“Most surprising was the appearance of Wildwood, New Jersey replacing Boston in the 10th spot.”
The Wildwoods, NJ – September 16, 2020 – The Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA) proudly announced that trivago has named Wildwood, NJ one of 2020’s top 10 most popular destinations for U.S. travelers to visit.
To determine the top 10 destinations for 2020, trivago – a leading global accommodations search platform – examined its search data worldwide and found three ways that travel is evolving: timing, destination distance/type and accommodations. It found that travelers are planning trips in the nearer future, and desired destinations have shifted from urban and international, to coastal and suburban or less populated domestic destinations, including smaller towns, coastal or beach destinations.
The article states, “The most popular destinations for U.S. travelers are in the U.S. or Mexico and at the beach, while 2019 saw London but not Mexico ranked in the top 10. In fact, two cities in Mexico – Cancun and Playa Del Carmen – are within the top five cities replacing Chicago and New Orleans, respectively. Most surprising was the appearance of Wildwood, New Jersey replacing Boston in the 10th spot, and Fort Lauderdale taking London’s spot at no. 9.”
“The resort offers a family-friendly atmosphere incomparable to other destinations, and we are thrilled to see Wildwood among top choices for travelers to vacation in, especially during these uncertain times,” said John Siciliano, executive director/CFO of GWTIDA. “Health and safety is a top priority and every precaution is being taken to assure that all who visit feel safe and comfortable,”
Below are some reasons we feel why the resort town has become a favored vacation destination for travelers in 2020:
Consistently named one of the best beach vacations in the U.S. for families, the Wildwoods – consisting of North Wildwood, Wildwood, and Wildwood Crest – are the perfect destination to get away with the family. You can soak up some sun, clear your mind, escape the chaos on the FREE beautiful white-sand, spacious beaches, and experience the calming effects of ‘Beach Therapy’. The Wildwoods’ wide, spacious beaches allow plenty of room to stretch out and practice social distancing. Beach-goers have the option of choosing to enjoy a relaxing day in the sun, or a more adventurous day of activities on the water, such as surfing, boogie boarding, fishing, power boating, jet-skiing, sailing, kayaking, and whale and dolphin watching.
You can bring your furry friends along too and visit the dog-friendly beach and dog park at Glenwood Avenue Beach in the Wildwoods! And don’t forget to kick off your family trip by posing in front of the iconic ‘WILDWOODS’ Sign, standing 20 feet high and 80 feet long and surrounded by beach ball sculptures – that you can climb on – and snap a family photo to commemorate your trip! The ‘WILDWOODS’ Sign is also broadcast live on the World Wide Web. You can call family and friends back home and have them view you live while posing for photos. There are also many other “Instagramable” photo icons located throughout the Wildwoods.
Along with our award-winning beaches, another ‘must see’ is our world-famous Wildwoods Boardwalk. Known as “2-½ miles of smiles,” the boardwalk has 38-blocks of fun and excitement for everyone, whether you’re looking to just take a stroll and shop or experience thrills and adventure. For a more peaceful day, you can take a ride on the 140-foot Ferris Wheel that overlooks the beaches and ocean, go for a bike ride, take a stroll, or take a ride on the famous Wildwoods Boardwalk “Sightseer” Tram Car that travels the entire Boardwalk from end to end. For more action and adventure, you could go on any of the Boardwalk’s world-class roller coasters and thrill rides, take monster truck rides on the beach, go down huge waterslides, and more!
To satisfy your hunger after a day of fun, munch on some classic boardwalk fair – from hamburgers and hotdogs to French fries and pizza. Don’t forget dessert! Find sweet treats like saltwater taffy, fudge, frozen custard, funnel cakes, and fried Oreos.
Bike riding is a favorite pastime, and no town seems to do biking better than the Wildwoods. The Wildwoods have coined the word ‘Bikeability’ to capture all of the amazing opportunities for biking. Right now, there is no better way to recharge, get physical exercise and enjoy the beautiful salt air – all while keeping a safe distance from fellow visitors – than a leisurely bike ride. From lengthy and scenic bike paths, to bike lanes along popular roads, to biking right on the boardwalk, there are so many ways to enjoy the Wildwoods on two wheels.
Admirers of architecture would be amazed as the Wildwoods are home to the country’s largest concentration of mid-century Doo-Wop architecture. We invite you to take a walk through the Wildwoods’ Doo-Wop District, head towards the Doo-Wop Experience Museum and hop on the award-winning “Back to the ‘50s” Doo-Wop Neon Night Bus Tour. With bright neon signs, colorful facades, futuristic architecture and “far-out” themes, these buildings offer a neon-lit slice of Americana to anyone visiting the Island. Then to top it off, grab some dinner at one of the many Doo-Wop style diners throughout the Wildwoods that offer large menus and a unique, fun setting the kids are sure to love. The Wildwoods offer more than 11,000 lodging accommodations – over 8,000 hotel-motel rooms and 3,000 vacation rentals – many of which offer FREE WiFi, and appear to ‘sparkle’ with Doo Wop themed architecture, décor and bright colors. Inside, social distancing practices and enhanced sanitizing and cleaning protocols are being strictly followed. Hotel and motel swimming pools follow safety practices by including screenings upon entering the swimming pool area; social distancing while in the water and on pool decks, and non-sharing of pool furniture and equipment, except among families and partners.
