I can sum up my stay at Beach Plum Farm in a single word: tranquility. Set among 62 acres of pine forests, marshlands, and formal and informal gardens, this West Cape May retreat has a kicked-back elegance that blends homespun comfort with pure indulgence. It’s virtually guaranteed to slow your […]
Before a TV series, it was a video game. Fungus-infected zombies aside, much of the storyline of The Last of Us takes the main characters across a mostly abandoned America where the signs of humanity persist, yet in a faded state, and the absence of humans has an eerie vibe. […]
Eastern Screech Owls are widespread throughout most of eastern North America, and there are quite a few pairs in the Cape May woodlands. Of course, you would not know it as they only come out after dark and are so rarely seen. About eight inches long, or cardinal-sized, they are […]
Talk about a reality check. The astronomy shows at Rowan University’s Edelman Planetarium feature a cosmic chart, projected on a 40-foot overhead dome inside a darkened theater. It shows Earth as an infinitesimal blip in the Milky Way, which itself is just a dot on a vast universal map. Clearly, […]
Today, with so many shopping options available, both brick and mortar as well as online, customers have the luxury of being choosier about which stores are on the receiving end of their hard-won money. No longer do shoppers simply want dish detergent or a perfect fall sweater—very many of them […]
“Enjoying the cool ocean breeze and salt water – has a definite relaxing effect” wrote Peggy in 1961. Every year people come to Cape May to cool off and they’ve been doing it for generations. The moniker “Cool Cape May” dates back over 100 years into the town’s history. It […]
As a tourist destination, Cape May is home to plenty of retail establishments, from gift and souvenir shops to apparel stores and beach supply venues. And while quite a few of them have some degree of specialization, very few are as categorically distinct as those under the Cape Island Foods […]
In this high-tech, post-pandemic age, many hotels have transitioned to digital check-in, electronic keys, and touchless everything. So imagine my surprise to arrive at the Inn of Cape May and 1.) be greeted by a doorman, 2.) assisted by a porter, and 3.) registered by a front desk clerk, who […]
To succeed in business, you need a good idea, a good plan, and, in the case of Jersey Shore Alpacas, a little divine intervention. In 2005, looking ahead to retirement, Tish and Jim Carpinelli were intrigued by alpaca farming, a cottage industry then at its height. Hoping to spend their […]
I don’t know how it was for you, but this summer seemed to creep up on me, with a cool start that favored spinach and lettuce plantings (which I totally missed because of previous experiences with hot-as-Hades springs of late), followed by the blast furnace of July into August. It […]
I have a problem remembering yesterday, yet I remember the first time coming to Cape May and America like it was yesterday and, yes, it was a long time ago. Bright, sunny, vibrant beaches and the sound of Laughing Gulls are the images that come up right away. There was […]
Cape May has plenty of allure, and much of it has been curated by local shop owners, bed and breakfasts, careful caretakers of historic structures, restaurateurs and more. But its foundational attraction is the great blue salty expanse that hugs the island, drawing people to Cape May for stunning natural […]
In Cape May, there are shops of all varieties. From crystals and soaps to local merchandise, clothing and gifts, there’s a store dedicated to just about every type of product. And while they’re all part of the fabric of Cape May’s shopping district, there are only a few venues that […]
Want to learn more about Cape May history? You’ll find much of it on the walls of the Bedford Inn. The dining room of the Italianate villa features a wraparound mural depicting the original Convention Hall, the lighthouse, and the sunken ship Atlantus (apparently, a lot less sunken when the […]
How would you like to turn back time by, say, 100-plus years? Then visit the Howell Living History Farm, near Lambertville. This isn’t a museum, a reenactment, or a historic tableau, but a working farm, where they do things the old-fashioned way: circa 1900. Visitors don’t so much witness a […]
“Sit quiet by my side in the shade And not the kind that’s thrown I mean, the kind under where a tree has grown” -Taylor Swift, Paris It’s Saturday, and you’ve made it to Cape May for your summer visit. You stop at your B&B or hotel in just enough […]
I love to go for walks around the fields in summer, particularly before it gets too hot. The vegetation is always green in summer, and flowers change from week to week. It tends to be quiet, most tourists preferring bed, breakfast or the beach. A stroll to Hidden Valley, The […]
I find it fascinating how landscapes of my youth have had a profound influence on my preferences as an adult. For instance, some of my favorite places can be found within Florida’s Everglades National Park, where slight variations in elevation result in drastic changes in vegetation. As I sit at […]
Deep inside the main house at Winterthur, visitors will find a make-believe cityscape, complete with slate and cobblestone pathways, exterior building facades, wrought-iron lamps, and even trees. Each slat, stone, brick, and windowpane were taken from a historic home or tavern, then transferred to the Delaware home of Henry Francis […]
For an authentic European experience in small-town South Jersey, there’s no place like the Peninsula Hotel in Cape May Court House. Walk through these doors, and you’ll be transported from the corner of Main and Mechanic streets to the Cote d’Azur, with cuisine that could rival any on the French […]
As home to one of the largest commercial fishing ports on the East Coast, Cape May is no stranger to all things nautical. From fresh-off-the-boat seafood and plenty of places to dock-and-dine, to maritime décor and artwork, Cape May is a hub for the sea-inspired lifestyle. Which is why it’s […]
The year was 1907. Anna visited the quaint seaside town of Cape May, presumably not from too far away considering the lack of access back then. To set the stage a bit, horse-drawn carriages were still parading up and down dirt roads like the ones displayed in the pictures, when […]
I always tell people who are thinking about birds to get a plan on how to look at them, so you don’t skip straight to color and miss all the important stuff: Size, shape, behavior, probability and then patterns of color. Today, let’s look at the Sanderling using these characteristics. […]
These vacationers carved out time for the Lord during their stay. Cape May has a few holy places to choose from for various religious denominations. Each local church holds historic value, like the Brick Church featured on the first card, which has been in operation for over 300 years at […]