The New
Jersey Boardwalks - Home to where amusement parks and the ocean blend into one another. A roller coaster ride with
the sea as a visual back drop is a unique experience.
Major boardwalks along the Jersey Shore are at Point Pleasant,
Seaside, Atlantic City, Ocean City, Wildwood, and another one is being renovated at Asbury Park. Most NJ beach towns have
smaller boardwalks that run along the coastline of the Jersey shore.
The
first boardwalk built in America was at Atlantic City in 1870. It was designed to act as a barrier to keep
ocean bathers from tracking sand into the local tourist hotels. This idea was originated by Alexander Boardman, and the
boardwalks of today are named after him.
The two mile long Atlantic City Boardwalk is mostly known for its gambling casinos, but it still retains much of its past, including the Steel Pier.
The Wildwood Boardwalk is over two miles long, has four different piers and more rides
than Disneyland. It is one of the largest amusement parks in the country. One of its many features is the "the Great
White" which is the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster on the east coast.
The mile long boardwalk at Seaside has the Funtown Pier and the Casino Pier which features a merry-go-round built
in 1913. The game of Skeeball is only found on the NJ boardwalk arcades.
Business establishments along boardwalks include Italian and Seafood restaurants, pizzerias, miniature
golf courses, arcades, game stands, souvenir shops, beach gear stores, boutique shops, ice cream and waffle stands, night
clubs, and sweet shops.
