Birding by Boat on the Osprey is a birding and wildlife tour of the coastal salt marsh behind Cape May and the Wildwoods. All of our trips depart from the Miss Chris Marina at 1212 Wilson Dr. in Cape May.

Birding By Boat On the Osprey is the premier nature cruise in Cape May.  Nowhere else can you get such a close-up look at the birds and marine life that inhabit the salt marsh that lie behind the barrier islands. Trips are led by Captain Bob who has 45 years of experience in these back bays and operates these trips daily for up to 8 months of every year.  Along with our crew of highly experienced naturalists we will show you the marsh like no one else can. Every single trip is different as the birds are continually changing through migration and as the new chicks start to mature. We will take the time to show you birds feed, nesting and any other activities that we may come across. We aren’t just out there for a few days a week and for a couple  of months of the year. These cruises are highly interactive and adapted to the group that we have aboard. This is a great activity for children of all ages and we have many items that we carry onboard to check out during our trips. I hope that you will come out and join us for a trip so that we can show you this area that is not frequently visited, but is a huge part of the coastal ecosystem of the Jersey Shore. We look forward to seeing you onboard.

For more information on what we are seeing currently, call 609-898-3500 for a direct line to the Captain.

Cape May’s Dog Park offers a fenced recreation area for your canine friends. Inside you’ll find a water station, waste bags, trash receptacles, a gazebo, and seating for the humans. A double gate ensures no escapes and can help with introductions.

Park access requires a license, which you can apply for at the Cape May City Clerk’s office in City Hall. To apply, make sure you bring the following:

• Proof of a current rabies vaccination from your vet (you’ll need the paperwork, not just the rabies tag)
• Proof of your dog’s current registration with the city or municipality where you live (again, the paperwork itself; the City won’t accept a tag)

Read A Brief Guide to Cape May’s Dog Park for more

Sunset Beach is free to visit year-round. There is on-site parking, but the lot can be crowded during the summer.

In season, Sunset Beach is home to an evening flag ceremony. Learn more on Sunset Beach Gift Shop’s website

On your way here, you’ll pass Fire Tower 23

All of our cruises are BYO, so feel free to bring your favorite food and drinks. Alcohol is permitted for guests 21 and over. Our boats come fully equipped with coolers, speakers, comfortable seating, and even a bathroom on two of the boats for ultimate convenience.

With accommodations for groups as small as 1-2 people or as large as 49 (or more if you book multiple boats), there’s no better time to set sail. Book your cruise today and make unforgettable memories on the water!

Book now at info@jerseyshorecruises.com or call us at 609-200-6656 for more information

Explore its nearly two miles of nature trails (experienced hikers on Alltrails.com call them easy and scenic, and be ware of overgrowth), featuring two viewing platforms with views of the fields and forest, or explore the beach along the Delaware Bay. In the warmer months, you’ll want insect repellent when hitting the trails.

Here are a few things you should know:

This information is adapted from the NJDEP site:

• All state WMAs are carry-in, carry out and do not provide trash cans or recycling bins. Make sure to take anything you bring with you.
• You may not camp, swim, picnic, dump, cut or damage vegetation, have or consume alcohol, metal detect, geocache, paddleboard, paintball, or light a fire.
• Drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are prohibited
• Dogs are permitted on Higbee Beach between September 1st and April 30th (the off season)
• Higbee is closed to hunting from September 1st until the Monday after the Six-day Firearm Deer Season each year
• Non-motorized mountain bikes are allowed on existing WMA trails and secondary (woods) roads from March 1 to April 15, and from June 1 to September 15, as well as on Sundays. Mountain bikes are permitted year-round if engaged in legal hunting and fishing activities.
• Yes, you can get married on Higbee Beach!
• Certain events and activities may require a permit

Learn more about Wildlife Management Area Regulations

Directions to Higbee Beach, provided by the NJDEP:

Follow the Garden State Parkway south to mile 0 and exit to the right for Route 109 North. Take Route 109 North to Route 9 south. Turn left onto Route 626. Cross the bridge and turn right onto New England Road. The road dead ends at Higbee Beach.

Higbee has a small gravel parking lot.

One more note: Due to its remote location and historic lack of local jurisdiction, being state owned, Higbee Beach long had the reputation of being a nude beach. The state ruled on this in 1996 and conferred power to municipalities to make and enforce rules and regulations in order to police state land, which means Lower Township’s ordinance 230-6 banning indecent or nude exposure is in effect at Higbee Beach. They fine violators.

Reach the 244-acre Cape May Point State Park by bike, car, or foot if you don’t mind a hike down the beach. The park is home to iconic landmarks including the Cape May Lighthouse, Fire Control Tower 23, and Battery 223 (aka “the bunker”), the remains of a harbor defense battery from World War II.

The park is free to the public, an ideal location for birding, picnics, painting, photography, and nature walks. Explore ponds, coastal dunes, marshes, and forest habitat on one of the three hiking trails that range from 0.5 to 2 miles in length. Along the trails are occasional benches and birding blinds. Wear sturdy walking shoes if you’re headed down the Yellow or Blue trails, as parts of the trail will take you through wooded areas that may be muddy! The shortest, the Red Trail, is entirely on a raised footpath and wheelchair accessible. Download a detailed trail guide from the state’s website.

There’s no swimming on this beach due to underwater hazards, but surf fishing is permitted. Being a state park, smoking (including vaping) and alcohol are prohibited.

Gather with friends at picnic areas and shelters. Groups of 20 are asked to reserve facilities at least five days in advance. If you have a large group, you can reserve a picnic area with a shelter and restrooms for up to 60 people.

It’s okay to bring your pet along, with some restrictions. Pets must be leashed at all times. Because the beach is home to endangered birds, pets are not permitted on the beach from April 1–September 15. And at no point are pets permitted on the nature trails.

There are no park or entry fees, and the park has a large, paved parking lot available.

Combined, Cold Spring Bike Path (2.7 miles) and Middle Township Bike Path (8.9 miles) will take you from Historic Cold Spring Village all the way to the Cape May County Park and Zoo.

The southernmost part of the path runs parallel to Route 9 and Seashore Roads, through Lower Township and into Rio Grande. From there, the path grows wooded and continues up to Cape May Court House. You’ll pass residential areas, campgrounds, and wineries. The asphalt path is dog and bicycle friendly.

There is a small parking area available at the start of the trail, which begins at Sandman Boulevard just off of Route 9. If you’re starting out in Rio Grande, there is a tiny parking area at the end of Railroad Avenue (behind Walmart) that you can also reach from Route 9 via Satt Boulevard (the road near Winterwood).

Below is a Google Map showing the beginning of the Cold Spring Bike Path.

The working farm, studio, nature sanctuary and sculpture garden of artist Stan Sperlak has become one of the most popular “Art & Nature” destinations in the country. Here, where the forest and fields meet the marsh on the Crow Creek, in Goshen, NJ, you can find yourself that piece of sanity and inspiration you’ve been looking for.

Noted for his dramatic and sublime landscape paintings in pastel of the Mid Atlantic, Stan has them displayed in his authentic Amish barn that sits on 37 acres of very well kept nature trails, he is a retired landscape architect and contractor, and an internationally acclaimed artist and teacher, whose travels influence so much of the work here.

From painting, photography and music workshops, to the occasional private concert, movie nights, lectures and celestial observance events, (and now tours) you have many ways to enjoy this attraction. Only 20 minutes from Cape May and free parking.

Free guided- and self-guided tours are available during normal business hours. We are dog- and child-friendly. We do not serve food, however we have pretzels to cleanse your pallet between tastings. You may bring your own snacks/food, however no outside beverages are allowed. We offer bottled water for sale, and the tap water is free. Private and semi-private space is available for special events. Contact us for details.

Since opening, Slack Tide has grown from brewing 200 barrels of beer its’ first year to having the capacity to brew 2000 barrels. In 2016 the brewery added a 3BBL brew house and in 2017 expanded its operations again to include a 10BBL production brew house. It’s 3BBL brew house is used for seasonal and experimental beers typically available only in the tasting room. The 10BBL system is used primarily for production beers that are available in over 50 accounts and in cans starting late summer 2018.

Slack Tide offers up to 12 beers on tap and has received several awards: Bell Buoy, Belgian-style Blond Ale won 1^st Place at the 2016 Philadelphia Brew-Vitational; Knockdown, Black IPA won Bronze at the 2017 Best of Craft Beer Awards in Bend, Oregon; and the brewery was honored with a 2016 Critics Choice award from Craft Beer & Brewers Magazine.

Tastings are available as a flight with four 4oz pours or get a Slacker Special and do your tastings in our signature pint glass that’s yours to keep. Take home your favorites in a 64oz growler or in 32oz Crowler cans.  Beginning in late summer 2018, you can also get 12oz and 16oz cans in our tasting room.