Little more than a hundred years old, the staunchly blue-collar resort of nearby Wildwood offers a counterpoint to the old-world fakery of Cape May. The increase in leisure time following WWII and the subsequent boom in the vacation industry created towns like Wildwood, which sprung up to house the newly idle sun-seekers. The 1950s architecture, left lovingly intact, includes dozens of gaudy but fun-looking hotels with names like Pink Orchid Waikiki and The Shalimar , all still featuring plastic palm trees, kidney-shaped swimming pools and plenty of aqua, orange and pink paint. To best appreciate the town's brash charm, take a stroll along the Boardwalk, and stop along the wide, if throbbing, beaches.

Wildwood

• Wildwood

New Jersey cities


All U.S. city guides