Historic Victorian Cape May
Welcome to Historic Victorian Cape May. This is our nations oldest seaside resort, where the feeling of years past is everywhere form the ginger bread of the Pink House to the coastline with its reflections of the lovely ladies of years gone by. Everything about Cape May makes you want to visit here again and again.
Cape May has some of the finest restaurants on the east coast, many of which have won national awards. The types of cuisine are veered from the rich flavors of northern Italy to delicacies fresh from the sea.
While on the island of sights and shells, there are many things to do, one of our finest attractions is the beach. In Cape May you can stroll along the promenade or bask on the beautiful beaches. The sights and colors of the victorian era can be seen inside and out by trolley, walking tours or horse and buggy. Tours are easy to find and run frequently. Cape May lighthouse and the cement sunken ship are also fun attractions to see.
Learn about our rich maritime history and enjoy an unparalleled view of the Cape with a climb to the top of the 1859 Cape May Lighthouse.
This oldest of the seashore resorts makes a great vacation spot year round. The spring is beautiful with its Tulips in bloom all over the island. The fall of the year brings us Victorian Week with many historical and informative sessions and tours.
Visit the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May’s only Victorian house museum, for a glimpse into life as it was lived more than 100 years ago.
Christmas in Cape May is a sight to be seen, The Bed and breakfasts’ as well as the entire city celebrates Christmas just as the victorians did with millions of lights, beautiful trees and garlands inside and out. Street carolers fill the air with the sounds of Christmas.
Unclear and the exact date Cape May City was established, an act by the New Jersey Assembly in 1697 calls for a road between Cape May and Burlington.
Cape May referred to anything on the Cape. In 1801 ads in the Philadelphia Daily Auroua advertising Cape Island as a seaside resort brought the wealthy from Pennsylvania and Central New Jersey. The Atlantic Hotel placed ads and ran daily trips from 1806-1811. The town really took off as a Seashore Resort after the arrival of steam powered boats, because then trips up and down the Delaware no longer had to be dependent on the tide.
On March 8, 1848, Cape Island was incorporated as the borough of Cape May. Cape May City was a thriving seaside community, attracting many politicians and many wealthy plantation owners. Huge hotels were built, some accommodating as many as 2,000 guests. There were gambling casinos and horse racing on the beach. In 1850, Sen. Abraham Lincoln and family vacationed there.
