My husband and I each spent our childhood summers on vacation on the Atlantic shore. My family usually went to Delaware, while he went further north on the coast. We both have so many fond memories of lazy days spent at the beach, tasty dinners at local seafood restaurants, and nights spent playing arcade games on the boardwalk.
Two years ago, we decided to re-live our summer memories and expose our kids to some seaside promenade fun by taking a trip to Wildwood, New Jersey, the place where my husband and his family spent many summer vacations. This trip turned out to be so much fun for the whole family!
First of all, going to Wildwood is like taking a trip back in time. Although this was my first trip to the Jersey seashore, it was very reminiscent of my own childhood trips to the beach. The Wildwood Boardwalk ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. From one end to the other, it is two miles long. Along the way are dozens of souvenir shops, restaurants, arcades, and snack shops. The smells of fried food, suntan lotion, and salty air immediately brought me back!
My kids had never experienced anything like the boardwalk and were completely entranced by all the sights along the way. We started our journey at the entrance and walked about halfway down the boardwalk.
Along the way, we stopped in some shops, people-watched a bit and then decided to get something to eat. There were lots of dining options to choose from, but we decided to eat at a place called the “Doo Wop Diner” which is a 1950s style diner with fun decor and good food and milkshakes.
We finished our meal and then it was onto the part that the kids were most looking forward to - the rides! They couldn’t wait! The rides on the boardwalk are operated by “Morey’s Pier” and can be found in three locations on the boardwalk. The boardwalk rides range from kiddy rides like the merry-go-round, tea cups, and mini scooters to large thrill rides such as rollercoasters and a swing that takes you seventy feet in the air (we did not go on this one)! We were able to purchase a reloadable ride pass that we could use at any location. The hardest part for the kids was choosing which rides they wanted to go on. We decided to start by all going on the gigantic Ferris wheel. We couldn’t have timed this better because we were awarded beautiful views of the beach at sunset! Next, we checked out Dante’s Dungeon, a haunted ride that took us through a castle filled with monsters and other creepy things. Then it was on to the roller coasters. The kids started off on the small coaster called the Runaway Tram and then my son got brave and the two of us decided to check out the bigger one called The Great White. This was so much fun that we ended up riding twice. The kids played a few carnival games and went on a few more rides, and then we decided to head back. We stopped to get some fudge and made a quick stop at the arcade. It had been a long day at the beach and we were feeling quite tired, so we treated ourselves to a tram ride back. We ended the night watching an amazing fireworks display over the beach which takes place once a week during the summer months.
We must let you know we had two observations that are worth sharing as this is an honest review of the venue. We had to be careful where we walked because every so often a yellow tram car filled with tourists would need to pass by. Whenever a pedestrian got too close, a recorded message saying “Watch the tram car please” would play. This message plays so often on the boardwalk that it has become a very nostalgic memory for Wildwood vacationers.
For moms and time management Morey’s also operates a water park on the boardwalk, which can be a brilliant day's enjoyment on its own but also if planned into your schedule.
We also knew that the rules and regulations for the venue included "No Pets" which we thought was harsh.
But overall our trip to Wildwood turned out to be an amazing experience and one that we will all remember. We will definitely be returning again in the future. I give it five stars on the kid friendly venue app because it is a great place for families to visit with kids of any age. It features many kid friendly options including:
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Kim F