When the sun goes down, Ocean City boardwalk lights go up in N.J.

When the sun goes down, Ocean City Boardwalk lights go up in N.J.

Bill Barlow

July 2, 2018

The lights of the Ferris wheel at Playland’s Castaway Cove amusement park are a blur. Motorists coming over the Ninth Street Causeway can watch these and the lights of the Gillian’s Wonderland Ferris wheel change and spin as they head into town. (Bill Barlow/for WHYY)
The riders blur by on the carousel at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier in Ocean City. (Bill Barlow/for WHYY)
The swing at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier on the Ocean City Boardwalk lights up as the sun sets. (Bill Barlow/for WHYY)
The Cyclone at Playland’s Castaway Cove spins around while moving back and forth, all very quickly. (Bill Barlow for WHYY)
The carousel at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier on the Ocean City Boardwalk dates from 1926 and remains a favorite of young riders. (Bill Barlow/for WHYY)
A closeup of one of the horses on the carousel at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier on the Ocean City Boardwalk. (Bill Barlow/for WHYY)
The riders blur by as they reach for the ring on the carousel at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier in Ocean City. (Bill Barlow/for WHYY)
The Boardwalk on a summer night is the place to see and be seen. (Bill Barlow/WHYY)
The Musik Express at Gillian’s Wonderland plays pop music while the riders speed backward and forward on the ride. (Bill Barlow/for WHYY)
A view of the towering Ferris wheel at Gillian’s Wonderland in Ocean City. (Bill Barlow/for WHYY)
A drop tower is a recent addition to the Gillian’s Wonderland Pier on the Ocean City Boardwalk. (Bill Barlow/WHYY)
A car of the monorail train makes its way around Gillian’s Wonderland in Ocean City. (Bill Barlow/for WHYY)
A small crowd gathers at the end of the Ocean City Music Pier to watch the moon rise. (Bill Barlow/for WHYY)
Fishermen and boardwalkers head down to the beach for the best view of a dramatic moonrise after dark. (Bill Barlow/for WHYY)
Not far from the bustle and noise of the Boardwalk, the view over the ocean is calm and quiet as the waves reflect the moon. (Bill Barlow/for WHYY)

This holiday week, the beaches of Ocean City, New Jersey, are packed with visitors, drawn by the lure of summer fun and a respite from the heat. With July 4 happening midweek, expect big crowds each day.

But when the sun goes down, the Boardwalk becomes the place to see and be seen. There’s pizza and plenty of other options for dinner and shopping. Then there are the rides — including the huge Ferris wheel at Gillian’s Wonderland Pier and the roller coasters of Playland’s Castaway Cove.

WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.