For the past nine years, The Open Road Ahead has chronicled my road trip adventures. This blog has visited twenty nine states, with stops at countless museums, roadside attractions, national parks, beaches, and mountains. While my posts have featured a wide range of locations, certain spots are well-established favorites: the Jersey shore, Adirondack State Park, and the city of Philadelphia.
From time to time a reader will ask my help in planning a vacation to a spot mentioned in one of my blog posts. My wife suggested I consider making a series of travel guides to some of my favorite destinations featured in this blog, Immediately my creative juices started flowing! Welcome to the latest feature of this blog: “The Open Road to…” series.
We begin this travel guide series with a post featuring one of my favorite places on the planet: the beach town of Cape May, New Jersey. What follows is an outline for a weekend of good food, great adventure, and cool sites to visit in an historic seaside town.
Let’s begin:
The Open Road to Cape May
At the southernmost point of New Jersey sits Cape May. Founded in 1848, Cape May is the oldest seaside resort town in the nation.
Day One – Friday
Lodging
Established in 1816, Congress Hall is Cape May’s preeminent luxury hotel. Book here if you’re looking to commemorate a truly special occasion. You’ll be following in the footsteps of no fewer than four former US Presidents who vacationed here during their time in office.Come for the historic building with an ocean view, but stay for the fun coffee shop, great restaurants, and spa. Congress Hall is one of my all-time favorite hotels. Check that. It IS my all-time favorite.A fun but more affordable option is The Inn of Cape May. Located a block away from the beach, this rambling Victorian hotel was built in 1894. The dining options are good and the hotel recently underwent a significant renovation, bringing more modern amenities to this historic building.
Dinner
In the mood for something tasty and indulgent after a long day of travel? The Cape May Fish Market has you covered.While there are lots of great options on the menu, our go-to meal is the lobster roll, available with a gluten-free roll. The menu also offers plenty of other options for visitors who prefer “turf” to “surf.”
Friday Evening
After dinner, take a walk along the Washington Street Mall in downtown Cape May for dessert and some shopping. Established as a business and retail district in the 1970s, the Washington Street Mall is home to 75 stores, restaurants, and bars.There are several great places to grab dessert in Cape May, but my personal favorite is Kohr Bros which has been a Jersey shore institution since 1919.Kohr Bros has been dishing out frozen custard for over a century, and the location in Cape May has been in business for as long as I can remember. They also offer dairy-free options as well.Not in the mood for ice cream? The Original Fudge Kitchen has been a staple of the Washington Street Mall since 1972.The fudge is great, but you absolutely must try the salt water taffy. Invented at the Jersey shore in the 19th century, salt water taffy is a mouthful of chewy sweet deliciousness.
Day Two – Saturday
Breakfast
New Jersey is known for its diners, and the Oceanview Restaurant does not disappoint.The food is quite tasty, and gluten-free options are available. Pro tip: order the tater tots. You won’t be disappointed.
Morning Activities
One of the most iconic activities in Cape May is climbing up the Cape May Lighthouse.Be prepared to climb all 199 steps – there is no elevator to the top. Built in 1859, the lighthouse has been open to visitors for almost 40 years.The reward for huffing and puffing your way to the top? A spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean.Near the lighthouse is the World War II Lookout Tower. Constructed in 1942 as part of an enormous coastal defense system, the tower is now open to the public.An observation deck on the sixth floor offers a view of nearby Sunset Beach. If you go, be sure to take note of the plaques installed along the staircase which honor New Jersey residents who served in World War II. Both of my grandfathers’ names are listed on those plaques.Birders will delight with a visit to the South Cape May Meadows. The early bird catches the worm, and the early birder catches cool views!South Cape May Meadows is located along Sunset Boulevard, not too far from the lighthouse and the lookout tower. It is managed by the Nature Conservancy in New Jersey, and is free to visit.
Lunch
For lunch, try Bella Vida Garden Cafe. Tucked away in West Cape May, Bella Vida is a hidden gem, offering delicious food with fresh ingredients.The expansive menu has numerous options for those needing vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free dining choices. My personal favorite? Jim’s Chicken Wrap.
Afternoon Activities
Go to the beach!! Cape May has two miles of beaches that are open for bathing. Like many shore towns in NJ, you must purchase a tag to access the beaches during the summer season. Beach tags help pay for cleaning and upkeep, as well as the lifeguard services. More information is available on the City of Cape May website. Cape May County also offers a comprehensive online guide of accessibility features available for beachgoers with disabilities.One of the hallmarks of Cape May is the town’s Victorian architecture, and there is no better exemplar than the Emlen Physick Estate. Designed by architect Frank Furness, this 18-room mansion is now a museum, and well worth a visit to learn more about life in late 19th-century America.Located at the Cape May Airport inside a repurposed World War II hanger, the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum will appeal to history buffs and airplane aficionados alike. Featuring aircraft from World War II and the Cold War, the museum preserves the history of over 20 aircraft that played an important role in US military history.My favorite part of the museum, however, is not aircraft-related, but rather an exhibit on the home furnishings of the 1940s. The museum does a great job recreating a typical American home during and immediately after the Second World War.
Dinner
With its opening in 1976, The Mad Batter introduced upscale dining to Cape May. Almost fifty years later, Cape May now boasts a vibrant restaurant scene. There is no replacing the original: The Mad Batter is one of my favorite restaurants at the shore.The calamari is excellent, the Harvest Salad is delicious, and the Soy Glazed Salmon is a hidden gem on the menu. However, my go-to will always be their crab cakes.Want a delicious dinner at a restaurant overlooking Cape May harbor, with food fresh from the sea? Look no further than The Lobster House.There is no such thing as a bad meal at The Lobster House. The Cape May Scallops are my favorite selection.Another excellent choice is Louisa’s Cafe, located on Jackson Street. Open since 1980, this seasonal restaurant features entrees with locally-sourced ingredients.Louisa’s offers both indoor or outdoor dining. You can also get your meal to go and enjoy it in the small municipal park across the street. If you’re coming to Louisa’s, plan on making a reservation as the cafe fills up quickly.
Saturday Evening
In the evening, there is still plenty to see and do in Cape May. For instance, no trip is complete without watching a sunset from Sunset Beach! You’ll also be able to see the slowly-deteriorating wreck of the SS Atlantus, a cargo ship made of concrete that ran aground in 1926 and has remained in place for almost a century.Many organizations offer free (or affordable) evening entertainment. One of my favorite recent Cape May experiences was attending a stargazing class at the Cape May Point Arts and Science Center a few years ago.
Day Three – Sunday
Breakfast
Longtime readers of this blog will not be surprised at my next suggestion: have breakfast at Uncle Bill’s Pancake House. Uncle Bill’s has seven locations around the southern New Jersey shore. The Cape May restaurant is located on Beach Drive, right across from the ocean.Uncle Bill’s has a seemingly endless list of pancake varieties, along with waffles, French toast, eggs, and any other breakfast option you can imagine. My recommendation? Either the gluten-free pecan pancakes or the buckwheat pancakes.
A Walk, Coffee, and the Journey Home
After breakfast, stretch your legs a bit with one more walk through the Washington Street Mall. On a Sunday morning, the Mall is quiet and peaceful: an enjoyable place for a stroll!Before packing up to head home, grab a coffee from one of the excellent independent coffee shops in town. My favorite is Out There Coffee, located on the corner of Washington and Ocean Streets.After a fun-filled weekend, it’s time to say goodbye. One last tip: if you are departing on a Sunday during the summer and want to beat traffic, make sure to leave before lunchtime.
Wrapping Up
I hope you’ve enjoyed this special travel guide edition! There is so much to see and do in Cape May – my hope is that you use this post as a launchpad for creating your own Jersey shore adventure. While I tried to create a plan for a summer weekend, there is plenty of adventure to be had during the rest of the year as well.
Thanks for coming along on yet another adventure down the Open Road Ahead!
I really like this idea! This feels like an insider’s guide to travel. I like how you’re recommending local restaurants and not chains.
I haven’t been to a beach where they had a permit just to enter. We have parking passes for the beach in Corpus. Same principle – money used to keep up the beach.
The Open Road Ahead 
I really like this idea! This feels like an insider’s guide to travel. I like how you’re recommending local restaurants and not chains.
I haven’t been to a beach where they had a permit just to enter. We have parking passes for the beach in Corpus. Same principle – money used to keep up the beach.
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Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the post – I had a lot of fun putting it together and featuring some of my favorite spots from Cape May.
Sounds like a cool spot for a visit from a certain 7th generation Accord coupe!!
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