Did you make almost annual trips to Wildwood, NJ as a child as my family did? Do you remember renting bikes and riding the boardwalk early in the morning? Didn't it feel like it was at least 10 miles long and you never wanted it to end? (It's about 2 miles) Do you remember your same motel that your family stayed in year after year and you loved it but you were always amazed at all the other motels and secretly wanted to stay in the one called a Hawaiian name or the one with giant sized animals around the pool? Wildwood has a special place in my heart and is filled with nostalgic memories that I treasure. We always stayed at the All Star Motel on Buttercup Rd. As we would enter in to Wildwood, we would watch the streets go by and we couldn't wait to see the sign for Buttercup knowing we were close to the fun beginning. My dad chose this motel because it was right at the start of the boardwalk and he liked that it was owned by professional baseball players. It used to be connected to the Aqua Beach which is still in existence. Sadly the All Star name is no more. Recently we stayed at the Pan American hotel and have really enjoyed this renovated retro hotel. The outside still has the spinning globe which was placed there in the '60s and has the retro feel to it but the inside looks like a modern hotel. They have a lovely pool area and are right on the beach. They have a wonderful collection of historic photos inside when the hotel first opened. Back then, they offered the ultimate in luxury and it was touted as a modern almost futuristic establishment. You might be familiar with Morey's Pier today. Well the Morey family originally opened the Pan Am hotel and still own it along with a few other motels in the town along with the pier. 
A definite must see while in Wildwood is the Doo Wop Museum. Not to be confused with Doo Wop music although that was very much popular at the time, Doo Wop is a term relating to the bright, funky architecture that Wildwood was famous for. Opened a few years ago, the museum is housed inside the original Surfside restaurant that was disassembled and moved to a location directly across from the Wildwood Convention Center on the boardwalk. They have a wonderful collection of old neon signs from now non-existent motels and restaurants. It is also set up as a cafe with old vinyl tables so you can sit and have a bite to eat as you gaze at all the cool signs and furniture. The highlight of the museum is an electronic wall that has videos and photos from the 1960's featuring the Doo Wop architecture, the music, the motels and the beach scene. We sat and enjoyed this feature, it was a real throwback to that time. Sadly there were about 100 hotels and motels in the height of the Doo Wop architecture era and today there are only about 50 left. Most have been replaced by condos which look very pleasant but there is something about those neon lights and tacky buildings that just felt fun and childlike no matter what age you are.
One of my favorite rides as a kid (circa approximately 1975) was The Golden Nugget rollercoaster. It was so exciting back then but to today's standards it would seem tame, almost kiddie-like. The ride had an Old West theme to it and much of the ride was indoors with then scary coal miners and cow skulls about. In the beginning of the ride, you were up very high and had a birds eye view of the ocean and boardwalk. We also enjoyed watching the Go-Karts ride underneath the boardwalk and I was in awe and jealous as my brothers raced around the track. I guess since I was a girl and too young I wasn't able to go on. Check out this video, it has footage of an actual ride on the Golden Nugget. (it's the 2nd roller coaster in the video)
While in Wildwood, we always spend an afternoon or two in Cape May. We were happy to see a few new vegetarian options in the area. Good Earth Organic Eatery just opened and has a nice selection of vegan and vegetarian options. They are located in West Cape May which has become our favorite section. We thoroughly enjoyed an almond nut spread sandwich made on freshly baked grain bread with freshly grated carrots and lettuce. They also have herbal teas, juices and they house Bliss Organic Ice Cream which offers a few vegan ice cream options which we had the fun of sampling(they were delicious!) And then there's our favorite standby, Bella Vida which has such an extensive list of vegetarian options that it becomes a tough choice of what to order! We really enjoy their Tempeh Reuben and Tempeh Quesadillas. They have great vegan options with vegan bacon and vegan cheese and many gluten free options too. We didn't get a chance to check out Ella's Good to Go, but the folks who own Bliss also own this cafe which serves smoothies and sandwiches so it will definitely be a stop on our next trip.
If you haven't been to Wildwood or Cape May in a while (maybe it's been since childhood) I fully recommend taking the trip to enjoy all the nostagia and memories. You won't regret it!
