The Wildwoods, NJ – April 15, 2026 – USA Today announced the Wildwoods’ Boardwalk has won Best Boardwalk in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards 2026. The Wildwoods’ Boardwalk was nominated by a panel of travel experts and voted on by the general public. This is the second consecutive year the Wildwoods Boardwalk has been named to the #1 spot on the list. The complete ’10 Best’ list includes popular boardwalks from around the country:
- Wildwoods Boardwalk
- Kemah Boardwalk
- Ocean City Boardwalk
- Carolina Beach Boardwalk
- Atlantic City Boardwalk
- Venice Beach Boardwalk
- Ocean Beach Park Boardwalk
- Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
- Virginia Beach Boardwalk
- Boardwalk at Point Pleasant Beach
Fans and supporters voted online for the best boardwalk in the nation, with The Wildwoods taking the number one spot in the 2026 ranking. Nominees on the list included boardwalks from across the nation including in New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Virginia, Delaware, Maine, and California. The ‘Best Boardwalk’ announcement comes as the Wildwoods prepares for its signature events on the beaches and boardwalk including Barefoot Country Music Festival June 18-21, and the Wildwood Airshow September 12-13, as well as patriotic events to celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary Celebration, including the 10th Annual Flags of Liberty Ceremony on May 22.
“It’s an incredible honor to see the Wildwoods’ Boardwalk named the best in the nation for a second consecutive year. What makes this recognition especially meaningful is that it comes from the visitors, residents, and devoted fans who hold the Wildwoods close to their hearts. We’re proud that so many continue to celebrate the Wildwoods and our boardwalk as one of the crown jewels of the Jersey Shore,” said Louis M. Belasco, Executive Director of the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA).
The Wildwoods’ Boardwalk, overlooking the island’s spacious beaches, offers an 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 two 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 2.5-mile Boardwalk. 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. The Wildwoods have enjoyed national acclaim for many years, and in 2025, the resort received numerous awards and accolades for its attractions, placing the resort at the top of national ‘Best’ lists from USA Today, Newsweek, HGTV and more, earning recognition for having some of the country’s best beaches, Boardwalk, and events. Travel + Leisure, The New York Times, TripAdvisor, Priceline and other national publications have named the resort a top-trending destination with one-of-a-kind events and standout offerings.
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.
