment, and diverse culinary offerings, the Borgata has it all: beautiful guest rooms, a spacious casino, an excellent concert venue, an elegant spa and more dining options than we could keep up with. We returned again in December and found the Borgata just as fun and welcoming as it was in the warm weather months.

Here are some highlights of our recent visit– and some ideas if you go:

Enjoy the Casino: Its 161,000-square-foot casino sits in the center of the action at this resort; you can walk around its perimeter to find many excellent eateries and shops. BetMGM Sportsbook & Bar is a great place to enjoy a quick meal and drink, while enjoying sports betting.

Food, Glorious Food: Meals proved to be a consistent high point of our visit. From the expansive Borgata Buffet – where you can enjoy everything from traditional brunch delicacies (including an omelet bar) to various ethnic specialties – to poolside lunch service, the variety of food options seemed endless. We also savored a luscious dinner at B-Prime Steakhouse, one of two steakhouses at the Borgata. B-Prime offered what I would have to say was the best filet mignon I can recall enjoying. On our final evening, we savored an authentic Italian meal at Angeline by Michael Symon—where we opted for two very traditional dishes: spaghetti & meatballs, and lasagna. (The panna cotta for dessert was superb). There are also many places to enjoy a quick meal or snack, such as the Borgata Baking Company, Bread & Butter (open 24 hours), and Asian noodle bar, Noodles of the World.

Catch a Show: The Borgata’s 2,400-seat Event Center is a great place to see a concert. It’s spacious and has great acoustics. During our July visit, we enjoyed two bands that were exceptionally popular around the time the Borgata opened: Dashboard Confessional and headliner Counting Crows. In December, we enjoyed a holiday show, “Christmas in the Air,” in the more intimate musi Music Box. It was truly a Broadway quality production complete with high- kicking Rockettes’ style dancing

Pamper Yourself: The Borgata’s Spa Toccare offers relaxing treatments for men and women alike. After briefly relaxing in the spa lounge – where there’s an array of teas to try – we each went off for our individual treatments: a signature massage for me and a facial for my friend. We both were very pleased with our

Soak up the Sun: In July, we spent several hours lounging at the Borgata’s outdoor pool. There are sunbeds and cabanas for rent and the service for food and drinks is top-notch. It was a completely different experience from hanging out on the beach, but we loved it. If you go in the off-season, there is an indoor pool to enjoy.

For more information, visit: https://borgata.mgmresorts.com/en.html

Nicole Pensiero lives in South Jersey and is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association.