By: Courtney Byrne

When I was a little kid, we went to Wildwood almost every summer. I have the best memories of the beaches there and all of the games and rides on the boardwalk. It’s been a place I have wanted to take my kids to and this summer we finally had a chance to visit. It had been over 20 years since I visited Wildwood and Morey’s Piers and couldn’t wait for the trip. I was thrilled that it was just as fun as I remember and that my kids loved it just as much as my brothers and I did years ago. It was awesome to make memories on the same boardwalk I loved as a kid with my kids. In 20 years they have made some major updates but still kept the good old fashioned summer time feel I remember from growing up. Here’s a recap of our trip with some tips for visiting Morey’s Piers with little kids:

Visiting Morey’s Piers with Little Kids

The Boardwalk

Morey’s Piers has 3 piers on the Wildwood boardwalk: Mariner’s, Adventure and Surfside. Before we went, I researched the rides at all the piers and determined, due to my kids height/ages, that Mariner’s and Surfside would be best. Both of these piers have tons of rides for all ages, even my little guy that is 3. The both still have plenty of “big rides” too, so all ages were happy. My oldest was so excited that the Runaway Tram roller coaster opened right before we arrived and she could try it out!

In addition to a ton of fun rides, my kids loved all the games. Both days we went to Morey’s Piers to enjoy the rides and games, we went right when the rides started (look up the times the days you go). This was ideal because there were no crowds and no lines. We never waited for more than a couple minutes and many rides they rode a few times in a row. Both days we were there from about 12-4. We did the waterpark in the AM, enjoyed lunch at the waterpark or boardwalk (see below for spots to eat) and then did all the rides and games. We’d leave about 4pm and go swimming. This worked out really well with a group of little kids.

The Waterparks

There are 2 waterparks at Morey’s Piers: Raging Waters and Ocean Oasis. Because Raging Waters has a little kid area and Pig Dog Beach Bar, we picked that one to try first. My kids loved it so much we went back the next day. Next time I’d like to check out Ocean Oasis too, but for now here’s my input on bringing little kids to Raging Waters. I will start by saying my kids have never been to a waterpark (besides in a hotel) because I am not waterpark person and was nervous to watch 4 kids at a water park… I REALLY liked Raging Waters…. so if a nervous, non-waterpark person liked it.. I assume you will too!

It was clean, well run, nice staff and lots for all ages. We went both times right when it opened in the AM so it wasn’t crowded at all. If you have little kids, I’d recommend doing this, because it was much easier to watch 4 kids at a water park than I expected, due to being there at a “non crowded” time. The little kid area is amazing. My kids could have spent hours and hours there. From the 2 year old up to the 9 year old, it was a blast.

The 2nd day we went I had my parents with me/ extra hands. That day I joined the big kids and we did some of the bigger slides and it was so much fun! Also to note: they have life jackets you can use, free of charge.

Where to Eat

One thing I was really impressed with was all the spots to eat that Morey’s had. It made it super convenient to have places to eat at the waterpark, boardwalk and hotel. At the waterpark we enjoyed Pig Dog Beach. It was right in the waterpark, had great food, drinks and ice cream.

We enjoyed pretzels at Wilhelm’s (more details on that below) and my taco fan went back for seconds at The Taco Joint. All the kids agreed at the fries from Curyl’s Fries were the best they ever had! We also really liked the Royal Grille that was located in the Port Royal where we stayed. We loved the breakfast there so much we went both mornings. You can dine inside or outside and it’s so convenient that it’s right in the hotel. We went there for dinner too. More on the Port Royal….

Where to Stay

I can’t recommend the Port Royal enough! It was the perfect spot for a family visiting Wildwood. It’s owned by Morey’s Piers and you can actually book right on the Morey’s site. It’s a great location, has a fun pool, kids activities and for someone that enjoys nautical decor on vacation… I loved the lobby and common areas.

It’s not easy to find hotels where a whole family can comfortably fit in one room but our room at the Port Royal had: 1 bedroom with a king size bed, a kitchen, bath and living room area with a pullout couch. PLUS there was a cool little room with a set of bunk beds. This kids loved the bunk room!

The Beaches

The beaches in Wildwood are much bigger than what we’re used to at the Jersey Shore. My kids couldn’t believe how “long the sand was” before getting to the ocean. We had a great beach view from The Port Royal.

The beaches are beautiful and we spent a lot of time running around. The Port Royal is right on the beach and so are the Piers.

Can’t wait until next summer to try Morey’s Piers? Visit this fall!

There are so many fun events to attend this fall and it’s a great time to enjoy the boardwalk – less crowds and cooler temperatures.

This past Friday Morey’s Piers kicked off four consecutive weekends of Oktoberfest. Here’s some of the extra special fun offered during Oktoberfest:

Wilhelm’s Bier Garten, the home of Oktoberfest, serves ice-cold German draft beer along with German fare aplenty including fried pierogies, large Bavarian pretzels, wings tossed with German beer sauce, cheddar bratwurst and bacon knockwurst on a pretzel roll. New menu items this year include buffalo dip and a Beyond Meat bratwurst sandwich. We tried the pretzels at Wilhem’s this summer and they are awesome!!

Jumbo’s Grub & Pub will offer a festive selection of Bavarian pretzels, bratwurst, German potato salad, schnitzel, spatzle, and more. Thirsty guests can sip on a wide selection of beers on tap and tasting flights at the outdoor “biergarten” located behind Jumbo’s. To satisfy a sweet tooth, stands on Mariner’s Pier will have Oktoberfest favorites including candied and caramel apples, apple fritters, and fall funnel cake flavors: pumpkin and cinnamon glazed.

A kid’s zone with a “Rootbier Garten” will be set-up near the Wave Swinger and kids can enjoy a variety of activities including a pumpkin and cookie decorating station. Wristband holders 12 years old and under will receive a free souvenir root beer cup with first fill free. Prices per kid activity vary. Rides on Mariner’s Pier will also be available for families to enjoy together.

Mariner’s Pier located at Schellenger Avenue hosts Oktoberfest September 20-22, September 27-29, October 4-6, and October 11-13. The pier will be open from 6:00pm to 11:00pm on Fridays; 12:00pm to 11:00pm on Saturdays; 12:00pm to 5:00pm on Sundays. For more information about Morey’s Oktoberfest offerings and to purchase wristbands, visit www.moreyspiers.com/oktoberfest.

For more information on Morey’s Piers, visit www.moreyspiers.com.