10 Best Boardwalks in America

Atlantic City Boardwalk, New Jersey

As America's first boardwalk, this iconic stretch of planks was built in 1870 to keep the sand off the carpets of ritzy beachfront hotel lobbies. The four-mile Atlantic City Boardwalk claims other superlatives too, including being the longest boardwalk and having the most diverse mix of attractions. When you tire of walking between arcades, shops, bars, food stands, museums, and mini golf courses, you can hop a ride on a rolling chair, a tradition that goes back more than 100 years. The fee is based on the distance you travel—perhaps just far enough to reach James' Salt Water Taffy shop.

Don't Miss: The 3-D light show, new this summer, that projects optical illusions and entrancing sequences onto the facade of Boardwalk Hall every half hour after dusk.

Best Boardwalk Deal: Central Pier Arcade & Speedway, where a roll of quarters gets you a go-kart ride, a paintball game, or an arm's-length of tickets if you're decent at Skee-Ball.

Myrtle Beach Boardwalk & Promenade, South Carolina

This Grand Strand boardwalk, with 600 palmetto trees planted along its mile-long pathway, just opened in 2010. Already, the new addition has spurred the development of shops and attractions in an area that hadn't seen a boardwalk since the previous one was destroyed by a hurricane in 1954. The comeback success proves Myrtle Beach hasn't lost its touch. Take in the view from a gondola on the SkyWheel, nearly 200 feet high. For an old-school boardwalk fix, play classic arcade games or pick up kitschy souvenirs at the enormous Gay Dolphin Gift Cove, a Myrtle Beach mainstay since 1946.

Don't Miss: Country music at The Bowery, where the group Alabama was once the house band.

Best Boardwalk Deal: Free events every summer night, including carnivals for kids, fire-dancing shows, strolling bands, fireworks displays, and live concerts.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, California

There's no escaping the nostalgic vibe at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, which has been around since 1907. Two rides are National Historic Landmarks: the 1911 Looff Carousel, with real horsehair tails on the carved horses, and the rickety-but-fast 1924 Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster. Forget any notions that this boardwalk is stuck in the past. Alongside vintage charm you'll find the latest video games and rides. And between the saltwater taffy and chocolate-dipped-banana stands are vendors selling deep-fried artichoke hearts. This fall the Hurricane roller coaster will be torn down and replaced with a new ride.

Don't Miss: Catching brass or steel rings on the Looff Carousel (one of only a handful in the world that still has the rings) and tossing them into the clown's mouth.

Best Boardwalk Deal: Free summer events, including Chinese acrobatic shows, outdoor movie nights, and Friday-night grandstand concerts.

Wildwood Boardwalk, New Jersey

Another Jersey Shore favorite, the boardwalk in Wildwood is two miles of neon lights and thrills. It boasts more rides than Disneyland, including six roller coasters that will have your stomach flip-flopping after you fill up on funnel cakes, cheesesteaks, and other boardwalk fare. At some point, as you stroll past endless souvenir shops and games of chance, you'll have to step aside for the tram car that takes sightseers the length of the boardwalk. Adding to the back-in-time feel are the 1950s and '60s doo-wop-era motels that surround the area with their Vegas-like signs and unusual, themed architecture.

Don't Miss: Classic rides like the giant Ferris wheel and The Great White wooden roller coaster with incredible ocean views from the top.

Sandwich Boardwalk, Massachusetts

In Cape Cod, you'll find respite from the Eastern Seaboard's crowded boardwalk scene. Completely uncommercialized, the boardwalk in Sandwich treats visitors to views of dunes and marshes before leading to a broad beach on Cape Cod Bay. Jumping into the creek from the walkway's railing is a rite of passage for the kids who vacation here each summer. When Hurricane Bob destroyed the boardwalk in 1991, it was rebuilt with support from locals whose names and intriguing messages are inscribed on the new planks.

Best Off-Boardwalk Deal: The free Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center with historical exhibits and outdoor rocking chairs, the best spot for watching ships in the canal.

Kemah Boardwalk, Texas

Just outside Houston on Galveston Bay, Kemah Boardwalk holds its own against the old favorites on the East Coast. What the half-mile boardwalk lacks in size it makes up for in unique experiences. You can ride a double-decker carousel or a Western-themed wooden roller coaster that crosses over itself 42 times. Take a ride on a handcrafted replica of an 1863 train or sit and watch boats taxi in and out of one of the country's largest ports. There are plenty of themed restaurants here, too, including Aquarium, with its 50,000-gallon tank of tropical fish.

Don't Miss: Dancing water fountains in front of Boardwalk Inn, where kids can cool off and splash for free.

Best Boardwalk Deal: Touching and feeding stingrays at the Stingray Reef at Aquarium restaurant.

Hollywood Beach Broadwalk, Florida

Since this seaside promenade is less than a half-hour drive from Miami's South Beach, you might expect a hint of SoBe glamour here. But the Hollywood Beach brick boardwalk (called the Broadwalk) a couple steps up from the beach is completely casual. Usually in flip-flops, visitors set up on the beach for the day then walk over for cocktails or dinner at an outdoor cafe. Instead of high-rise resorts and amusement park rides, this boardwalk has small motels, souvenir and candy shops, and an outdoor band shell where you can dance to live jazz, Latin, or classic rock depending on the night. At parks along the boardwalk, kids play paddleball and splash in a dolphin fountain.

Don't Miss: Seafood with a glass of wine and sidewalk seating at Ocean Alley while watching the kite surfers.

Best Boardwalk Deal: Soft-serve ice cream parlors with cones.

Virginia Beach Boardwalk, Virginia

For biking and jogging, this paved boardwalk's three-mile thoroughfare is hard to beat. While others restrict bicycle use to morning hours, Virginia Beach's boardwalk offers a dedicated bike lane that's well travelled throughout the day. Along the boardwalk are countless outdoor cafes, ideal for people-watching, and an amusement park where you can cool off on a log ride or whip above the beach in a pod on the high-flying Skyscraper ride. The fishing pier, Old Coast Guard Station, and Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum are low-key alternatives. For a classic boardwalk photo op, stand beneath the bronze 34-foot King Neptune statue at Neptune Park.

Don't Miss: Free, live concerts every night of summer on four oceanfront stages at 7th, 17th, 24th, and 31st streets.

Best Boardwalk Deal: Bikes and four-person, four-wheeled surreys from Cherie's Bike & Blade Rental.

Long Beach Boardwalk, Washington

Long Beach Boardwalk in southwestern Washington isn't flanked with neon lights or cotton-candy vendors. The half-mile walkway is a more sublime summertime escape. Appearing almost suspended above grassy dunes, the wooden planks look onto stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, North Head Lighthouse, and a sandy beach that stretches more than 20 miles. Early risers will see shorebirds feeding as the day begins. At night, you can stargaze and watch the moon's reflection sway on dune grass and ocean waves. The skies fill with color during the Washington State International Kite Festival in August.

Don't Miss: Wood-oven-baked Willapa Bay oysters and ocean views at the nearby Scapece Restaurant & Bar Aperitivo followed by an evening boardwalk stroll.

Best Off-Boardwalk Deal: Making your own miniature kite at the World Kite Museum then flying it on the boardwalk.

Ocean City Boardwalk, Maryland

Before becoming a permanent fixture along Ocean City's beach in 1910, the original wooden boardwalk was actually rolled up and stored on beachfront porches at high tide. Now the worn boards are home to thrill rides, arcades, glow-in-the-dark mini golf, a water park, a music pier, shops, and a historical life-saving station museum. Ocean City has a famous, and family-friendly, boardwalk. Throughout summer, Thursday is family night with free entertainment, and on Tuesdays, fireworks are choreographed to music. And no visit is complete without a nostalgic ride on the 1902 Herschel-Spellman carousel.

Don't Miss: An Ocean City institution: Thrasher's French Fries served with vinegar, never ketchup.

Best Boardwalk Deal: Learning to tie nautical knots or watching feeding time at the aquarium during summer's free family programs at the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum.

More From Smartertravel:

• America's Best Beach Eats - Coney Island
• 10 Great Outdoor Adventures for Families
• America's Best Free Attractions