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If you live in the Northeastern part of the USA, summer weekends mean beach weekends. Everybody has their beach. The one they grew up going to, have countless memories of long days in the sun, and continue to make the pilgrimage to each Friday at 5 pm. Yes, there’s traffic. Yes, it’s crazy. But getting there on a Friday night and waking up at the beach on a Saturday morning…. there’s just nothing like it. My beach of choice is Cape May, New Jersey.
My extended family has owned a house a few blocks off the ocean for the last 10 years. Before then, we rented the house across the street each Labor Day Weekend. Finally, it was our turn and we now sleep 17 people, 5 dogs, and have room for about 4 more guests. That’s life on the weekends all summer. Everybody has their own bike, their favorite shops and beach snacks, their own beach chair, and their personal beach weekend ritual. I like to get up and go for a bike ride or run on the promenade, grab a bagel in town or a green juice at the Congress Hall juice bar, and get to the beach before lunch to catch all the rays I can. Happy hour on the back deck or a local beach bar and a walk to town after dinner for an ice cream cone. That’s all I ask. This year we will be doing dinner on the beach for my birthday; my own request.
If you’re planning a week-long getaway with the family or if you are close enough to snag a day or weekend trip to Cape May, here is my list of personal favorites!
Congress Hall
Congress Hall holds a special place in the heart of my whole family. This is where my big sister and brother in law got engaged. But even before then, we thought it was an amazing place. It doesn’t fall under places to eat or things to do, because it’s technically just a hotel. But it is all of those things wrapped up in one. My favorite parts of Congress Hall are the juice bar outside on the patio for an after-run detox drink, the Boiler Room pizza restaurant and bar in the basement with live music, the beautiful pool (only to look at, for non-guests of the hotel), the newly renovated Brown Room bar, and the little boutiques to peruse inside. One day I would like to go to the spa there or stay the night 🙂 If you are in Cape May before Christmas, they have the cutest little North Pole set up complete with merry-go-round, shopping, boozy holiday drinks, and a train ride for little guys. If you are a die-hard yogi, definitely try their yoga on the beach all summer long. It’s really relaxing. I’m looking forward to scoping out the brand new rose bar on the patio, too.
The Rusty Nail
The Rusty Nail is the place to go straight off the beach for a drink. Bathing suit, sandy feet, and all. They always have the best happy hour live music and it’s so fun to sit in the sand and Adirondack chairs and kick back with family & friends. Dogs welcome too. I am always up for their classic mojito and the tempura zucchini sticks! The hotel right behind it, The Beach Shack, looks adorable for a weekend getaway!
Exit Zero Filling Station
New on the scene is the Exit Zero Filling Station. Under a gas station disguise, this gift shop turned bar and restaurant is a must. The filling station just opened about 2 months ago and is already pulling its weight in Cape May. The drink menu is to die for and the food is incredible. Don’t miss out on the entire curry menu. And the burgers are drool-worthy too! The attached gift shop has the best Cape May souvenir shirts and sweatshirts to take home with you. Hoping that this brand new hot spot stays a secret for a little while longer. Shhh don’t tell!
Beach Plum Farm
The Beach Plum Farm was started a few years ago by the owners of Congress Hall. The farm actually provides all of the produce and fruits used in dishes and drinks at all of their spin-off locations. The farm has become a really popular place to visit and is a little bit hidden off the beaten path. There is an adorable gift shop, produce to purchase, and a sandwich and snack counter. You can bring a bottle of wine, walk through their gardens, feed the chickens, and take your bike to visit the pigs and fields farther from the main barn. This is a really great place for picture taking, date night, or a morning walk before the beach. They have recently added cottages for rent and they host enviable monthly dinner parties in their greenhouse.
The Beachfront Promenade
The promenade in Cape May is very unique from other beaches. It is not like a true boardwalk because it pretty much has no shopping on it. It is almost purely used for exercise. If you start at the end closest to the lighthouse, run all the way down to where the pavement ends, and come back to the start, you’ve run almost 3 miles. Make you sure you “touch the pole” at the end! You can also only bike on it up until 10 am in the morning, so it doesn’t get annoying or overcrowded. It’s a great way to get your bearings on where everything is and of course get a view of the beautiful ocean and sand. And scope out where you’ll plant your beach towel for the day.
Shopping in Town & Ice Cream
If you are a first-timer, you must hit town, otherwise known as Washington Street Mall. After a few years, the shops get a little old, but you just keep coming back for the ice cream. You can find Kohr Brothers, Ben & Jerry’s, and Stewart’s Root Beer. I personally enjoy a large cone of Ben & Jerry’s myself. There are some really great souvenir and gift shops and clothing too. My favorites are Galvanic, Bath Time, Whale’s Tale, and Della’s 5 & Dime.
My Cape May Summer Bucket List
This week starts my week long vacation in Cape May with Cam and I could not be more excited. It’s especially wonderful since my birthday kicks it all off on Saturday. Although I know I’ll want to do it all in one week, here is my own personal bucket list for my summer in Cape May:
- Sips on the veranda at the Rose Bar at Congress Hall
- Check out the new Nauti Spirits Distillery
- Cruise on over to the Wildwood Pier & maybe get a piercing (lol)
- Set sail on the ferry from Cape May, NJ to Lewes, DE
- Have a yummy dinner at Exit Zero Filling Station (& many more happy hours)
- Post run green juice at the Congress Hall juice bar
- Pizza picnic on the beach at sunset
- Post beach hang at the Rusty Nail
- Buy myself something special at Galvanic in town
- Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream cones whenever possible
- Bike rides, promenade runs, and ocean swims
- Fireworks on the beach for the 4th of July (with a secret wine roadie)
- Pool hop in the local hotel on Broadway when it’s a scorcher
- Boiler Room pizza & live music in the basement of Congress Hall
- Peruse the West End Garage for antique treasures
- Tour the Cape May Winery or Willow Creek Winery
Feel free to send this guide to friends and family who might need a quaint getaway to the shore. Cape May is so unlike all other beach towns and I hope you get to experience it too.
xoxo,
jojo
1 Comment
must be nice to have rich parents!