Wildwood New Jersey

There are a number of great places to choose from when it comes time for you to pick your next vacation getaway. It is important for you to select a place where you, your significant other, and your entire family or travel group will have a great time. One of the most unforgettable experiences you could ever have is taking a vacation to Wildwood, New Jersey.

Wildwood seemingly has it all, everything almost any vacationer could ask for.

For the history buff, the city has a number of small museums to offer and each of them is well thought of by those who appreciate them. The city is also a bit of a walk back into a history book itself as it features a distinctive 1950′s “doo wop” feel to it. There is also a local historic district that features a lot of motels and other buildings designed and built in that 1950′s “doo wop” style. The city itself appreciates its own history and they make it very easy for you to do so too.

The focal point of Wildwood has got to be its nearly two mile long boardwalk. This feature is well used and well loved by both locals and visitors alike. The boardwalk separates the beachfront retail and restaurant area from the the sun, surf, and sand. It is a great place to go people watching, and a wonderful place to take a morning, afternoon, or evening stroll. From the boardwalk, it is very simple to access the beach, the water, the eating establishments, the shops, the bars, and the pier areas. This is the absolute must visit area in Wildwood.

photo credit: timomcd

For the person who likes to go on vacation and dive head first into shopping, dining out, or even the after hours scene, Wildwood is your place to go too. There are great restaurants, cafes, and even street vendors to choose from, all of them offering some of the best food available. The shopping is particularly fun, both at some of the upscale boutiques located downtown as well as at the shops that line the boardwalk. The city is famous for its nightlife and whether you want to check out a bar or a dance club, or even head out on the beach after the sun goes down, there will always be plenty of options to find there.

The first physical feature most people notice when driving into Wildwood is the Giant Wheel. This Ferris wheel, the largest one on the East Coast, sits at the end of one of the huge piers that juts out into the ocean. This is part of the Morey’s Piers amusement park located in Wildwood. Morey’s has been entertaining and exciting vacationers for decades and it seems to keep getting bigger and better. Now occupying four different piers along Wildwood’s boardwalk, vacationers can go there to find the newest amusement park rides, old classic rides, fun games, and great tasting food. A visit to Morey’s Piers is something you absolutely must do should you make the trip to Wildwood.

For those longer stays in Wildwood when you may feel like spreading your wings and exploring the outlying area, there are some great opportunities to do that as well. There are actual tours that you can take that will not only show you Wildwood from a different perspective, but travel up and down the coast as well. A boat tour of the coastline can be perfect for both young couples and entire families. Many of these tours feature meals or other events too. Helicopter tours of the city, the water, and the coastline are also popular and offer you the chance to see the area like few people get to. You can also venture out in either your own or a rental car and explore the area by road. There are many fun cities and small towns in the immediate vicinity and the always exciting Atlantic City is just a short drive away.

If you have ever wanted to take a vacation to a historic East Coast boardwalk resort town, this is the year and Wildwood, New Jersey is the place.

Rock Around the Clock, often credited as the first rock and roll record, was first performed on Memorial Day weekend in 1954 at the HofBrau Hotel in Wildwood by Bill Haley & His Comets. The song’s status as one of the first rock and roll hits has given rise to the city’s claim as “the birthplace of rock and roll”.

Wildwood houses over 200 motels, built during the Doo-Wop era of the 1950s and 1960s. The motels are unique in appearance with Vegas-like neon signs, odd architecture, and an overall distinctive look which makes Wildwood one of the most interesting districts of its kind in the nation. [4] New construction in the area however has seen the demise of many older motels being demolished so bigger condominiums may take up residence. The Wildwood Doo Wop Preservation League has taken action to help save and restore these historic buildings but construction of far larger hotels may overtake the area in the next few years. A 1950s Doo Wop museum has recently been built which contains property from demolished motels like neon signs and furniture. Neo-Doo Wop buildings in the area feature a neon lit Wawa, Subway Sandwich Shop, and a 1950s styled Acme Supermarket.

Since the early 1970s the Wildwoods have been home to the annual New Jersey State Fireman’s Convention. It moved to the Wildwoods from Atlantic City in the early 1970′s. The convention had been held in Atlantic City for many years prior to the building of the big casinos of today. When the City began to change the council refused to allow the visiting firefighters to parade their apparatus through the streets. This was one of the reasons for the move along with the rising crime rate. The Wildwoods welcomed the convention with open arms and allowed for the parade which every year runs the length of New Jersey Ave. from Wildwood Crest through Wildwood to North Wildwood. In 2007, the Westmont Fire Company No. 1 (www.westmontfireco.org) of Haddon Township, Camden County, won first place in the parades engine category for an engine 0-3 years old.

Wildwood was originally incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 1, 1895, from portions of Middle Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day, and was reincorporated on April 30, 1895. On January 1, 1912, Wildwood was incorporated as a city, replacing both Wildwood borough and Holly Beach City.[1]

Wildwood is also used as a collective term referring to the four communities with Wildwood comprising part of the municipality name — specifically the Borough of Wildwood Crest, City of Wildwood, Borough of West Wildwood and the City of North Wildwood — together with Diamond Beach, a portion of Lower Township situated on the island. Collectively, these communities are known as “The Wildwoods.”