Cape May, NJ:
A Resort for All Seasons
by Carrie Miner | Photos courtesy of The Cape May County Dept. of Tourism
 Fall craft fairs, vines to wines, Victorian candelight tours make this popular seashore destination a perfect retreat for the holidays.
“On the way to Cape May, I fell in love with you. On the way to Cape May, I saw my dreams come true.” This 1960’s ballad captures the dreamy atmosphere of the city of Cape May, perched on the southernmost island of the romantic Jersey Cape.
With more than 600 restored and preserved Victorian buildings, the largest concentration of this type of architecture in the country, this entire seaside community is a National Historic Landmark.
Cape May is located on the southern tip of New Jersey; a 2.5-square-mile island that is home to 4,200 residents and plays host to a half-million visitors each year. Known for its white sand beaches and ornate architecture, the city of Cape May is a perfect place to slow down for a spell or enjoy the wintry holiday season.
While you’re here you can take a tour of the historic architecture, embark onboard a whale watching tour, climb a lighthouse and watch some of the most stunning sunsets to be found on the Atlantic coast.
Best of all, by taking time to visit to the nation’s oldest seashore resort during the yuletide season, you’ll get the chance to celebrate the holidays Victorian-style with Christmas tours and old-fashioned holiday festivities.
Historic Retreat
It doesn’t take long to explore this island, which was separated from the peninsula mainland by a man-made canal in the early 1940s.
History holds that Sir Henry Hudson first spotted Cape May in 1609 when he sailed the Delaware Bay, but it was the Dutch explorer Captain Cornelius Jacobsen Mey who first took control of the Cape when he purchased the land from the local natives in 1620. In addition to introducing the fishing and whaling industry to the bay, Captain Mey also gave the area his name, the spelling of which was later changed to May.
As early as 1766, pleasure seekers came to explore the beauty of Cape May and before long the seaside town became known as the “Queen of the Seaside Resorts.”
The major construction of elegant seaside resorts and gingerbread-trimmed mansions occurred during Queen Victoria’s reign, forever rooting the resort town the 19th-century. Today Cape May is still one of the most active seaports in the country and continues to reign as the “Nation’s Oldest Seashore Resort.”
 A Blast to the Past
A stroll though Cape May’s historic district might feel much as it did more than a century ago.
The fairytale collection of Victorian architecture creates a dreamy 19th-century ambience with its gingerbread trim, old-fashioned gas lamps and colorful stained-glass windows.
It’s not necessary to take a tour to enjoy this Victorian fantasyland, but for a greater understanding of the architecture, a walking tour about town with tour guides from the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (609/884-5404 or toll-free, 800.275.-4278; www.capemaymac.org) will add to the experience.
During the hour-long strolls, you’ll learn the many different styles of Victorian architecture including Gothic-style, Colonial Revival, Queen Anne style, the Italianate period and even the “stick” or Eastlake style – which was actually developed as a protest against the excessive ornamentation found in the earlier styles.
For an up-close look at a Victorian home, take a tour through the Emlen Physick Estate, which was designed by Frank Furness. The 45-minute living history tour will take you into a world of Victorian luxury and leisure. Afterward, you might want to savor the experience with lunch or high tea at the Twinings Tearoom, which is located in the carriage house on the former physician’s estate.
This time of year, the Victorian town gets into the spirit of things with a full seven weeks of holiday celebrations. Festivities get geared up with a Holiday Preview Weekend in late November and continue through the Family New Year’s Eve celebration in the first week of January.
The restored Victorian houses in the historic district get turned out in their holiday finery and millions of twinkling colored lights. The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts adds to its local expeditions with trolley tours of the historic district; the Yuletide Calling Card Tours, which combine a trolley ride through the historic district with a narrated exploration of the Physick Estate; the Taste of Christmas, which includes a narrated walking tour and lunch at the renowned Mad Batter restaurant; and the immensely popular Lamplighter Christmas Tours, a self-guided evening excursion to five of Cape May’s loveliest historic inns.
The schedule of events also includes a holiday crafts fair, a Christmas parade, visits with Santa Claus, a community wassail party, a candlelight hospitality night, and a tree-lighting ceremony. But the gem of them all is the annual Dickens Christmas Extravaganza held the first weekend in December.
This tribute to the Victorian author celebrates 19th-century holiday traditions with historic holiday festivities, feasts, performances, readings and caroling. Even the legendary Scrooge would be caught up in the spirit of the popular event.
Out and About
But it’s not just the collection of architectural Grande Dames that makes Cape May the jewel of the Atlantic shore. You can hit the public beaches, take a nature walk, visit a lighthouse, play a round of golf or get out on the bay with a ferry ride or a whale watching tour.
| |
|
 |
|
 |
|
Share your great destination spots online at our Travelogue section. |
|
| |
|
 |
|
A short drive to Cape May Point State Park will transport you to an outdoor wonderland with several short trails leading visitors to the park’s pond, coastal dune, marsh and forest habitats.
While visiting the state park, don’t miss the opportunity to climb the 199 steps of the 1859 Cape May Lighthouse. The panoramic view over Delaware Bay, Cape May and the Atlantic Ocean is guaranteed to take your breath away.
There’s no point in being surrounded by so much water, without venturing out on the bay. Although the water can be a bit chilly for a swim in the cooler months, you can still enjoy ocean views by taking the Cape May Lewes Ferry (www.capemaylewesferry.com) across Delaware Bay or by climbing aboard the Key of Sea (609.884.1919; www.sailcapemay.com), a 30-foot Catalina sailboat that takes visitors on a three hour cruise around Cape Island.
Another fun water adventure to consider is a sea safari with Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center (609.898.0055 or 609.898.1122; www.capemaywhalewatch.com). With the guidance of researchers, you’ll most likely spot bottlenose dolphins cavorting alongside the boat, humpback whales breaching and pelagic birds soaring overhead.
Stay a While
Walter Cronkite once wrote that “Cape May is a determinedly antique town that carries off its presumption with uncommon success.”
That uncommon success is what has made it a favorite place for pleasurable pastimes for more than a century. Some writers wax poetic, saying that “Cape May is a sight everyone should see before they die”. And that just may be true.
Cape May recently earned the accolade as New Jersey’s “American Dream Town USA 2004” -- and not without merit. Where else can you walk down a gas lit street lin
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Share your inside travel tips with other aviators at our Stuck Mic
|
|
| |
|
|
|
ed with Victorian buildings, savor the salt air while sipping on a glass of wine and pick up “Cape May Diamonds” out of the white beach sands while watching the sun set over the Atlantic Ocean?
Best of all, by spending the holidays at the “Nation’s Oldest Seashore Resort” you’ll get the chance to experience the welcoming spirit of this timeless town – a town even Charles Dickens would have enjoyed.
While walking the streets, it’s easy to imagine the friendly townsfolk of Cape May reciting that favorite author: “Welcome, everything. Welcome, alike what has been, and what never was, and what we hope may be, to your shelter underneath the holly, to your places round the Christmas fire, where what is sits open-hearthed.”
So grab your cloak and gloves, ready yourself for a blast to the past and see if you don’t agree.
|
|
 |
| Map your course to Cape May, NJ with FlightPrep. |
Best of
Cape May, NJ
|
Best Season: Most visitors to Cape May head to this historic seashore resort during the busy summer months, however, this quaint Victorian town revives once again during the festive holiday season. Just keep in mind that it can get downright chilly during the winter in this coastal town. Average temperatures in November and December are in the 40s, so be ready to bundle up and dress in layers.
Best Landing: The best place to put down is at the Cape May County Airport (WWD) in Lower Township, New Jersey. Located just 10 miles north of Cape May, the airport had one FBO and two runways.
Best Place To Stay: If you are looking for some Victorian-style hospitality, you’ve come to the right place. Some perennial favorite places to stay include The Virginia (800.732.4236; virginiahotel.com), which dates back into the late 1800s and is conveniently located in the heart of the Historic District; and The Southern Mansion (800.381.3888; southernmansion.net), a restored 1863 Italian-style villa complete with 19th-century antiques and artwork. If you have the kids in tow, check out the Chalfonte Hotel (888.411.1998; chalfonte.com). Located just three blocks from the white sand beaches of Cape May, this historic 1876 bed & breakfast hotel, caters to families and even provides a
separate children’s dining room.
Best Dining: Located on Washington Street in the heart of the Cape May Historic District, the Washington Inn (609.884.5697); washingtoninn.com) is a well-known fine dining favorite of locals and visitors alike. Housed in a 1840s plantation house, the restaurant is known for its culinary delights (try the fig and hazelnut crusted rack of lamb or the butter poached cold water lobster tail served with rock shrimp risotto) and its extensive wine list. If you’re looking for something a little more relaxed, try The Lobster House (609.884.8296; thelobsterhouse.com). The dining room overlooks Cape May Harbor and serves fresh fish and seafood as well as a few beef and chicken entrees.
Best Way To Get Around: There is no better way to explore this small 2.5-mile island than by foot. And if you want to warm up, you can always hop aboard a heated trolley for a tour of the town. The trolley also operates at night during the winter holiday season with scheduled Evening Wassail Tours and Evening Holly Trolley Rides. Both tours will take you past Cape May’s festively decorated historic homes while guides discuss Victorian holiday traditions. You can reserve your tickets in advance from the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (800.275.4278; capemaymac.org). Advance reservations are strongly recommended. Despite the cooler temperatures, you can still pedal your way to Cape May’s sights by renting a bicycle from Shields’ Bike Rentals (609.898.1818) or the Village Bicycle Shop (609.884.8500). And then, if you decide to head out of town to explore more of the Jersey Cape, you can always rent a car at Cape May Mobil (609.884.4848).
Best Planning Resources: Cape May Welcome & Information Center; 405 S. Lafayette St.; 609.884.9562. Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cape May; 609.884.5508; capemaychamber.com. Cape May County Dept. of Tourism; 800.227.2297; thejerseycape.com. |
|
|
