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You can find a motel or hotel to fit all of your vacation needs in Wildwood, New Jersey. Also enjoy fun activities, dining, shopping and so much more just steps from your motel or hotel.
How do you spell summer fun? That’s easy. It’s spelled W.I.L.D.W.O.O.D.. Wildwood has more things going on than you could
possibly do in one summer, but the real fun is in making the attempt! So, here’s to a great vacation in The Wildwoods, because this five mile long island is filled with things to see and do, and when the summer arrives, so do the folks who come here with one thing in mind: to have the best of times every day of the week! The off-season population of Wildwood is over 5,400 according to the 2000 census, but 250,000 or more visit the island during peak vacation time. In the off-season Wildwood is like any small New Jersey town, but from the spring until late autumn the town is ready for fun. Local residents and vacationers enjoy the beaches, the boardwalk, salt water taffy, funnel cakes, popcorn, suntan lotion, fresh breezes and the amusement piers and water attractions.
The Wildwood boardwalk is world-famous for many reasons. It is over 2 miles long and runs for 38 city blocks. The boardwalk was built at the turn of the last century and its claim-to-fame is well-founded because it has more rides than Disneyland, is bigger than Coney Island and first-time visitors will discover no less than five amusement piers, including the world-renowned Morey’s Piers amusement complex and Raging Waters water park (owned and operated by Morey’s Piers), arcade games, carousels, world-class roller coasters, restaurants, fudge from the kettle, funnel cakes, ice cream, saltwater taffy, a movie theater, souvenir shops, carnival games, the convention center and the Boardwalk Chapel. In the summer trams run the boards from sunrise to sunset and the old-fashioned trolley runs all year long. Add to this the fabulous Doo-Wop architecture of the hotels, motels and other buildings and you may be moved to take the Doo-Wop trolley tour to see all the sights. After all, you’re in the Doo-Wop Capital of the World and you shouldn’t miss seeing why this area is a living tribute to the time when Rock and Roll was King.
Speaking of Rock ‘N Roll and Doo Wop, where will you find the Waikiki, the Tahiti, and the Royal Hawaiian? If you guessed
the Pacific Ocean, you would be half right. They’re actually in the Doo Wop capital of America, better known as the Wildwoods, home to at least 300 hotels and motels, including the three we just mentioned, built in the Doo Wop era of the 1960’s and 1970’s, when American Bandstand with Dick Clark was still in Philadelphia, Jerry Blavat (The “Geator with the Heater”) was doing his TV show, and there was a whole lot of shakin’ goin’ on. How do you know you’ve arrived? When Smithsonian Magazine does an article on you, you’ve made the grade. Today, the Doo Wop capital is even featured in such unlikely places as German and Chinese travel magazines. The Doo Wop Museum, Wildwood concert band shell and fantastic Neon Garden is the newest cultural and recreational attraction in the Wildwoods across from the Wildwoods Convention Center. The pinwheel- shaped Surfside Restaurant building is the model for the new center housing the historic display devoted to the 1960’s Doo Wop era. The impact of Doo Wop is island-wide: the historic Doo Wop district itself, with the hotels and motels gleaming in their Doo Wop colors, architectural features and designs, where the focus is on the family for fun at the beach, in that kidney shaped pool, or in the countless rooms where summertime visitors sleep away the night to get back to the fun each morning. The Wildwoods and Doo Wop were recognized by preservationist Steve Izenour some years ago as something unique in American culture and he had graduate students from schools such as the University of Pennsylvania, Yale, and Penn State research the architecture and document how special it is. A documentary was made about this wonderful area, and it has been shown on television a number of times. Other commercial enterprises also get into the act. Where else will you find a Wawa, a Commerce Bank and a McDonalds with architectural features made in the image of the Doo Wop style? The Commerce Bank office is probably the only Doo Wop bank in America. When Philly’s favorite son, Bobby Rydell, South Jersey’s favorite son, Fabian Forte’ (known simply as “Fabian”), and Frankie Avalon were making the girls scream, the Wildwoods were rocking at the Starlite Ballroom. The original Starlite is gone, but even the Starlite name has been memorialized in the Convention Center. The great thing about The Wildwoods and Doo Wop is everybody gets into the act, and they support each other to make it a great destination for family fun at the Jersey shore. With the beach, the boardwalk, the new amphitheater, free concerts and family fun, it really doesn’t get any better than
this. Come to wildwood and enjoy over 160 events in the Wildwoods during the year, including Family Nights on the Boardwalk, Fireworks, Classic Car Shows, The Thunder on the Sand Race Series, Pirates Weekend, the Irish and Italian Festivals, the International Kite Festival, and the National Marbles Tournament. There’s fun, sun, and more at the Jersey shore in the “Wildwoods-by-the-Sea!” |
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