
Venice Beach, Ocean City and Virginia Beach's boardwalks aren't ranked as high as a CT one
And if you want to visit a classic one, you'll find one of the very best in Connecticut with stunning views.
USA TODAY 10BEST Readers' Choice Awards recently its public space rankings, and one boardwalk in Connecticut ranked among the best in the country.
The annual 10BEST awards highlight the best in travel, food and lifestyle, and winners are chosen by a public voting poll after being nominated by industry experts. In the public spaces awards, highlighting the top parks, playgrounds, trails and more from across the country, the Ocean Beach Park Boardwalk in New London ranked second for best boardwalk.
Here's what to know about the state's top-rated boardwalk.
Located at the end of Ocean Avenue in New London, Ocean Beach Park is a half-mile white sand beach overlooking Long Island Sound.
According to USA TODAY, the beach's boardwalk is a "New England gem" which "combines classic boardwalk charm with modern amenities."
Boardwalk activities at Ocean Beach Park include an arcade, a playground, a gift shop, mini golf, a triple water slide, a spray park and an Olympic-size swimming pool. Those looking to get away from the water can enjoy a walk on the park's nature trail, overlooking the beautiful Alewife Cove. Beachgoers can also enjoy a variety of classic boardwalk rides, including the spinning Scrambler, the dizzying Octopus and an old-school carousel. The boardwalk also frequently hosts special events, such as music concerts and firework shows.
Worked up an appetite from a busy day on the boardwalk? Ocean Beach has multiple casual dining options with spectacular views of the ocean, including the Sandbar Cafe, the Boardwalk Galley and for a sweet summer treat, the Boardwalk Creamery.
Ocean Beach Park is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with parking costing $30 on weekdays or $40 on weekends and holidays. Certain attractions on the boardwalk may have additional costs. The boardwalk is located at 98 Neptune Ave. in New London.
CT beaches: This little known Connecticut beach town was named a 'hidden gem.' Here's where it is
Here is the full ranking of USA TODAY's top 10 boardwalks in the country:
Wildwoods Boardwalk - Wildwood, NJ
Ocean Beach Park Boardwalk - New London, CT
Carolina Beach Boardwalk - Carolina Beach, NC
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - Santa Cruz, CA
Kemah Boardwalk - Kemah, TX
Atlantic City Boardwalk - Atlantic City, NJ
Venice Beach Boardwalk - Venice, CA
Ocean City Boardwalk - Ocean City, NJ
Ocean City Boardwalk - Ocean City, MD
Virginia Beach Boardwalk - Virginia Beach, VA
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Move over Venice Beach, this CT boardwalk named one of best in US
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