Boardwalk
A
boardwalk is a place, most typically in beachfront communities, where a wooden path for
pedestrians and sometimes
vehicles runs along a
beach or overlooking and close to a beach. Although boardwalks can be found around the world, they are especially common along the
East Coast of the United States in
North America. The first boardwalk was designed in
New Jersey and opened
June 26,
1870, in
Atlantic City.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jun26.html*
Atlantic City, New Jersey - The Boardwalk starts at Absecon Inlet and runs along the beach for four miles (six kilometers) to the city limit. An additional one and one half miles (two kilometers) of the Boardwalk extend into
Ventnor City. Casino/hotels front the boardwalk, as well as retail stores, restaurants, and amusements. Several piers extend the boardwalk over the Atlantic Ocean. Garden Pier houses the
Atlantic City Historical Museum and the
Atlantic City Art Center. The four story "Pier at Caesars" entertainment complex opened in
July 2006. This boardwalk gained notoriety due to the
board game Monopoly, which was based upon the trading and dealing of
real estate in Atlantic City; in the game, Boardwalk is the most expensive property to purchase and develop, but also yields the greatest rent payoffs to its owner.
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Wildwood, New Jersey - The 2
mile (3 kilometer) long boardwalk has a total of five amusement piers plus a myriad of other carnival games, souvenir shops, food stands, waterparks, and world-class roller coasters. The Boardwalk started out as a mere 150 feet (45 meters). It has actually been moved closer to the ocean twice. Today, the boardwalk stretches from 16th Ave in
North Wildwood to Cresse Ave in
Wildwood Crest. The Wildwood Boardwalk is said to have more rides than Disneyland. Kiddie rides include a convoy of airplanes, trucks, dune buggies, boats, and trains. Flying elephants, teacups, bouncing giraffes, mini-erris wheels, and a traditional carousel round out the mix. Children are said to line up for their chance to sit in the driver's seat of the bumper car ride.
* Ocean City, New Jersey - The 4 kilometer (2.5 mile) boardwalk in Ocean City has classic attractions and many newer additions. The 140-foot (42 meter) Ferris Wheel can be seen from miles (kilometers) around, with views of
Ocean City and the surrounding communities from the top. Other rides include rollercoasters, bumper cars, water rides, and tens of miniature golf courses. Shops sell souvenirs and snacks, such as cotton candy, popcorn, pizza, and ice cream. Other boardwalk activities include enjoying the sunrise with a leisurely walk, a brisk jog, a bike tour, a ride on a surrey cart, or a meal at one of the many ocean front cafes.
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Coney Island,
Brooklyn, New York -
Riegelmann Boardwalk, located along the southern shore of Brooklyn along the
Atlantic Ocean, Coney Island is known for the amusement parks along the boardwalk. Many of its most famous parks no longer exist, but the boardwalk still hosts the Cyclone roller coaster and the Wonder Wheel ferris wheel, as well as the
New York Aquarium. A recent addition to the boardwalk is
KeySpan Park, home of the minor-league
Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team.
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The boardwalk in Asbury Park |
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Asbury Park's boardwalk is in the process of revitalization and has recently been connected to the neighboring town of
Ocean Grove, New Jersey.
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Hampton Beach, New Hampshire - This boardwalk is largely a tourist attraction. In fact, it is widely used for common shops where it is possible for
tourists to purchase
souvenirs and trinkets to remember their trip.
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Sandwich, Massachusetts - This boardwalk does not, strictly speaking, lead along the beach. Instead, it begins in a parking lot and leads through the salt marshes and out to the beach. It was destroyed in a powerful storm and was then rebuilt through donations made by the townspeople. In turn, family names were carved into the planks of the boardwalk, and it is still used to this day.
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Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk,
Santa Cruz, California - This boardwalk is the oldest
amusement park in
California and is the home to two
national historic landmarks - the
Looff Carousel and the
Giant Dipper roller coaster. The boardwalk was opened in
1907.
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Toronto, Ontario,
Canada -
The Beaches neighbourhood has a boardwalk along its scenic
Lake Ontario shoreline. It runs 3 kilometers from Ashbridge's Bay in the west to the
R.C. Harris Filtration Plant in the east. [
1]
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Venice Beach, California - This 2.5 kilometer boardwalk has a bike path, rollerskaters and skateboard ramps, restaurants, sunglasses, and plenty of tourists. Venice beach is famous for muscle beach, where body builders work out.
California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger worked out on
Muscle Beach and made
Gold's Gym famous in the
1980s.
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Keansburg, New Jersey's boardwalk houses one of America's oldest amusement parks, which houses vintage rides dating back to the 1920s.
 |
An isolated village in rural SW Alaska. |
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Eskimo villages of the
Yukon-
Kuskokwim Delta,
Alaska - Today, 10 foot (3 meter) wide heavy-duty boardwalks are common in villages throughout this part of
Bush Alaska. Tuntutuliak was the first village to receive them in the mid 1990s by way of a government funded program to determine whether they would be a worthwhile investment elsewhere. Before the existence of these boardwalks, a much narrower, lower, and less extensive system of boards and boardwalks served delta villages. [
2]
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Plank road*
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk*
Travel Channel - Best American Boardwalks*
Ocean County Boardwalks*
The Star Ledger - Photo Gallery "New Jersey Boardwalks"
