Cape May County is a treasure trove of thrills, games, specialty seafood, happy hour specials, traditional family-style restaurants, beach gear, breakfast favorites, and relaxing rituals. Yet with its six hundred and twenty square-mile span, this Jersey shore county can be quite daunting. With all this ground to cover, where should you even begin? For breakfast, leave all the cooking to Marq’s Pub & Restaurant of the Marquis de Lafayette Hotel in Cape May. Cape May’s “Hidden Gem” serves up an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet from 8-11 am Saturday through Sunday. Fresh cut fruits, yogurts, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, breads, pastries, make-your-own Belgian waffles, and omelets to order are just a few of the delights that wait to greet you in the morning at our breakfast buffet. Included complimentary with hotel guests’ stay, Marq’s morning buffet is open to the public as well. Start your day off right with choices to satisfy everyone for only $10.95 for adults, $5.95 for children, and free for any kids under the age of 4.
From there, spend the day in the air compliments of Red Baron Air Tours. These flight experts provide one or two passenger sight-seeing rides and aerobatic adventures over the NJ coast. Experience a part of history and fly in an authentic 1940 WACO UPF-7. The open cockpit design allows for incredible views of the beaches, marine life such as dolphins, NJ skyline and the wetlands. Red Baron also invites groups of up to three to experience the skies from the enclosed cockpit of a Cessna 172. They even supply helmets and goggles similar to those worn by the pilots of the Golden-Era. Call 609-545-2060 to make your high flying reservation.
Once you touch back down, head back to exit zero for a Tisha’s lunch. Tisha’s lunch menu features an array of small plates to start with including Lobster Risotto, Cajun Fried Oysters, Buffalo Chicken Tenders, Tisha’s Loaded Fries, and several more appetizer favorites. With the option to add chicken, grilled salmon, or oysters, Tisha’s fresh, large salads are the perfect light entrée for a hot summer day. Owners Jennifer and Paul Negro are also proud to feature favorite paninis from their former endeavor, Surfin’ Sammies of Cape May’s Promenade, on the Tisha’s lunch menu. Finish up the afternoon with a beachfront stroll. As the sun begins to set, head toward the bay in North Cape May for Harpoon Henry’s daily Sunset Ceremony. Harpoon Henry’s has now added a tropical twist to the already beautiful dusks enjoyed by diners. The restaurant and bar creates an atmosphere similar to that of the Florida Keys with its palm trees, live acoustic music, and refreshing fruity cocktails. Owners Ed and Teresa Henry have brought an additional piece of their Floridian culture to the bayfront with the blowing of the conch shell tradition.
The following morning, get up and go. And do it in style compliments of Zippy’s Bikes of Pacific Avenue in downtown Wildwood. Zippy’s now offers both daily and weekly rentals of their custom cruisers, perfect for Cape May County visitors who need a sleek way to navigate the streets. Opt for the Basic Beach Cruiser or the Boardwalk Cruiser for adult riders, and the Children’s Beach Cruiser for the little ones. Available in fun, bright colors, all Zippy’s bikes are guaranteed top-notch quality and a good time. Be sure to “zip” by M.S. Brown Jewelers, also of Pacific Avenue, to check out their new collections of Wildwood destination jewelry. Show off your Wildwoods pride with their exclusive collection of charm beads encased with Wildwoods sand, the perfect Jersey Shore addition to a Pandora or Chamilia bracelet. These “My Beach Bead” exclusives also look great worn as a pendant on an M.S. Brown chain necklace or as earrings.
Post-cruise, rest your legs and fill your stomach with a Duffer’s sundae. With the Chocolate Storm, “the weatherman predicts total pleasure”. This crowd favorite features Duffer’s homemade chocolate ice cream in a downpour of brownie chunks and hot caramel and covered in a “hailstorm” of Heath Bars. Duffer’s kids can get down and dirty with the Bowl of Dirt – homemade chocolate ice cream topped with crushed Oreos and gummy worms. If you’d rather reward yourself with some classic Jersey Shore fudge, Douglass Fudge of the Wildwoods Boardwalk is where you need to be. Made fresh on the premises daily by fourth generation Douglass family members, our fudge and candies are made with the freshest and finest ingredients available and according to the century-old original recipe. Take advantage of this summer’s great-value deal and buy 2 pounds of Douglass Fudge, promised to be the “creamiest” you’ll experience, and get one free.
For a more complete meal, Sal’s has you covered. A little bit of Brooklyn and a lot of Sicily blended to create this delightful Italian restaurant. Cecilia’s family owned Sal’s for 25 years when she and husband Giuseppe took over. Now they, along with their three children, are dedicated to making sure you experience a memorable Italian meal. Giuseppe and Cecilia have perfected the art of pizza, combining recipes learned in Palermo with those they’ve learned from family members and other respected restaurant owners.
After your homestyle Italian feast, enjoy a waterfront martini where they do them best – Beach Creek Oyster Bar & Grille. Enjoy the refreshing, fruity tang of the Mango Tango made with mango puree, mango Fruja, and gin. Or go for the dessert taste of the Key Lime Martini featuring lime and vanilla vodkas and Licor 43 and finished with a Graham cracker rim.
If you’d prefer a professionally poured pint of Guinness, make way for Casey’s on Third of North Wildwood. There, Irish Bernie is more than happy to pour you a pint of his favorite brew. Casey’s is completely back in action following super storm Sandy and is now equipped with a brand new ten beer draft system with five domestics and five imported brews on tap. For an evening of entertainment, look no further than Wildwood’s Lighthouse Pointe. This Friday, the Sindi Raymond band takes the stage at 6 pm with their covers of classic rock favorites from the likes of AC/DC, Journey, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, and Motley Crue. Across the waterway, the Wharf’s deck heats up on Friday night with the Juliano Brother from 8 pm to midnight and on Saturday night with Ten Eddy Drive. Split a Wharf beer tower with friends and enjoy great music and an even better view. Farther south on the island, the Crab House at Two Mile Landing features the musical stylings of Dan Barry & Friends until midnight on Saturday. Grab a glass of one of their twelve beers on tap to wash down one of their many “Crabatizers” such as Fried Crab Balls or signature Crab attack fries, finished with old bay, melted cheese, crab meat, and bacon.
By Megan Kummer