North Wildwood
Beach
The quieter, more local north end of the Wildwoods — anchored by the 1874 Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, a proud fishing heritage, strong surf, dolphin watching, and a beach freshly replenished in 2024. Free entry, no beach tags, calmer than the main boardwalk strip.
💚 Free — No Beach Tags
🏠 Quieter & More Local
🌊 Strong Surf Fishing
🐬 Dolphin Watching Tours
🏖️ Replenished 2024
🏡 Historic Anglesea Neighborhood
Wildwoods Beach Guide →
Hereford Lighthouse →
North Wildwood Beach is the quieter, more historically grounded northern end of the Wildwoods’ famous five-mile free beach — distinct in character from the high-energy central boardwalk section. The beach here begins at the Hereford Inlet jetty and runs south to where the boardwalk starts at 15th Avenue, offering a calmer, more residential beach experience that draws locals, surf fishers, and visitors who prefer a step back from the rides and games.
The town of North Wildwood carries a genuine history. Known in the 19th century as Anglesea — a fishing settlement founded by Swedish fishermen who discovered the area’s bounty in the 1870s — it grew from a small coastal village into a beach resort while maintaining a distinctly local character. The Lenape people had used these shores as summer grounds long before European settlement. That layered history gives North Wildwood a different feel from the commercial stretch further south.
The beach itself underwent a significant replenishment project completed in 2024, restoring sand that had eroded over previous years due to Hereford Inlet’s longshore drift patterns. Reviews since the replenishment have been enthusiastically positive. Combined with dolphin watching tours, parasailing, Salt Marsh Safari eco-tours through Hereford Inlet, and the lighthouse just steps from the beach, North Wildwood offers a genuinely rounded Shore day for visitors who want more than just a boardwalk.
What to Do Here
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Swimming
Lifeguarded swimming in season. The Hereford Inlet area can produce stronger currents near the jetty — swim in designated zones away from the inlet mouth.
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Surf Fishing
Hereford Inlet beaches are among the most popular surf fishing spots on the Jersey Shore — striped bass, bluefish, and flounder. The inlet’s tidal flow concentrates baitfish and draws predators.
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Dolphin Watching
Multiple tour operators run dolphin and whale watching cruises from the North Wildwood/Wildwood area. Bottlenose dolphins are commonly spotted in summer.
See Wildwoods tour operators →
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Parasailing
Atlantic Parasail and other operators offer parasailing launches from the North Wildwood/Wildwood waterfront — aerial views over the five-mile island and open ocean.
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Salt Marsh Safari
The Skimmer pontoon boat runs Salt Marsh Safari eco-tours through Hereford Inlet and the back bays — wildlife, birds, and coastal ecosystem education for all ages. A North Wildwood signature experience.
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Surfing
Randazzo Surf and Kona Surf Co. are both based in the North Wildwood area — surf lessons and board rentals for beginners and experienced riders. The inlet area produces good swell.
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Biking
The Wildwoods’ 12-mile bike route starts in the north and runs the full length of the island. North Wildwood has its own dedicated bike paths connecting to the boardwalk section.
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Surfside Pier — Morey’s Piers
The northern Morey’s pier — Surfside Pier at 25th Ave — is right here, with AtmosFEAR, The Great Nor’Easter coaster, Ocean Oasis water park, and family rides.
See listing →
🏛️
Hereford Inlet Lighthouse — Est. 1874
One of the most distinctive lighthouses on the Jersey Shore, the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse is listed on the National and State Historic Registers and still operates as an active navigational aid maintained by the US Coast Guard. Built in the English Cottage Style, it’s surrounded by spectacular Victorian gardens featuring over 170 plant varieties. The grounds and gift shop are free to explore; lighthouse tower tours available for a small fee. Walk the cement seawall path along the inlet for one of the most scenic spots in the entire Wildwoods.
herefordlighthouse.org →
🏖️ 2024 Beach Replenishment: North Wildwood’s beach eroded significantly over the prior decade due to natural longshore drift processes that carry sand south from Hereford Inlet toward Wildwood. The major sand replenishment completed in 2024 has restored the beach to something approaching its historic width, and recent visitor reviews have been enthusiastically positive about the result. The beach is in excellent shape for the 2026 World Cup summer.
📍 Who North Wildwood Beach Is For: Visitors who want the Wildwoods’ free beach in a quieter, less commercial setting. Surf fishers. Families who prefer a neighborhood beach over a boardwalk beach. Anyone interested in the lighthouse and local history. Dolphin watchers. Eco-tourists heading out on the Salt Marsh Safari. And anyone who finds the central Wildwood beach a bit too wide and too far from the water’s edge — North Wildwood’s beach puts you closer to the waves.
💚 Free Beach — No Tags
🏛️ Hereford Inlet Lighthouse
🐬 Dolphin Watching
🎣 Surf Fishing
🦆 Salt Marsh Safari
🪂 Parasailing
🏄 Surf Lessons
🏖️ Replenished 2024
🏡 Historic Anglesea
📍 North Wildwood, NJ
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