Wildwood Crest Beach
Wildwood Crest, NJ
Wildwood Crest closes out the free beach trio at the southern end of the Wildwoods boardwalk, quieter and more residential than Wildwood proper just to the north. The wide, flat sand here is some of the most generous on the whole barrier island, plenty of room even when the boardwalk crowds are at their thickest.
The free access and unusually wide sand are real advantages, but the town otherwise plays it fairly straightforward compared to Wildwood's boardwalk energy just to the north.
How we score beachesWalk south past the main boardwalk crowds if you want more breathing room. The beach only gets wider and less crowded as you head toward the Cape May County line.
Metered street parking, payable through the ParkMobile app, serves the beach along with a handful of public lots.
Flat streets and boardwalk access points lead to the sand, with a notably wide, gently sloped beach at most entrances.
Dogs are allowed on the beach from October through May.
Water warms into the low to mid 70s by August, consistent with the rest of the Wildwoods. The wide beach here is a genuine advantage during the peak crowds of July and August.
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