If Queen Victoria were alive today, and decided that she needed a break from the demands of British royalty, where would she go to find relaxation but still feel connected? Why, she’d choose nowhere else but Cape May, New Jersey, the Victorian Crown Jewel of the East.
Cape May is located at the very southern tip of New Jersey, directly on the Atlantic Ocean. This seashore location gives the town a delightful double play of activities: when the kids swear that they will run away and join the circus if they see one more example of Victorian architecture, you can turn them loose on the beach to romp to their hearts’ content.
Cape May has a long vacation pedigree. Dutch Captain Cornelius Jacobsen Mey explored the area in 1620. He was so impressed that he named it after himself – Cape Mey, which residents subsequently anglicized to May. By the late 17th Century, people came to the region by steamboat from Philadelphia and points south, making Cape May one of the earliest resorts in America. The Civil War cut off the area’s vast southern clientele and threatened Cape May with obsolescence.
However, visitors saved the town when they started building opulent Victorian summer “cottages” in Cape May. A century later, as trendier resorts bypassed Cape May, the town decided to emphasize its vast collection of Victorian buildings. Almost overnight, Cape May went from has been to hip, as fans of Victorian architecture and the Victorian lifestyle flooded into town. Today, the National Register of Historic Places lists the entire city of Cape May as a historic site, and everyone from history buffs to Victorian enthusiasts to casual vacationers comes here.
What makes Cape May unique among resorts is its total lack of traditional accommodations. You will not find a Holiday Inn, Ramada, Westin, or any of the other big chain hotels/motels within a stone’s throw of Cape May. Instead, in keeping with its Victorian roots, the town offers bed-and-breakfasts, most of which are in meticulously restored Victorian homes. The breakfasts, which typically feature one-of-a-kind fare as a specialty of that particular establishment, are spectacular and memorable. People often return to the same inn for years just so they can once again enjoy the food, as well as the companionship of the innkeepers, who in many cases become friends of the family.
Of course, the reason many folks go to Cape May in the first place is for its Victorian architecture, and here the town certainly does not disappoint. Throughout Cape May, but especially in the Historic District, are some of the finest examples of Victorian architecture to be seen this side of Victorian England. There are enough structures with gingerbread trim, mansard roofs, and pointed windows to suit even the most discerning Victoriana fan. A walk through the picturesque, tree-lined streets of the historic district on a pleasant day is like walking through the pages of a history book. Each home, painstakingly restored, often contains a Victorian-style garden that is a riot of color. Occasionally, a horse-drawn carriage slowly clip-clops by and adds to the sense of time displacement.
Though Cape May is on the seashore, its beaches aren’t very wide, thanks to erosion and the action of the Atlantic Ocean bringing most of Cape May’s sand north to Wildwood (which is why Wildwood’s beaches are as long as airport runways). But there are numerous beaches in Cape May, and always room to spread a towel. Being located on the ocean also means that Cape May’s numerous fine restaurants serve a mouthwatering variety of seafood.
Indeed, food is almost as prized as Victoriana in Cape May. There are no fast food burger chains in town – in fact, there are no restaurant chains at all of any type. Instead, you’ll find all private restaurants, all with their own individual menus and methods of food preparation.
Your palate will thank you.
Cape May holds various special events and festivals throughout the year. Unlike other coastal communities whose season runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day, Cape May is in motion all year long. If you plan to visit, log onto both the website of the Chamber of Commerce and that of the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts.
The Chamber of Commerce site gives a good overview of the town, including accommodations. MAC is the group that runs many of the events in Cape May – everything from Sherlock Holmes weekends to music festivals.
So for a truly memorable and unique trip, plan to visit Cape May, New Jersey…and if you see Queen Victoria, just give her a wave and keep on going. She’s in her glory.