By Gary Mazin
Halloween may be over, but the thrills continue year-round in Atlantic City. Beyond its casinos, restaurants and Boardwalk attractions, the resort offers opportunities to solve mysteries, uncover hidden clues and explore stories of its haunted past.
From immersive escape rooms to guided ghost tours, these experiences offer families, couples and groups of friends a different way to enjoy the city.
Escape AC brings casino-inspired mysteries to life
Located inside Tropicana Atlantic City, Escape AC challenges participants to solve puzzles, uncover clues and complete a mission before time runs out.
The attraction features four themed rooms inspired by the city’s casino and entertainment culture: The Poker Room, The Boardwalk, The Casino Cage and Backstage.
Each 60-minute experience presents a different challenge, from cracking a casino vault to navigating a backstage mystery. Success depends on teamwork, observation and creative problem-solving.
The attraction accommodates groups of varying sizes and is popular for celebrations, outings with friends and corporate team-building events.
For reservations and current hours, visit EscapeAC.com.
PanIQ offers adventures from Atlantis to zombies
Located at 2121 Atlantic Ave. in the Tanger Outlets, PanIQ Escape Room Atlantic City offers four traditional escape rooms and a virtual reality experience.
Cartel Crackdown puts participants in the role of investigators pursuing a criminal operation, while Atlantis Rising takes players on an underwater adventure inspired by the legendary lost city.
Zombie Outbreak challenges teams to survive an imagined apocalypse, and Medieval Madness transports participants to a world of medieval intrigue.
For a technology-driven experience, VR Battle Cage offers an interactive virtual reality challenge.
Traditional escape rooms last approximately 60 minutes, while the virtual reality experience runs about 30 minutes. The attraction welcomes private groups, celebrations and team-building events.
For reservations and operating hours, visit paniqescaperoom.com/atlantic-city/en.
Ghost tours explore Atlantic City’s haunted legends
For those who prefer ghost stories to puzzles, Atlantic City’s Boardwalk offers another kind of adventure.
Operated by US Ghost Adventures, Atlantic City Ghost Tours combines local history, supernatural folklore and tales of unexplained encounters.
The approximately one-hour walking tour covers about a mile, taking participants past landmarks associated with the resort’s colorful past.
Guides share stories of reported hauntings, mysterious apparitions and legends involving historic buildings and well-known personalities. Among the tales are accounts involving entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., a ghost ship and a Civil War-era apparition.
Although these stories are part of local folklore rather than verified paranormal events, they offer an entertaining perspective on Atlantic City’s history.
Tours meet outside the Rainforest Cafe at 2201 Boardwalk. An extended option adds approximately 30 minutes and additional stops. Tours generally operate rain or shine.
For schedules and reservations, visit usghostadventures.com/atlantic-city-ghost-tour/.
Mystery and adventure beyond Halloween
Whether racing against the clock in an escape room or listening to ghost stories along the Boardwalk, visitors can discover another side of Atlantic City.
For residents, these attractions offer a fresh perspective on familiar surroundings. For tourists, they provide an entertaining alternative to the resort’s traditional offerings.
Halloween may come only once a year, but in Atlantic City, mystery and adventure are always in season.
Gary Mazin is a long time Ventnor resident. He has a love of writing, reading comic books and watching movies. He is a published author and is a graduate of both ACCC and New York Film Academy.
