Whether a local or visitor take a tour at the shore this winter! Read below for more things to do around town.
Emlen Physick Estate
Cape May’s only Victorian House Museum! A visit to the Physick Estate today offers a look back at our Victorian past as evidenced by its architecture, decorative arts, customs, and the lives of one particular Cape May family, the Physicks. Emlen Physick Jr., his widowed mother, Frances Ralston, and his maiden aunt, Emilie Parmentier, moved into their home when it was completed in 1879. Take a tour today or learn more at capemaymac.org/experience/emlen-physick-estate/.
Naval Air Station Wildwood (NASW) Aviation Museum
Naval Air Station Wildwood (NASW) Aviation Museum is a non-profit museum located at the Cape May Airport inside historic Hangar #1. Commissioned in April 1943, NASW served as an active dive-bomber squadron training facility during World War II. Today, Hangar #1 has been restored and transformed into an Aviation Museum that houses a number of aircraft, engines, special exhibits, and educational interactive displays. The museum invites visitors to explore aviation and military history through “hands-on,” fun and educational activities for the entire family! Bring the kids and travel back in time to this 92,000 square foot sampling of the 1940’s. Friendly leashed pets are welcome. For more information visit usnasw.org/.
Cape May Lighthouse
The present tower, which is the third documented lighthouse at the southern tip of New Jersey, has been an aid-to-navigation for mariners and an attraction for visitors since it was built in 1859. More than 2.5 million visitors have climbed the lighthouse since it opened to the public in 1988. For more information please visit capemaymac.org/experience/cape-may-lighthouse/. CLOSED until Feb 6th.
Cape May Point State Park
Although Cape May Lighthouse is a major attraction for many visitors to the area, the park’s constantly changing shoreline, dunes, freshwater coastal marsh and ponds, forested islands and varied uplands make it a well-known location for viewing the fall bird migration. Located on the southern tip of New Jersey, Cape May Point State Park is a key site on the NJ Coastal Heritage Trail, with an environmental center that houses a classroom for interpretive programs and a museum on the area’s natural and historic features. For more information visit state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/capemay.html.
Cape May County Zoo
The Zoo is a perfect spot for fresh air and continually offering a safe space to socially distance this season. The Zoo is open daily all winter long from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Visit in person, take part in their virtual outreach offerings, adopt an animal or even inquire about a private guided tour! Take part in the Zoo’s additional attractions: playgrounds, penny machines, aerial obstacle adventure park, picnic pavilions, fishing pond or the gazebo. Don’t miss the chance to support the zoo this winter when you Do the Shore! For more information on operating and visiting hours head to capemaycountynj.gov/1008/Park-Zoo.
Trolley Tours
Hop on one of Cape May MAC’s cheery red trolleys and take a guided tour the easy and comfortable way. Knowledgeable guides will tell you everything you want to know about America’s first seaside resort, from our Victorian heritage to our seashore and maritime history and more, with plenty of fun facts sprinkled in. For more information please visit capemaymac.org/experience/tours/trolley-tours.
The Wetlands Institute
Fun is a major part of every visit to The Wetlands Institute, as everything here combines both education and entertainment! Open weekends throughout the Winter for self-guided tours of all the Institute’s facilities. In the Spring and Summer, they offer naturalist-led programs including back bay boat rides, paddleboarding, kayaking, live animal interactions, family entertainment, and guided beach & dune walks. For more information please visit https://wetlandsinstitute.org/.
*Events are subject to change due to COVID-19 restrictions. Please check with each organization before attending.*