Wildwood is known for its sandy beaches and boardwalk, and is one of the top beach destinations on the Jersey Shore and the East Coast. From spring through late autumn, Wildwood swells with tourists who have come to enjoy a packed roster of family-friendly entertainment: craft shows, parades, truck and motocross races, food and music festivals, and weekly fireworks. Here are the best things to do in Wildwood.
Relax on Wildwood Beaches
Wildwood beaches cover a five-mile stretch of coast, which makes them the widest and largest beaches in not only New Jersey, but on the East Coast.
Visitors can enjoy every water and beach activity imaginable here, plus events scheduled throughout the season. Surfers should take their boards to Rambler Road Beach, the one beach where surfing is allowed. Vacationers with pets can walk, run, swim, and play with dogs (which must remain on a leash) on Wildwood Dog Beach.
Address: 4501 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ 08260, Phone: 609-522-3825
Stroll along the Wildwood Boardwalk
Covering a 38-block area, the Wildwood Boardwalk is jam-packed with water and amusement parks, shops, restaurants, clubs, and hundreds of attractions. Walk the boardwalk to take in all the sights, sounds, and smells or ride the boardwalk from end to end using the Sightseer Tram Car.
Enjoy the beach views while having fun at Morey’s Piers, Splash Zone, or Ocean Oasis, or attend one of the almost 200 cultural, sporting, craft, and food events and festivals that happen annually in Wildwood, most of which are free. In the summer, watch the free Friday night fireworks display or listen to a free concert just about any night of the week.
Address: E. Cresse to E. Jefferson Aves., Wildwood Crest, NJ 08260, Phone: 609-522-3825
Buy fresh produce at Downtown Wildwood Farmers Market
The Downtown Wildwood Farmers Market features every type of culinary delight imaginable, such as locally sourced produce, herbs and greenery, baked goods, artisanal culinary delights, drinks, and condiments.
The brainchild of the Wildwood Business District, the market began operation three years ago and is held regardless of the weather. Children and adults alike will enjoy the market’s live entertainment, which runs from 9 am to 11 am weekly and features acts ranging from live music to a balloon artist and a stilt walker. Free parking is available behind the market.
Address: 3501 Pacific Ave, Wildwood, NJ 08260, Phone: 609-523-1602
Learn about history at George F. Boyer Historical Museum
George F. Boyer was Wildwood’s sole historian and the first president of the Wildwood Historical Society. His mission was to obtain and preserve artifacts that speak of Wildwood’s past, specifically of the once vibrant Wildwood entertainment scene. The George F. Boyer Historical Museum opened in 1963 and contains items such as photographs and memorabilia of a time when acts such as Tony Bennett, The Supremes, and Fats Domino played in Wildwood venues.
The museum focuses on the 50s and 60s and not only brings Wildwood's music scene to life through objects and scheduled events, it also provides a glimpse into the music and fashion that helped define American identity during that 20-year period.
Address: 3907 Pacific Ave. Wildwood, NJ 08260, Phone: 609-523-0277
Shop at Kona Surf Co
Kona Surf Co is a brand offering surfer and skateboarding clothing for the entire family as well as boards (surf, SUP [stand-up paddle], and skate) and other gear. Kona began with handmade surfboards and skateboards and grew into a focal point of board culture in New Jersey.
Kona aims to offer products with as many American-made components as possible and operates two centers, the flagship shop and the Bike and Board House. The flagship shop holds apparel while the bike and board house is where enthusiasts can buy, rent, or fix their boards and bikes as well as find beach essentials.
Address: 103 E Rio Grande Ave, Wildwood, NJ, Phone: 609-522-7899
Have fun at Morey's Piers
Morey's Piers includes two water parks and three piers. The Raging Waters and Ocean Oasis water parks both offer children's activity areas and water rides; Ocean Oasis also has the Beach Bar and Grille, which serves fare made from fresh, local ingredients. Mariner’s Pier is a classic amusement park with simpler pleasures where visitors can have a full breakfast served on the pier’s giant Ferris wheel (Breakfast in the Sky).
Surfside Pier was the first pier in Wildwood and is home to the local carnival, while Adventure Pier is where people go for extreme rides and live entertainment all season long on the pier’s new performance stage.
Address: 3501 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ 08260, Phone: 609-522-3900
Take the kids to the Seaport Aquarium
The Seaport Aquarium is located off the boardwalk and displays a well-rounded collection of aquatic life, including reptiles. You’ll find fish and monkeys, eels and alligators, turtles and sting rays and, of course, sharks. Seaport also has a touch pool, where you can get interactive with the tank’s residents. The aquarium seeks to be both recreational and educational, and holds feedings at different times throughout the day.
You also have the opportunity to feed some of the animals. It takes a full hour to see all of Seaport’s exhibits, but give yourself more time if you’d like to read the plaques and ask questions.
Address: 3400 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ 08260, Phone: 609-522-0373
Go on a tour with Silver Bullet Tours
With Silver Bullet Tours, guests can enjoy dolphin tours courtesy of the world’s largest speedboat. The Silver Bullet tours the area at extreme speeds, allowing passengers to experience local points of interest and observe marine life, including birds and dolphins, while narrators entertain and provide choice details.
Guided tours happen three times daily and last 90 minutes. Guests are encouraged to bring their camera to capture it all and a bathing suit to enjoy the ocean spray and do some sunbathing. Free parking is provided, and the Silver Bullet stocks snacks and drinks on board for sale.
Address: 508 W Rio Grande Ave, Wildwood, NJ 08260, Phone: 609-522-6060
Enjoy the water slides at Splash Zone Water Park
Splash Zone Water Park is one of Wildwood’s most popular attractions. Splash Zone has water slides and interactive splash zones for the kids and thrilling rides and slides like the Beast of the East, the Slide Winder, the Giant Bucket, and Hurricane Island, Splash Zone. The water park also features fun at Rivy’s River, where guests can float down this slow-flowing river in their own personal inner tube, and Hang Ten, the only flow boarding space in Wildwood.
Luxury cabanas for two to eight guests are available for rent, and parking is free with the purchase of at least two All Day Food and Fun Deals and two All Day admissions.
Address: 3500 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ 08260, Phone: 609-729-5600
Visit The Doo Wop Preservation League Museum
In the 90s, studies made by three universities (University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, and Kent University) determined that Wildwood had the largest collection of 50s and 60s American architecture (Doo Wop) in America. The Doo Wop Preservation League opened its museum in 1997 and aims to preserve both Doo Wop architecture and culture. The league provides tours on the Doo Wop Historic District, where 50s era resorts, diners, and neon abound and which has an online gift shop.
In the museum, visitors will find representative objects from the era, including signs and motel and hotel fixtures which showcase the period when Wildwoods was a performance stop for first-rate music acts.
Address: 4500 Ocean Ave, Wildwood, NJ 08260, Phone: 609-523-1958
See maritime memorabilia at the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse
Built in 1874, the beautifully preserved Hereford Inlet Lighthouse is the most important historic building on Five Mile Beach. The lighthouse was built to provide navigational aid to mariners approaching the Hereford Inlet, where the Atlantic Ocean enters the Intracoastal Waterway which links Maine to Florida. The light is at an elevation of 57” above sea level and can be seen from 13 nautical miles in clear weather. The lighthouse is still in operation today and the building is open to the public from May to October, displaying educational maritime memorabilia. The light is still maintained by the Coast Guard. The historic building is surrounded by a Victorian-style park and gardens where you can relax and enjoy the coastal setting.
Address: Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, 111 N. Central Avenue, North Wildwood, NJ 08260, 609 600 1561
Have fun at Gateway 26
Located directly on the boardwalk, Gateway 26 is a large family entertainment center comprising a casino and a games arcade. The facility is within walking distance of many shops, restaurants and bars and is just across the road from the amusement pier. Inside you will find dozens of games to keep you happily occupied for hours. A few of the most popular games include Black Jack, Roll-ette (based on roulette), Pokerino, Jacks High, Wheel of Fortune and many more. Gateway 26 also offers exciting Poker and Slot tournaments which are suitable for players of all ages - there are some great prizes to be won.
Address: Gateway 26, 26th Street and The Boardwalk, North Wildwood, NJ 08260, 609 523 2600
Have a meal at the Doo Wop Diner
Just like the retro diners frequented by your parents on their beach holidays, the Doo Wop Diner in Wildwood is a popular meeting place for locals and visitors, particularly in summer. The food is good, the décor is unashamedly nostalgic and the music is just what you would expect. The diner is also perfectly located right on the Boardwalk, across from the Pier. On the menu you will find breakfast favorites like eggs, omelets, French toast, waffles and more. Later in the day you can feast on a huge selection of delicious burgers, wraps, salads, dogs and sandwiches. You can wash it all down with fabulous sundaes, milkshakes, floats and malts
Address: Doo Wop Diner, 4010 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ 08260, 609 522 7880
