WHY GO: Couples and families have been taking advantage of all the things to do in Wildwood NJ for generations. Part of The Wildwoods – a Jersey Shore barrier island that encompasses the municipalities of North Wildwood (aka “Anglesea”), Wildwood NJ, and Wildwood Crest – this town embraces a fleeting moment before the groovy psychedelic era.
It was a point in time when “Doo Wop” music commandeered the airwaves and kooky “Jetsonian” architecture ruled the off-boardwalk streets. A celebration of tackiness and kitsch, Wildwood’s slogan can now best be summed up, “Never Nuance!”
In the 50’s and 60’s, “all the greats” played at nightclubs called The Hurricane, Rainbow, Beachcomber, Riptides, Surf Club, the Starlight Ballroom, and a multitude of others.
But, in 1979, Resorts International opened in Atlantic City 40 miles to the north, leading to a casino growth spurt that attracted headliners, and by the ‘80’s Wildwood fell into decline.
If you had visited then, when misbehavior and seediness prevailed, and haven’t returned since – come back! You will be amazed.
Wildwoods’ Triumphant Return
Over the last 15 years, Wildwood has made a triumphant return, regaining its retro family-friendly reputation and taking full ownership of, yes, its tacky “Alt-Deco” motels that have since been elevated from dump to adorable.
The massive Wildwoods Convention Center, built in 2003, has been a “game changer” for the economy, turning the town into a year round destination. Now, nearly nine million people a year come to this Jersey Shore island, known as both the “Plastic Palm Tree Capital of the World” and the “Doo Wop Capital of the World.”
It’s high time you returned to walk the historic Boardwalk, scream on Morey Piers’ roller coasters, dodge the Tram Cars, take the Neon Lights Night Tour, and stay in a newly renovated “Doo Wop” hotel. Kitsch has never been so cool.
Of course, the summer season swings, with sandy beaches jammed with sun worshipers. But, if you want some quiet time with your honey, come in the shoulder seasons, when the
The Getaway Mavens included The Wildwoods on our “12 Romantic New Jersey Getaways” roundup here. Check it out for more lovey-dovey spots in the Garden State.
Things to Do in Wildwood NJ And Nearby
WALK: The Boardwalk
The 2.5-mile boardwalk is sensory overload at all hours, but particularly at night, when the multitudes consume greasy fast food, and lights and sounds from boardwalk shops and Morey’s Amusement Park rides fill the air. In the morning, the old boards bear the weight of thousands of cyclists and Fitbit walkers who parade and roll on every inch of timber and cement.
RIDE: Wildwood Sightseer Tram Car on Wildwood Boardwalk
The excessive repetition of the recorded “Watch the tram car, please,” is so ingrained in Wildwood’s lore, the phrase is stamped on t-shirts and souvenirs.
Built for the 1939 New York World’s Fair, these 8 eco-friendly trams have been running the full length of the boardwalk since 1949. In fact, they’re considered the oldest continuously operating electric boardwalk vehicles in the world.
RIDES: Morey’s Amusement Piers and Beachfront Waterparks
There are more amusement park rides on three Morey’s Amusement Piers – Surfside Pier (at 25th), Mariner’s Pier (at Schellenger Ave.) and Adventure Pier (Spencer Ave.) – combined than at Disneyland.
Two piers feature water parks, as well as the more traditional Ferris wheel and revolving rides. The third features more extreme experiences. Like the bungee Spring Shot and Screamin’ Swing.
Repeat visitors often arrive with an Engineer’s time and motion plan of attack to get the most out of several days. Water Parks generally open earlier than the Pier Rides, but check website calendar as opening and closing times change daily. Check website for ticket rates and dates/hours open.
SWIM/GET WET/RENT: “Kabana” and Locker Rentals at Raging Waters Parke and Ocean Oasis Waterpark and Beach Club
Although the brochure claims that these tiki-hut-like cabanas offer an “atmosphere of tranquility,” they are actually situated at the base of roller coaster stanchions, with all the clacking, rollicking, and exuberant screaming that implies.
But, OK. Drink service to your shaded chaise lounge is a huge plus. As is a private entrance/exit on the Endless River (at Ocean Oasis). So, you don’t have to fight crowds. Rentals are per day, and include towel service and preferred food and beverage service. Cost of entrance to water parks not included. Check website for this year’s rates.
SWIM: The Award-Winning Wildwoods Beaches
You might notice that it takes a long, long, long time to get to the lapping waves on Wildwoods’ beaches. In some cases, it’s ¾ mile from the boardwalk to the water. This is due to “sugar sand” swept here from points north (that includes North Wildwood).
The drift adds an incredible 30 feet per year to the width of shoreline, and as a result, Wildwood’s beaches are the “Widest on the Jersey Cape.”
DOGS: Dog Beach
Yes, there’s a beach for your social pooch, and you can’t miss it. It’s the one between two Morey’s Piers with the big red fire hydrant!
VISIT: George Boyer Historical Museum, Wildwood Historical Society
The small but jam-packed George Boyer/ Wildwood Historical Society Museum should be one of your first things to do in Wildwood NJ, if only to get an overview of the island’s historical significance. First, sit down to watch the 45-minute long “Wildwood Days” documentary showing continuously in a room replete with artifacts.
A resort since Native Americans set up fishing and clamming summer camps on this barrier island, the Wildwoods became popular in the late 1800’s when trains brought Philly day-trippers who would eventually stay overnight at rooming houses.
Booze and Nightclubs
By the roaring 20’s it was all about bootlegged booze. And, in the late 40’s, nightclubs opened in droves, attracting entertainers who wished to avoid the heat of Vegas in summertime.
The Garden State Parkway was built in the 1950’s. This was a boon for families who couldn’t afford to jet off to Florida, but could pull together funds for a family vacation at the beach and boardwalk.
Many of these kids would dance the night away at the Starlight Ballroom, one of the largest nightclubs on the East Coast.
Tony Bennett called Wildwood the “Real Birthplace of Rock and Roll,” because Bill Haley and the Comets premiered Rock Around the Clock here.
Over three thousand teens at a time boogied to a new show called American Bandstand. Buddy Holly debuted That’ll Be the Day. And Chubby Checker (who still comes every year) spent his 19th birthday onstage at The Rainbow, demonstrating his brand new dance, The Twist.
Celebrity Central
Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Billy Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Fat’s Domino, Nat King Cole, and later Gladys Night and the Pips, Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, Elton John, The Fifth Dimension, Neil Diamond, the Bee Gees, Yes, and Jethro Tull all played here.
In the 1950’s, large luxury hotels were replaced by an abundance of Mom and Pop motels, some built by Wilbert and Bill Morey, aimed at less affluent families. They enticed with space-age and tropical names, like Waikiki, Hawaiian, Caribbean, Singapore, Port Royal, Fantasy, Attaché, American Safari, Sputnik, and Satellite, playing off the monikers of fancy-pants resorts in Florida and Las Vegas.
Sporting “Jetsonian” facades, plastic palm tree shaded pools, and quick access to the boardwalk, these lodgings and Wildwood itself became a magnet for the masses.
By the late 1960’s Wilbert and Bill Morey turned their attention to the fading Boardwalk. They saw a giant slide in a parking lot in Florida, bought it, and in 1969, installed it as a “carnival ride” on one of the piers. Now, Wildwood has one of the largest Amusement Parks (on three separate piers) in the country. Check website for hours and dates open.
VISIT: Doo Wop Museum, Wildwood
Artifacts of a lost age can be found at the Doo Wop Museum, in the original Surfside Restaurant, which itself is a 50’s artifact. It was left to rot in a field in Wildwood Crest until the Doo Wop Preservation League came to its rescue.
“Doo Wop,” says Dan McElravey, one of the founders, “is a style of architecture, a lifestyle, another word for fun.”
Brothers, Wilbert and Bill Morey, founders of Morey Piers Amusement Park, started out building kitschy motels in the 1950’s modeled on those they saw in Florida, with swooping rooflines and kidney-shaped pools.
By the late 1990’s, many of these so-called “Doo Wop” style motels were being torn down to make room for condos, inspiring a group of local preservationists to salvage what they could and inspire others to renovate. Many signs from these demolished icons have found a new home in this small museum, where you’ll also find interactive exhibits about the Wildwood’s heady days. Open seasonally. Check website for hours.
TOUR: Doo Wop Bus Tour Leaving from Doo Wop Museum
Jump on the yellow school bus for a fun, hour-long narrated, luminous, and musical trip Doo Wop Bus Tour. You’ll see saw-tooth rooflines, “Blast-Off” architecture, the outstretched winged roof of the Sea Gull Hotel, and lots and lots of boldly colored neon motel and hotel signs lit up like Miami Beach shrunk down to Lilliputian size. Tues and Thurs in summer 8pm-9pm, but check website to confirm.
The Getaway Mavens recommend this as one of the Best Places to Propose in NJ.
TOUR: Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, North Wildwood
Built in 1874, this Victorian style Hereford Inlet Lighthouse at the northernmost point of the island (called North Wildwood or Anglesea) was the first permanently occupied building in the Wildwoods and is a still an active lighthouse and museum.
The area’s strong currents and ever shifting sandbars resulted in many shipwrecks and groundings, necessitating a lighthouse to mark the mouth of the inlet.
The Victorian-Carpenter-Gothic ornate lighthouse had to also serve as a comfortable home for a family in what was still a remote barrier island.
First Church on the Island
It offered the island’s first Church Services. Otherwise, the devout Baptist lighthouse keeper, Freeling Hewitt, would have had to row five miles to the mainland.
In 1964, neglected and falling apart, the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse was decommissioned. Local conservationists sprung into action, saving and renovating the building, which was subsequently placed on the National Register of Historic Places and, in 1986 re-instated by the US Coast Guard.
In 1998, Historic Preservationists began an authentic restoration of the lighthouse, which was completed in 2011.
A self-guided tour brings you through comfortable rooms and up four floors for panoramic views of the area. See artifacts pertaining to the light and home. These include the 4th order Fresnel lens that guided mariners safely through the inlet.
The lighthouse gardens are worth visiting on their own. Designed, planted, and maintained by Steve Murray, a self-taught historian and author who served as North Wildwood Parks Supervisor, the property is a fantasia of blooms and colors. Open May – Oct check website for hours.
WALK: 1 ½ mile Seawall Trail, North Wildwood
A lovely way to spend time near the crashing shore in calm weather – this concrete walkway is the latest way to get your water view-workout fix.
CRUISE: Central Ave., North Wildwood
Henry Ford used to race his first car models on Central Ave. right here in North Wildwood. Now, it’s a lovely landscaped residential neighborhood worth slowing down for.
TASTE/WINE: Hawk Haven Vineyard, Rio Grande NJ
Hawk Haven Vineyard, a few minutes from the Garden State Parkway exit (8 miles from the beach), is known for its chardonnays, cab savs, syrah, dry rose and more. Formerly a vegetable farm source for nearby Dole, Hawk Haven was reinvented as a vineyard when Dole shut its local operations.
Try Naked Chardonnay, Flying Press White, and others. You can enjoy while listening to live music or attending other events such as Sangria Sundays.
Restaurants in Wildwoods NJ
EAT: Joey M’s La Piazza Cucina
One of Wildwood’s last Supper Clubs, Joey M’s is also one of the best Italian spots for foodies intent on finding that Philly chef who dreams about and then creates every dressing, sauce and glaze from scratch. And who is so passionate about his craft, his descriptions alone will get you drooling.
Joey Montello opened in Wildwood in 1999 after running Joey M’s Pub in Philadelphia for 25 years. He counted among his customers Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, and other famous Jersey Boys.
Joey also croons as well, joining in with the bands on weekends. But his real talent is in the kitchen, coming up with hits like Sicilian Calamari coated with his “special sauce” – an amalgam of capers, black olives and hot cherry peppers, and the Tower Of Sin – a totem-pole of fried Tomatoes, Roasted Peppers, fresh Mozzarella, and Prosciutto. OMG incredible.
EAT: There are 300 food outlets on the Wildwoods boardwalk
More than in the Mall of America. “It’s like being at a carnival all the time,” says one fan. Most popular: Kohr Bros. Frozen Custard, Mack’s Pizza, and Curley’s Fries.
EAT/LUNCH: Stubborn Brothers Beach Bar and Grill
Waterslides entangled with roller coasters, splashing, screaming, beach, sand, waves, and the mellow blue-green Endless River. To take it all in, walk to the back of the Morey’s Pier at 25th St. to Stubborn Brothers Beach Bar and Grill. Grab an oversized Adirondack chair, and order a Chicken Po’ Boy or Salmon BLT and a tropical drink.
From your perch, check out short views of families and couples floating serenely by, while simultaneously watching the action on the beach. Thankfully, as it’s at the end of the pier, the Ocean is just a few yards away. “Bathing suits and bare feet not only okay but encouraged.”
EAT/BREAKFAST: Doo Wop Diner, Boardwalk, Wildwood
Slide into a booth at the only sit-down restaurant right on the boardwalk, the Doo Wop Diner. Owner George Karavangelos grew up in Wildwood as a “Boardwalk Brat,” and wanted to bring some doo-wop style and class to the Wildwood Boardwalk.
Now, his diner-like restaurant stands out from the rest for its clean 50’s themed dining room where a game room once stood. Food is good, freshly made, and fast – the likes of M&M, Blueberry Hill, and Oero Pancakes, sandwiches, salads, and fried foods. Nice thing is, you don’t have to stand at a counter to eat.
EAT: Beach Creek Oyster Bar and Grill
There can be upwards of a 30 minute wait at the hot clubby chop-house style Beach Creek Oyster Bar and Grill. It’s situated right on the waterfront at Schooner Landing, with marina and bay views.
EAT/BREAKFAST: Uncle Bill’s Pancake House, Wildwood
One of 8 Uncle Bill’s on the shore, you’ll find any kind of pancake at Uncle Bills Pancake House. Run by its 2nd and 3rd generation, each of 8 Uncle Bill’s locations is owned by factions of the 60 or so family members who come up with ideas and engage in “friendly family competition.”
It’s like a hometown indie International Pancake House, but better, with all types of yummy versions. Try Potato, Apple, Peach, Strawberry, Blueberry, and “yeasty old fashioned buckwheat.”
ICE CREAM: Cool Scoops
Sit in a Chevy, or at the counter of a 50’s soda shop at the “cool” funky Cool Scoops ice-cream shop plastered with photos of 50’s icons.
Where to Stay in Wildwoods NJ
STAY: The Starlux Hotel
In 2000, the Morey brothers renovated the old Wingate. They transformed the faded Wildwood icon into The Starlux Hotel a retro-chic starburst of a lodging.
Proving that a hotel doesn’t have to be 5-star to be special, The Starlux is not “luxurious” in the private-butler lavish sense. But it is a portal back to a simpler time, with witty, sweet, and immaculate rooms, a cool style that harks back to the Mad-Men 60’s, and a warm and welcoming family-friendly vibe.
First Impressions of Starlux Hotel
Rooms open onto outdoor walkways overlooking a curvaceous pool. The glass enclosed lobby harbors a jewel-toned Designs Within Reach collection of mid-Century Modern seating and tables. And, the tiny check-in area is configured to accommodate one receptionist, a trove of beach paraphernalia, and a few guests. Employees are helpful, kind, and very laid back.
Rooms at the Starlux Hotel
The Morey’s must have purchased all the lava lamps in New Jersey. Each room sports one. Loopy green and white wallpaper, surfboard bed headboards, squiggly mirrors, Deco-Modern chest of drawers, and open closet space, flat screen TV’s and hair-driers, all add up to 20th Century kitsch modified for the 21st century traveler. Each suite offers a galley kitchen, large enough to feed a family of 4. Some include a sitting area with pullout couch and second TV.
Amenities at the Starlux Hotel
Game Room with Arcade Games
Discount passes for Morey’s Piers
Complimentary Use of Beach Cruiser Bikes
Use of laundry with free soap supplied.
Continental Breakfast with Room.
Golf cart at Laguna Oaks with Purchase of Green Fee.
Pool, hot tub, wi-fi, parking.
Starlux Mini-Golf.
STAY: Caribbean Motel
Philly-based attorneys, George Miller and Carolyn Emigh, purchased and restored The Caribbean 50’s-era motel in 2004 – a time when Wildwood motels were being torn down at an alarming rate to make way for condos.
Miller used to vacation in Cape May as a kid, and his mother would bring him to the Wildwood Boardwalk. It was an experience, he says, that was akin to “shooting cotton candy into my veins.”
The plastic palm tree ringed crescent pool glistens once again, just as it did when it first opened in 1957.
Rooms have been completely redecorated with radio dials and speakers embedded in “Lime Rickey” green walls. The original wood paneling has been re-stained. And upscale furnishings, like reproduced George Nelson Marshmallow chairs make for a real mod experience.
Watch the sunrise over the ocean from the upper sundeck lounge, enclosed within walls of lean in-lean-out windows, sporting authentic animal-print Brentwood furniture.
The Caribbean is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s also a member of the prestigious Historic Hotels of America, and has been touted in the Washington Post, the International NY Times, and other national and international publications. Rates $84-$274 per night depending on season and size of room.
STAY: Summer Nights B&B
Each guest room in this handsome Summer Nights B&B has a 50’s or 60’s music or theme. The owner greets visitors wearing a poodle skirt, and in the afternoon serves ice-cream floats. From all accounts, a wonderful and unique B&B.
I’d love to talk to someone regarding the great job done on this article.
I’d also like to know the next time you visit.
I own Cool Scoops and would love to give you a great tour of “The Coolest Place at the Jersey Shore!
Thanks, Paul. I’d love that kind of tour when I return to the Jersey Shore – perhaps in 2021! Thanks for the compliment and thanks for reading and commenting.