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Cape May County,
New Jersey
There’s More to Explore
at the Jersey Shore
Cape May County, “The Jersey Cape,” is an
area famous for its beaches and boardwalks, but
the Cape offers visitors of all ages much more
to explore than surf, sand and amusements. Known
for some of the best beaches in the world, the
Jersey Cape has become a destination for
families generation after generation.
Easily accessible from the Canadian cities of
Quebec and Montreal, the Jersey Cape is a vast
resource for a family vacation. At the Jersey
Cape visitors will find exciting outdoor
activities.
In a typical week’s vacation on the Jersey
Cape, a family with children will likely visit
the beach five days and make at least two trips
to the area’s boardwalks. In between they may
spend a day fishing or crabbing, shopping in any
of the superlative shopping districts in the
area such as Cape May’s Washington Street Mall
or Ocean City’s Asbury Avenue; taking a nature
tour, visiting Victorian Cape May; visiting some
of the historical sites such as Historic Cold
Spring Village, Naval Air Station Wildwood’s
Aviation Museum, the Cape May County Museum or
one of the many local museums; taking a tour of
the beautiful gardens at Leaming’s Run; or
spending a day at the Cape May County Park Zoo.
From mid-May through the end of September,
the beaches on the Atlantic Ocean are the
preferred spots for those who like nothing
better than lazing in the sun, basking in the
salt air, and creating spectacular sandcastles.
For those who can’t seem to sit still, the
beaches invite long, leisurely walks, and host
communities have created special beaches for
surfing, rafting, volleyball, and other beach
games, such as bocce and paddleball.
The beaches of the Delaware Bay, found in
western Cape May County are an excellent
alternative to the seaside beaches. Though
primarily unprotected by lifeguards, these
beaches are not frequented by the masses, and
lend themselves to more simple pleasures, such
as long walks, exploring the dunes, or just
sitting and admiring Mother Nature’s handiwork.
One of the more uncommon beaches in the
region is Sunset Beach at Cape May Point, the
southernmost part of the Cape, home to Cape May
Diamonds and the concrete ship, hosts a nightly
ceremony in the summer months that draws
hundreds of visitors for a perfectly exquisite
view of a sunset.
Here you’ll find the ever-sinking World War I
vessel the USS Atlantus, an experimental wartime
ship constructed from concrete. The concrete
ships of the era (there were four) were an
engineering failure, but the remains of the
Atlantus provide beautiful scenery at sunset as
well as a barrier to the harsh tides and a home
for many marine creatures.
The real treasures of Sunset Beach, however,
are those under foot.
Small pieces of quartz, rounded and smoothed
through hundreds of years traveling down the
Delaware River, converge on this beach. When
polished, these quartz rocks resemble
diamonds—hence the name “Cape May Diamonds.” An
afternoon of hunting for Cape May Diamonds is
almost a rite of passage for any youngster who
has visited the Jersey Cape, generations of
visitors return to Sunset Beach each year to
introduce their progeny to this wondrous
pastime.
Fine dining, bicycling, sensational
nightclubs, professional theater, outdoor
concerts and miniature golf add to the list of
favorite activities for families who visit the
Jersey Cape.
So when planning a family vacation or a quick
get-away, plan on the Jersey Cape: there’s more
to explore than the world’s best beaches and
boardwalks.
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