Wildwood Beaches
Free, up to 1,000 feet wide, and backed by two miles of boardwalk — the complete guide.
- Beach badgeFREE
- WidthUp to 1,000 ft
- Water stations13
Wildwood solves the two classic Jersey Shore complaints in one move: the beach is free, and there's more of it than anywhere else. Jetty-trapped sand has built the beach out as much as 1,000 feet from boardwalk to waterline — so much sand that beach taxis exist to carry you across it. Behind the beach, the 2-mile boardwalk carries Morey's Piers' three amusement piers — Adventure, Surfside, and Mariner's Landing.
Wildwood Beach Water Quality
NJDEP samples 13 stations along Wildwood's beachfront weekly in season. Current ratings from five years of Enterococcus data:
Plan Your Wildwood Beach Day
The free beaches continue into North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest. Prefer Victorian charm over amusement piers? Cape May is 15 minutes south.
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Wildwood Beach FAQs
Are Wildwood beaches free?
Yes — completely free, all season, for everyone. Wildwood, North Wildwood, and Wildwood Crest have never charged for beach access, which makes the Wildwoods the largest free-beach destination on the Jersey Shore. You pay only for parking.
Why are Wildwood beaches so wide?
The rock jetties along this stretch of coast trap southbound sand, so Wildwood's beach keeps growing — it has gained over a mile of width since 1900 and now runs up to 1,000 feet from boardwalk to waterline in spots. It's wide enough that beach taxis carry visitors to the ocean; bring water for the walk on hot days.
Which Wildwood beach section is best?
Wildwood proper puts you at the boardwalk and Morey's Piers. Wildwood Crest, to the south, is the quieter family section. North Wildwood, near Hereford Inlet, is the pick for fishing and a slightly older crowd. All three are free.
Is the water clean at Wildwood beaches?
Yes. NJDEP's Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program samples 13 stations along Wildwood's beachfront weekly in season, and 10 of 13 currently rate "excellent" based on five years of Enterococcus data. See our beach water quality tracker for station-by-station ratings.
When are lifeguards on duty in Wildwood?
Memorial Day through Labor Day during daytime hours. Given the beach's width, guarded bathing areas are marked by the lifeguard stands — swim in front of them, and expect a real walk from the boardwalk to the water.