This place has been a family favorite since 1992. And for good reason.
To say my family has been staying at The Imperial 500 Motel (6601 Atlantic Ave Wildwood Crest NJ) a long time is an understatement. My sister and brother-in-law first stayed here in 1992, when my nephew was about eighteen months old. Bill Clinton’s run for the White House was in full swing. Boyz II Men and Nirvana, Sir Mix-A-Lot and Pearl Jam, Kris Kross and The Cure graced the music charts. ‘Aladdin’, ‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York’, and ‘Basic Instinct’ topped box office sales. ’60 Minutes’, ‘Roseanne’, and ‘Seinfeld’ dominated TV ratings. There are photos on their website and in their brochure of my family and friends dating back about 25 years.
And for just about every summer since, someone in my family has stayed here. Even in recent years as my sister and brother-in-law have been staying at a local campground in their RV, they still spend days here, at the pool and socializing with the folks in charge who’ve become close friends. It’s easy to see why. The place is clean, well run, friendly, and inviting. They’re constantly working to improve accommodations and facilities. Best of all, the rates are extremely reasonable. It’s easy to get caught up in the expense of a shore stay. Whether it’s the hotels or food or attractions. While that can seem unavoidable, there are places like The Imperial 500 that manage to stay more affordable than neighboring places.
The rooms are clean and spacious. I stayed in a two-room efficiency (because I like to cook). Outside each room are two chairs and a small table, covered so sitting out you can be shaded from the sun or protected from the rain. There are grills for cooking and plenty of tables and chairs available to every guest in the main court. There’s an arcade game room for the kids. Outside of that area is a small carousel and a fairly large, covered dining area good for parties. Off to the side of this are pub-style tables with large-scale checkers and tic-tac-toe. This is also the designated smoking area, just be aware. They have laundry facilities as well.
The large heated saltwater pool is clean and flanked by many lounge chairs, palm trees, sculptures and dolphin fountains. There’s also shuffleboard, cornhole, and billiards on the far end of the property. Parking is limited to one car per room, but parking on the streets to the west of the motel is free and plentiful. Parking to the east is metered. They’ll tell you that parking can be hard to come by on busy weekends, but being from Hoboken (notorious for parking agravations) this was heaven for me.
It’s a beautiful spot in a very uncluttered location. That’s because right across the street is Centennial Park — a protected open and multi-use green space. This allows for unobstructed views of the dunes and beach beyond from the motel’s sun deck. A favorite spot of mine whenever I’m down here. I’m not a big beach or ocean person, but I do love being near the water. The sea air and the sounds, just not the grit and wet.
The staff at the Imperial 500 are wonderful. Attentive, friendly management, maintenance, and housekeeping alike. And the family who own and run the place — now on I believe the third generation — are fantastic. I highly recommend staying here. They operate from the first weekend in May to the first weekend in October. Rates are of course higher mid summer but reasonable and drop significantly earlier and later in the season.
Now I do have give my one minor critique. The music. The property is lined with speakers and from mid-morning to early evening the music can be quite loud. It’s nothing abrasive. Mostly easy listening or ‘yacht rock’. Still it can be distracting. However, the layout is large enough to find quiet spots, so this is not a deal breaker for me. Obviously I’ll be back. Probably alone but chances are someone I’m related to will be here, too.
Website -> imperial500.com
