North Wildwood offers the same famous free beaches as Wildwood proper, but with two advantages that savvy shore visitors have figured out: slightly less crowded sand (especially at the northern end near Hereford Inlet), and the same seamless access to the boardwalk and Morey's Piers without staying in the middle of the action. You walk or bike south to the rides and games, then retreat north to quieter accommodations. It's the Wildwoods experience with a volume knob you can control.
The beaches here are genuinely free—no badges required, ever. The wide sand that defines all the Wildwoods stretches here too, sometimes requiring a 10-minute walk to the water at low tide. The northern end near Hereford Inlet offers the calmest swimming and the fewest crowds; families with young children stake out spots there. Lifeguards patrol through Labor Day. Parking runs about $20/day near the beach (free farther inland), and yes, on July Saturdays that's the price of admission to the free-beach experience.
Hereford Inlet Lighthouse provides North Wildwood's distinctive attraction. Built in 1874, this Victorian-style lighthouse is surrounded by gardens that peak in late spring and early summer—the kind of unexpected beauty you don't associate with the Wildwoods' boardwalk energy. Tours are available, and the lighthouse offers a quiet counterpoint to the amusement park intensity to the south.
The Doo-Wop motel architecture here matches what you'll find throughout the Wildwoods, but with a slightly less frantic commercial strip. The Lollipop Motel, built in 1959, features a giant neon lollipop sign with smiling kiddie faces—the kind of atomic-age imagery that architecture enthusiasts travel specifically to photograph. Cool Scoops ice cream parlor lets you eat 30+ flavors while sitting in vintage '57 Chevy, '59 Caddy, or '57 Ford Fairlane car booths (cash only). Keenan's Irish Pub handles the nightlife end with live music.
North Wildwood works best for families who want free beach access and Morey's Piers proximity without sleeping above the boardwalk noise, budget travelers who recognize the value of free beaches, lighthouse enthusiasts adding Hereford Inlet to their collection, and retro architecture photographers documenting Doo-Wop motels. Skip North Wildwood if you want to be in the middle of the action—that's Wildwood proper. But for the same free beach experience with 10% less intensity, North Wildwood has figured out the formula.