USA TODAY 10Best
Riverside rambles: 10 best riverwalks across the US
Best Riverwalk (2024)
Cities across the United States have transformed their riverfront areas into multi-use spaces for recreational purposes, cultural activities, dining, and nightlife. And strolling along any of these 10 riverwalks — nominated by an expert panel and voted by readers as the best in the country — offers an experience that combines the serenity of nature with the liveliness of city life.
- Scioto Mile - Columbus, Ohio
- Charles River Esplanade - Boston, Massachusetts
- Wilmington Riverwalk - Wilmington, North Carolina
- Riverfront Fort Wayne - Fort Wayne, Indiana
- San Antonio River Walk - San Antonio, Texas
- Riverfront Park (Spokane) - Spokane, Washington
- Tampa Riverwalk - Tampa, Florida
- Waterfront Park - Louisville, Kentucky
- Woldenberg Riverfront Park - New Orleans, Louisiana
- Smale Riverfront Park - Cincinnati, Ohio
Photo courtesy of Randall L. Schieber and Columbus Recreation and Parks
No. 10:
Columbus' Scioto Mile features 175 acres of green parkland connecting downtown to the Scioto River. You'll find nine parks here, 12 miles of surrounding trails for walking and biking, a climbing wall, a 15,000-square-foot interactive fountain, and a year-round series of community-wide events on offer, like the Rhythm on the River music series and Jazz and Rib Fest. The panoramic glass-enclosed Milestone 229 restaurant and a cultural arts center ensure that even those who aren't into outdoor activity will love coming here.
Photo courtesy of Sebastian Gonzalez Quintero
No. 9:
The Charles River Esplanade in downtown Boston features a 64-acre park and 17 miles of running trails along the waterfront. The riverfront is also home to a community boat launch, a small cafe that's open during the warm seasons, and an outdoor amphitheater for summer concerts.
Photo courtesy of Wilmington and Beaches CVB
No. 8:
Located along the Cape Fear River, Wilmington's riverfront is home to a colorful riverwalk lined with more than 200 cafes, bars, and shops. Just across the river, history buffs can tour the moored battleship USS North Carolina. The annual Riverfest, held each October, brings hundreds of craft and food vendors to the riverfront for two days of live music, fireworks, and a street fair.
Photo courtesy of Visit Fort Wayne
No. 7:
The St. Joseph, St. Marys, and Maumee rivers have long been the lifeblood of Fort Wayne. Today, their banks are home to the Riverfront, a green development project highlighted by Promenade Park and a Rivergreenway Trail that's 26 miles of paths for hikers, bikers, and walkers. You can rent kayaks and canoes to get on the water, there are boat tours, Segway tours, a playground, and even an ice skating rink amongst the highlights. Food trucks and a concert amphitheater ensure you won't go hungry or lack for entertainment either.
Photo courtesy of Visit San Antonio | Bob Howen Photography
No. 6:
The iconic San Antonio River Walk has a history dating back to 1937 when the Texas Legislature created the San Antonio River Authority. Since then, this vibrant downtown attraction keeps getting better and better. Restaurants, bars, hotels, and an outdoor amphitheater line the canal, with pedestrian paths to either side and a series of picturesque stone footbridges spanning the water. Water taxis shuttle visitors along the canal, and everything's in walking distance of other attractions, including the Alamo.
Photo courtesy of Troy A Walsh/Visit Spokane
No. 5:
What was formerly an old railway yard is now 100 acres of urban escape along the pretty Spokane River. Highlights include a winter ice skating area, a SkyRide aerial cable car above Spokane Falls, a handcarved carousel, and an abundance of playgrounds, basketball courts, and live open-air concerts.
Photo courtesy of Visit Tampa Bay
No. 4:
The Tampa Riverwalk was created to connect the businesses, parks, and museums along the riverfront in Tampa, Florida. It also serves as a central spot for performances, art, leisure, and fitness activities. At 2.6 miles long, there are plenty of places to stop and enjoy along the way, from restaurants to museums, not to mention the scenery.
Photo courtesy of Steve Grider
No. 3:
Since 1986, Louisville's frontage along the Ohio River has undergone quite the renaissance with the introduction of the 85-acre Waterfront Park, an expanse of picnic areas, walking paths, and sprawling green spaces. Visitors to the riverwalk enjoy spots to chill out, playgrounds, boat launches, and numerous public art installations.
Photo courtesy of Audubon Nature Institute
No. 2:
New Orleans' Woldenberg Riverfront Park will get you from the historic French Quarter to the Mississippi River, and this 1.5-mile promenade is perfect for jogging or more sedate activities, like checking out the Audubon Aquarium or Insectarium. Visitors and locals alike enjoy public art, strolling bands, and a fun water feature.
No. 1:
At Smale Riverfront Park in Cincinnati, visitors can watch the river traffic float by, cycle along the Ohio River Trail, buy fresh produce at the Castellini Esplanade farmers market, cool off in the Fath Family Fountain, or stop to smell the flowers in the Gardner Family Grove and Rose Garden.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Allison Tibaldi
Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based... Read More
Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based in New York City. She has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne Australia, Toronto and Los Angeles. She studied early childhood development in graduate school and firmly believes that travel is the best education. She writes for numerous publications including CNN, Travel Channel, HGTV, am New York, Emirates Open Skies, Family Traveller and Travel Weekly.
Allison Tibaldi
Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based in New York City. She has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne Australia, Toronto and Los Angeles. She studied early childhood development in graduate school and firmly believes that travel is the best education. She writes for numerous publications including CNN, Travel Channel, HGTV, am New York, Emirates Open Skies, Family Traveller and Travel Weekly.
Kirstie and Christine of On Airplane Mode Travels
Kirstie Pike and Christine Diaz are award-winning... Read More
Kirstie Pike and Christine Diaz are award-winning LGBTQ+ travel creators and trailblazers, using their platform, On Airplane Mode, to inspire others to follow their passions while celebrating their unique identities. With the leading LGBTQ+ travel platform in the US, they have a thriving community of over 650,000+ followers. The dynamic duo craft unique storytelling content that resonates with diverse audiences, sparking positive transformation within the travel industry, making it a more inclusive and vibrant space.
Kirstie and Christine of On Airplane Mode Travels
Kirstie Pike and Christine Diaz are award-winning LGBTQ+ travel creators and trailblazers, using their platform, On Airplane Mode, to inspire others to follow their passions while celebrating their unique identities. With the leading LGBTQ+ travel platform in the US, they have a thriving community of over 650,000+ followers. The dynamic duo craft unique storytelling content that resonates with diverse audiences, sparking positive transformation within the travel industry, making it a more inclusive and vibrant space.
Marla Cimini
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music... Read More
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (and combining those whenever possible)! As an avid globetrotter, she encourages respecting and learning about other cultures while traveling. She has visited Hawaii multiple times, and has explored destinations worldwide, including the Mediterranean region, South America, Asia and more. Marla is a contributor to Fodor’s Hawaii guidebooks (Oahu and Kauai 2020) and her articles have appeared in a number of international publications. She calls New Jersey (Philadelphia area) home. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter and read her travel tips and adventures on her website.
Marla Cimini
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (and combining those whenever possible)! As an avid globetrotter, she encourages respecting and learning about other cultures while traveling. She has visited Hawaii multiple times, and has explored destinations worldwide, including the Mediterranean region, South America, Asia and more. Marla is a contributor to Fodor’s Hawaii guidebooks (Oahu and Kauai 2020) and her articles have appeared in a number of international publications. She calls New Jersey (Philadelphia area) home. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter and read her travel tips and adventures on her website.
Meg St-Esprit
Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh... Read More
Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh who covers family travel, lifestyle, education, and parenting. With their four kids in tow, she and her husband love to travel anywhere and everywhere — but have a soft spot for camping and outdoor adventures. In fact, her kids are well on their way to achieving their goal of visiting all 124 state parks in Pennsylvania. Meg believes travel doesn’t need to be luxurious or costly to be valuable, and aims to share that with her audience. Meg’s work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Thrillist, The Washington Post, Fodor’s, Yahoo, Good Housekeeping, Romper, and more. Follow Meg on Instagram and Twitter at @megstesprit or check out her work on https://megstesprit.com/
Meg St-Esprit
Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh who covers family travel, lifestyle, education, and parenting. With their four kids in tow, she and her husband love to travel anywhere and everywhere — but have a soft spot for camping and outdoor adventures. In fact, her kids are well on their way to achieving their goal of visiting all 124 state parks in Pennsylvania. Meg believes travel doesn’t need to be luxurious or costly to be valuable, and aims to share that with her audience. Meg’s work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Thrillist, The Washington Post, Fodor’s, Yahoo, Good Housekeeping, Romper, and more. Follow Meg on Instagram and Twitter at @megstesprit or check out her work on https://megstesprit.com/
Melody Pittman
Melody Pittman is the owner and creator of Read More
Melody Pittman is the owner and creator of Wherever I May Roam Blog and is co-owner of the Southern Travelers Explore annual conference, in its 4th year, which brings CVBS and writers/influencers together from all over the country. She is a digital influencer and writes for both online and print publications, such as Travel Awaits, Charleston Home and Living Magazine, Matador Network, She Buys Travel, and more. Melody has worked with major brands during her nine-year career, such as Viking River Cruises, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Disney, hundreds of tourism boards, and GO RVing. Melody’s first book “100 Things to Do in West Virginia Before You Die” was released in the spring of 2023. She has a podcast, 100ThingsWV, and social channels to go along with the book. Melody loves road trips, small towns, cruising, and sharing lesser-known destinations with her followers via TikTok, Youtube, IG, and FB. After a year of full-time RV travel, she now resides in Mesquite, Nevada.
Melody Pittman
Melody Pittman is the owner and creator of Wherever I May Roam Blog and is co-owner of the Southern Travelers Explore annual conference, in its 4th year, which brings CVBS and writers/influencers together from all over the country. She is a digital influencer and writes for both online and print publications, such as Travel Awaits, Charleston Home and Living Magazine, Matador Network, She Buys Travel, and more. Melody has worked with major brands during her nine-year career, such as Viking River Cruises, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Disney, hundreds of tourism boards, and GO RVing. Melody’s first book “100 Things to Do in West Virginia Before You Die” was released in the spring of 2023. She has a podcast, 100ThingsWV, and social channels to go along with the book. Melody loves road trips, small towns, cruising, and sharing lesser-known destinations with her followers via TikTok, Youtube, IG, and FB. After a year of full-time RV travel, she now resides in Mesquite, Nevada.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
