Page 21 - 2023 Southern NJ Vacationer

popular Boardwalk. Many of the resort’s special events, including craft shows, sports cards/comic book and toy expos, concerts, and some big names like the Beach Boys.
In America’s Greatest Family Resort, traditional family fun has always been the lure on the city’s boarded walkway, and still is today. Ocean City’s stretch of boards is more than two miles of entertainment and forget-your-diet treats of pizza, Johnson’s caramel popcorn and ice cream with sprinkles. The biggest attractions on the walk are the amusement piers – Gillian’s Wonderland Pier at 6th Street and Playland Castaway Cove at 10th Street – with excitement ranging from delightful boat rides for little ones to zipping, twisting roller coasters for the more adventuresome.
OC Waterpark and OC Adventure Golf at Plymouth Place on the Boardwalk is a wet and wild adventure for the whole family with slides that range from the thrilling to the tame, emptying into the activity pond.
Ocean City’s Boardwalk offers classic family entertainment, relatively untouched by trendiness, from early morning with bicyclists, runners and walkers enjoying the fresh ocean air to the afternoon when people linger over lunch or spend time at the water- park. By evening the Boardwalk is the prime destination for families as the lights come on and the sounds of laughter and delight fill the night air. The Music Pier at Moorlyn Terrace is the home of the Ocean City Pops and a venue for musical, artistic and community events throughout the year.
In the 1970s, the Atlantic City Boardwalk played an important role in the renaissance of the resort with casinos and hotels, shops,
restaurants and new attractions. Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, an entertainment center since opening in 1929, was home to the Miss America Pageant for decades. The Hall is a popular venue for legendary entertainers like Elton John, Cher, and Fleetwood Mac among them.
The famous rolling chairs are still an attraction – and a great way to get around – to one of five casinos, or to the many eateries, shops and attractions that still operate on America’s oldest boardwalk walkway in Atlantic City.
While Southern New Jersey’s vacationers flock to the region’s major Boardwalks, there are smaller promenades in other resort towns that are popular entertainment hubs.
Sea Isle City’s Promenade runs along the beach from 29th to 57th streets perfect for a morning walk or bike ride. Check out the summer concerts at the Pavilion or visit the
many shops and eateries along the Promenade. Take a deep breath and smell the fresh salt air mingled with the smell of popcorn and pizza. It’s a summer Boardwalk experience that is relaxing, not overly crowded or hectic, as you walk along the Promenade just enjoying the ocean and the ambiance of the resort.
Cape May’s wooden boardwalk was destroyed in the Storm of 1962, now only a memory for many visitors to this Victorian resort. It was rebuilt as a promenade, a paved surface that stretches about two miles along the beachfront with Convention Hall as the centerpiece, The Promenade, just steps away from the famous restaurants and great attractions in America’s First Seaside Resort, is also home to summer craft and art shows.
So, there you have it. Some Boardwalk history, new attractions, some changes, and a whole lot of fun – it’s the boards – it’s tradition! G
SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY VACATIONER 19