Tourist Tips for Visiting Wildwood, New Jersey in the "Off Season"

I have recently returned from a vacation with my family to Wildwood, NJ. We found that the "non peak season" is quite different than the busy months of the summer. There is not a lot of transition from peak to non-peak either. It starts right after Labor Day. We found that this time of year can be good for some types of families, and also not as good for others. If you are looking to participate in a lot of the boardwalk activities such as rides, water parks, games, etc, even going the week start on Labor Day could leave you dissapointed. On the other hand, if you are a family that just loves the beach activities and considers the other entertainment options a bonus, then this can be a great time of year for you to go.

The Beach

The beach this time of year is not very crowded. We were able to go to the beach anywhere from 10:30 am until noon and find any spot we wanted to sit on the beach without fighing for crowded claimed beach territory. Even throughout the time we were on the beach, until we left around 1:30 there was plenty of space. We found this is a great time of year for families with preschool children and younger toddlers because they can run around the beach and it's easy for you to follow them or keep track of them if they are nearby. The sand also tends to be not as hot for walking back from the beach. In early September you can find some of the warmest water temperatures of the year.

The Boardwalk

The boardwalk is a bit of hit and miss this time of year. Most of the piers are operating on very limited time schedules. The week just after Labor Day we found that Mariner's Landing Pier was open each day during the week from 6-10 pm but the other piers were closed. Throughout September the other piers are open only on the weekends and relatively limited hours, so it's best to check Morey's Piers website before you make your plans.

Otherwise you will find the majority of the boardwalk's businesses that are open are t-shirt shops, sandwich and pizza restaurants, stands for drinks and snacks, and a few entertainment options such as Flipper's Fascination, Arcades, and the Seaport Acquarium.

Other Options