The Top-Ranked Boardwalk In 2026 Is A Vibrant New Jersey Gem (And It's Not Atlantic City)

When it comes to boardwalks, they don't get more legendary than New Jersey's Atlantic City Boardwalk. With its amusement rides, carnival games, and glittering Atlantic Ocean views stretching on for an astonishing 4 miles, this wooden wharf that opened in 1870 comes in as the longest boardwalk in the world. While this East Coast stunner has been immortalized as the setting for the hit HBO television show "Boardwalk Empire," these days, it's not the only waterfront playground on the Jersey Shore emanating star power. According to discerning readers who cast their votes to compile USA Today's "10 Best List," New Jersey's Wildwoods Boardwalk is the top-ranked boardwalk for 2026 — this bustling boardwalk's second year in a row. This vibrant New Jersey gem 45 minutes south of Atlantic City is a rollicking promenade packed with rides, food, and fun that draws almost 9 million revelers per year.

Wildwoods Boardwalk's storied history stretches back to 1890, when it opened as a meandering, 450-foot wooden promenade near the tip of a barrier island in Cape May County on the Jersey Shore. By the turn of the century, it was a major attraction, and it's been a crowd-pleaser ever since. More than once, the boardwalk has been shifted closer to the ocean to accommodate changes in the shoreline, and it has been extended to its current length of nearly 2.5 miles. Electric-powered Sightseer Tramcars popped up on the pier in 1949 to drive passengers along the boardwalk's length. Eight of these tram cars, which were originally used during the 1939 World's Fair, still run today (tickets cost $5 and a one-way trip takes 30 minutes). The cars carry an estimated 500,000 passengers per year across the 70,000 wooden planks that connect the boardwalk to its numerous amusement piers.

Visitors agree Wildwoods boasts one of the most beautiful and thrilling seaside amusement parks in America, which certainly explains its nickname, "two miles of smiles." Alongside its privileged coastal locale, this 38-block long promenade is jam-packed with over 100 rides and attractions, as well as eateries, shops, arcades, and a roster of events. Promising amusement for the whole family, it's no wonder Wildwoods ranks as one of New Jersey's four best boardwalks for 2026.

Thrill-seekers can beeline for the boardwalk's three piers, which are teeming with amusement rides owned and operated by Morey's Piers. Down on Mariner's Pier, you'll find classic seaside rides like the Giant Wheel, a 156-foot-tall Ferris wheel weighing in as one of the largest on the East Coast. Adrenaline junkies can get their fix at Adventure Pier. This is where some of the boardwalk's most extreme rides reside, like the park's famous Great White wooden roller coaster, which hits speeds of more than 50 miles per hour and goes for the kill with a 105-foot drop. The Great Nor' Easter, another popular, scream-inducing ride with an inverted loop and 95-foot drop, is over on Surfside Pier. Surfside Pier is also home to family-friendly faves like Happy Feet and the classic Carousel.

The raging fun continues at Wildwoods' three over-the-top oceanfront water parks. Morey's Piers operates two sprawling wetlands – Ocean Oasis Water Park and Beach Club, stuffed with waterslides, a lazy river, and a poolside bar, and Raging Waters Water Park, filled with big slides and splash zones for youngsters. Hungry? Head over to one of the lively restaurants on Seaport Pier for big eats, delicious drinks, and splendid Atlantic Ocean views. And, of course, no trip to the Jersey Shore is complete without frolicking down to these award-winning, free, and spacious Wildwoods beaches.