Boardwalk Memories

Enter the world of the Jersey Shore through remarkable archival photographs and lively tales in this heartfelt tribute to New Jersey's boardwalks. Millions of tourists have at one time or another visited "The Shore," as the locals fondly refer to the 127-mile coastline between Sandy Hook and Cape May Point. Few leave without a special boardwalk memory. Join historian Emil R. Salvini as he traces the evolution of these "walkways of wood" from humble plank paths to the seaside promenades and busy midways of today.
From Long Branch to Cape May, each of the boardwalks along the New Jersey shore has its own story to tell. While some preserve the honky-tonk, circus-barker atmosphere of yore, others have become peaceful promenades along the sea. North of Long Beach Island, the boardwalks have a distinct Manhattan flavor, with New York-style pizza, Italian sausage sandwiches, and Devils, Yankees, and Mets caps and jerseys in abundance. The boardwalks to the south serve as satellites of Philadelphia, replete with cheese steaks, pork rolls, funnel cakes, and naturally, Flyers and Eagles fans.
If you're looking for a Jersey-style, heavy-decibel, neon-laden boardwalk experience, look no further than Seaside Heights, Ocean City, and Wildwood. Or perhaps you'd prefer the noncommercial boardwalk at Ocean Grove, which reflects the pious tone of the town's religious founders, or that of Spring Lake where there are no rides, no games of chance, no cotton candy, and no funnel cake. As with Cape May to the south, residents here believe visitors come for the peaceful seaside ambience, the quaint architecture, and a chance to step into the past. Whatever your taste, there is a boardwalk that will notdisappoint.