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The situation is beautiful, just on the confluence of Delaware Bay with the ocean in sight of the lighthouse. Carriages may be driven along the margin of the ocean for many miles, and the wheels will scarcely make any impression upon the sand. The slope of the shore is so regular that persons may wade out a great distance. It is the most beautiful spot that citizens can retire to in the hot season."
These praises were first sung to Cape May, N.J., in newspaper advertisements that appeared along the East Coast in 1801. Soon enough, this town at the Garden State's southernmost tip was proud to call itself "America's premier seaside resort" and began attracting visitors from Maryland, Delaware, Washington, Pennsylvania and New York.
Two centuries-plus later, Cape May is still fiercely proud of its history and unrivaled stock of Victorian-era houses. And while visitors do hear quite a lot of architectural chatter about "gingerbread," "belvederes" and "mother-in-law porches," Cape May is hardly a town where style stands still.
Indeed, over the past fall and winter, Cape May has made many contemporary improvements to welcome guests this summer, including the sprucing up of its pedestrian-only Washington Street shopping plaza, and new interiors for the town's old-style movie theater, the Beachside. Add to this local eatery The Ebbitt Room, which was just recognized as one of the best restaurants in America by the Zagat guide, and you have plenty of reasons to pay this place a visit.
Cape May is ever-young, but perhaps mostly for those who are ever-fond of saltwater taffy, miniature golf courses, frozen custard and, oh my yes, a slope of shore that's still so regular, you can wade out a great distance.
HOTELS
The Virginia, 25 Jackson St., 800-732-4236.
Open since 1989, this 24-room,
boutique-style hotel combines
traditional elegance with contemporary comforts like flat-screen
TVs and Belgian linens. Rooms
start at $200.
The Mainstay Inn, 635 Columbia Ave., 609-884-8690.
Considered to be the
only house in Cape May that is
completely architecturally intact,
this inn was once a "gentlemen-only" gambling club. Set in a lovely garden setting, The Mainstay
features wide, rocker-lined verandas and high-ceilinged rooms furnished with antiques. Rates start
at $185.
The Chalfonte, 301 Howard St., 888-411-1998. Built
in 1876, The Chalfonte is one of
Cape May's oldest and most beloved hotels. Its Italianate cupola,
or "belvedere" on the roofline,
and wrap-around porches catch
all the ocean breezes, as the
beach is just three blocks away.
Rates start at $130.
Congress Hall, 251 Beach Ave, 609-884-8421.
Southern New Jersey's Grand
Dame of hotels, Congress Hall has
provided hospitality since 1816.
Set in the heart of Cape May's
famed historic district, and overlooking broad, sandy beaches,
Congress Hall was completely
renovated and modernized for a
gala reopening in 1995. Rates start
at $100.
DINING
Due to its wealth of world-class
dining establishments, Cape May
is sometimes called the "restaurant
capital of Southern New Jersey." A few places to visit:
The Blue Pig Tavern, 251
Beach Ave., 609-884-4163. Cape
May's original tavern from the
1700s is now a cozy restaurant
serving comfort food like cornmeal
crusted oysters, Steak Diane
and macaroni and cheese. Entrees
start at $15.
The Ebbitt Room, 25 Jackson
St., 609-884-5700. Honored by the
Zagat guide and called "superb"
by The New York Times, Cape
May's best restaurant has an elegant
ambience and a menu that
takes delicious advantage of local
purveyors of seafood and produce.
Try the calamari with lime ginger
aioli, or the eggplant-crusted
halibut. Entrees start at $26.
Moonfish Grill, 416 S. Broadway,
609-898-1600. The charming
Victorian house has sleek, gold,
black and white interiors. It
serves world-class sushi and sashimi
(there's a dedicated sushi
chef), as well as wood-grilled seafood,
steaks and chops. Entrees
start at $22.
Uncle Bill's Pancake House,
Perry and Beach avenues,
609-884-7199. Serving 20 types of
pancakes and almost as many
kinds of waffles, Uncle Bill's
should be your first stop each
morning for breakfast. The menu
offers cheese steaks and burgers,
too, but it's the pancakes -
served all day long-that draw a
crowd. Entrees start at $3.75.
George's Place, 301 Beach
Drive, 609-884-6088. George's offers
Greek-inspired culinary tastiness.
Try the lemon chicken salad,
a super-fresh plate of greens
topped with citrusy, juicy chicken.
Entrees start at $6.95.
The Original Fudge Kitchen,
728 Beach Drive, 800-23-FUDGE. No matter
what else you eat in Cape May,
save room for the Bogle family's
creamy fudge, available in 21 flavors,
all hand-whipped in copper
kettles, priced at $9.89 per pound.
NIGHTLIFE
Summer stock theater. Cape
May is fortunate enough to boast
the presence of two professional
(Actor's Equity) summer stock
theater companies: East Lynne
Theater Company (eastlynnetheater.org) and Cape May Stage
(capemaystage.com). Check online
to see summer offerings and
schedules. Hint: If you've never
seen Private Lives by Noel Coward,
here's your (hilarious) chance.
The Beach Theatre, 711 Beach
Ave., 609-778-1203. Cape May's home for
movies since 1950, this historic
building (designed by W.H. Lee,
one of America's most renowned
theater architects) now gleams
with new features such as a refurbished
lobby and a high-definition
projection system. It shows
the best independent, foreign,
documentary, animated and classic
films.
The Boiler Room, Beach Avenue
and Perry Street, 609-
884-8422. There's live jazz every
night here. Exposed brick walls
and neon lighting give the room a
warm glow. Just because the
dance floor is the size of a cocktail
napkin doesn't mean things don't
get down and dirty.
FUN
Outdoors
Aqua Trails Kayaking,
609-884-5600.
Even if you've never paddled before,
Jeff and Tracey Martin can
quickly teach you how to pilot a
kayak through Cape May's gorgeous
salt marshes. (Make sure
you ask Jeff about the moonlight
marsh tour.)
The Cape May Whale Watcher,
609-884-5445. On a three-hour
tour, you have a chance to see
humpbacked whales, fin-backed
whales, dolphins, porpoises, turtles
and countless varieties of birds.
Cape May Bird Observatory,
600 N. Route 47, 609-861-0700. Join guided walking
tours to spot migrant birds
and other wildlife highlighted on
the CMBO birding and butterflying
map in such settings as the
coastal dunes of Two Mile Beach,
Cape May Point and Belleplain
State Forest. Bring binoculars.
Also
Cape May Zoo
Rainy Days
The Emlen Physick Estate, 1048
Washington St., 609-884-5404.
Tour a Stick-Style mansion, built
in 1879, and attributed to Frank
Furness, one of the most esteemed
American architects of
the late 19th century. Learn about
the gracious living "upstairs" and
"downstairs" world of servants
who made such luxury possible.
The Well Center for Massage,
110 N. Broadway, 609-884-3177. Try the
Hot Lava Massage, where the
moist heat of volcanic ash-packed
compresses loosens tightness in
the neck and back. $105 for 60
minutes.
SHOPPING
Washington Street Mall. Cape
May's famous pedestrian mall has
been completely refurbished for
summer 2008, with new brick
paving and lighting. A pre-dinner
or rainy-day browse here is a
must, though Cape May has other
spots for those looking for something
special.
Dellas 5 & 10, 503 Washington
St., 609-884-4568. It's a country store,
soda fountain and time machine
all rolled into one. Owners Kim
Marie Dellas-Andrus, her husband,
Paul Andrus, and her mother,
Margie Dellas, hand-pick merchandise
that is refreshingly
retro, circa 1947, like penny candy
and Coca-Cola in skinny green
glass bottles.
Oma's Doll Shop, 315 Ocean St.,
609-884-8882.
Oma's has more than 1,000 dolls
under one roof. Specializing in
collectibles, it features a "nursery
window" with dolls lined up in
bassinets, awaiting someone to
take them home.
Whale's Tale, 312 Washington
Mall, 609-884-4808. This shop has been
a Cape May tradition since 1974,
and sells toys, paper goods and
other gift items -- all inspired by
the sea. Horseshoe crab earrings,
anyone?
The Cape May Lighthouse Museum
Shop, Cape May Point State
Park, 609-465-3535. It's a pirate's
treasure chest full of nautically
themed arts, apparel, books and
toys.
EVENTS
June
CAPE MAY HARBOR FEST -- Various locations / 609-884-5508 or capemaymac.org. Times vary. June 20-22. Activities include storytelling, the Summer Solstice Bonfire, a street festival and more. Most events are free.
TOAST TO THE COAST FOOD & WINE SPECTACULAR -- Various locations / 800-736-1420. A series of events featuring celebrity chefs, culinary demonstrations, wine samplings, cookbook signings and more. Tickets are $15-$150.
BEACH INFO
Cape May
Pass required: Yes, for those older than 12. Seasonal passes are $25 if purchased at the City Hall Tax Office; $25.75 through the mail. Eight-day passes are $13; three-day passes are $9; one-day passes are $4.
Pets allowed: Dogs are not allowed on most Cape May beaches during the summer. Higbee beach is pet friendly, but there's no swimming.
Lifeguard hours: Morning until 5:30 p.m. daily.
Rentals: Chairs, boogie boards, umbrellas.
Public Restrooms: Yes.
Showers: Rinse-off showers.
Concession stands:Yes, as well as vendor carts along the road.
Parking: Meters. During the summer months, free parking is offered in the Cape May Elementary School lot on Lafayette Street. Shuttle trolleys run from the lot to locations in town.
Fishing allowed: Yes.
Camping: No.
Worth noting: There is a promenade off the beach.