Postcards from Cape May

For the last week of June, I flew up to New Jersey to spend some time with my best friend, Sarah, for her birthday.

We had a low-key fun vacation so I thought I’d share a little travel guide with you all!

Jersey is a great place to visit if you want to do things in a relaxed environment. People in the New England area care very much about their health and where they live.

You’ll see people biking, running, and getting some form of exercise and it’s so refreshing to see!

As you’re out and about, you’ll also see receptacles for both trash and recyclables everywhere, even at restaurants. It’s SO nice to see people take pride in their city!

I’ve been to Cape May once before, but for me, I feel like I couldn’t do a good travel guide for you guys until I visited several times. Obviously, visiting a more “accessible” location several times to create travel guides makes sense compared to international travel.

Cape May is definitely right out of the Hallmark channel. You know, the small town, relaxed vibes? Yep.

Homes and businesses are adorned with color. Yellow, pinks, blues, all of the colors! And if you’re like me, flowers, especially hydrangea bushes are EVERYWHERE!

FOOD

For food, try Lucky Bones before you drive into the heart of the town. I got the Seafood Garganelli. It was good, except for the cream sauce. I think it was a bit too thin. If you decide to get this dish, just make sure to tell them light on the sauce. Did I mention that they consciously choose not to use straws? LOVE that!

The Blue Pig Tavern at Congress Hall is a great place for brunch. They took their cheesy grits off the menu so I’m a very sad panda! I got their Eggs Benedict and it was so good! Just know portions are pretty large so you can share with friends!

If you want an Instagrammable atmosphere, dine outside. If you dine inside, the vibes are going to take you back in time!

If you’re into the soda fountain, diner style, try Stewart’s in the heart of town (they have multiple locations along the east coast). They have ice cream, floats, burgers, all the usual stuff a diner would have for when you want a cheat meal!

Kohr Bros. is another great ice cream shop to take a break from all the walking, and pick up a cone to stay cool.

When you get to Cape May, parking is metered (cash in $1 increments only or card) and are watched.

THINGS TO-DO / SHOPPING

Speaking of, you can go to Cape May beach for $6/person (day pass) or just grab a drink/some ice cream and walk the board walk. It’s a super clean beach (hence the cost of beach passes) if you’re itching to get some vitamin D!

Last year, my friends and I spotted tons of dolphin pods that we were beside ourselves. I was squealing like a little kid and didn’t care a lick what the locals thought of my excitement, haha!

Victorious is a great boutique shop that carries well-known brands such as BCBG, Frye, Free People, Wildfox, Jeffrey Campbell, Quay, and Julie Vos. Their pink building is what Instagram dreams are made of!

Excuse my super casual look here. I had to use KT tape on my feet as I’ve had injuries from my running training. Stop by and do some shopping or take a moment to do a photo opp out front of their pink building before heading to the beach!

Cape May isn’t a typical place where I’ve seen or heard many others talk about when it comes to vacation destinations, but I just thought I’d share if you’re ever looking for a low-key place to unwind.

If Cape May is a place you want to visit, just know that it’s a ghost town between September to April. Summer is definitely the time to go to get the full small beach town experience. However, when you go, go on a Thursday or Monday if you’re taking a long weekend so you can avoid traffic and a very crowded beach.

Since my best friend lives in Jersey, I’ll be visiting a lot more and will be updating this post in the future so keep checking back!

Have you been to Cape May? What’s your favorite destination for summer vacations?