[24] Wildwood was the first city in New Jersey to have a female mayor, Doris W. Bradway, who was ousted in a 1938 recall election.

Wildwood was originally incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 1, 1895, from portions of Middle Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day.

A building boom began in the 1950s, due partially to the construction and completion of the Garden State Parkway in 1955.

The Wildwood Doo Wop Preservation League has taken action to help save and restore these historic buildings.

[39] A 1950s Doo Wop museum includes property from demolished motels such as neon signs and furniture.

[40] Neo-Doo Wop buildings in the area feature a neon lit Wawa and a 1950s styled Acme Supermarket.

[42][43][44] Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Five Mile Beach.

[56] The joint UEZ is overseen by the Enterprise Zone Development Corporation of the Wildwoods Board, which includes representatives from all four municipalities.

[60] Wildwood is a resort city that is very popular with vacationers and tourists mostly from New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, and even nearby parts of Canada (particularly Ontario and Quebec) during the summer months.

In June 2006, its Doo-Wop-style motels were placed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's annual Eleven Most Endangered List,[62] described as "irreplaceable icons of popular culture.

During Senior Week, the graduates stay in hotels and rent beach houses in Wildwood where they party and participate in underage drinking.

The French Canadian tourists primarily vacation in Wildwood in July when Canada takes a two-week construction holiday.

A stage is set off to the side of the boardwalk near Mariner's Landing Pier where several performances are held throughout the summer.

[citation needed] In 2008–2009, a section of the boardwalk was rebuilt using ipe tropical hardwood, even though the town had made a commitment to use domestic black locust as a more environmentally friendly option.

Visitors to the boardwalk are invited to attend any of its 77 consecutive evening services held during June, July and August.

[75][76] Over a four-day period each June, Wildwood hosts the National Marbles Tournament at Ringer Stadium, an event that dates back to 1922.

The tournament is the "ACWA (Atlantic Coast Wrestling Association) War at the Shore", usually taking place sometime in mid to late April.

At a reorganization conducted after each election, the commission selects one of its members to serve as mayor and gives each commissioner an assigned department to oversee and manage.

[3][85][86][87] In June 2022, Mayor Peter Byron and Commissioner Steven Mikulski, together with former Mayor Ernest Troiano, were all charged with unlawful taking and tampering with public records in a case in which it was alleged that they improperly declared that they worked full-time for the city so that they could collect health insurance from the city under the State Health Benefit Plan worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The first was in 1938 when the State's first female Mayor Doris W. Bradway and Commissioner Frederick W. Murray were voted out of office.

[95][96] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 2nd congressional district is represented by Jeff Van Drew (R, Dennis Township).

[98] For the 2024-2025 session, the 1st legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Mike Testa (R, Vineland) and in the General Assembly by Antwan McClellan (R, Ocean City) and Erik K. Simonsen (R, Lower Township).

[99] Cape May County is governed by a five-person Board of County Commissioners whose members are elected at-large on a partisan basis to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year; At an annual reorganization held each January, the commissioners select one member to serve as director and another to serve as vice-director.

[100] As of 2025[update], Cape May County's Commissioners are Director Leonard C. Desiderio (R, Sea Isle City, 2027),[101] Robert Barr (R, Ocean City; 2025),[102] Will Morey (R, Wildwood Crest; 2026),[103] Melanie Collette (R. Middle Township; 2026),[104] and Vice-Director Andrew Bulakowski (R, Lower Township; 2025).

[143] Additionally As of 2020[update] Bishop McHugh Regional School in Dennis Township takes students from Wildwood.

Wildwood has 24 paid parking lots in the beach area that are privately owned and charge varying rates based on demand.

The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30, which can bring storms, most typically between August and late October.

The plant hardiness zone at Wildwood Beach is 7b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 6.7 °F (−14.1 °C).

[164] Every June, the Barefoot Country Music Festival is held on Wildwood Beach, drawing tens of thousands of attendees.

Acts like Blake Shelton, Kid Rock, Darius Rucker, Cole Swindell , Eric Church, Jason Aldean and Florida Georgia Line have played the festival.