Can anyone give me the lowdown on this place? What are accommodations like? Restaurants? Non-beach things to do? Is the beach itself nice, or are you cheek-by-jowl with Vinnie and Marie chugging Shlitz beer?
Posting a live report since I am here this week. I would call it an older clientele, nothing wrong with it.
Beaches are clean and not crazy, compared to other areas. If you are staying at some of the hotels they have cabana areas, umbrellas, chairs, etc… provided.
No major chain hotel, mostly bed and breakfast places, your own room and bathroom.
Plenty of good eating with BYOB. Went to The Washington Inn the other night, corkage free Sunday.
Have plans for The Peter Shields Inn and The Red Store for later this week.
For hotels look at Congress Hall. Walking around some of the B&B’s include The Southern Mansion, The Mainstay, The Chalfonte, Peter Shields Inn, Virginia Hotel
Will report on food later this week
This is really helpful, Chris. Thanks for the snaps and the info. Post more if you get the urge!
Tiny little joint for breakfast. Nothing fancy.
George’s Place
301 Beach Ave, Cape May, NJ 08204
(609) 884-6088 George's Place - Google Suche
Last summer we were going to eat here. Found out they were CASH only and between the 6 of us we only had maybe $120 which wasn’t going to work.
Will go there tomorrow
Had a happy hour martini here, sat on the porch in a nice high back rocking chair.
Lots of Victorian charm that appeals mostly to couples. I think September is the best time to visit. I haven’t been to Cape May in over 5 years, so I don’t have current restaurant recs. Nonetheless, the food has the characteristics of most resorts in that the cooking isn’t on the level of DC. If you’re expecting that you’ll be disappointed.
I think it’s good for a long weekend, unless you love the beach then a week is reasonable. Annapolis has some similarities: similar size, historic charm.
The other attractions are mostly nature related including birding.
Bring wine for the byobs.
I liked 410 Bank Street and Washington Inn. Great place for BYOB. Had a lot of fun at the boardwalk arcades in Wildwood with my teenage daughter spending tons of quarters to get buckets of tickets to trade them in for some crap.
My in-laws rent a house in Cape May Point, which is just to the west, and the whole family goes every year. To be totally honest, I hate it, but I don’t like east coast beaches or the boardwalk scene in general - too many family trips to Bethany/Rehobeth/Ocean City etc. when I was a child. That said, Cape May and especially CMP are much nicer than many places I’ve been on the Jersey Shore, or in MD/VA/DE. Pretty standard beach houses, quiet streets, and a concentrated “downtown area” that specializes in quaint. My recommendation would be rent a house if you can, for a number of reasons including having a kitchen and access to less frequented beaches. I have not found the food to be good enough to justify going out rather than cooking in, generally speaking, if you have the option. My family eats most meals at the house and just goes out maybe once or twice. I usually bring my bicycle and have enjoyed some nice long rides.
I’m generally with Sarah on this but I did have a fantastic dinner at the Red Store on Cape May Point. I’ll qualify that it was one dinner a few years back and the perfect night in their outdoor garden certainly contributed. That said, I thought that they did a great job preparing local sea food and produce (that they grow). They served my wife a great vegan meal - no mean feat.
Went to the Peter Shields Inn tonight for dinner, very good service from start to finish.
Arrived with our wine and they checked our wine bag with the wines then brought to the table.
Food was excellent.
I started with a foie gras appetizer and the Mrs had a potato leak soup that was bright and light.
Foie gras.
For mains I had a olive oile poached halibut and the Mrs had a nicely roasted chicken
Dessert we had a chocolate combination along with a creme brûlée
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Looks lovely Chris
Thanks everyone. This is very helpful.
For decades, we have gone to the northern Outer Banks during the season. It is very expensive (our house, I think, is ~$9k A WEEK now during the season, and the oceanfront properties are booked solid from May-October (and over the holidays). I love this vacation; it is virtually complete relaxation (well, I do a little work every day, but usually not much). I don’t want to go out at all. I read and drink wine and veg.
I am trying to figure out whether this is what I want when I am retired. We will obviously be able to go whenever we want – not limited to summer breaks – and the $$ we spend on that week could fund a spectacular trip abroad each year. So in the first year I am going to do some weekend (maybe even out-of-season) trips to ATL beaches to see what else is available. I know I don’t want the boardwalk/bar/drunk-and-rowdy experience like the Jersey shore or Ocean City.
Maybe I should start a thread on “ideal beaches.”
That makes Martha’s Vineyard look cheap!
Never been. Talked about it often. Water’s too cold.
Make the servants go into the water, on your behalf.
We rented a house in Cape May Point a couple of years in the late 90s. Very reasonable and we enjoyed the experience especially dining in the Washington Inn wine cellar and pulling bottles off the racks. Thought about buying but property taxes were too high. Happy now in Rehoboth Beach DE.
Ocean City NJ (not MD) is a dry shore town . No bars, restaurants serving booze, etc. so you won’t see Jersey Shore being filmed there . Can bring in alcohol to drink on your property. Not sure about BYOB . Just sayin.
No byob in Ocean City NJ and restaurants are all family eating places