Overlooking a golden stretch of sand on the Cape May Peninsula, Wildwood is a popular holiday resort city on New Jersey’s North Atlantic coast. It attracts visitors for its mid-century architecture and waterfront amusement parks, as well as its easy access to to the South Cape May Meadows Nature Preserve.

Things to do

Spend an afternoon exploring the historic streets of Wildwood, which are lined with buildings dating from the 1950s and 1960s. Mid-century diners help to bring the retro atmosphere to life, as does the Doo Wop Experience museum’s collection of neon signs and pop culture artefacts. Wildwood is particularly renowned amongst families for its beachfront boardwalk, which is home to the historic amusement park of Morey’s Piers.

If you’re a keen birdwatcher, don’t miss a visit to the South Cape May Meadows Nature Preserve, an 80-hectare bird sanctuary that provides critical habitat along the Atlantic Flyway. Its wetlands and dunes offer a place for birds to forage and rest before migrating across Delaware Bay. Sightings of rare species such as Arctic terns, black-necked stilts and buff-breasted sandpipers are a highlight of any visit.

At the southern tip of the Cape May Peninsula is the Cape May Lighthouse, a 48-metre-high tower that has been guiding ships along the rocky coastline since 1859. You can climb the 199 steps that lead to the top for sweeping views along the coast, then learn about the lighthouse’s storied history in the small oil house museum.

Getting around

Atlantic City International Airport is 45 minutes’ drive from Wildwood while Philadelphia International Airport is 1.5 hours away. Buses are the main means of getting to and from Wildwood, which can easily be explored on foot. Rental bicycles or cars are the most convenient way of accessing Cape May Peninsula’s attractions.