Before breezing into the Wildwoods on a late August afternoon, I always thought Doo-Wop was a form of music. I stand corrected.

In September 2003, a special review board added 275 Wildwood structures to New Jersey's Registry of Historic Places.

Like the music, the architecture is brash and bold, with space-age imagery, tropical colors, and a dazzling display of neon- not to mention jutting, angular elements that suggest the fins of an Edsel.

Just as Ocean Drive, in South Beach Miami, represents the Art Deco style of the '30s, the strutting structures of the Wildwoods are stunning standards of the '50s, in all their garish ways.

The locals even formed a Doo Wop Preservation League to keep 21st developers from destroying the tacky mix of motels, bars, restaurants, and ice-cream shops.

That group has prevailed: historians now say the Wildwoods have the greatest collection of mid-20th century American architecture. Since Cape May, 10 miles south, has more Victorian structures than anywhere else, the tip of New Jersey represents a 70-year trip through time.

Like Miami Beach, Palm Springs, and Savannah, the Wildwoods- specifically Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, and North Wildwoods- are riding a nostalgia wave that has created a new industry: heritage tourism. Doo Wop is the major catalyst, with narrated trolley tours passing the architectural treasures, including a local Wawa convenience store designed to fit the motif.

Though too far north to fit the trolley route, the top Doo Wop spot in the area is a seven-room B&B meticulously designed and operated by an Elvis enthusiast who escaped the corporate world.

Sheila Brown bought the 1913 corner property in 1995, eight years before she put the finishing touches on each of her themed rooms.

The Elvis Room, named for her idol, is a two-room suite on the lower level, which is also occupied by a handicapped-accessible '60s suite with pictures of the Beatles, Woodstock, and John F. Kennedy.

There's a TV room, movie room, music room, Marilyn Monroe room, and Life's a Beach room- all carefully designed with the '50s in mind. An airbrushed oversized Marilyn actually seems to be climbing out of the Jacuzzi in the all-pink Monroe room.

While in-room Jacuzzis, VCRs, and cable-TV are concessions to modern comforts, Brown hasn't forgotten what life was like in the '50s. There's a working black-and-white TV, as well as a huge mural of the old-time Wildwood boardwalk, in the living room; a 10-cent Coke machine in the basement; and a 1953 Seeburg jukebox (three plays for a quarter) in a dining room that resembles a diner, with red-seated booths, neon lights, curved ceilings, and overly-friendly service provided by Brown, decked out in poodle skirt and saddle shoes, and her mother Sandy. What other B&B provides Hebrew National salami and eggs?

The place just oozes '50s ambiance. There are books about the '50s, board games from the '50s, and paintings that show the '50s. The house has a huge wrap-around porch, perfect for guests who prefer finding fresh fish from take-out stands, and an oversized sun room, complete with pool table, jukebox, and a mechanical dog that howls Doo-Wop tunes while doing the twist on its tiny frame. And no one will forget the couch, shaped like a pair of lips, that Sheila uses to take souvenir pictures of guests. Those pictures, like the coins for the Coke machine and jukebox, are complimentary.

There's even outdoor music; a stereo system, designed to play '50s music, is part of the outdoor hot tub, located on the third level of the four-story house (Sheila and her husband Rick occupy the apartment on the top floor). Ending the day under the stars in the Summer Nites hot tub is a rare treat.

So is the afternoon repast of root beer floats, milk shakes, and oversized salted pretzels.

Summer Nites will even provide oreos, fruit, or almost anything else guests can name.

Rooms have refrigerators, encouraging longer stays, and some have fireplaces. All have little touches that show Brown's keen eye for detail: hand-painted headboards, one-of-a-kind night-lights, and photographs, bedspreads, and even throw rugs. All are throwbacks but hardly throwaways.

Brown finds many of her treasures- including the red 1957 Chevy that sits on the street in front- on the eBay website. She got some of her nine poodle skirts there too. During a recent two-day visit, she wore blue one morning and red the next, then changed into a more current outfit later on.

Guests also make frequent changes, especially if they take advantage of the Summer Nites sun deck and hot tub (beach towels are provided).

Even on rainy days (rare in summer), there's plenty to do without leaving the house. The basement game room has four operational pinball machines, one of them complete with bowling pins and a puck that relies on sawdust to return to the player. Bicycles, a healthy alternative to the $2-a-ride boardwalk tram, are free at Summer Nites. And there's a long list of tapes, DVDs, CDs, and books to reinforce the '50s atmosphere.

Most guests make a beeline for the beach, since the sand, surf, boardwalk, and amusement piers are only a few blocks away. T-shirt and souvenir shops compete with food stands and rides for tourist dollars. To see everything with limited effort, families of four can rent surreys- with fringes on top- and pedal together.

Since the three-month summer season always seems too short, many merchants remain open well into fall- if they can get help. Once beaches close, however, they must rely on special events to bring tourists to town.

There are plenty, including a Fabulous '50s celebration scheduled for Oct. 14-16.

The menu includes concerts, memorabilia shows, classic car parades, and exhibitions featuring '50s antiques and pop culture.

The area has a considerable musical legacy: Bill Haley's Rock Around the Clock, Dick Clark's first American Bandstand telecast, and Bobby Rydell's hit Wildwood Days all originated there. Purple-and-yellow banners on every light pole suggest that Wildwood Days are still there.

Though judges may be hard-pressed to find another Bill Haley or Bobby Rydell, the annual Wildwood Music Awards will be presented Oct. 16 at Cool Scoops, a '50s ice-cream shop that recaptures the old soda-fountain image to a T. Old cars and old cards (most of them autographed) compete for attention with photos, paintings, and items that look like movie props used by Frankie Avalon and Annette Funnicello.

Other events slated for fall include craft shows, fishing tournaments, power-boat races,

and a gala Halloween celebration featuring a parade and party. There's also an event called the New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge, held at the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, on the tip of North Wildwood.

Summer Nites keeps the summer theme hopping even when the dead of winter silences many competitors. Although it closes briefly in January to allow the owners to vacation, big parties are held for both New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day. According to Sheila Brown, every day is a summer day at Summer Nites. And that's just how her guests like it.

Out of consideration for guests, Brown keeps her place smokefree, quiet, and immaculately clean. Because she wants to keep it that way, guests under 16 are strongly discouraged. Few of them are Doo Wop fans anyway.

Summer Nites is located on the quiet corner of Atlantic Avenue and 22nd Avenue- close enough to enjoy the din of the boardwalk but far enough away not to be bothered by it.

It is also close to the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, which makes 80-minutes crossings of the Delaware Bay, allowing easy automobile access to Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia (the Delmarva peninsula). The ferry not only saves miles of highway driving but gives drivers much-needed time to relax.