Atlantic City or Cape May?

These are two stretches of the same pale Jersey sand, and both are excellent in July and August. The difference is the setting. Atlantic City's beach is broad and free and runs the whole length of the island beneath the casino towers, but open surf and rip currents mean you stay between the flags.

Cape May's beach is backed by a Victorian promenade, the surf is usually gentler, and the quieter beaches at the Point include Sunset Beach, where people search the bay shore for Cape May diamonds. The catch is the seasonal beach tag, which Atlantic City does not ask for.

Neither town is a reason to travel for food, and both rely on the sea. Atlantic City has casino steakhouses and buffets, while its real local flavour lies in Ducktown's red-sauce restaurants, giant subs and boardwalk pizza.

Cape May is a working fishing port, so scallops, flounder and local oysters appear on most menus, and long breakfasts on Victorian porches are part of the stay. Expect queues for dinner in summer and many kitchens closed in winter.

Cape May offers more to look at, because the whole town is the exhibit. Its streets of gingerbread cottages and porched hotels form a National Historic Landmark district, which you can explore on walking or trolley tours or from the rooms of the Physick Estate.

Atlantic City's heritage is scattered between casino towers. It includes the original Boardwalk, the Monopoly street names and the vast pipe organ in Art Deco Boardwalk Hall. Lucy the Elephant in Margate is worth the detour from either town.

This is where the two towns differ most. Atlantic City's casinos keep gaming floors, lounges and bars open all night, and on summer weekends the resorts' clubs and pool parties draw crowds from Philadelphia and New York. Away from the resorts, though, the streets are empty and best avoided after dark.

Cape May's evenings are a cover band in a pub on the mall, a drink in a hotel bar and bed by midnight. Anyone after a louder night from there ends up driving to the Wildwoods.

Cape May's position at the tip of the peninsula makes it one of North America's great migration points. Hawks, songbirds and monarch butterflies pour through Cape May Point and Higbee Beach in autumn, and boats from the harbour find dolphins almost every summer day.

Atlantic City's outdoors is pleasant but less special. The Forsythe refuge's marsh loop is good for herons and egrets, the back bays are good for crabbing and kayaking, and the Pine Barrens' sandy trails are about an hour inland.

Atlantic City is the better base for outings. Philadelphia, with Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, is about an hour and a half away by train. Cape May itself makes a fine day out, and Smithville and the old ironworks at Batsto are close by.

From Cape May the standout trip is the ferry across Delaware Bay to colonial Lewes. Philadelphia, however, is a tiring day by car, and most other trips lead back up the shore to the Wildwoods or Atlantic City.

Cape May has been a family resort for generations. It offers lifeguarded sand, bike and surrey rides, crabbing on the bay, the lighthouse climb and a free zoo twenty minutes away, though some B&Bs in the historic district turn away small children.

Atlantic City has the Steel Pier rides, a small aquarium and a free beach. Beyond those, it is built around casino floors that are closed to under-21s, which is why many families stay in Ocean City instead.

Getting around is about equally easy in both, but it works differently. Atlantic City is a long line: you walk the Boardwalk past the casinos or ride the jitneys that run up and down Pacific Avenue day and night. Trains run to Philadelphia and buses to New York, so you can manage without a car. The streets back from the Boardwalk are not pleasant on foot, especially after dark.

Cape May is a compact, flat grid where the historic district, the promenade and Washington Street Mall are all a short walk or bike ride apart. It has no passenger rail, so most visitors drive in or come over on the ferry, and in summer the hard part is finding parking. In both towns you need a car for the Point, the wildlife refuge or the neighbouring shore towns.

Neither town is a shopping destination, and the styles differ. Atlantic City offers outlet brand stores and casino arcades. Cape May's pedestrian Washington Street Mall has independent boutiques, bookshops and antique dealers, which make a nicer browse on a wet afternoon. Saltwater taffy and fudge are the souvenir in both.

Atlantic City is the cheaper of the two. Casino hotels need to fill rooms, so a midweek or off-season stay can cost little, and the beach and Boardwalk are free. Summer weekends, resort fees and parking still add up.

In summer Cape May charges big-city prices for its Victorian B&Bs and better dinners, often with minimum stays, as well as beach tags. Spring and autumn are gentler on the wallet, and many budget-minded visitors stay in the Wildwoods and come for the day.

Atlantic City has more live entertainment and bigger names. Its casino arenas and showrooms book touring rock and pop acts and comedians, and Boardwalk Hall hosts major concerts and boxing.

Cape May's offer is smaller and more cultured: a professional theatre company in a converted church, historic American drama and a long-running chamber music festival in late spring. It makes a good evening out, but the programme shrinks once summer ends.

Cape May is the more restful of the two. Its calm comes from the pace of the place: rocking chairs on Victorian porches, afternoon tea, slow bike rides and sunsets over the bay, especially in spring and autumn. A few guesthouses also have small day spas.

Atlantic City's casino resorts have larger spas, with saunas and indoor pools, but the flashing, sleepless gaming floors outside them undo much of the effect. Its quiet moments are winter walks along an empty Boardwalk.