The Bent Page

This is only the second time that I’ve seen the Cape May Lighthouse from shore. Of course, I saw it numerous times from the water.

The lighthouse is actually located in Cape May Point, NJ. This is a great place if you’re into bird watching, quiet living, and enjoy the salt air. The lighthouse itself is open for tours. You can climb to the top of it as well as walk around the balcony just below the light. The view is fantastic. You can see into the Delaware Bay, out into the Atlantic Ocean, and over the beaches that fringe the end of New Jersey’s coastline.

It’s always a good idea to come here early as the crowds build throughout the day, especially when the weather is as nice as it was when I took this photo. Here’s a look at the beach at Cape May Point.

You can see it wasn’t crowded. People had just started to stake out their patch of sand. The airplanes were towing banners, advertising everything from restaurant specials to Atlantic City casinos. Cape May itself is filled with Victorian-style homes. I took this photo of two modest places, but there are many more that are as big as these two put together and more brightly painted than a carnival ride.

Still, I think these represent a pleasant scale that is both practical and inviting. Readers of this blog know that I’m partial to Spanish Colonial Architecture. However, I enjoyed a morning stroll through Cape May, taking in the variety of Victorian homes. The residents here take good care of their property. The sidewalks and streets are immaculate. If you want to do some shopping or antique hunting, there’s a pedestrian mall in the center of town that looks like this:

We found a place for lunch here that was quite good. Of course, an ice-cold Coca-Cola was had for dessert before more walking around town. Cape May deserves its reputation as a low-key, friendly destination. The beach can get crowded but all good beaches do. There are plenty of good restaurants, quaint bed and breakfast establishments if you want to stay a few days, and lots of quite streets to welcome you. (I’d like to work Cape May into a story some day, just haven’t figured out exactly how.)