Islands.com Names New England's Eight Best Ocean Boardwalks

Islands.com has published a ranking of eight boardwalks across New England, selecting the promenades for scenic ocean views and beach appeal, according to the outlet's report.

What Did Islands.com Include In The Ranking

The list groups eight seaside boardwalks spanning the New England coastline, according to Islands.com. The outlet's framing centers on classic promenades known for ocean sightlines and beach access rather than newer commercial boardwalk developments, per the report.

How Islands.com Judged Ocean Views And Beach Appeal

Islands.com built the ranking around two stated criteria: scenic ocean views and what the outlet calls beach beauty, according to its report. The publication frames the list as a resource for travelers mapping out coastal stops rather than a scientific or data-driven ranking, per the original piece.

Where To Read The Full List

The complete ranking, including each boardwalk's location and description, is available in Islands.com's original report. Travelers planning a multi-stop New England coastal trip can use the outlet's rankings to sequence visits by region.

How Should Visitors Prep Skin And Hair Before A Boardwalk Trip

Boardwalk visits typically mean hours of sun and saltwater exposure, and two recent HTT News dispatches address that prep directly. Researchers have developed a reef-safe sunscreen derived from pollen, an option relevant to travelers visiting coastal ecosystems where reef-safe formulations are increasingly requested, according to HTT News's dateline report. Separately, hair exposed to saltwater during a beach or boardwalk day benefits from a post-swim rinse, though whether to treat or simply leave saltwater residue depends on hair type, according to HTT News's guide on managing saltwater hair.

What To Watch

• Whether Islands.com updates its New England boardwalk list seasonally as travel patterns shift.
• How reef-safe sunscreen formulations, including pollen-derived options, reach retail shelves ahead of the next coastal travel season.
• Local tourism boards' responses to boardwalk rankings that could shift visitor traffic toward specific towns.

Travelers can consult the original Islands.com report for the full eight-boardwalk list, names, and locations before finalizing a New England coastal itinerary.

What Else Should Travelers Pack For Coastal Boardwalk Stops

Beyond sunscreen and post-swim hair care, the two HTT News dispatches referenced above point to broader prep considerations for anyone working through Islands.com's eight-stop list. The pollen-derived sunscreen research speaks to a wider push toward reef-safe formulations for travelers visiting sensitive coastal ecosystems, a factor that can matter more at some New England boardwalk stops than others depending on local marine habitat, according to HTT News's dateline report. On hair care, the saltwater guide notes that treatment decisions hinge on individual hair type rather than a single fixed routine, according to HTT News's guide. Travelers stringing together multiple boardwalk visits in one trip may find that consideration more relevant than a one-stop day trip, given the added cumulative sun and saltwater exposure across a multi-town itinerary.