Wildwood, New Jersey
Wildwood is a city of 5,130 people in Cape May County, New Jersey, founded in 1609.
Why visit Wildwood
Townapedia lists 75 museums and landmarks, 21 parks and trails, 128 places to eat, 90 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Morey's Piers, Hunt's Pier, Caribbean Motel and Chateau Bleu Motel.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 28°F.
Weather in Wildwood
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Wildwood
Wildwood is a city in Cape May County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The city, and all of Cape May County, is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, and is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's year-round population was 5,157, a decrease of 168 (−3.2%) from the 2010 census count of 5,325, which in turn reflected a decline of 111 (−2.0%) from the 5,436 counted in the 2000 census. A popular Jersey Shore resort destination, the population can swell to 250,000 during the summer.
From the Wikipedia article Wildwood, New Jersey (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Morey's Piers
Monument and historic site · 0.5 mi
Amusement park in New Jersey
Hunt's Pier
Monument and historic site · 0.8 mi
Amusement park in Wildwood, New Jersey, U.S.
Museums and landmarks75
Caribbean Motel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Motel in Wildwood Crest, United States of America
Chateau Bleu Motel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Motel in New Jersey, United States of America
Hereford Inlet Lighthouse
Lighthouse · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Lighthouse in New Jersey, United States
J. Thompson Baker House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic house in Wildwood, New Jersey
Marine National Bank
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Bank building in New Jersey, United States of America
Crest Arts Pavilion & Tourism Center
Museum · 1.2 mi
6301 Ocean Avenue, Wildwood Crest
63 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds21
Albert I. Allen Memorial Park
Park · 0.9 mi
Sep 21-Mar 20 PH 08:00-dusk; Mar 21-Sep 20 PH 08:00-22:00
9 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes128
Shore Avenue Coffee Company
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.0 mi
2106 Boardwalk, North Wildwood
Mo-Su 07:00-13:00
Rose's Pizzeria
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.4 mi
4711 Atlantic Avenue, Wildwood
Mo-Th 11:00-01:00; Fr-Su 11:00-03:00
Duffer's Restaurant & Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor
Restaurant · American, Ice Cream · 0.6 mi
116 more on the map.
History
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. On January 1, 1912, Wildwood was incorporated as a city, replacing both Wildwood borough and Holly Beach City.
The Wildwoods began developing as a resort in the last decade of the 19th century. A building boom began in the 1950s, due partially to the construction and completion of the Garden State Parkway in 1955.
"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". Chubby Checker introduced his version of "The Twist" at the Rainbow Club in Wildwood. On occasion, American Bandstand broadcast from the Wildwood's Starlight Ballroom. Murals in the community honor Checker, Bill Haley; and Bobby Rydell. Rydell's major hit, "Wildwood Days" in 1963, is about Wildwood.
From the History section of Wildwood, New Jersey on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay90
Hammock Inn & Suites Boardwalk Wildwood
Motel and hotel · 0.7 mi
423 East 23rd Avenue, North Wildwood
Sandcastle By the Sea Shore Rental
Motel and hotel · 0.9 mi
East Crocus Road, Wildwood Crest
Bird of Paradise Motel
Motel and hotel · 0.7 mi
333 East 26th Avenue, North Wildwood
Matador Oceanfront Resort
Motel and hotel · 1.3 mi
East 16th Avenue, North Wildwood
Sandy Shores Resort Motel
Motel and hotel · 0.7 mi
2511 Atlantic Avenue, North Wildwood
Churches and places of worship11
Shopping23
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries14
Middle Township Elementary #4
School · 6.0 mi
300 E Pacific Ave, Cape May Court House
Cape May County Library - Wildwood Crest Branch
Library · 1.1 mi
6300 Atlantic Avenue, Wildwood Crest
Healthcare3
Map of Wildwood
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 28°F | 3.2 in | 4.5 in |
| Feb | 45°F | 29°F | 3.0 in | 5.7 in |
| Mar | 52°F | 35°F | 4.1 in | 2.5 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 44°F | 3.3 in | 0.1 in |
| May | 71°F | 54°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 63°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 68°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 67°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 62°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 68°F | 51°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 41°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 48°F | 33°F | 4.0 in | 2.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Cape May 2 Nw (7 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Cape May County has had 20 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2021-09-05: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2021-09-02: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2021-04-28: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2020-12-11: Tropical Storm Isaias (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Cape May County Airport (WWD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- North Wildwood 2 mi northeast, about 3 min by car
- Rio Grande 4 mi northwest, about 6 min by car
- Erma 4 mi west, about 6 min by car
- Cape May 5 mi southwest, about 9 min by car
- Cape May Court House 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Villas 7 mi west, about 11 min by car
- North Cape May 7 mi west, about 12 min by car
- West Cape May 7 mi southwest, about 12 min by car
- Avalon 8 mi northeast, about 13 min by car
- Sea Isle City 13 mi northeast, about 21 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Bel Air DooWop WCNJ, Smallbones, CC0
- Chateau Bleu heart pool, Smallbones, CC0
- HEREFORE INLET LIGHTHOUSE, Skip Willits Photography at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Marine National Bank, Smallbones, Public domain
- Thompson Baker House, Smallbones, Public domain
- Morey's Pier Ferris Wheel 2, Smallbones, CC0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.