Wildwoods’ Boardwalk wins the #1 spot on the list, which included boardwalks from California to New Jersey
The Wildwoods, NJ – April 16, 2025 – USA Today announced the Wildwoods’ Boardwalk has won Best Boardwalk in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards 2025. The Wildwoods’ Boardwalk was nominated by a panel of travel experts and voted on by the general public.
Fans and supporters voted online for the best boardwalk in the nation, with The Wildwoods taking the number one spot in the 2025 ranking. Nominees on the list included boardwalks from across the nation including in New Jersey, Texas, Virginia, Delaware, Maine, and California. The announcement comes as the Wildwoods are coming off a record-breaking 2024 tourism season, and looking forward to a calendar full of events, including the upcoming the Barefoot Country Music Fest June 18 – 22 and the Wildwoods “Thunder Over The Waves” Air Show September 5 & 6, plus new developments in the resort’s hospitality and entertainment sectors, and to the complete rebuilding of the boardwalk itself.
“It’s thrilling to see our boardwalk named the best in the nation. 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,” explained Louis M. Belasco, Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA) Executive Director.
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 Wildwoods’ Boardwalk offers a pure sensory overload of sights, sounds, and smells to visitors. 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.
Since its birth as a mere 150-yard-stretch of boards in the 1890s designed to keep the sand out of the hotel lobbies, the Wildwoods Boardwalk has always been the center of activity 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. 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, PA.
The Wildwoods Boardwalk is perfect for a stroll on a breezy, starry night or for a scenic daybreak bike ride amid all the Boardwalk’s amusements, shops, games, and restaurants. The Cresse Avenue bike ramp offers a connection from the Dunes Bike Path at the Southern end of Wildwood Crest up onto the Boardwalk, and to the rest of the Wildwoods bikeable paths and streets. At the North end of the Boardwalk, the bike ramp connects to the Mulberry Bike path in North Wildwood all the way to the Sea Wall, a scenic one-way six-mile trek.
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. The Boardwalk was also named among the ‘The 20 Most Iconic Boardwalks in the US’ By INSIDER, MSN.com and BEST TRAVEL TALE.
USA Today’s 10Best provides users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. Created by a team of local travel experts: a well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields – and their cities – but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about so the content is constantly updated.
The Wildwoods offer everything a family could ever want in a fun, affordable vacation destination at the New Jersey Shore! With FREE Events, FREE Beaches, FREE Weekly Fireworks, and FREE Live Music throughout the summer, the Wildwoods are the best family vacation value at the Jersey shore.
For additional information about the Wildwoods, visit www.WildwoodsNJ.com or call 800-992-9732.
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