You can’t miss taking the teens and tweens to classic Jersey Shore boardwalks packed with rides, games, food and fun. Wildwood Boardwalk is perhaps the largest and most free wheeling boardwalk on the Shore, streching two miles (38 blocks) along the beachfront. Other amusement boardwalks include Point Pleasant, Ocean City and the infamous Seaside Heights. Alas, Asbury Park which was one of the queens of the shore in its day no longer offers this classic shore boardwalk carnival experience, although it still has great beaches and work is ongoing to restore the resort.
Wildwood boardwalk at twilight
As with most of the classic New Jersey amusement boardwalks, the bulk of the rides are housed on piers sticking out over the sand. Morey’s Piers and Waterparks operate the majority of Wildwood’s rides. Teens and tweens generally make a beeline for the Xtreme rides which include a range of rides the lift them to great heights only to drop them, swing them or otherwise make parents want to close their eyes. Never fear, once they recover from those rides, they can move on to classic teen-worthy roller coasters, go karts, and something ominously called the “Inverter”.
On the go in Wildwood
Morey’s offers many ticket options from single ride tickets up through multi-day family packs. The shorter members of the group get a discount. Waterpark combo packages are also available although the waterpark options really are not extensive enough to keep teens and tweens busy for long. We’d recommend putting the money towards funding arcade games and games of chance as you walk the Boardwalk. Even as teens, our kids get a big thrill out of winning silly, cheap stuffed animals or beating a random arcade shooting game. Be warned, they can spend the whole day in the arcades so set expectations early.
Who can pass up a chance at a pink bear? $2 a try!
Beyond the games and rides, the Wildwood Boardwalk also hosts one of the widest arrays of junk food available anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere. From pizza, to funnel cakes, to ice cream, hamburgers, french fries, pasta and fried fish you won’t go hungry at the Shore! Too full to walk back to your car or motel? A boardwalk tram will take you in style.
Wildwood Beyond the Boardwalk
Wildwood can be a short day trip or weekend adventure for folks living in the New York/Philadelphia area. The town is home to about 50 iconic Doo Wop motels that take you back to the 1950s. Many of them have pools and casual restaurants and are within walking distance to the boardwalk. For more than a weekend, however, we recommend renting a condo or house a little further from the craziness of the Boardwalk. Using VRBO, we found a lovely two-bedroom oceanview condo in a gated community with multiple pools, tennis, underground park and direct beach access in the quieter town of Wildwood Crest, which along with the town of North Wildwood , shares an island and 5 miles of beachfront with its brassier big brother. On the short drive back and forth to the boardwalk we got to check out all the great Doo Wop.
Wildwood, the Shore's Doo Wop captial
Just a few miles away, historic Cape May offers a much different, less boistrous, view of the shore. If you are in the area take the drive to see the lighthouse or go kayaking. We’ll have more to say on those ideas in a future post. Looking for other ideas for things to do with teens and tweens when you vacation at the Jersey Shore? Check out our full Top 10 list.
Wildwood is an amazing place for a summer trip and the Doo Wop district is a look into the past.