Last chance to join this annual tradition and see a large selection of Victorian inns, homes, churches and hotels all beautifully decorated for the holidays
CAPE MAY — Share a special holiday tradition with friends and family on a festive walking tour of Cape May’s historic district and surrounding areas during the final Christmas Candlelight House Tour of the season, sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). Every year since 1974, a large selection of Victorian inns, homes, churches and hotels open their doors and welcome visitors to share the warmth and hospitality of the season during these popular, self-guided, walking tours.
You will be welcomed inside with holiday hospitality and cheer. Enjoy Christmas carols by candlelight, strolling musicians along the historic streets of Cape May and beautiful holiday decorations. Walk from site to site, stopping at hospitality centers for warm beverages and holiday treats during your travels. Free heated shuttles make limited stops along some routes.
The final Christmas Candlelight House Tour of the season is Saturday, Dec. 17, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Featured properties on the final Christmas Candlelight House Tour of the season, Saturday, Dec. 17 include: Angel of the Sea, 5 Trenton Ave.; Antoinette’s Apartments & Suites, 717 Washington St.; Beauclaire’s Bed & Breakfast Inn, 23 Ocean St.; Cape May United Methodist Church, 635 Washington St.; The Carlin Family Residence, 1102 Lafayette St.; Cavalier Cottage, 1109 Washington St.; The Colonial House Museum, 653 ½ Washington St.; Congress Hall Hotel, 200 Congress Place; The Eldredge House, 417 N. Broadway; Franklin’s Key, 313 Franklin St.; The Harrison, 613 Columbia Ave.; The John F. Craig House, 609 Columbia Ave.; Luther Ogden Inn, 815 Kearney Ave.; The Mainstay Inn, 635 Columbia Ave.; Ocean Victorian, 25 Ocean St.; Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, 525 Washington Street Mall; The Queen Victoria B&B, 102 Ocean St.; The White Dove Cottage, 619 Hughes St.; and The Wilbraham Mansion, 133 Myrtle St. Two conveniently located hospitality centers, the Carriage House at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., and the First Presbyterian Church of Cape May, Decatur and Hughes Streets, will be open on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., allowing visitors to enjoy warm beverages and traditional holiday treats.
The Christmas Candlelight House Tour also includes admission to Cape May’s authentically decorated Victorian house museum, the Emlen Physick Estate at 1048 Washington St., and the exhibit “An Old-Fashioned Christmas: Holiday Traditions through the Years” in the Carriage House Gallery located on the grounds of the Physick Estate. The exhibit’s main attraction is a display featuring a Dept. 56 Dickens Village, model trains and vintage Christmas memorabilia, all beneath the boughs of a giant Christmas tree. While there, donations can be made to support the Jersey Cape Military Spouses Club and letters to Santa can be deposited for mailing to the North Pole.
Admission to the Christmas Candlelight House Tour is $30 for adults and $20 for children (ages 3 to 12). The tour is limited; it is strongly recommended that tickets be purchased online by visiting www.capemaymac.org or reserved in advance by calling 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278. Any remaining tickets on the day of the tour may be purchased at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth, Washington and Ocean Streets. Properties on the tour are subject to change.
The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) is a multifaceted not-for-profit organization committed to promoting the preservation, interpretation, and cultural enrichment of the Cape May region for its residents and visitors. MAC membership is open to all. For information about MAC’s year-round schedule of tours, festivals, and special events, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278, or visit MAC’s Web site at www.capemaymac.org. For information about restaurants, accommodations and shopping, call the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cape May at 609-884-5508 or visit www.capemaychamber.com. For information about historic accommodations, contact Cape May Historic Accommodations at www.capemaylodging.com.