Cool Cape May 2021-22

A Civil War reenactment at Historic Cold Spring Village. aleksey moryakov
THEATER Cape May is a tiny island that’s big on theater.
The East Lynne company on Hughes Street, dedicated
to the preservation of early American plays, was named
one of the “top 75 theaters offering summer productions
in North America” by The New York Times. And the Equity
theater company Cape May Stage regularly draws Broadway-caliber
and Emmy-nominated actors who perform in
a beautifully converted 1853 church on Lafayette Street.
Elaine’s Dinner Theater, also on Lafayette, puts on raucous
shows guaranteed to please the whole family.
UTSCH’S MARINA A family operation for 70-plus years,
this isn’t just a floating campground for boaters (including
Walter Cronkite). And it’s not just home to a great tackle
shop and ship’s store. It also rents space to businesses
selling fun on the harbor, including East Coast Parasail and
Steger Stand-up Paddleboard.
VILLAGE Historic Cold Spring Village is an open-air, living
history museum that focuses on early 19th-century American
life, aka the Age of Homespun. Set on more than 30
acres with 27 restored buildings curated from across the
county, this is the largest living history museum in the state.
When you’re finished visiting with the site’s historical interpreters
or spectating a thrilling Civil War reenactment,
check out the bakery, ice cream parlor, country store and
a non-profit brewery housed in a beautiful, historic barn.
WILDWOOD This wild, wild town just north of Cape May
is famous for its doo-wop architecture, complete with
Vegas-style neon signage and delightfully tacky faux palm
trees. But it’s the two-mile boardwalk that’s the real draw.
The boards have all the funnel cake, water ice, fried oreos
and seaside souvenir shops you can dream up, but they’re
also home to Morey’s Piers, a world-renowned amusement
park. The operation encompasses beachfront restaurants
as well as two beachfront water parks complete
with wild slides, play areas and a float-up snack bar. As for
rides and roller coasters, they range from kiddie to familyfriendly,
thrilling to extreme. It’s no wonder Amusement
Today, leading trade publication of the industry, has voted
Morey’s the Best Seaside Park in the World.
X MARKS THE SPOT The red buoy situated just off
the promenade on Beach Avenue at the end of Gurney
Street marks the southernmost point in Cape May, which
is the southernmost point in New Jersey. It’s a good
reminder that this is the end — people don’t come to this
peninsula en route to somewhere else because there
IS nowhere else, just osprey-dotted skies as far as the
eye can see. The structure — an excellent photo op, if we
do say so ourselves — is reminiscent of the equally red
(and yellow and black) buoy marking the southernmost
point in the continental US. That’s in Key West, largely
considered Cape May’s sister town both because of its
similar(ish) vibe and because of the sheer number of
Cape May locals who enjoy vacationing there.
YEAR-ROUND Unlike other Jersey Shore towns, Cape
May is a destination even off-season. During autumn
months, quirky festivals take place in West Cape May’s
Wilbraham Park to celebrate Cape May’s storied agricultural
past. Oktoberfest takes over the historic downtown
the first Saturday in October. And throughout the
Christmas season, Congress Hall transforms into a Winter
Wonderland, with a 35-foot tree on the front lawn,
a shopping village, a carousel and numerous opportunities
to meet Saint Nick. Meanwhile, a community parade
sure to get you in the spirit weaves through town the
first Saturday in December. And the island is becoming
an increasingly popular destination for spring break, too
(think town-wide murder mystery events), since Cape
May is open for business and the beaches are inviting,
but the masses have not yet descended.
ZOO The Cape May County Park and Zoo, just off exit 11
on the Parkway, was ranked third best zoo in the nation
and 13th best in the world, according to TripAdvisor, and
not just because it’s free. Unlike other, concrete-heavy
zoos, the animals here — 550 of them representing
250 species — enjoy large, lush habitats. For the muchbuzzed-about
snow leopards, the Chilean flamingos
from Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch and a brandnew
baby giraffe, life is good. The zoo is highly shaded
by tree canopy and flanked by play and picnic areas as
well as wooded walking trails. Oh, and a section of the
park is home to the Tree to Tree Adventure Park, which
is guaranteed to add a little adrenaline to your vacation.
In other words, it’s time to go wild.