Delights of Cape May

During a river cruise last year I met a lovely couple, Lee and Jill from Cape May, New Jersey. One of the great things about travel is meeting people and keeping in touch after your holiday has ended, although the chances of seeing them again may be remote.

Earlier this year I planned a trip to Massachusetts to stay with a good friend of mine whose daughter was graduating in June and found this the perfect opportunity to take a short flight from Boston to Philadelphia (55 minutes) to see my new friends.

The Cape May peninsula is approximately a 1½ hour drive from Philadelphia airport and it lies at the southernmost tip in the state of New Jersey. It is one of the oldest vacation resort destinations in the US with historical roots dating back to the 18th Century and first served Philadelphians escaping the summer heat and still today attracts many tourists. The entire city was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976, so the amazing vintage Victorian architecture has been preserved.

It is a place of exquisite beauty and spirit and made all the more beautiful by the total lack of fast food eateries and chain hotels! Instead there is a great selection of small hotels and B&B's and fabulous restaurants many of which are situated in the old historic houses. I ate the best piece of halibut I've ever tasted and the lobster tail was extraordinary.

Its other great feature is the shoreline and miles of golden sandy beach which rank among the very best in the US. There is also plenty to do in Cape May apart from beach activities: boating, fishing, hiking, shopping, sight-seeing tours, movie nights on the beach, concerts and a jazz festival. It is also blessed with an abundance of wildlife and its geographical location puts in the path of countless species of migratory birds and butterflies during Spring and Autumn.

I loved this place, its charm, its natural beauty which has been so well preserved, good weather especially the summer months and it was made all the more special by meeting up with Lee and Jill who were perfect and most generous hosts (note the limo back to the airport) and are very active in the Cape May local scene. I will definitely return and would highly recommend should you find yourself out that way (perhaps after a visit to Atlantic city which is also close by.)