Shoppers enjoy Winter Wonderland at Cape May’s Congress Hall. Photo: Courtesy of Cape Resorts
This charming seaside resort town at the tip of southern New Jersey is known for its grand Victorian houses and beautiful beaches. In the off season, stroll along the pedestrian Washington Street Mall and peruse its shops and restaurants, or head to the Cape May Lighthouse for gorgeous views across the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean. Exit 0 feels like a different place and time when you arrive—people still get around on bicycles and spend afternoons whiling away the time on the porches of the picturesque and historic hotels and inns that dot this town.
[MORE: Weekend Getaways to Take Right Now]
WHAT TO DO
Beach Plum Farm hosts exquisite farm-to-table dinners. Photo: Courtesy of Beach Plum Farm/Emily Repici
Cape May is all about its spectacular beaches, but there’s plenty to do in the off-season, too. South Cape May Meadows is a globally renowned, 200-acre nature preserve managed by the Nature Conservancy. This haven for native and migratory birds has walkable trails that cut through lush meadows, with the charming Cape May Lighthouse as a backdrop. Here you can find dunes, freshwater wetlands and a mile of undeveloped, protected beach—a rarity on the heavily developed Jersey shoreline.
Cape Resorts, which owns seven hotels and inns in Cape May, offers various winter programs, including a wellness package at the Virginia Hotel in January. It features guided hikes that explore the hidden pockets of Cape May’s landscape, plus yoga sessions, private massages and specially crafted dinners. The Winter Wonderland at Congress Hall, with vendors, family-friendly activities and more, runs through the end of December. Beach Plum Farm is offering a reflection package for weekend retreats at its cottages in January and February. (It’s a great trip come autumn, too!)
If you’re heading to Cape May during the holidays, you’re in for a real treat, with a variety of great events and beautiful decorations.
If the weather isn’t too cold, rent bikes and ride around the city. That gives you the best feel for the character of the place, and you don’t have to worry about finding parking, which can be challenging year-round.
WHERE TO EAT
Ebbit Room at the Virginia Hotel has a stylish bar and great cocktails. Photo: Courtesy of Cape Resorts
There are plenty of great places to eat here, making Cape May one of New Jersey Monthly’s favorite restaurant towns.
Ebbitt Room, one of NJM’s Top 40 restaurants in the state, located in the Virginia Hotel, is a top spot for fine dining downtown. Dinners here are contemporary, with great seafood and steak. Every dish utilizes ingredients from Beach Plum Farm, just down the road. Overnight stays at the Farm give guests the opportunity to get hands-on with the food they eat. They serve breakfast and lunch, as well as very special farm-to-table dinners a few times each month.
House-made cinnamon rolls from Blue Pig Tavern in Congress Hall. Photo: Courtesy of Cape Resorts
At Congress Hall, check out Blue Pig Tavern, which serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch in a rustic dining room. It’s rare to find French food in Cape May, so Maison Bleue is a welcome addition to the dining scene here serving perfectly executed Gallic classics. Just down the street is the Exit Zero Filling Station, serving burgers and more.
WHERE TO STAY
Cape Resorts offers many of the best accommodations in this historic beach town.
The iconic Congress Hall, where several presidents have stayed, is the granddaddy of Cape May resorts. Established in 1816, it has a spa, pool, beachfront access, and beautiful rooms and suites.
The gorgeous Victorian Virginia Hotel and Cottages, with its large wrap-around front porch and charming garden out back, is one of the most picturesque places to stay in a town full of picture-perfect locations. Beach Plum Farm, on 62 acres, has six quaint cottages for rent, and it was recently recognized as a prestigious One Key Hotel in the Michelin Guide’s first-ever Key Hotels awards. (Asbury Ocean Club Hotel was also recognized.)
No one knows New Jersey like we do. Sign up for one of our free newsletters here. Want a print magazine mailed to you? Purchase an issue from our online store.