Our time in Cape May was amazing. The old Victorian homes along the waterfront and Washington Street bring to mind a combination of Oak Bluffs and the New Orleans Garden District, but it truly has its own character. There’s a neat little open air market at the end of Washington Street, and along the inland side of Beach Road, the resorts almost lend a Caribbean vibe.
I’m really enjoying traveling this way – it’s such a different perspective. You get the chance to experience the place both as a visitor and a local – since your main transportation is walking, you get to slow down and really feel the place. I’ve really loved the seaside resort transitioning to winter feel here – it reminds me so much of Cape Cod at one of my favorite times of year. Walking to dinner the other night, it really felt like fall and I could imagine myself trick-or-treating here as a kid.
We stayed at Utsch’s Marina, about a mile out of town. They’re really welcoming to transients, and we met so many nice people – both employees and boaters. The sun-and moonrise views were fantastic. They’re right near the Lobster House and the commercial fishing docks, so we picked up local caught fish for dinner one night (I also found Old Bay hot sauce, which I could legitimately just eat straight up).
Even though we’re working as we travel, we made sure to take advantage of opportunities to explore. We took walks each morning, and I took a salt marsh tour on the Skimmer (highly recommend!). It’s bird migration season, and we saw all kinds of cool birds, plus some dolphins in the inlet. Wednesday was super windy, so we walked down to the beach in the morning to watch the waves. We also treated ourselves to a nice dinner at the Washington Inn. Everything was amazing, and I loved the setting.
All week long, I was on a mission to try Madison’s Bakery. There was one near us that turned out to be closed for the season, so on Friday I made a trip into town for sticky buns and cinnamon rolls. I’m glad I took the time to walk in one last time – it was just a nice way to spend the morning – and the sticky buns and cinnamon rolls were 100% worth the effort.
As I wandered around the past few days, Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer” has been in my head – that melancholy scene described by the opening lines of the first verse: “Nobody on the road, nobody on the beach. I feel it in the air, the summer’s out of reach…” That’s exactly how this town feels right now. I’m sad to be leaving, and I look forward to being able to come back and explore again sometime. But I’m also really looking forward to the next part of this adventure.
