Cape May, NJ

[3rd Degree]

Going this weekend for a long weekend getaway. Anyone ever been there? Any recommendations on what to do (besides the beach) and where to eat.

 

[Sasquatch69]

There are a lot of neat Victorian homes in Cape May, some of which offer tours if you are into that sort of thing.

I'd also recommend heading up the road about 30 miles to Ocean City. There's a great boardwalk there with a ton of restaurants, shops and even an amusement park (Wonderland Pier). Our family vacationed there for years and loved it (only stopped because we moved to Texas).
The Link

 

[3rd Degree]

Sasquatch,
Thanks for the reply. I will be heading out in the morning from DC and be in Cape May til Tuesday, so we might head up to Ocean City. My son is almost 3, so the boardwalk looks to be a good idea. I see that there is also a zoo. There seems to be a shark fishing tournament while we are there, so I am hoping for a Jaws on a hook picture - if it doesn't scare the bejeezus out of my son. If you have specific places to check out, let me know.

3rd

 

[Rockinghorse]

First, great choice of vacation spots. Everything in Cape May is family-friendly and mostly walkable. You do have to pay to go on the beach, I think only about $4 for a day pass.

For food, Carney's (next to mini-golf course across from beach) has great crabcakes and good food all around. Alathea's is in the Cape May Inn and has very good food, probably a bit more pricey but not too bad. For a view, go to the restauant at the top of the Marquis de Lafayette hotel.

The little outdoor mall has some great shops...salt water taffy is a specialty.

I also like Ocean City but Wildwood is actually closer to Cape May and also has a big boardwalk with rides, etc.

 

[3rd Degree]

Rockinghorse
Thanks for the feedback. I actually did not realize that the beach cost anything. No big deal, but it just shows how I have done very little research for this trip, other than the hotel, basic things to do, and how to get there. Actually, we kind of intended this to be a 'see what happens' kind of getaway - not overly planned. But suggestions are always helpful. We are taking the ferry over from Delaware, which I think my kid will love. Anyway, I recognize some of the places you mention from what little I have read, but will print this thread out just in case.

Thanks again.

 

[3rd Degree]

I wanted to provide a postscript to our adventures in Cape May. First, we had a great time. I can't believe the beaches in New Jersey were so great. The water was a bit chilly, but the beaches were golden and easy to walk on. The sand was very fine and the air warm.

Cape May itself is a great family vacation spot. There is a little boardwalk in town but a lot of great restaurants, shopping, architecture, etc. The Victorian houses, resorts, and hotels everywhere were amazing. Our favorite restaurant turned out to be a place called the Mad Batter. It had outside seating and the food was excellent, albeit pricey. We also really like Jackson Mountain Cafe - great seafood.

We also went up to the boardwalk at Wildwood. I don't think I have ever experienced so much culture shock in the US. It was the land of hip hoppers and gangsters mixed in with regular folks like us. I kept expecting the Sopranos to pop up at any moment. The boardwalk was huge, probably 2 miles long and had three amusement parks. Anyway, we loved it. My 3-yr old son particularly loved the rides and the little train that circulated.

In short, I think we will go back again and again. It was just far enough away to seem like an adventure, but not too far that we felt tired form the travel. I think the 1 hour ferry boat ride across the Delaware Bay and the trip over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge made it interesting enough for my son as well.