The Doo Wop Motel District, officially recognized as the "Wildwoods Shore Resort Historic District" by the State of New Jersey, lies primarily in the municipality of Wildwood Crest, along a two mile stretch between Atlantic and Ocean avenues.

Within this district, you'll find the largest concentration of Doo Wop, or mid-century commercial, motels in the nation! Block after block features motel after motel after motel, each with its own unique fantasy theme, eye-catching sign, vivid color pallette and kitschy ornamentation.
 

"The Strip" of motels along Ocean Avenue in
Wildwood Crest begins to light up at dusk.

 

Colorful motels line both sides of the street as you walk or drive
down Wildwood Crest's lively Ocean Avenue.

The Caribbean and Bel Air motels, one after another, are icons
of Doo Wop as you head south on Ocean Avenue.

Over 50 vintage motels still stand today within this unique district. Up until the late 1990s, nearly 100 motels stood within this district alone, virtually untouched since their original construction in the 1950s and 60s. Between the years 2000 and 2005, unchecked real estate development & speculation in the area led to the demolition of several noteable motels, while others have undergone significant renovation. Today, the Doo Wop Preservation League works with local business & property owners, city planning & zoning officials, and the state historic preservation office to help ensure that the remaining historic structures in this district will be preserved and celebrated for generations to come.

Outside this district, you'll find a smattering of Doo Wop motels and "mini-districts" throughout the island, including some unique stand-outs along Atlantic and Surf Avenues in North Wildwood, such as the landmarked Chateau Bleu, Panoramic Motel, and Lollipop Motel, as well as a small concentration of neon-lit motels along Ocean Avenue in this area. Center-city Wildwood features an array of motels scattered about its Ocean, Atlantic and Pacific Avenues, as well as a newly designated high-rise hotel district that is the first of its kind in the nation to enforce "Doo Wop" design guidelines for new construction!