“Let’s leave our hut, dear Get out of our rut, dear Let’s get away from it all…”
-Let’s Get Away From It All, Frank Sinatra
Many weekends throughout the year, my wife and I are on the road, traveling to new and distant locations, exploring cool and unique destinations. However, every once in a while, we enjoy going somewhere for the sole purpose of relaxing, with no plans aside from pampering ourselves. And so it was with a recent trip to Cape May. We have visited America’s oldest beach resort town countless times, but this trip would involve us simply being there, with no other destination in mind.
So come along, then, on our latest road trip adventure to the southernmost tip of New Jersey. We’ll eat great food, stay at a historic inn, take a walk through a new nature preserve, and treat ourselves like royalty.
Let’s begin:
The Cape May Getaway
Our destination for the weekend: Peter Shields Inn. Built in 1907, PSI is a Georgian-style mansion that looks out over the Atlantic Ocean.Our home-away-from-home for the weekend, Peter Shields Inn has upscale lodging and a highly rated restaurant.Walking up the front steps, I felt that I should change my last name to Rockefeller or Vanderbilt…After checking in and unpacking, we headed into downtown Cape May for dinner at one of our local favorites: the Cape May Fish Market. The restaurant, along with the rest of Cape May, was already decorated for the holidays.That’ll be a lobster roll on a gluten-free bun for my wife, and a lobster roll on a steamed bun for me. One of these days, I’ll try something else on the menu, but then again, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Dinner was amazing! After our meal, we did some Christmas shopping before heading back to the inn.After returning to the inn, we an enjoyed a dessert of chocolate-covered strawberries while sitting by the fire pit on the patio. It made for a fun, yummy, and relaxing end to the night!For breakfast the next morning, we began our day at Oceanview Diner & Family Restaurant in Cape May. Although Peter Shields Inn does serve breakfast, we were informed that they have no gluten-free options and no dairy-free milks. The lack of special accommodation from the inn meant that we were on the hunt for other breakfast options, and Oceanview fit the bill.While my wife enjoyed her eggs and home fries and I devoured my breakfast sandwich, the star of the show was this order of tater tots… so good!After breakfast, we headed a little north to a hiking location that I had no idea existed – the Garrett Family Preserve at Cape Island Creek.We parked and decided to take a brisk walk to get some exercise. The Acura stayed at home this weekend – instead, this trip would involve Grace, our 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee.Got wings? Guests are invited to pose in this sculpture and have a set of butterfly wings of their own. The Garrett Family Preserve is overseen by The Nature Conservancy, an organization dedicated to protecting our open spaces. The Conservancy also manages the nearby South Cape May Meadows, which this blog has visited serval times.One of the coolest features of the preserve is the Braille Trail. It is a half-mile hiking trail that has been specifically designed for individuals with low vision. All signage on the trail is in English and Braille, and the trail itself is a minimum of four feet wide, and has been designed with a level, flat surface to ensure ease of use. Very cool!The land of the preserve was originally slated to be developed into residential and commercial properties, but instead was acquired by the Nature Conservancy, with the support of the Garrett Family, a local family with a long-standing love of nature at the shore. The preserve offers several miles of hiking trails, and bring your camera, as this is also a frequent stopover point for migrating birds.After our hike, we strolled again through downtown Cape May. The Washington Street Mall was absolutely deserted – I have long said that the off-season is my favorite time to visit the shore.We stopped for coffee at Out There Coffee, one of our favorite new spots in Cape May. While my oat milk latte was delicious, what captured my interest the most was this fascinating chalk drawing by Betsy Ferra, a local artist.Back at the inn, we took a few minutes to appreciate the view from the second floor balcony. Not too shabby!By noon, it was time to grab some lunch, and we headed to West Cape May to dine at Bella Vida Cafe, a small eatery that serves freshly made food, with gluten-free and dairy-free offerings.I enjoyed a chicken salad wrap, while my wife dined on a blackened flounder sandwich, served on a gluten free wrap. Refreshed, we set off for a little more Cape May exploration!We paid a visit to Beach Plum Farm. The farm itself provides ingredients to local restaurants like Louisa’s Cafe, The Blue Pig, The Rusty Nail, and other Cape May dining spots. Beach Plum also has a farm market that sells locally sourced goods, and a kitchen that prepares special tasting events on premises.The produce for sale at Beach Plum comes from its own fields.With Christmas fast approaching, it’ll certainly be worth a visit to Beach Plum in the future for some more shopping!Our next stop was to Congress Hall, the magnificent 19th-century resort hotel in Cape May. My wife had an appointment for a spa visit. We valet parked the Jeep, and the valet put it right in front of the hotel… I’m glad I washed it before the weekend!Congress Hall was decked out for the holiday season! My wife had an appointment at Sea Spa in Congress Hall, which offers massages, manicures, pedicures, and other health and wellness services.While my wife enjoyed her spa appointment, I sipped a cup of coffee from Tommy’s Folly, the hotel’s coffee shop and bakery, and used the free wifi to surf the web and get some work doneAfter the spa appointment, we headed back to Peter Shields Inn (PSI) for dinner. Side note – PSI’s entrance is covered in pumpkins and gourds. Each time I saw it, I wondered whose job it is to clean these up at the end of the season?We were seated promptly for our 6:00 pm dinner reservation at PSI’s restaurant. We started our meal with an order of oysters. Rather than giving us one tray to share, we each received our own platter, complete with our own horseradish and mignonette sauce.I had a delicious New York strip steak with crab bernaise and aligot potatoes, but my wife had easily the best meal of the night: miso glazed black cod, wasabi potato puree, and garlic-ginger roasted broccoli. Peter Shields could sell the wasabi potatoes by the bucket, and we’d buy them.For dessert, my wife enjoyed a raspberry sorbet. I asked for a cannoli… and what I got was basically the dessert table from a wedding. The cookies were delicious, but the cannoli were easily the star of the show. I will neither confirm nor deny that I ate the entire platter. Overall, the food was very good, and our waiter was excellent. However, the menu does not indicate which items can be prepared gluten free, vegetarian, or vegan… an oversight for a restaurant of this caliber. When you’re spending this much money on a meal, one might reasonably expect this kind of information to be provided more readily.For breakfast the next morning, we visited an old favorite – Uncle Bill’s Pancake House!My wife had the gluten-free pecan pancakes, while I tried something new – an order of buckwheat pancakes (delicious!). Fueled up, we got ready to head back to the inn and start our journey home.We did take a moment for Grace’s mandatory glamour shot by the beach!After checking out of the inn, we began our drive home. Before leaving Cape May, however, we spotted a sign and took a short detour to a small park by Cape May Harbor. In the park was a memorial to the Cape May-based fishermen who have lost their lives at sea.Commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in America, and the sheer number of names on the memorial was jaw-dropping. The waters of the Atlantic can be unforgiving, and numerous fishermen left Cape May, never to return again. If you’re interested in gaining further insight into the dangers that come with commercial fishing, I would highly recommend Sebastian Junger’s 1997 book The Perfect Storm.After departing Cape May, we had one last stop to make on our way home. We exited the Garden State Parkway and made our way through the Pine Barrens toward a favorite destination.We had purchased tickets to Laurita Winery’s Food Truck Festival! Several times throughout the summer and fall, Laurita hosts a gathering of food trucks… wine and great food? Who could ask for anything more?Although temperatures were chilly, we sat near one of the numerous fire pits Laurita had blazing, and enjoyed our food. Freshly made clam chowder and a glass of Chardonnay? Yes please!Yummy burgers? Yucca fries? Delicious arepas? Mouth-watering soup? Tasty wine? It was a fun way to enjoy lunch!A little over an hour after leaving Laurita, we pulled Grace into the driveway. Our Jeep has hit another milestone – 103,000 miles is now in the books. Onward!
Automotive Updates
Before closing, I wanted to offer two quick updates on the newest member of the garage, my 2020 Acura TLX. First, in preparation for winter, the car received a new set of Nokian WR G4 tires. These tires have been excellent on both my old Honda Accord and my wife’s Jeep, and so I’m looking forward to seeing how they tackle snow and ice on the all-wheel drive Acura.When I purchased the Acura in late September, it had 18,697 miles. A little over two months later, four thousand miles of my ownership is officially in the books. Next stop: 25,000 miles. Onward!
Wrapping Up
If you’re looking for a weekend getaway destination, you can’t go wrong with Cape May, New Jersey. With lodging options ranging from luxury hotels to affordable motels, with dining options ranging from gourmet restaurant to cheap taco stand, and with plenty of shopping, walking, and nature opportunities close at hand, Cape May is a great place to unwind and recharge.
Thanks, as always, for coming along on another journey down the open road ahead.
I have eaten at Peter shields and really enjoyed it. Sorry they didnt have gluten free though. Your trip sounded amazing though. Glad you enjoyed yourselves.
The Open Road Ahead 
I have eaten at Peter shields and really enjoyed it. Sorry they didnt have gluten free though. Your trip sounded amazing though. Glad you enjoyed yourselves.
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Thanks so much. The food at PSI was really good – it’s just that a little more effort would have taken them from good to great. Thanks for reading!!
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Glad you got a weekend away to relax ❤️
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Thanks! It was some much-needed relaxation time!
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