Wildwood in New Jersey attracts families from within and from neighboring states with its warm waters and an impressive selection of boardwalk entertainment and eateries. From the fun rides and carnival games at Morey’s Pier to salt water taffy treats and beach pies, the 38-block boardwalk is a huge draw for many visitors.
The beach itself is crowded with colorfully striped beach umbrellas. The occasional banner plane flies across the sunny skies, and the seagulls flap their wings overhead as they stake out fallen fries.
But after a while, if this gets a little overwhelming, there are plenty of places in Cape May County, which includes Wildwood, for a chance to decompress.
Congress Hall
Cape May Point State Park
At the southern part of the cape, historical sites and ruins are sprawled out on the grounds and surrounding areas of Cape May Point State Park.
The first logical stop would be at the Cape May Lighthouse, located next to the park’s visitor center. You may opt to climb all 199 steps to the top to catch views of the Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean or get a bird’s eye view of the state park’s trails.
Then, walk over to the sandy beach area of the park and you will find an abandoned bunker that evokes images of the Star Wars fictional desert planet, Tatooine. Built as part of the World War II Harbor Defense of the Delaware system, the bunker, also known as Battery 223, was also used during the Korean War when they added a radio transmitter station atop it. The bunker isn’t open to visitors, but it does offer a unique photo opportunity from your vantage point on the beach.
A short drive west from the lighthouse will take you to the World War II Lookout Tower. This tower, also called Fire Control Tower No. 23, was built in response to Germany’s steady encroachment into many European countries. This is the last freestanding lookout tower in New Jersey, and it was also part of the Harbor Defense Program, of which the previously mentioned bunker is a part.
Just a few paces away is Sunset Beach. You will notice right away the rusty debris sticking out of the water. It’s the site of a shipwreck with a very interesting backstory. The S.S. Atlantus was one of 12 experimental concrete ships built toward the end of the Great War as a response to the shortage of steel. By the time the ships were completed, the war was over. The Atlantus was to be towed to be repurposed as a ferry dock, but it ran aground during a storm and couldn’t be freed. Here, off the coast of Cape May, it finds its final resting place.
Historic Cold Spring Village
A Beach Feast
More Than the Beach
Wildwood’s five-mile coast continues to draw sunbathers and swimmers from all over, but this area is more than the beach and boardwalk. It’s also an abandoned bunker, a sunken ship, historic lighthouses, and so much more.
There’s more to Jersey than the Jersey Shore.