HQ2
The DJs spin well into the wee hours at this two-level club, since there’s no such thing as closing time in an A.C. casino. 500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, hq2ac.com.
Bike MS: City to Shore
Here's one way to bypass all that Shore traffic: Make the trip on two wheels. Readers love the National MS Society's marquee cycling fundraiser in September, which lends a serious sense of accomplishment (you rode your bike to Ocean City?!) and earns cash for a good cause. 00000, bikepae.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=20331.
Carlino's
We would pretty much shop anywhere that houses something called a "brie bar." But add the ocean of olive oils (not to mention the mountains of olives), the deli, the handmade pastas and ricotta cheesecakes and sausages and a lasagna menu as long as your arm, and Carlino's is a lock. 128 West Market Street, West Chester, PA 19382, carlinosmarket.com.
Clam Tavern
Five-dollar Beefeater martinis every night of the week, plus $1 crab balls, clams casino, and house-made fried buffalo mozz. Someone save us a seat. 339 East Broadway Avenue, Clifton Heights, PA 19018, clamtavern.net.
Play2 at Chickie’s & Pete’s
Mom pestering you to shut off the TV and get out into the world? Well, at Play2 (in the South Philly and casino locations), you can at least be more social. Private pods, rentable by the hour, have giant screens, mega sound, and all the games and systems you could ask for (Wii U, Xbox One). Multiple locations, chickiesandpetes.com.
Bartram Avenue Beach
Away from the crowds in front of the casinos lies this quiet sunbathing spot just a few blocks before Ventnor. You’ll find plenty of space and well-maintained bathrooms, and the Ventnor Sack ‘O Subs will deliver hoagies right to your beach chair.
Bacon at LP Steak
We can think of exactly one reason to visit Luke Palladino's Valley Forge Casino Resort steakhouse: the grilled and smoked paprika bacon. It's pork candy — thick strips of sweet, tender pork belly, sticky with a maple-mustard glaze — and addictive enough that it deserves its own support group. 1160 1st Avenue, King of Prussia, PA 19406, vfcasino.com/dining/lp-steak.
Anchor Rock Club
If you like the aesthetic and programming of Johnny Brenda’s and Union Transfer, you’ll love this indie venue within feet of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s the brainchild of South Philly Tap Room and American Sardine Bar owner (and now Atlantic City developer) John Longacre. This month, look for Guided By Voices (August 20th), the Mountain Goats (August 29), and Philly’s own Low Cut Connie (August 27th). 247 South New York Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, anchorrockclub.com.
The Prime Rib
Photograph by Jeff Fusco Last year, the Prime Rib relocated from Rittenhouse to deep South Philly, inside the Live Casino. You can still feast on seafood towers showcasing shrimp as big as your fist, classic wedge salads, and the platonically perfect signature cut. And you can still pair these things with a double old-fashioned or dirty martini. Only now, the meal happens in a buzzing bastion of glitz. And you know what? It’s so much better this way. 900 Packer Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19148, philadelphia.livecasinohotel.com/dine-and-drink/the-prime-rib.
Atlantic City
Some perennial Avaloners may roll their eyes at the notion that the beach we deemed the worst in 1974 could now be the best. But stick with us. No silly beach tags are required. The sand south of the casino strip has plenty of chill, quiet space for you to set up camp. The newly renovated boardwalk runs the entire length of the shorefront. And there’s no beach more diverse in these parts. Bonus? Our South Philly friends can clock the trip in under one hour.
The Prime Rib
The city's most "civilized steakhouse" may be in need of an interior decorator, but this Square stalwart keeps us coming back with half-priced cocktails, $6 clams casino, crispy potato skins, deviled eggs, and great people-watching from our vantage point at the bar. Plus: Sunday happy hour, should you need to ease into your Monday. 220 South 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, theprimerib.com/philadelphia-pa.
Revel
Cosmopolitan. Intriguing. Elegant. And those are just the ads. Exactly what Atlantic City needed, when it needed it most. 500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, .
Studio LIT
You’ll feel it as soon as you walk in — wafts of therapeutic infrared heat from this studio’s packed roster of hot yoga classes. But Studio LIT cranks up the heat on other workouts, too. Think hot Pilates, strength training, meditation, and high-octane trampoline and cardio dance classes. For those new to yoga, all classes are dimly lit and open level, which means you’ll be sweating alongside beginner and advanced yogis. 22 Richboro Road, Newtown, PA 18940, studiolitfit.com.