Wildwood, New Jersey, is still defined by its history as the place where doo wop turned into rock, and where electric harmonies are the soundtrack to summer. Sixty years on, it's a time capsule of those happy days thanks to a proliferation of Googie architecture that’s been preserved as part of the Wildwoods Shore Resort Historic District. Although many iconic hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping centers have been demolished over the years, including the HofBrau, over 90 neon-spangled motels remain.
From Rock ’n’ Roll Roots to Midcentury Googie Architecture
The story of how Wildwood became the stuff of teenage nostalgia starts not with a motel, but a highway. In 1955, New Jersey completed the Garden State Parkway, which connected Philadelphia and New York City to the Jersey shore just as car culture was getting into full swing. The boardwalks and opulent railroad hotels of Asbury Park, Keansburg, Atlantic City and Cape May had drawn well-heeled tourists since the Victorian era. Some of these century-old resorts are still part of South Jersey’s charm, including the wedding-cake Chalfonte Hotel (Cape May’s oldest still in operation), Hotel Alcott, Congress Hall, and the Inn of Cape May.
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When you picture midcentury architecture, you might think of ranch homes and glass office buildings. But you might also picture the dramatic angles, cantilevered rooflines, and geometric shapes and design motifs associated with Googie architecture. The style was named after a design by architect John Lautner, Googie’s Coffee Shop in Los Angeles.
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Young people flocked to the Wildwoods on their own, too, where there were plentiful part-time jobs for college students on summer break and an endless parade of musicians playing R&B, jazz, blues, and rock and roll. Dizzy Gillespie, Sammy Davis Jr., Little Richard, The Drifters, The Platters, The Supremes, and other Black artists touring on the “Chitlin’ Circuit” played in Wildwood clubs, drawing crowds of R&B and pop fans from New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.
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Must-See Retro Attractions, Boardwalk Bites, and Neon Nights
On Tuesday and Thursday nights at 8:00 p.m., the Doo Wop Preservation League offers Back to the ’50s Neon Nights. These guided trolley tours of midcentury architecture in the Wildwood Doo Wop Motel district start at the Doo Wop Experience Museum, which is housed in the former Surfside restaurant. The museum has interactive exhibits, a retro-style malt shop, a garden filled with neon signs rescued from demolished Wildwood Googies, and plenty of memorabilia from the doo wop heyday.
Head down to the boardwalk for the classic Jersey Shore experience. The boardwalk is 38 blocks of arcades, carnival games, the Great White wooden roller coaster, two beachfront water parks, free beaches, and more. Explore the section between Atlanta Avenue and Morning Glory Road to stay within the Doo Wop Historic District. You never know who you might run into– back in 2017, Bruce Springsteen made headlines when he was spotted riding the boardwalk tram.
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Don’t forget to grab a photo in front of the Wildwoods Beach Ball Sign before you leave the boardwalk. Families will love the Blue Palms, named for bright blue artificial palm trees straight out of Dr. Seuss. Access to Morey’s Piers and the Beachfront Water Parks is included in your stay when booked directly, and the on-site Jersey Girl Kitchen serves up brunch, dinner, and live music.
Grab breakfast at Uncle Bill’s, a family-run local chain that started in 1962 in nearby Stone Harbor, New Jersey, and now boasts 8 locations across the Jersey Shore. In addition to “Our Famous Strawberry Waffle” and a wide range of pancakes–from the Iowa corn to the Yeasty Old Fashioned Buckwheat–Uncle Bill’s also offers apropos dishes like the Hawaiian Ham Steak and Creamed Chipped Beef.
Where to Stay, Dine, and Experience the Vintage Charm Today
Couples can make some memories at the Pan American Hotel, inspired by Will and Jackye Morey’s own honeymoon at the Americana Hotel in Miami Beach. This elegant spot with its rotating starburst sign and two-tiered sun deck is just steps from the beach and has an outdoor heated pool and an on-site restaurant. Save room, though. It’s hard to beat Urie’s Waterfront Restaurant for a romantic night out. They’ve been serving up seafood and steaks since 1956, and the menu still includes time capsule favorites like a wedge salad, sirloin and lobster tail, local Middle Neck Clams served casino, and breaded Jersey flounder.
So is the way that new generations continue to resonate with the art and architecture of the 1950s and ‘60s, from Gen X’s rock-a-billy and ska scenes to the influence of television shows like Mad Menand The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Millennials’ taste for mid-century modern. In a cultural moment when nostalgia for all things analogue is inspiring Gen Alpha to look decades past, Wildwood, New Jersey remains a travel destination with a little something for everyone, from those who lived it to those who want to travel through time.
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