May 23, 2016
The trio of Wildwoods in Cape May County all cater to different beachgoers who have a particular set of goals for their trip, but North Wildwood may be best known for striking a happy medium between family-friendly fun and the throwback nightlife of yesteryear.
A good point of demarcation for North Wildwood is the city's boardwalk, which runs from 16th Street to 26th Street. After that point, you're in Wildwood until the end of the boardwalk, where Wildwood Crest begins.
Dubbed the Parade Capital of New Jersey, North Wildwood is regularly the scene of street fairs and other festive events organized to celebrate firefighters, the American Legion, New Jersey Elks, Mummers String Bands and more. In addition to plenty of annual events and competitions, there's always the option to try your luck at Gateway 26 Casino on the boardwalk.
You're in the clear all year long. Wildwood beaches offer access free of charge.
The North Wildwood Beach Patrol follows a rigorous six-day schedule, with 20 surf chairs spread across locations at 15th Avenue, Sixth Avenue and Ocean Avenue in the Inlet — in total, about 1.5 miles of public beaches.
Lifeguards are on duty across North Wildwood's beaches from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Guests at North Wildwood beaches are prohibited from throwing, batting or catching sport balls on the beach except in areas designated for those activities. The same is the case for the use of surfboards, canoes, boats, rafts or any inflatable devices.
Picnicking on the beach and boardwalk is permitted only in designated areas.
Alcohol is prohibited on the beach and the boardwalk.
Dogs, cats and all other domestic animals are prohibited from entering North Wildwood beaches between May and October.
A full list of beach regulations can be found here.
Metered and unmetered parking is available along North Wildwood's beaches. The city also has several of its own parking lots, open to the public for a fee, at the northeast corner of Old New Jersey Avenue and Spruce Avenue, the southeast corner of First Avenue and Old New Jersey Avenue, the southwest corner of First Avenue and Surf Avenue and the northeast corner of New Jersey Avenue and 17th Avenue.
North Wildwood will host a series of events throughout the summer months. Here are some highlights:
In 2016, New Year's in North Wildwood will be held, not in December, but on June 10-11. The top Mummers Brigades and Mummers String Bands from Philadelphia will be on hand for parades and performances. The event kicks off that Friday night at 7 p.m. with a pub crawl in the Entertainment District, followed by a Saturday parade along Olde New Jersey Avenue beginning at 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.
On Fridays throughout the summer, Wildwood holds a Fireworks on the Beach extravaganza on the beach at Pine Avenue, visible across the area.
The inaugural Beach Bacon Festival will feature all things bacon, plus a whiskey and bourbon tasting bar, on July 1.
You can check out the full events calendar here.
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