Best Kept Secrets of Wildwood Crest, New Jersey
Wildwood Crest is one of the three FREE beaches in Wildwood. Yes, a free beach in New Jersey. It’s rare, but they’re out there. (Actually, ALL the beaches in the Wildwoods are free: Wildwood Crest, Wildwood, and North Wildwood!) You’ll find a lot of families and a lot of teens on the beach in Wildwood Crest. The Wildwood beaches are a favorite among locals and tourists alike. The beaches are clean, broad, and well guarded. You may even find a surprise in the water — Wildwood Crest claims to be home to the northeast’s largest concentration of bottlenose dolphins! And unlike most New Jersey beaches that are fighting erosion, the Wildwood beaches actually get bigger each year!
Away from the beach, on the west side of town is Sunset Lake. The sunsets you can see here are said to rival the loveliest ones in Florida! Any time of day, Sunset Lake is a great place to watch colorful sailboats and people on jetskis. Sunset Lake is also home to the Summer Concert Series. Bring a blanket or a beach chair and enjoy!
Wildwood Crest has its own tastes of New Jersey history. Visit the Wildwood Crest Historical Museum on the Wildwood Crest Pier, or see the site of the only battle of the American Revolution fought in Cape May County — the Turtle Gut Park and Memorial at Sunset Lake. Venture into Wildwood proper and check out the National Marbles Hall of Fame. It doesn’t get more historical than marbles!
And if you’re into architecture, take the Doo Wop Trolley Tour. It sounds like a musical adventure, but it’s actually a tour of the Wildwoods’ collection of 1950s Doo Wop architecture. You’ll learn to identify the key features of this internationally-inspired style, like neon lighting, dramatic overhangs, pagoda peaks, space-age imagery, and more! The Wildwoods are home to the largest collection of Doo Wop architecture in the country! (A dubious distinction, but a distinction nonetheless.)
Look for special events going on all summer. Weekly craft shows, food festivals, classic car shows, cultural festivals, concerts, extreme sports demos, parades, and much more! You’ll find lots of family-oriented entertainment going on in Wildwood Crest all summer long.
Like a lot of other south Jersey towns, Wildwood Crest is a fabulous site for fishing! Wake up early and head to the beach for some surf fishing, or join one of the charter fishing boats for a day on the water. The fishing season starts in April and runs through October.
As far as party towns go, Wildwood Crest isn’t one. You’ll need to head a bit north into Wildwood proper, home of the infamous Boardwalk.
All in all, Wildwood Crest is a great family destination! Clean beaches that DON’T make you pay for a badge… family entertainment all summer long… and the quirky Doo Wop architecture make Wildwood Crest a safe haven at the Jersey shore.