AIR: Check both Atlantic City (ACY) and Philadelphia (PHL) to search for the best fare and connections. The cheapest quick airport connection to PHL is the Tropiano shuttle, requiring reservations at least two days in advance at (215) 616-5370. It charges $55 from PHL directly to the Tropicana as well as an additional $5 charge if one uses a credit card. A tip is expected. There is a $10 jitney from ACY as well as a $35 taxi service to the Tropicana. For both of these, call Ext 2002 from the Taxi and Shuttle Service Desk, located in the Baggage Claim Area, near the Exit door. You can also call 609-344-8642 or 609-576-2776 in advance.

The cheapest connection from PHL is the below referenced SEPTA, but this will take more than two hours. One can rent a car (www.bnm.com) but it isn’t necessary during one’s stay. Also consider discount airlines not on the major search engines such as Spirit, www.spiritair.com (the only airline serving ACY); AirTran www.airtran.com, Frontier www.frontierairlines.com, and Southwest, www.southwest.com. These airlines offer the additional advantage that they sell one-way tickets without a premium that is useful if one is using the conference as a stopover. While we don’t recommend Newark Airport except as a means of saving money and perhaps travel time on international flights, one can buy an Amtrak ticket online from EWR to the below AC station for $70.75 or use the weekend service referenced below. If one really wants to save money one can use the NJ Transit Planner on www.njtransit.com for itineraries on how to make the trip by rail for $26.60 or by 2 buses for $31.50 but travel time is much longer than the 90 minutes if one rented a car.

RAIL: NJ Transit has relatively frequent local (14 daily trips with 6 stops) service to Philadelphia connecting with Amtrak, NJ Transit to NYC, and SEPTA at 30th Street and PATCO at Lindenwold. Free shuttle busses meet all trains and provide direct service to the Tropicana. www.njtransit.com/pdf/rail/R0090.pdf has a schedule that also shows the SEPTA connections from PHL to 30th Street. Direct service from NYC with a stop in Newark is available www.acestrain.com, Friday through Sunday only. 

BUS: Call the Tropicana casino bus transportation department, (888) 275-1212 # 1 to find if there is service from your local neighborhood as some of these buses travel as far as 200 miles. Most allow you to return on a different day for a charge or a space available basis. Cost of the trip may be offset by casino cash back rebates and other offers. One may take a bus to any casino, collect their coins and coupons and use a $2.25 jitney on Pacific Avenue to quickly get to the Tropicana. Explore Greyhound, which has open return service with a slot play bonus from 13 cities www.luckystreakbus.com. While it has fewer trips, travel is easier than with the train as there are no transfers.

DRIVING: To get to the Tropicana from the Garden State Parkway, NJ Turnpike or Philadelphia, take the Atlantic City Expressway. Follow the Atlantic City Expressway to Exit 2. This will take you to the Black Horse Pike, Route 40/322, which you will take into Atlantic City. Turn left on Arctic Avenue, the first light over the bridge. Take Arctic Avenue to Brighton Avenue. Turn right on Brighton and cross Atlantic Avenue. The entrance to “The Quarter” Garage (Havana Tower) is on your left, off Atlantic Avenue. Valet parking doesn’t permit easy access to your car during your stay so self is recommended. Don’t park in the Tropicana’s other garage, as it is tedious to get to the Havana Tower.

INFO: For general tourist info visit www.visitnj.org/city/atlantic-city that has an option for you to request a free visitor packet as well as an opportunity to e-mail questions that are promptly answered. Consider walking to and shopping in the upscale Atlantic City Outlets at the foot of the Atlantic City Expressway or strolling on the Boardwalk to the pier shops at Caesars. Remember there is no sales tax on apparel in NJ.

MEALS: Take the time to explore www.tropicana.net. It contains complete details of the meeting facility and gives descriptions of the 22 restaurants and other attractions. We provide a full hot breakfast on Monday and a continental breakfast on Tuesday and Wednesday before our morning sessions as well as afternoon refreshment breaks. There is a subsidized Speaker Dinner on Monday and a free one-hour reception on Sunday with cold drinks and snacks where you can meet with fellow attendees.