Ocean City,NJ vs. Wildwood,NJ

[disneyred]

Hi,
I continue to see a wealth of info here... and was wondering
can anyone offer a quick comparison of these 2 places...

I have searched to find a map containing these 2 areas but with no success...are they close by each other ??

Any places to stay on the beach in Ocean City, compatible for 3 young kids ??
I have seen several on the websites for Wildwood (seems more popular).

any info tips are much appreciated.....

 

[gina2000]

I like both. OC is a dry town which appeals to alot of people. Wildwood is very close to Cape May (a wonderful beach town to explore and shop in) and the Cape May Zoo as well as the ferry to Lewes, Delaware. Both have their charms though I think OC has more houses and Wildwood Crest (the more desireable part of Wildwood to stay in) has a ton of condos on the beach. They are relatively close in distance also.

 

[gina2000]

Here's the Ocean City, NJ Chamber of Commerce website.

http://www.oceancityvacation.com/

 

[phillybeth]

Hi,
I continue to see a wealth of info here... and was wondering
can anyone offer a quick comparison of these 2 places...

I have searched to find a map containing these 2 areas but with no success...are they close by each other ??

Any places to stay on the beach in Ocean City, compatible for 3 young kids ??
I have seen several on the websites for Wildwood (seems more popular).

any info tips are much appreciated.....

Ocean City is more home rentals, while Wildwood is more motels and condos. Most people who rent in OC go through a realtor's rental office. Beachfront in either place is not going to be inexpensive. And the beach in Wildwood is expanding, so you might not even see the ocean from your beachfront hotel! It can be a 15 minute walk just to get to the water.
OC is more family oriented IMO. Although if your kids are older, Wildwood has more thrill rides on the Boardwalk.
In the summer season it will be about a 30-45 minute drive from one to the other.

 

[noseybuddy]

Going to the boardwalk everynight can get very expensive. If you don't plan on going to the boardwalk everynight that I think Cape May is a good place to stay. Nice beach, Washington Street Mall is nice to walk around and also look at all the Victorian homes. They have carriage rides that you can take which is a short tour through the streets where the Victorian homes are. Also the Cape May Zoo. It is very nice, not too far of a ride and it is free. You can also go to the lighthouse which is in Cape May. Wildwood is a short ride from Cape May so you could easily go over there at night to walk the boardwalk.

I have never stayed in OC but it is also very nice. Very family like. Nice boardwalk. I like OC boardwalk better then Wildwood.

Hope this helps in making a decision.

 

[disneyred]

many many thanks for your inputs...much appreciated !!

 

[DisneyJen0504]

OC in my opinion is more relaxing and quiet-more family oriented. Wildwood has really changed over the years and attracts more and more of a bad crowd. Family vacaton? Then head to OC.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I have vacationed in Wildwood every year for the past 8 years straight and been there many other times prior. We have never run into any problems with "bad crowds." And in fact with all the new condo's being built, I think the crowds are improving.

The important thing for a family trip is not to stay in Wildwood proper. If you stay in either Wildwood Crest (which is dry BTW except in Diamond Beach) or North Wildwood, you'll be perfectlyf fine. Wildwood itself is more suitable for the partying crowd.

Cape May is an absolutely delightful place to visit, but the beach there isn't all that nice. The beaches in North Wildwood (which are a lot smaller than they used to be) and Wildwood Crest are very, very nice. The water there is quite gentle, even when the waves look rough. Cape May is only a few miles south of Wildwood, so I'd say stay in North Wildwood or Wildwood Crest and visit Cape May as a day trip.

 

[Blondy876]

This is just MHO but:

ocean city = famly

wildwood = teenagers

They can both be fun places to go, it just depends on what your plan is.

 

[Laurajean1014]

I no longer like the Wildwood crowds. We saw some "bad" stuff the last time we were there. (About 5 years ago.) Maybe it has changed....

OC is much smaller but very family oriented. It looks more relaxing and less stimulating.

Cape May is beautiful. I would stay there.

 

[swilphil]

We spent 5 days in Cape May in June and 1 day in Wildwood. The Boardwalk in Wildwood is fun, but the town is wall to wall motels. Cape May is the cutest little town with tons of victorian B&B's and houses to rent. Also several nice inns. We thought the beach in Cape May was very nice, but we went to the part where you had to pay for a beach tag--$9 for a 3 day tag. You can also buy a 1 day tag and a week long tag. The beach is free after 5 p.m. and before 9 a.m.

If you go to Wildwood or Ocean City, definitely take a day trip to Cape May. There's fun shopping and lots of good restaurants. It's only 15 minutes from Wildwood.

 

[Disney Ella]

We've stayed in North Wildwood several times and it was not wild at all - many families. More and more of the old motels are being torn down now and are being replaced by duplexes and big beach houses, so it is getting to be a little more like Ocean City.

I like Cape May better than either Ocean City or Wildwood, but don't like the prices there.

 

[disneyred]

We spent 5 days in Cape May in June and 1 day in Wildwood. The Boardwalk in Wildwood is fun, but the town is wall to wall motels. Cape May is the cutest little town with tons of victorian B&B's and houses to rent. Also several nice inns. We thought the beach in Cape May was very nice, but we went to the part where you had to pay for a beach tag--$9 for a 3 day tag. You can also buy a 1 day tag and a week long tag. The beach is free after 5 p.m. and before 9 a.m.

QUOTE]

Hi,
thanks for sharing all this great info....
but I guess this is news to me.... YOU HAVE TO PAY to use the beach in Cape May ??? how about parking ???
Is this the case for Wildwood also .....??????

 

[phillybeth]

The beach is free in Wildwood only- every other shore town (except Atlantic City) charges a fee, usually in the form of a beach tag, not for the beach itself but to offset the cost of cleanup, beach replenishment, lifeguards, etc. You can get daily, weekend or weekly beach tags- some towns sell seasonal tags but only preseason or to those who own property. If you rent a house or condo, a few tags are usually included.
Parking is going to cost you no matter where you go- big bucks on the weekend too. Best to leave your car at your rental or motel where parking is free and walk to the beach/boardwalk most days.

 

[Cindy B]

The beach is free in Wildwood only- every other shore town (except Atlantic City) charges a fee, usually in the form of a beach tag, not for the beach itself but to offset the cost of cleanup, beach replenishment, lifeguards, etc. You can get daily, weekend or weekly beach tags- some towns sell seasonal tags but only preseason or to those who own property. If you rent a house or condo, a few tags are usually included.
Parking is going to cost you no matter where you go- big bucks on the weekend too. Best to leave your car at your rental or motel where parking is free and walk to the beach/boardwalk most days.

I dont think you have to pay for beach tags at either Seaside or Seaside Heights either. I can't remember which one it is, but it used to be the either one of those didn't need tags either.




I just go to Island Beach State Park. The fees for entrance is either $7 or $8 per car, and that park has a shower/bathroom area/nature trails and other stuff besides the beach.