Must-See Things to Do in Cape May: America’s First Seaside Resort

Sun, sand, seafood…that’s what you’ll find on Cape Cod in every season. When I was invited to visit Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club in Brewster, Massachusetts, the Cape’s largest seaside resort, I jumped at the chance. After all, they had me at lobster rolls.

Whether you are a New Jersey local seeking an in-state weekend getaway or you’re coming from New York or Pennsylvania and want to have a fun, short break in the Garden State, there are plenty of options for fun. Family-friendly vacation, couple’s escape, or girlfriend gathering, there’s a place in New Jersey for weekend adventures.

Aviation enthusiasts will want to investigate the Russian MiG-15 fighter plane and the TBM Avenger aircraft. Kids will likely focus on the Top Gun jet fighters, the helicopters, and the Coast Guard patrol boat. Adults and kids can practice becoming a Top Gun pilot with a Coast Guard simulator. Friendly leashed pets are welcome.

Although Cape May is not always known for its breweries, the Cold Spring Brewery is a great place to enjoy a meal or taste the latest brews and ale including Cape May Farmhouse and Not Ye Grandpappy’s Sarsaparilla.

Passengers embark for a quick tour of the canal bank and a history lesson as the staff turn the rail cars around for the return ride.

Only yards from the beach through the maritime forest, take a walk to see awe-inspiring wetlands and salt marshes. Look up to see ospreys, hawks, terns and seagulls and watch ducks, geese and swans fly in for a landing on the ponds. River otters and muskrats swim in the wetland, and deer and foxes move through the dunes. For bird watchers and camera enthusiasts, there are platforms and a bird blind.

Adjacent to the southern beach of Cape May is South Cape May Meadows, land owned and overseen by the nonprofit Nature Conservancy that works in tandem with the Nature Center of Cape May and the Cape May Bird Observatory. Seamlessly connected to the Meadows is Cape May Point State Park, dominated at its western end by the formidable Cape May Lighthouse.

As the name suggests, Sunset Beach in West Cape May is the most popular place to watch the sunset at the Jersey Shore. Although the sun never sets over the Atlantic Ocean, this westerly view across the widest part of the Delaware Bay suffices for an unofficial ocean sunset.

The tour includes exhibits about Harriet Tubman’s life, but I most enjoyed the talk that’s included with the tours by the expert guides who have a passion for telling the story of the legendary abolitionist.

To access the beach, anyone age 12 and older needs a beach badge from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Weekly badges cost $20. 3-day badges for consecutive-day use are $15. Daily badges cost $8. Badges can be purchased at the beach or via the Viply app.