Wildwood, New Jersey

A vacation from our retirement?  Not really.  But we did leave TuTu (Yes, the RV has a name!) behind.  Zach and Sarah left town for 5 days with Sarah’s family so we decided it was time for a beach trip.  I miss a sunrise over water and Gary just misses the water.  Well, he is in the pool every day but Tuesday; this is different.

Gary loves Wildwood.  I used to think it was just about the Mack’s Pizza or the Boardwalk, but this trip I realized it is about those things, but it is more.  Gary’s family, like most, has a fractured past and he was dealt some tough blows at an early early age.  But one good memory he has from his childhood is the family, three generations of Hagmayers with the step siblings and half siblings, all gathering at Wildwood for a week in the summer.  He fondly remembers Macks Pizza, breakfast at Pierre’s (which isn’t there anymore) and the Fudgy Wudgy man (which is still a thing but not the same guy!)

So, he booked us an AirBNB for an overnight stay and we drove to the beach on a Wednesday morning.  The AirBNB was really a Motel but it was two short blocks off the beach and one block from the Wildwoods sign!

Wildwoods sign at sunrise

The owner graciously allowed us an early check in.  We took our one small suitcase up to the room, changed into our bathing suits and headed for the beach.  If you have never been to Wildwood, I have to tell you…..the walk to the beach is not for the faint of heart.  I mean, it’s no marathon distance but it is not a hop skip and a jump either!  I actually tracked it Thursday morning when I went back to the beach for my sunrise, it is .3 miles from the boardwalk to the water…further if the tide is out!

But they have sought to accommodate people by building a wooden walkway about a third of the distance.  It is flat walking and the sand is well packed so it isn’t a hard walk.  There are also port-a-potties halfway out so you don’t have to trudge ALL the WAY back to the Boardwalk if nature calls.

The two days we were there the Atlantic was actually quite calm, although I found it to be quite chilly!  There was not a terrible rip current, the waves were not overly large nor abusive.  There are lifeguard stands within site of each other and we did witness a water rescue.  A gentleman must have tired out there and was brought back to shore but did not require medial attention.  It was good to see the rapid response of the very capable team.  Beach Patrol responded with a truck, a boat and half a dozen lifeguards.

The beach was full but not overly packed.  You could hear a lot of different languages and witness families playing in the water and in the sand.  We also saw dolphins the first day pretty close. 

As the day marches on and the sun crosses the sky toward the horizon, families start to pack up and everyone heads back to their abodes to shower, change and come back to the Boardwalk.

The Boardwalk is two miles long, it has three piers with rides and is said to have more rides than Disney.

Moreys Pier at Wildwood New Jersey

The Boardwalk is chock full of restaurants, souvenir stores, and entertainment options…you can ride in a Monster Truck on the beach, purchase a hermit crab as a new pet, get a henna tattoo, or take an Olde Time photo all while enjoying ice cream, French fries and pizza!

Gary’s favorite is Mack’s Pizza.  You can purchase pizza by the slice or an entire pie.  The only other item on the menu are their beverages.  It is cash only and pizza, only!  We had dinner at Mack’s then traversed the Boardwalk for the evening with hundreds of other people.   The atmosphere is always festive.  There are a lot of families and people of all ages.  This was a Wednesday evening so it wasn’t over crowded and we were off the boardwalk before it got dark.  I imagine weekends and later hours might draw a different crowd.

Gary had spotted an ice cream place between our motel and the Boardwalk so after we traversed the Boardwalk and we were ready for snack, it was time for ice cream. 

Sea Shell Ice Cream, Wildwood New Jersey

We headed to Sea Shell Ice Cream.  It appeared we were not the only ones with the same idea, we waited in a line for a little while.  Gary got a sundae and enjoyed it very much!

Ice Cream at Sea Shell Ice Cream, Wildwood, New Jersey

I love a good sunrise over the water so I got all of my things ready for a quiet exit in the morning and set my alarm.  I was rewarded with a delayed sunrise, the sun broke through the clouds AFTER cresting the water.  But it was still lovely.

Sunrise on the beach at Wildwood, New Jersey

When I got back to the motel room, Gary was up and enjoying the free coffee in the office of the Surf Comber Motel.  By the way, the rooms were very accommodating, the bathroom was retro or original?  It was not a new high-rise, it was an old motel but it had had a fresh coat of paint, it was clean and it was cute.  The room also had a minifridge, a sink and a few burners on a stove.  I was not aware and had not brought supplies to cook but I could have if I had wanted to.

Surf Comber Motel, Wildwood, New Jersey

Surf Comber Motel, Wildwood, NJ

Surf Comber Motel, Wildwood, NJ

The plan for the morning was a Boardwalk bike ride!!!  We rode South first, following the Boardwalk until it ended at Wildwood Crest. 

Wildwood Crest, NJ

When I say Boardwalk, you do come down a ramp and it converts to sidewalk but it remains completely dedicated to walkers and cyclists.  And at some places there are strict rules about ebikes.

We then doubled back and looked for a place to eat breakfast.  We picked a spot right along the Boardwalk that had just opened.  We sat right along the Boardwalk and enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine.  Breakfast out is a struggle for me.  I love breakfast.  I cook all sorts of breakfasts at home.  I enjoy having someone else cook it as well, but the price of breakfast out always appalls me.  I know what a pound of bacon and a dozen eggs goes for.  ☹

Breakfast at Adam’s on the Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ

Back on our bikes it was time to return to the room, get packed up and take one more trip to the beach before heading back to landlocked Pennsylvania.

I am glad we made this trip, it was important to Gary.  Cherished memories from our childhood need to be treasured and relived to keep them fresh in our minds as we get older. 

We continue to “Live life while we are living.”  Too many people put off taking the trip, journeying down a side road, planning some fun or just enjoying life.   We are not guaranteed tomorrow!   

 Psalm 139:16 says, “Your eyes saw my unformed body, all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

Blessings, my friends.

Before you go, check out TC’s Video about Wildwood!!!

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