Cape May, New Jersey: A Great Beach Town in Nostalgic Surroundings

Cape May, New Jersey is located at the bottom tip of New Jersey, where the width of New Jersey is reduced to a finger on the map. It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, and the Delaware Bay on the west. It is a beautful, victorian beach town, that has become more popular in recent years. Waterfront property that was vacant 8 years ago when my husband and I first traveled there, is now built up with beautiful mansions. The town is full of beautifully restored victorian homes that serve as B&Bs, and there are many different types of restaurants. There are also houses and condominiums for rent, and small to medium size motels / hotels on the beachfront.

The main attractions in Cape May is the beach and the victorian surroundings. If you are looking for a quiet, romantic weekend, or a few days off during the week for some R & R, Cape May is an easy drive for those in New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and New York City. You can reach Cape May in about two and a half hours from New York. It is a straight run down the Garden State Highway to Exit 0. Once in the town, you will be struck by the cleanliness and nostalgia. Most every home in Cape May is styled and kept up in victorian or late 1880's style. Most of the streets and quiet tree-lined streets that lead down to the beachfront.

ACCOMMODATIONS

There are many different types of accommodations in Cape May. If you have a family, it is probably best to stay in one of the ocean front condos or motels. They are all up-to-date , well-kept, and have pool facilities. Many of the motels are moderately priced. Couples or singles may want to experience a victorian inn. There are many to choose from. Some are within walking distance of the ocean and Washington Street shopping area, and others are more inland. Room rates vary according to season, and are also based on room size. As an example, for the larger inns , nightly rates can range from $150 to $275, including full-breakfast and afternoon tea. TripAdvisor.com has reviews on many Cape May inns, and AAA also rates Cape May accommodations. You can also contact the Cape May Chamber of Commerce for information on inns and other accommodations.

If you are interested in staying in a particular inn, visit its website. Some of the more popular Cape May inns, such as the Queen Victoria, Angel by the Sea, and Fairthorne, just to name a few, have extensive websites that will provide pictures, descriptions and prices of each room.

DAYTIME ACTIVITIES

Obviously the most popular thing to do in Cape May is go to the beach. The beach is very clean and quite long. It is rarely very crowded on weekdays. Along the beach, there are several places to eat. Beach Drive, the road closest to the beach is full of eateries and stores. There is also a convention center along the beach that holds concerts during the summer.

In addition to beach-going, there are whale watching boats, and other nature boating tours. There are guided tours of the victorian houses. These are quite interesting for those into Victoriana. There are also historical trolley tours of the entire town. If you stay at an inn, many of them provide bicycles for their guests. You can bicycle from one end of the beach to the other and through town on a bike.

For shopping, there is an outdoor shopping mall on Washington Street. Shopping venues consist of small boutiques for clothes, home goods, paintings and nautical fare. There are also jewelry shops, a Christmas shop, and many eateries on the mall.

Several miles north of the Cape May beach area is Wildwood. This is also a nostalgic beach and boardwalk area that was particularly popular from 1950 into the 1970's. It is interesting just to ride past the art deco hotels and motels, and walk on the boardwalk. There is also a large convention center in Wildwood that hosts an array of concerts. Wildwood is undergoing a transformation, with many of the old hotels being replaced by condos.

There are various nature-related activities just outside of the main town. If you are staying in Cape May for several days, there is the Cape May Nature Center and Bird Observatory. Especially if you have children, a visit to the Cape May Zoo is almost a must. It is located off Route 9, two miles north of Cape May Courthouse, which is within Cape May County, but several miles north of the main beach area. This is one of the best zoos I have ever visited. It is well-kept and has a large array of animals from all over the world. If you are a garden lover, visit the Leamings Run gardens in the summer. These are annual gardens in a botanical garden type environment - very beautiful.

NIGHT TIME ACTIVITIES

It is great to take a walk near the beach on a summer's night in Cape May, but otherwise, there is not much "night life", especially if you're a teenager. However, you will see a lot of teens hanging out on the boardwalk and near the movie theater on Beach Drive. There are also several miniature golf courses that attract a lot of families in the summer months. They are usually open until 10 p.m. or later in the summer, but you will have to contend with the mosquitoes.

One highlight of Cape May at night is the theatre. Almost year-round, there are various plays offered by two theatre venues: Cape May Stage and the East Lynne Theatre. The players are usually professional actors and actresses, some of whom have been on broadway or in film. The plays usually run several days during the week and on weekends. If you go to Cape May, you can ask the innkeeper or motel / hotel manager about what's playing during the time you are there. You will also see the plays advertised in local Cape May guides. All of the plays we have ever seen are well-done.

DINING

As mentioned above, there are many dining venues in Cape May, from the very cheap to the expensive. There are many casual dining places for breakfast and lunch which offer good fare. At night, you can also dine casually, or can splurge for a special dinner at more formal restaurants such as the Washington Inn. There are several seafood restaurants, Italian restaurants and various up-scale restaurants offering interesting meals. If you stay at one of the inns, the innkeeper usually can suggest several restaurants that will meet your needs and interests, and usually the innkeepers have sample menus for guests to peruse.

Cape May is a great summer and early fall getaway spot, and you will probably want to return there once you have experienced its unique setting.