Roar to the Shore: where to stay in brief
Roar to the Shore: where to stay for a September ride to the Wildwoods? It comes down to which island town suits you. Below is what each one is like, plus booking tips for riders. For events in the Wildwoods that weekend, check the Wildwoods tourism website.
Know the island
Wildwood sits in the middle of Five Mile Beach, with North Wildwood to the north and Wildwood Crest to the south. Route 47 brings you into Wildwood on Rio Grande Avenue, and Route 147 lands you in North Wildwood. Cape May is roughly a 25-minute ride south on Ocean Drive. During Roar to the Shore, the action centered on the Convention Center lots and the blocks around Oak and Atlantic Avenues, and that part of Wildwood is still an easy walk to the boardwalk.
Wildwood
Stay here if you want to walk to the boardwalk, restaurants and bars. Wildwood allows alcohol sales, including at boardwalk bars, so nightlife is close by. The trade-off is noise and busier streets on event weekends. Bolero Resort at Oak and Atlantic served as rally headquarters in 2012 and still operates as a resort.
North Wildwood
North Wildwood has its own stretch of boardwalk, the 1874 Hereford Inlet Lighthouse with its gardens and an entertainment district that draws a weekend crowd. Exit 6 off the Parkway gets you in without crossing Wildwood traffic, and it is the closest base for the Ocean Drive run north to Stone Harbor and Avalon.
Wildwood Crest
The Crest is quieter and family oriented, and it is known for the country’s largest collection of 1950s and 1960s Doo Wop motel architecture. Its beaches are free. Keep in mind that the Crest is a dry town, so no alcohol is sold there. It is also the natural starting point for Ocean Drive south to Cape May.
Cape May
The whole city of Cape May is a National Historic Landmark district, packed with Victorian buildings, with the Washington Street Mall at its center. It trades boardwalk noise for porches and quiet streets, and it puts you minutes from the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal in North Cape May. Nearby Cape May Point, home of the lighthouse, is another dry town.
Booking tips for riders
- Check event calendars first. Airshow weekend and fall events can fill rooms early.
- Ask exactly where bikes park, whether the lot is lit and whether covers and disc locks are fine.
- Confirm cancellation terms, since September storms can change plans.
- Ask for a ground-floor room if you carry heavy luggage.
- If a property advertises a rally rate, ask which event it means. Roar to the Shore is not running.
On this page
Roar to the Shore at a glance
Dates
Not held since 2019. No 2027 dates announced. It ran Thursday to Sunday on the weekend after Labor Day.
Where
Wildwood, Cape May County, NJ. Past vendor areas were the Wildwoods Convention Center lots and Oak and Atlantic Avenues.
Nearest airport
Atlantic City International (ACY), about 45 road miles
Helmet law
Required for all riders and passengers in NJ. Operators also need goggles or a face shield.
More for this rally
Lodging & camping
Places that welcome riders
