The Wildwoods Boardwalk features an array of amusement rides and entertainment. (Photo courtesy of the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority)
The Wildwoods Boardwalk has been named the top boardwalk in the country in a nationwide contest, while Atlantic City and Ocean City’s boardwalks made the Top 10.
USA Today announced Wednesday that the Wildwoods took top honors for the “Best Boardwalk” in the newspaper’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for 2025. https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/best-boardwalk/
Boardwalks across the country were nominated by a panel of travel experts and voted on by the general public. Fans and supporters voted online to give the Wildwoods the No. 1 spot in the nationwide rankings.
“Originally a 150-yard boardwalk at its inception in the 1890s, the boardwalk in Wildwoods, New Jersey, now stretches for 38 blocks and is packed with shops, restaurants, bars water parks, and an amusement pier featuring over 100 attractions,” USA Today said.
Nominees on the list included boardwalks from across the nation, including in New Jersey, Texas, Virginia, Delaware, Maine and California.
Atlantic City and Ocean City joined the Wildwoods for the New Jersey boardwalks in the contest. Atlantic City’s Boardwalk placed sixth and Ocean City’s was eighth in the rankings.
“It’s thrilling to see our Boardwalk named the best in the nation,” Louis M. Belasco, executive director of the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority, said in a news release. “This recognition is truly special because it comes from the visitors, residents and fans of the Wildwoods who cherish our Boardwalk.”
“The Wildwoods Boardwalk is more than just a destination – it’s a place where unforgettable memories are made. We’re thrilled that visitors celebrate the Wildwoods and our Boardwalk as a premier gem of the Jersey Shore,” Belasco added.
The Atlantic City Boardwalk placed No. 6 in the nationwide contest by USA Today. (Photo courtesy of Expedia)USA Today's "Best Boardwalk" announcement comes as the Wildwoods are celebrating a record-breaking 2024 tourism season and looking forward to a calendar full of events in 2025.
Major upcoming events include the Barefoot Country Music Fest June 18-22 and the Wildwoods “Thunder Over The Waves” airshow September 5-6.
There are also new developments in the resort’s hospitality and entertainment sectors, as well as the complete rebuilding of the Boardwalk itself.
The Wildwoods’ Boardwalk, overlooking the island’s spacious beaches, offers a unique experience for anyone vacationing at the New Jersey shore. Famous for being one of the liveliest stretches of fun and excitement on the East Coast, the Boardwalk “offers a pure sensory overload of sights, sounds, and smells to visitors,” according to the news release.
“With three action-packed amusement piers with over 100 rides and attractions ranging from world-class roller coasters and three wet ‘n wild waterparks, to carnival-style midway games, flashing arcades, and a myriad of retail shops and eateries, along with the famous Wildwoods Boardwalk Sightseer Tram Cars – known for their famous phrase, “Watch the Tram Car, Please!” – this wooden way is the quintessential Jersey Shore Boardwalk,” the release stated.
Since its humble birth as a 150-yard stretch of boards in the 1890s designed to keep the sand out of the hotel lobbies, the Boardwalk has evolved to become an entertainment centerpiece on the island.
“Throughout the years, the Boardwalk has gone through many transformations, growing in size, and evolving with the mood of the country; and in its 100-year history, it has been moved closer to the ocean twice due to the changing shoreline,” the release said.
“Today, the Wildwoods’ Boardwalk is one of the country’s last great seaside promenades. Its rich history and ambiance have led to the very concept of the Wildwoods Boardwalk being used as the model for the Boardwalk attractions both in Disney World and in Hershey Park, Pennsylvania,” the release added.
The Wildwoods Boardwalk has won numerous travel and tourism awards throughout the years, including being named “One Of The Top Ten Boardwalks” by National Geographic, “One of America’s Best Boardwalks” by Smart Travel, “One Of The Best Boardwalks In America” by CNN Travel, “One Of America’s Best Seaside Boardwalks” by Trending Travel, “20 Best Beach Boardwalks in America” by Reader’s Digest, and the “Favorite Boardwalk in New Jersey” by New Jersey Family Magazine. It was also named among the “20 Most Iconic Boardwalks in the U.S.” By INSIDER, MSN.com and BEST TRAVEL TALE.
Ocean City's Boardwalk is popular with families.
