7 of America’s Most Famous Boardwalks and Piers

From coast to coast, waterfront towns and cities in the U.S. have perfected the boardwalk concept — elevating it from a simple wooden walkway to a neon-lit vacation in and of itself, fitted with arcade games and fresh-pulled taffy, live music, and thrilling rides along one flank and spectacular beach views on the other. Here are seven famous boardwalks and piers in the U.S. to visit this summer.

Atlantic City Boardwalk – Atlantic City, New Jersey

The concept of erecting an oceanfront wooden pathway as a tourist attraction began when 19th-century developers decided to promote Atlantic City as a resort destination. Even if they didn’t want to get sand in their shoes, visitors to the Jersey Shore could stroll the length of the beach, admiring the view and breathing in the fresh salt air. And thus, history was made on June 26, 1870, when the first boardwalk in the U.S. opened in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Rather than the permanent structure seen today, the original boardwalk was disassembled during the winter months, before it was replaced with the permanent structure seen today. The boardwalk helped to establish the Jersey Shore as a must-visit East Coast getaway, giving vacationers a whole new seaside world of shops, hotels, casinos, and restaurants to enjoy. Spanning more than 5 miles today, the Atlantic City boardwalk remains the longest boardwalk in the world.

Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk – Brooklyn, New York

Coney Island in Brooklyn is the site of a boardwalk that feels uniquely New York: noisy, thrilling, and kitschy; simultaneously sophisticated and rough; and filled with unbeatable people watching. Though the boardwalk’s heyday was in the first half of the 20th century, Coney Island is still a popular destination in summer months, when its amusement parks and sandy beaches lure city dwellers by the thousands.

Landmarks such as Nathan’s Famous (site of the annual hot-dog eating contest), the Wonder Wheel, and the Cyclone wooden roller coaster anchor the boardwalk, while salsa dancers, strolling retirees, canoodling teenagers, and sunbathing beachgoers share its wide stretches. And beyond the sand beach and riprap jetties, the blue waters of the Atlantic beckon. 

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk – Santa Cruz, California

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk began as a saltwater pool inside a bathhouse. At the time, saltwater bathing was thought to bring good health, and some practitioners were interested in the benefits of seawater (without the sand, ocean currents, or harsh sunlight). Soon, other businesses sprang up around the bathhouse — souvenir shops, photo studios, arcade games, a bandstand, and even a casino — and by the time the boardwalk was officially established in 1907, these eclipsed the bathhouse altogether.

Though it has weathered as many ups and downs over the years as its famous Giant Dipper roller coaster, the historic boardwalk has undeniable appeal, resplendent in neon and California sunlight and cooled by a bracing Pacific breeze. Don’t miss the deep-fried artichoke hearts (grown locally and fried on-site) or a ride on the candy-colored Sky Glider cars that cruise over the boardwalk on cables. 

Navy Pier – Chicago, Illinois

Sometimes boardwalks run parallel to the water, and sometimes, as in the case of Chicago’s Navy Pier, they jut out into the water atop docks or piers. Originally, the buildings on Navy Pier were erected on an existing shipping pier to house soldiers and sailors and military operations during World War I, a use that continued through the end of World War II. 

The pier’s position, at the mouth of the Chicago River near the city’s downtown area and the museums along the lakefront, made it attractive to developers. In 1995, they transformed the 50-acre site into the amusement and entertainment hub that it is today. Navy Pier’s distinctive profile — with an enormous 196-foot Ferris wheel, the merrily lit and tilting mushroom top of a swing chair ride, and the pointed and striped canopy of a carousel — lends an air of playfulness to the city’s imposing skyline.

Myrtle Beach Boardwalk – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

The 60-mile stretch of Atlantic Coast in South Carolina known as the Grand Strand contains several of the state’s most famous beach destinations. That includes Myrtle Beach — which attracts more than 10 million visitors every year to its 1.2-mile beachfront boardwalk, lined with seafood restaurants, amusement parks, golf courses, and other family-friendly attractions.

Replacing a former wooden boardwalk built in the 1930s, which was later destroyed by a hurricane, the current Myrtle Beach Boardwalk opened in 2010 at a cost of over $6 million. Visitors can hop aboard the SkyWheel in Myrtle Beach — one of the country’s tallest Ferris wheels — to take in panoramic views of the Grand Strand. Nearby, other popular beaches along the Grand Strand include Surfside Beach, Murrell’s Inlet, and Garden City Beach.

Santa Monica Pier – Santa Monica, California

The Atlantic City and Coney Island boardwalks may be more historic, but it’s hard to imagine a more classic American boardwalk than the Santa Monica Pier west of Los Angeles. The pier is topped with a tangle of primary-color rides and attractions, as haphazardly arranged as a child’s tinkertoy construction. After a day in the SoCal sun, the whole joyous affair is lit in the evening by a winning combination of neon lights and the Pacific sunset. 

The western terminus of the famous Route 66, the pier has been a favorite Hollywood location since Charlie Chaplin first used it in 1914. In the modern era, it has hosted the cinematic likes of the Muppets, Forrest Gump, Iron Man, and Sharknado. You’ll find a Ferris wheel, dozens of carnival rides and games, T-shirt shops, a historic carousel with hand-carved wooden horses, and even an ocean education center and aquarium called Heal the Bay. 

Ocean Front Walk at Venice Beach – Venice Beach, California

A mere 2 miles south of the Santa Monica Pier, the Ocean Front Walk at Venice Beach offers many of the same familiar elements as other boardwalks, with an added flavor all its own. First, the boardwalk is not elevated — it’s just a wide paved walkway so you can easily step off into the sand or grass along the way to watch volleyball, witness stunts at the skatepark, or observe the many bodybuilders under the shade of towering palms. (The area is nicknamed Muscle Beach for a reason — it’s where a young Arnold Schwarzenegger was a regular.)

But perhaps the biggest reason to visit is the one-of-a-kind culture of the boardwalk. It offers a delightful mix of quirky street entertainers, attention-seeking philosopher-poets, and tanned surfers who look like they’ve just arrived from central casting. This is the wild-eyed, hippie, health-nut version of Californian culture come to life — and it’s not to be missed.