Up the shoreline from Cape May are beach resorts like Wildwood, Avalon, Stone Harbor and Ocean City. Each town is in such close proximity to the next that you can experience the atmosphere of each in a single weekend.
Ocean City is located on a seven mile barrier island with a boardwalk and a host of festivals and events throughout the summer months. It calls itself America's Greatest Family Resort for its variety of family fun from its signature arcades and amusement rides on the boardwalk to its sandy beaches. Ocean City has a historical museum as well as Bayside Center, a recreational facility complete with an environmental education center, museum, and other attractions.
Located on Seven Mile Beach Island, Stone Harbor and Avalon are the more fashionable resort towns along this Jersey stretch of shore, where faithful vacationers come year after year to enjoy the fine dining and shopping available along these sister shores. Sprawling million-dollar homes provide a stunning backdrop for a bike ride or walk through town. Nature preservation is important to the residents and visitors of Stone Harbor and Avalon. The World Wildlife Fund owns over 1,000 acres of wetlands, while Stone Harbor is a renowned birding center.
Wildwood's nightlife and boardwalk make it true to its name. The younger set flocks to Wildwood to enjoy the summer and the sun in a loud, party time atmosphere. Arcades, souvenir shops and a record breaking number of amusement rides line the boardwalk, while the nightclubs are packed in the summer months. A 19th century lighthouse and local history museums are open to the public on the island, and Wildwood Crest at the southern end of the Five Mile Beach is a tamer, more family oriented location with quiet beaches and cottages.
The strip of shore from Ocean City to Wildwood is sandwiched between Atlantic City to the north and Cape May to the south. NJ Transit serves the area and the Garden State Parkway runs north/south along the southern shoreline.
