Nestled on the Southern coast of New Jersey are the lovely beach towns of Cape May, Stone Harbor, Wildwood, and Avalon. My husband's family is from Cape May County. I absolutely LOVE visiting the area! The beach towns are so charming and picturesque. I can see why it's such a popular spot for so many from the surrounding area and states.
If you've never been to the area, I highly suggest putting it on your list of American towns to visit. But prepare to book hotels/motels or other accommodations well in advance of summer! They book up VERY fast.
It truly is a seasonal area. The town's main money-making season is summer when all the tourists come to visit.
These beach towns are very family-friendly. There are so many fun things to do with your kids when in the area. This post has some of our favorite places to go when we are in Cape May County with our kids.
Cape May County Park & Zoo
Location: 707 US-9 North, Cape May County Courthouse, NJ 08210.
The Cape May County Park and Zoo is completely FREE and open to the public year-round! (Hours may vary on holidays.) The zoo, and parks that are located in front of the zoo, sit on 85 acres. They have so many favorites from barnyard animals, to aviaries, to lions, tigers, and bears.
For some of the barnyard animals, they do have feed you can purchase to give to them. You are also allowed to pet some of them, but at your own risk.
The whole zoo is stroller-friendly and handicap accessible.
The parks have various playgrounds for different age ranges and capabilities. There are also public restrooms on-site.
The Ice Cream Station
Location: 809 S Rt 9, Cape May Court House, NJ 80210
After many trips to the southern coast of New Jersey, I finally visited this adorable ice cream shop on our last trip out there! I can't tell you how many times we drove by it and I would tell myself I needed to find time to go.
Well, we finally did. There was a cold drizzle as I was waiting in line outside with my six-year-old for our orders, but it was worth it. Our ice creams were creamy and full of flavor.
After ordering, you can eat at one of the picnic tables or find a spot on one of the pews of the decommissioned trolly cars they have.
Wildwood Boardwalk
Location: 3500 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ 08260
This is an absolute must-visit when you are in the area! I've been to various "boardwalks" all over the country, but this is a true boardwalk that puts all others to shame. For one, it is an actual boardwalk, made of wood, not concrete.
It is full of so many attractions and restaurants that line the beachfront. The attractions include arcades, shops, mini-golf, waterparks, and even full-on amusement parks. I'd never seen anything like it before!
You can read more about one of our visits to the Wildwood Boardwalk by clicking here.
The Cape May-Lewes Ferry
Location: 1200 Lincoln Blvd, North Cape May, NJ 08204
Driving your car onto a boat isn't something you get to do too often. At least for most people, it isn't. So on one of our recent trips to the east coast, we took advantage of going on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry when we had to go from Cape May, New Jersey to Norfolk, Virginia. Taking the ferry saved us about 10 hours of drive time.
The ferry taxis between Cape May, New Jersey, and Lewes, Deleware (near Rehoboth Beach). The trip each way takes about 2 hours.
If you are in the area and want to ride on the ferry, you are allowed to cross as a pedestrian, with a bike, or of course your vehicle.
Even if you are not planning on driving down the east coast, crossing over and spending some time in Deleware and then returning back to New Jersey in the evening might be a fun adventure.
My kids loved boarding and looking out as we sailed. There was ample seating, restrooms, a small cafe, and even a bar.
To read more on our adventure, please visit my post "Voyaging on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry".
The Beaches
No matter which beach you wish to enjoy in the area, they are all very nice! Even the beach homes in the area are so charming to look at with their very classic, American architecture.
Most of the beaches in the area do require you to purchase beach tags to access them. They can be bought at stands located at parking lots near main access points.
If you plan on swimming at the beach, expect chilly to cold water temperatures. I've never experienced warm water over there, even in late summer.
It's still a lot of fun! The waves are decent for body boarding, skim surfing, and jumping in. And there's always plenty of sand for castle building.
I hope this post gave some great insight on things to do if you plan on visiting Cape May County. It truly is a lovely area full of family-friendly fun!
If you have visited in the past, feel free to share your experience in the comment section below!
As always, safe travels!
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