Steel Pier

Atlantic City, United States

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Steel Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey, opened on June 18, 1898, as a 2,300-foot wooden pier with steel reinforcements, quickly becoming the "Showplace of the Nation" famed for high-diving horses plunging into the Atlantic, big band performances by stars like Frank Sinatra and the Beatles, circuses, exhibits, and massive crowds up to 80,000 on peak days through the mid-20th century.

Rebuilt after storms and fires, including a devastating 1982 blaze, the current 1,000-foot concrete structure owned by the Catanoso family since the 1990s features over 24 rides like the second-largest Ferris wheel in America, Slingshot, go-karts, carousel, teacups, arcades, games, helicopter tours, and food stands right on the boardwalk opposite casinos.

Once hosting Miss America pageants, Annie Oakley, and innovations like car exhibits, it endures as a family thrill spot blending over 125 years of seaside history with ocean views and classic Jersey Shore excitement.