Sunday, December 17, 2006

Where: Atlantic City, N.J.

Why: Fishy jelly beans, a tarot card shark and 24-hour barflies.

How far: About 170 miles, or about 3 1/2 hours by car.

Atlantic City is the other city that never sleeps. In fact, it hardly even naps. With its nonstop gambling, dining and partying, the New Jersey town is constantly pulling all-nighters -- and so can you.

Say good night to daylight on a horseback ride along the wide ocean beach. Atlantic City Carriage Co.'s horses trot in even the coldest of conditions, so wear extra layers under your jodhpurs. Horses, of course, don't eat jelly beans, and one wonders if people should -- when they come in such flavors as sardine and ear wax. However, what's eaten in A.C., stays in A.C., so go ahead and be adventurous with the confectionary offerings at It'sugar at the Pier Shops at Caesars.

When the Boardwalk blinks neon in the night, explore the four-plus-mile plank-wood concourse. For a greasy helping of Jersey history, pop into Bill's Gyros and Souvlaki. Bill Kakoulidis has been slinging Greek fast food here since 1967, and for the past 19 years, he has decorated -- or, more accurately, wallpapered -- his joint in paper currency donated by customers. The bills cover the eatery inside and out, from the tables and chairs to the bathroom. Even if you don't spring for a gyro, give the man a buck.

Further down the Boardwalk, Nancy is a svelte seer operating out of a mysterious storefront. For $5, she'll give a personality reading, $20 buys a crystal ball session, and $30 gets you a tarot card reading. Nancy can forecast your luck in the casinos "most of the time," although she prefers not to. "I've seen some pretty wild ones come in here," she says. Unfortunately, fortuneteller-client confidentiality prevents her from divulging those madcap stories.

Away from the Boardwalk, the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa draws Vegas doppelgangers to the scenester resort. The Borgata has great gaming, but the real nocturnal attraction is dancing. Mur.mur offers bottle service and thumping house music for the designer-jeans-and-lingerie crowd. Celebs from Nick Lachey to Eva Mendes frequent the hot spot, but you don't need a publicist to get in -- $20 will do.

When the beat stops, follow the NoDoz zombies to the bar that never makes last call. The 24-hour Irish Pub has been open for 34 years -- straight. "Late night's the best time to come here," says bartender Chris, "after everything's closed." When you've had your fill of Guinness and Bruce Springsteen crooning on the jukebox, hitch a ride in one of the Boardwalk's people-pushing rolling chairs. After a sleepless night, you can finally catch a few winks.

-- Ben Chapman