Most Awesome Boardwalk Smackdown Has People Talking Smack and–Possibly–Taking Smack?

By Liz Spikol· 7/23/2013, 1:32 p.m.

Okay, we’re fairly certain that even those who didn’t make the list of Budget Travel Magazine’s Most Awesome Boardwalks have not reached a pit of despair so deep that they’ve been reduced to pursuing drug addiction. But these debates can get passionate, that’s for sure, when the stakes are high.

Everyone at the Jersey Shore is looking for tourism this summer, worried that Sandy, or national perceptions of Sandy, will keep people away. Budget Travel included area boardwalks at Atlantic City, Point Pleasant, Wildwood and Rehoboth–but did not mention Ocean City, NJ, which does, indeed, seem odd. But Ocean City, Maryland, got a strong mention, and perhaps the writers felt it would be too clunky to have two Ocean Cities on the list (far-fetched, we realize).

The local picks had special qualities that made them stand out. We’ll put it into our own words:

Atlantic City: American iconography; Boardwalk Empire; grandmas at slots

Rehoboth: quiet, quiet, the breeze blows but eddies of trash there are not

Wildwoods: We can only quote the piece: “spirit of the Jersey Shore”–god help us

Point Pleasant: retro appeal of charming rides; family-friendly; unhurried pace

And now, some photos.