About 8 miles north of Wildwood (roughly 15 to 20 minutes by car from Coastal Sands Inn), the Wetlands Institute on Stone Harbor Boulevard has long been the place families go to explore the salt marsh. Plans have changed for 2026, though: see Planning Your Visit below before you go.
What Makes the Wetlands Institute Special
The Wetlands Institute’s Stone Harbor campus overlooks some 6,000 acres of coastal wetlands. It has had the Salt Marsh Trail, an elevated marsh walkway and dock, the Terrapin Station exhibit, an aquarium and a 40-foot observation tower looking out over the barrier islands and the marsh.
Kids head for the aquarium’s teacher’s tank, with live horseshoe crabs, sea stars and more. In spring and summer the Institute runs naturalist-led programs such as back bay boat rides, paddleboarding, kayaking, live animal interactions and guided beach and dune walks.
Local Tip: Check the events calendar and livecams at wetlandsinstitute.org to see what’s running before you plan your day.
Planning Your Visit
2026 update: The Institute held its last day of public programming at 1075 Stone Harbor Boulevard on September 7, 2026, and is elevating the flooding Salt Marsh Trail before building a new facility. It reopens on November 7 at its transitional home, the New Jersey Coastal Conservation Center (formerly the Cape May Bird Observatory), 600 North Delsea Drive in Cape May Court House, with fall and winter hours on Saturdays and Sundays, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. That’s about 16 miles from Coastal Sands Inn, roughly 25 to 30 minutes by car. For admission and program details, check wetlandsinstitute.org or call 609-368-1211.
What to Bring: Comfortable walking shoes, sun protection, binoculars if you have them, and a camera. Pets are not allowed on Institute property (service dogs are welcome).
Educational Programs and Wildlife
Wetlands Institute programs and features have included:
- ✓Terrapin Station, an exhibit on the diamondback terrapin and the Institute’s conservation work
- ✓Back bay boat rides, paddleboarding and kayaking (spring and summer)
- ✓Guided beach and dune walks (spring and summer)
- ✓The Salt Marsh Trail (being elevated starting in 2026)
The institute’s research work focuses on protecting diamondback terrapin turtles, protecting habitat for marsh-dependent birds, and studying the effects of sea level rise on coastal ecosystems.
Making It a Perfect Wildwood Day
From a Coastal Collection hotel in Wildwood, the Institute makes an easy half-day outing: a morning of marsh and wildlife, then back to Wildwood’s free beaches in the afternoon. From mid-October to April, Coastal Sands Inn is the Coastal Collection hotel that’s open; the other four reopen in April.
Local Tip: Call ahead (609-368-1211) before you drive up; programs and hours change by season, and 2026 is a transition year for the Institute.
Whether you’re staying at Sunset Beach Hotel on Ocean Avenue or family-friendly Paradise Inn, you’re a few blocks from Wildwood’s Boardwalk and just a quick drive to incredible nature experiences like the Wetlands Institute. It’s this combination of beach fun and educational adventures that makes our corner of the Jersey Shore special for families seeking both excitement and enrichment.
Stay a Few Blocks from the Action.
Five locally owned Wildwood hotels a few blocks from the beach and the Boardwalk. From mid-October to April, Coastal Sands Inn is open; the other four reopen in April.
Where to stay in Wildwood
Planning a Wildwood trip? Coastal Collection runs five locally owned hotels a few blocks from the beach and the Boardwalk: Coastal Sands Inn, Beachside Resort, Sunset Beach Hotel, Sunrise Inn and Paradise Inn. Compare them on the hotels in Wildwood page and book directly with the hotel.
