Your Ultimate Guide to the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival

With just over a week left until the much-anticipated return of the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival at the Atlantic City Convention Center, we’re thrilled to share our top tips. This is a must-attend event for craft beer aficionados. Having been part of this festival since 2007, we've honed our strategies over the years. Here’s our ultimate survival guide to the AC Beer and Music Festival.

Planning Ahead: Ticketing, Accommodations, and Transportation

Tickets for the AC Beer and Music Fest can be conveniently purchased through www.universe.com. If you prefer paper tickets and want to avoid service fees, you can get fee-free tickets at local spots including Axe & Arrow, Behr Brewing, Bolero Snort Brewery, and more, through March 27. Stay updated by following @acbeerfest on Instagram. For detailed information about General Admission, VIP admission, Jitney packages, Designated Driver tickets, and Group Sales, visit www.acbeerfest.com/tickets.

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While the breweries, beers, vendors, food options, and activities remain consistent across both sessions, the choice of which session to attend often hinges on the musical acts. Session #1 on Saturday, March 29, from 12 PM to 4 PM, features Senses Fail, along with Hidden in Plain View and Flycatcher. Session #2, from 7 PM to 11 PM, presents Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, with Catsbite and Mesh supporting.

If you're local or have a designated driver, finding accommodations might not be necessary. However, for those needing a place to stay, there is a great range of options. Event organizers have teamed up with various casino hotels and the Sheraton at the AC Convention Center to offer competitive rates. Exclusive rates at hotels like Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel, Tropicana, Ocean Casino Resort, and others can be found on www.acbeerfest.com/hotels. Additionally, for a unique upscale experience, consider Cozy CoHost Airbnb or browse other available hotels, motels, and vacation rentals in the area.

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Transportation Options

You have multiple choices for traveling to and from the festival. Conveniently, there’s parking on level 1 of the convention center for a fee of $20. However, we cannot emphasize enough: drinking and driving is unacceptable. If possible, make arrangements for a designated driver.

The NJ Transit Atlantic City Rail Terminal is right next to the Atlantic City Convention Center. The terminal offers daily service from Philadelphia 30th Street Station, with stops in Pennsauken, Cherry Hill, Lindenwold, Atco, Hammonton, Egg Harbor City, and Absecon. Complimentary shuttles connect the rail terminal with various casinos. Check schedules and buy tickets via the NJ Transit Mobile App.

If you're considering Jitney services, they include pick-up from a location within a 50-mile radius of the festival, transportation to the convention center, and return to your initial location along with seating for up to 13 passengers.

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Day-of Preparation: Setting Yourself up for Success

Stay hydrated before, during, and after the beer festival. If you think you’ve had enough water, drink more. Ideally, aim for half your body weight in ounces of water every day. On festival day, when you’re consuming alcohol and salty foods, your body will need more. Enhance your hydration with Waterboy packets from our Amazon store. Each attendee can bring one sealed water bottle or an empty refillable one.

Don’t attend the AC Beer Festival on an empty stomach. Eating a light meal an hour or two beforehand is crucial. High water content foods along with starches prepare your stomach for hours of beer sampling. Consider having a bowl of Vietnamese pho from Noodles of the World at Borgata or exploring Atlantic Avenue for Pho Sydney or Com Ga Ninh Kieu. Enjoying food will prevent you from feeling too full to graze at the festival. We love exploring the best local restaurants that set up shop in the Convention Center for the weekend.

Dress comfortably, particularly when it comes to your shoes.

While cash is favored, some vendors might accept cards or electronic payments. However, this varies, and the reliability of internet connectivity can also affect transactions. ATMs are available on-site for your convenience.

Designate a meeting spot for your group in case anyone gets lost. Our suggestion? The sandcastle.

During the Festival: Keeping a Pleasant Pace

Remember that this event is a marathon, not a sprint. You are encouraged to enjoy the wide range of beer selections, but trying to sample all 400+ offerings is not realistic. Pacing yourself ensures that you can embrace the experience responsibly. Rapidly sampling numerous 2oz pours can spoil your night. As enthusiasts in our forties, we believe in taking a measured approach to our tasting.

We have our strategies for enhancing our festival experience while promoting moderation. I, TJ, begin with lighter beers—lagers and hefeweizens—before transitioning to darker ones like stouts. Meanwhile, Andrea focuses on one or two styles unless she encounters something exceptional. She gravitates toward sours and saisons—often scarcely available at festivals—allowing her to pace herself. Taking breaks between tastings is crucial to avoiding palate fatigue, refreshing our senses for new flavors. We always aim to explore unfamiliar breweries and beers rather than rely solely on accessible old favorites.

Shopping from over 50 vendors at the festival is another great way to take a break between samples. Look for The Escape Plans, where we’ll be selling our handmade screen-printed Atlantic City t-shirts and hoodies at the venue.

Post-Festival Fun: After Party, Iconic Eats, and Recovery Mode

Stay tuned to our Instagram @the.escape.plans for updates about pre- and post-festival events.

After hours of sampling and walking, you’ll likely be hungry. Session #2 ends late, making late-night options essential. Tony’s Baltimore Grill offers some of the best food in the city at reasonable prices, open late. If it’s your first time, try the TBG Experience for $40.99 a person, which includes house wine or draft beer, salad, their famed spaghetti and meatballs, an entree choice, and dessert.

White House Subs serves the finest Italian hoagies we've tried, with locations on Arctic Avenue (open until 8 PM on Saturday) and at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (open until midnight). If you want more craft beer or diverse wing sauces, check out Wingcraft before it closes at 11 PM on Saturday.

The Morning After

To kick-start your recovery, head to Hayday Coffee for a caffeine boost. Alternatively, grab a breakfast sandwich from Hot Bagels and More or indulge in Gilchrist's Hungry Man Combo #2 with delicious blueberry hotcakes.

Before you leave town, don’t miss ordering loaded fries, pizza, or Tony Boloney's innovative sandwiches. Reheat them at home and enjoy.

For any lingering questions, feel free to reach out via email or DM us on Instagram or Facebook. Cheers!

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