17 Best Boardwalks on the East Coast
- Rey Eleuterio
- 17 minutes ago
- 17 min read
There's a certain magic to a wooden walkway by the sea. The smell of fried dough, the rattle of an old roller coaster, the glow of arcade lights against a dark ocean. The East Coast does this kind of thing better than just about anywhere, with a long string of boardwalks running from the cool beaches of Maine all the way down to the palm trees of South Florida.
Some are loud and packed with rides. Others are quiet stretches of board where the only sound is your own footsteps and the waves. The best boardwalks on the East Coast give you a little of everything, and most of them sit a short detour off Interstate 95 (I-95).
We lined up seventeen of them in order, north to south, so you can hit them like beads on a string. A few you already know by name. A couple might surprise you enough to change your summer plans.
Key Takeaways
The best boardwalks on the East Coast run from Old Orchard Beach in Maine down to Hollywood Beach in Florida. Some are big and full of rides, like Wildwood and Seaside Heights. Others are calm and pretty, like Cape May and Long Beach. You can find one for thrills, one for food, and one for a slow sunset walk, all along the same coast.
Boardwalk | State | Best For | Signature Stop |
Old Orchard Beach | Maine | Old-school New England fun | Palace Playland and the pier |
Hampton Beach | New Hampshire | Live music and arcades | Casino Ballroom shows |
Salisbury Beach | Massachusetts | Nostalgia and beach pizza | Restored vintage carousel |
Coney Island | New York | Iconic thrills | The Cyclone and Wonder Wheel |
Long Beach | New York | A quiet, breezy stroll | 2.2 miles, train-friendly |
Asbury Park | New Jersey | Music and history | The Stone Pony and Convention Hall |
Point Pleasant Beach | New Jersey | Families with little kids | Jenkinson's Aquarium |
Seaside Heights | New Jersey | Classic Jersey thrills | Casino Pier coaster |
Atlantic City | New Jersey | History and bright lights | The original boardwalk |
Ocean City | New Jersey | Wholesome family time | Dry-town family vibe |
Wildwood | New Jersey | Big rides, free beach | Morey's Piers and tram cars |
Cape May | New Jersey | Victorian charm | Seaside promenade and mall |
Rehoboth Beach | Delaware | Easygoing family fun | Funland |
Ocean City | Maryland | Boardwalk food legends | Thrasher's fries and Trimper's |
Virginia Beach | Virginia | Wide oceanfront strolling | King Neptune statue |
Myrtle Beach | South Carolina | Southern boardwalk energy | The SkyWheel |
Hollywood Beach | Florida | Laid-back, palm-lined finale | The 2.5-mile Broadwalk |
Quick Picker
Not sure where to start? Jump to the kind of day you want.
Best for thrill-seekers: Wildwood, Seaside Heights, Coney Island
Best for families with young kids: Point Pleasant Beach, Rehoboth Beach, Ocean City NJ
Best for history and charm: Atlantic City, Cape May, Old Orchard Beach
Best for music and nightlife: Asbury Park, Hampton Beach
Best for a quiet walk: Long Beach NY, Virginia Beach
Best for food: Ocean City MD, Atlantic City, Hollywood Beach
Wayback Tours is all about the kind of trip where the stops matter as much as the destination, and a good boardwalk is exactly that kind of stop.
What Makes an East Coast Boardwalk Worth the Stop
A great boardwalk gives you more than a place to walk. It gives you a feeling. Salt air, a little sugar, the sound of waves under the boards, and the sense that summer might last forever.
Most of these share the same DNA. You'll find a classic boardwalk mix of rides, arcades, taffy, pizza, and soft-serve, with the ocean always a few steps away. That formula started here on the East Coast more than a century ago, and it has barely changed since.
The other handy thing? They line up neatly along the coast. If you're already planning a coastal road trip, you can string several together in a week without much backtracking. Many of the best East Coast beach towns sit within an hour of I-95, so the highway does most of the heavy lifting while the boardwalks supply the fun.
These stops also pair well with the wide sandy beaches the region is known for. Spend the morning on the great East Coast beaches, then save the boardwalk for the cooler, prettier evening hours. If you want even more ideas beyond the boards, there are plenty of other East Coast vacation spots worth folding into the same trip.
The takeaway: think of these as a connected route, not seventeen separate trips, and the whole coast opens up.
Wooden Boards or Concrete Promenade?
Here's a small thing that trips people up. Not every "boardwalk" is made of wood.
Some are the real deal, with planks you can hear under your sneakers, like Wildwood and Coney Island. Others are a smooth oceanfront promenade poured in concrete, like Virginia Beach and Cape May, built that way to stand up to storms. A few, like Hollywood Beach in Florida, are paved in brick and proudly spelled "Broadwalk."
They all count. The surface changes, but the spirit stays the same: a long, car-free path right next to the water, made for strolling, biking, and people-watching.
Quick tip: if you want true rides-and-arcades energy, lean toward the Jersey Shore boardwalks and the wooden classics. If you want a calm walk, the concrete promenades tend to be quieter and wider.
The Best Boardwalks on the East Coast, From Maine to Florida
Here they are in order, top to bottom. Start your trip wherever you like and follow the coast south.
1. Old Orchard Beach Pier, Maine
Maine isn't the first place most people picture for a carnival by the sea. Old Orchard Beach changes that fast.
Why it's worth stopping: This little town has been Maine's summer playground for well over a century. The pier reaches out over the water with shops and snack bars, and right beside it sits Palace Playland, widely known as New England's only beachfront amusement park. You get a Ferris wheel, a wooden coaster, a huge arcade, and seven miles of sand all in one spot.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: downtown Old Orchard Beach, off Route 1 and I-95 (Maine Turnpike)
Season: liveliest from late June through Labor Day
Cost: free to walk; rides use tickets or wristbands
Time needed: half a day, more if you swim
Worth it or skip it? Worth it, especially for families who want a loud, happy beach day with rides built right in.
Tag this one for your next New England summer drive
⭐ What is a Bucket List? Save places you want to visit and come back to later. Your Wayback Tours bucket list keeps track of stops you don't want to forget, and it's perfect for planning future trips.
2. Hampton Beach, New Hampshire
New Hampshire only gets a short stretch of coast, and Hampton Beach makes the most of every inch of it.
Don't skip this if you like… live music and a buzzy beach strip. The boardwalk runs right along Ocean Boulevard, lined with arcades, fried-dough stands, and shops. The Casino Ballroom has hosted big-name acts for years, and the outdoor Seashell Stage keeps free shows going all summer. Add the sand-sculpting contest and weekly fireworks, and there's almost always something happening.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: Hampton Beach, off Route 1A near I-95
Season: summer, with events most weekends
Cost: free to walk; pay for arcades, shows, and food
Time needed: a few hours, or an evening for a concert
Worth it or skip it? Worth it for music lovers and anyone who likes a lively, compact beach scene.
Pin this beach town to your bucket list before the next road trip
3. Salisbury Beach, Massachusetts
Just across the state line from Hampton sits a true old-timer that's quietly coming back to life.
The quick pitch: Salisbury Beach is nostalgia you can walk through. The newer wooden boardwalk is short, but the center is full of classic arcades, fried clams, and the famous square "beach pizza." A lovingly restored vintage carousel has brought a fresh wave of families back to the strip. It feels like a place time forgot, in the best way.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: Salisbury Beach center, off Route 1A near I-95
Season: busiest in summer, though some spots stay open year-round
Cost: free to walk; cheap arcade and food prices
Time needed: an hour or two
Worth it or skip it? Worth it if you love retro beach towns and good cheap eats more than big rides.
Save this nostalgic stop to your bucket list for later
4. Coney Island, New York
You can't make a list like this without the one that helped write the rulebook for seaside fun.
Why this one stands out: Coney Island's Riegelmann Boardwalk has been a New York icon since the 1920s, stretching for miles past Luna Park, the towering Wonder Wheel, and the Cyclone, a wooden coaster that has been rattling riders since the late 1920s and is now a city landmark. Grab a hot dog at Nathan's Famous, then ride the subway right back into the city. Few places pack this much history into one walk.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: Brooklyn, easy to reach by subway
Season: rides run mainly spring through fall; the boardwalk is open year-round
Cost: free to walk; pay per ride or buy a wristband
Time needed: half a day
Worth it or skip it? Worth it for the history, the people-watching, and that first-drop scream on the Cyclone.
Fun Fact:
The Coney Island Cyclone is widely considered one of the great old wooden coasters in the country, and it has been carrying riders since 1927.
Keep this classic on your bucket list so you don't forget
5. Long Beach, New York
Out on Long Island's south shore, Long Beach offers the opposite of Coney Island's chaos.
What makes this stop different: This one is all about the walk. The 2.2-mile boardwalk has wide-open ocean views, room to bike and run, and almost no rides or noise. It was completely rebuilt with sturdier hardwood and concrete after Hurricane Sandy, and today it doubles as a sea wall. Best of all, you can hop a train from the city and be strolling by the water in under an hour.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: Long Beach, NY, a short walk from the LIRR station
Season: year-round for walking; summer for swimming
Cost: free to walk; a beach pass is needed in season
Time needed: an hour or two
Worth it or skip it? Worth it if you want fresh air, exercise, and calm instead of carnival rides.
Add this easy day-trip walk to your bucket list
6. Asbury Park, New Jersey
This is where the Jersey Shore turns up the music. Asbury Park has a soul that's hard to match.
Here's the draw: The roughly mile-long boardwalk is anchored by the grand Convention Hall and Paramount Theatre, both from the late 1920s. Just off the boards, the legendary Stone Pony helped launch Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi, and the Wonder Bar still keeps the live music going. Stop into the Silverball pinball museum, grab a bite, and feel the history in the salt air.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: Asbury Park, off the Garden State Parkway near I-95
Season: lively spring through fall, with year-round venues
Cost: free to walk; pay for shows, food, and pinball
Time needed: two to three hours, longer for a concert
Worth it or skip it? Worth it for music fans and anyone who loves a comeback story with great food.
Hold onto this music-lover's stop for your bucket list
7. Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey
If you're traveling with little ones, this stretch of the shore was practically made for you.
Why you'll remember it: Jenkinson's Boardwalk is gentle, friendly, and packed with the right kind of fun for small kids. There's a tidy amusement park with kiddie rides, four arcades, mini golf, and the well-loved Jenkinson's Aquarium, open since 1991, where penguins and seals are the stars. Add fries with vinegar and a custard cone, and you've got a perfect family day.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: Point Pleasant Beach, off Route 35
Season: summer for rides; the aquarium is open year-round
Cost: free to walk; pay for rides, games, and the aquarium
Time needed: half a day
Worth it or skip it? Worth it for families with young children who want fun without big crowds or scary rides.
Save this family favorite to your bucket list for summer
8. Seaside Heights, New Jersey
A few towns south, the energy ramps right back up. Seaside Heights is loud, bright, and proud of it.
What you're really here for: the rides on Casino Pier, which juts out over the ocean. The pier has been a shore fixture since the 1930s, and it bounced back after Hurricane Sandy with a colorful coaster that drops you almost straight down toward the water. There's a giant Ferris wheel, a sky ride, a beautifully restored carousel, and a waterpark right across the way.
Mapping a coastal trip? With Wayback Tours, you can save every boardwalk that catches your eye and line them up into one easy route.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: Seaside Heights, on the Barnegat Peninsula
Season: spring through fall for rides
Cost: free to walk; all-day ride wristbands or pay per ride
Time needed: half a day
Worth it or skip it? Worth it for older kids, teens, and anyone chasing classic Jersey thrills.
Fun Fact:
After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the image of a Seaside Heights roller coaster sitting out in the ocean became one of the most recognized photos of the storm.
Drop this thrill stop onto your bucket list now
9. Atlantic City, New Jersey
Some places are famous for a reason. This is the one that started it all.
The reason to pull over: Atlantic City's boardwalk is widely recognized as the first boardwalk in the United States, dating back to 1870. Today it runs for miles past casinos, the historic Steel Pier with its big observation wheel, shops, and saltwater taffy stands. Take a ride in a rolling chair, watch the ocean roll in, and walk where the Miss America pageant once paraded. If you want to make a night of it, the city has plenty of luxury resorts right on the water.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: Atlantic City, off the Atlantic City Expressway near I-95
Season: year-round
Cost: free to walk; pay for rides, rolling chairs, and shows
Time needed: half a day or a full evening
Worth it or skip it? Worth it for the history and the bright lights, even if you never set foot in a casino.
Fun Fact:
Saltwater taffy is said to have gotten its start along the Jersey Shore, and it has been sold on the Atlantic City boardwalk since the 1880s.
Mark the original boardwalk on your bucket list
10. Ocean City, New Jersey
Right next door in spirit, but a world apart in mood, Ocean City keeps things sweet and simple.
Why it's worth stopping: This is the wholesome one. Ocean City is a dry town, so the vibe stays calm and family-first along its roughly 2.5-mile boards. Playland's Castaway Cove keeps the rides going, and the food is the real headliner, from Manco and Manco pizza to Kohr's frozen custard. It's the kind of place where grandparents, parents, and kids are all happy at once. If you're after family-friendly resorts nearby, this corner of the shore has plenty.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: Ocean City, NJ, just south of Atlantic City
Season: summer for rides and full crowds
Cost: free to walk; a beach tag is needed in season
Time needed: a few hours
Worth it or skip it? Worth it for a relaxed, wholesome family day with some of the best boardwalk food around.
Tuck this wholesome stop into your bucket list
11. Wildwood, New Jersey
If you only had time for one big-rides boardwalk on the whole coast, this would be a strong pick.
Don't skip this if you like… giant amusement piers and a free, sandy beach so wide you'll need the tram to save your feet. Wildwood's wooden boardwalk stretches about 2.5 miles past Morey's Piers, with over a hundred rides, two waterparks, and the famous tram cars that have ferried walkers for generations. It was recently voted the best boardwalk in the country in a USA Today readers' poll, and it earns the buzz.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: The Wildwoods, near the southern tip of New Jersey
Season: summer for the full ride and waterpark experience
Cost: free to walk; ride and waterpark wristbands available
Time needed: a full day
Worth it or skip it? Worth it for thrill-seekers and big families who want maximum fun in one place.
Fun Fact:
The Wildwoods tram cars are widely known for their recorded call, "Watch the tram car, please," a sound that locals can hum from memory.
Put this award-winner near the top of your bucket list
12. Cape May, New Jersey
At the very bottom of New Jersey, the mood shifts again, this time toward old-fashioned elegance.
The quick pitch: Cape May trades rides for charm. Its nearly two-mile concrete promenade runs right along the beach, and the whole town is a National Historic Landmark filled with colorful Victorian homes. Steps away, the car-free Washington Street Mall offers shops, fudge, and ice cream. The original wooden boardwalk was lost in a 1962 storm and rebuilt in sturdier concrete, but the seaside-stroll feeling remains.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: Cape May, at the southern end of the Garden State Parkway
Season: lovely spring through fall; quieter in winter
Cost: free to walk; a beach tag is needed in season
Time needed: half a day with shopping
Worth it or skip it? Worth it for couples and anyone who likes history, pretty streets, and a slow pace.
Save this Victorian charmer to your bucket list
13. Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Cross into Delaware and you'll find a beach town that locals have long called the "Nation's Summer Capital."
Why this one stands out: Rehoboth keeps it easygoing. The mile-long boardwalk is clean and walkable, and its beating heart is Funland, a small amusement park that the same family has run since 1962. The rides are gentle, the prices are friendly, and the Haunted Mansion has spooked happy kids for decades. Throw in saltwater taffy, fries, and that famous ice cream, and you have a relaxed day by the sea.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: Rehoboth Beach, off Route 1
Season: Funland runs late spring through Labor Day
Cost: free to walk; ride tickets are cheap and never expire
Time needed: a few hours
Worth it or skip it? Worth it for families who want classic, low-key fun without the big-city crowds.
Add this easygoing beach town to your bucket list
14. Ocean City, Maryland
Maryland's beach town has been a tradition for generations, and the food alone is worth the drive.
What makes this stop different: the legends. Ocean City's roughly three-mile boardwalk is home to names families have loved for ages, like Thrasher's french fries, Fisher's popcorn, Dolle's candy, and Trimper's Rides, one of the country's long-running amusement spots. You can walk, bike, or pedal a surrey, with the Atlantic on one side and the smell of vinegar fries on the other.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: Ocean City, MD, off Route 50
Season: summer is peak; many spots open spring and fall
Cost: free to walk; pay for rides and food
Time needed: half a day
Worth it or skip it? Worth it for food lovers and families chasing that timeless boardwalk taste.
Keep this food-lover's boardwalk on your bucket list
15. Virginia Beach, Virginia
Down in Virginia, the boardwalk gets wide, breezy, and built for movement.
Here's the draw: Virginia Beach has a three-mile concrete boardwalk with a separate bike path running right alongside it, so walkers and cyclists never get in each other's way. A towering bronze King Neptune statue keeps watch near the middle, and several stages host free concerts through the summer. There are fewer rides here and more room to roam, which makes it great for an easy, active day.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: Virginia Beach oceanfront, off I-264 near I-95
Season: summer for events; pleasant much of the year
Cost: free to walk and bike
Time needed: a couple of hours
Worth it or skip it? Worth it for walkers, joggers, and cyclists who want space and ocean views. If you like the outdoors, the region's national parks make a great add-on.
Save this breezy three-mile stroll to your bucket list
16. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
As you reach the Carolinas, the boardwalk picks up a warm, Southern beat.
Why you'll remember it: Myrtle Beach's 1.2-mile Oceanfront Boardwalk and Promenade is split into a calm, natural stretch and a buzzing section full of shops, restaurants, and arcades. The star is the SkyWheel, a glass-gondola wheel that stands about 187 feet tall and lights up the night with a glowing show. One end is peaceful, the other is pure energy, and you can have both in one walk. Plenty of oceanfront resorts sit just steps away.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: downtown Myrtle Beach, near the piers
Season: warm and busy spring through fall; open year-round
Cost: free to walk; pay for the SkyWheel and attractions
Time needed: a few hours
Worth it or skip it? Worth it for that big Southern-beach feel, with a sunset wheel ride you won't forget.
Pin this Southern boardwalk to your bucket list
17. Hollywood Beach, Florida
The trip ends where the palm trees take over, on one of the most relaxed walks of them all.
What you're really here for: that easy South Florida glow. Hollywood Beach's brick-paved "Broadwalk" runs about 2.5 miles along the Atlantic, lined with palm trees, open-air cafes, ice cream shops, and live music. It dates back to the 1920s and has been named one of the country's best beach boardwalks by Travel + Leisure. Rent a bike, grab a smoothie, and let the ocean breeze do the rest. While you're in the area, Florida has some of Florida's best beaches within easy reach.
What you need to know before you go:
Location: Hollywood, FL, between Fort Lauderdale and Miami
Season: warm and pleasant year-round
Cost: free to walk and bike
Time needed: a couple of hours, or a lazy afternoon
Worth it or skip it? Worth it as a sunny, laid-back finish to a long coastal road trip.
Park this sunny finale on your bucket list
Planning Your Boardwalk Road Trip
A coast-long boardwalk trip is one of the easiest road trips to plan, because the route is basically the shoreline. Still, a few smart choices make it better.
When to go. Most northern boardwalks come fully alive from late June through Labor Day. The southern ones, like Myrtle Beach and Hollywood Beach, stay warm and open much longer. For smaller crowds and easier parking, aim for June or September.
What it costs. Walking the boards is almost always free. The real spending comes from rides, parking, beach tags, and food. If you want a clearer picture before you set out, here's a helpful look at what a road trip like this costs.
Where to stay. You can keep it simple with a boardwalk motel, or treat yourself. The coast is dotted with options, from a calming spa resort to unwind after a long drive to full-on luxury resorts near the bigger boardwalks.
Off-season and side trips. When these beach towns quiet down in the colder months, the same region still has plenty to offer, from ski resorts in the off-season up in the mountains to peaceful lake getaways instead of the shore.
The takeaway: pick a season, book a few nights near your favorite stops, and let the highway connect the dots.
Ready to turn this list into a real trip? Start mapping your East Coast boardwalk route with Wayback Tours today.
Conclusion
From a chilly Maine pier to a palm-lined walk in Florida, the best boardwalks on the East Coast give you a moving picture of American summer. Some bring big rides and bright lights. Others bring quiet, salt air, and a slow walk at golden hour.
The fun part is that you don't have to choose, because they all sit along the same long, beautiful coast.
So pick a few, plot them north to south, and go make some memories with sand in your shoes.
Save these stops, build your own boardwalk bucket list, and keep every place you want to visit in one spot as you plan future trips with Wayback Tours.
FAQs
Are East Coast boardwalks dog-friendly?
It depends on the town and the season. Many allow leashed dogs in the off-season or during early-morning hours, but most restrict pets on the boards and beach during peak summer days, so check local rules before you go.
Do you need to pay to get on the beach near these boardwalks?
Walking the boardwalk itself is almost always free, but several beaches in New Jersey and New York require a beach tag or pass in summer. Many beaches in Maryland, Virginia, and Florida are free to enter.
How many days do you need to road-trip the East Coast boardwalks?
You could hit the highlights in about a week if you focus on one region, but covering all seventeen from Maine to Florida comfortably takes closer to two weeks with beach time built in.
Are East Coast boardwalks wheelchair and stroller accessible?
Most are, especially the concrete and brick promenades like Virginia Beach, Cape May, and Hollywood Beach. Wooden boardwalks are generally accessible too, though ramps and surfaces vary, so it helps to check ahead for specific spots.
Which boardwalk is best for watching fireworks?
Several put on regular summer fireworks, including Old Orchard Beach and Hampton Beach, which light up the sky on set nights each week in season. Arrive early to grab a good spot on the sand.
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