Here's How Atlantic City NJ Got Its Name

Long before Atlantic City was the hippest resort town of the 1930s and the gambling hotspot we know today, it was a densely-wooded island populated by New Jersey’s native Lenni Lenape people. And they didn’t call it Atlantic City.

The Algonquian-speaking tribe called the island Absegami, meaning “little water,” for the bay that separates the island in the Atlantic Ocean from the nearby New Jersey shore. Over time, the place became known as Absecon Island to colonial settlers, who largely ignored the island because the only way to get there was by boat.

By 1850, a local physician named Dr. Jonathan Pitney proposed taking advantage of the island’s beaches and developing a resort. Pitney teamed up with local businessmen to secure a railroad charter, and in 1854 construction was completed on the Camden-Atlantic rail line. Richard Osborne, a Philadelphia civil engineer, designed the layout of the resort town and proposed the name Atlantic City.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.