The walkway is flat and wide with some inclines. This is a kid-friendly experience, but be careful when it’s windy! Hats can easily blow off with no way to retrieve them.

The park is next to Cape May Elementary School. If you plan to walk the trails, keep in mind no dogs are permitted (though service dogs are okay). Bikes aren’t allowed on the trails, but there is a bike rack at the entrance.

Our top-rated tour operates nightly year-round, allowing you to experience the city’s haunted history regardless of the season. As you walk approximately a mile of Cape May’s haunted streets, you’ll visit iconic locations steeped in ghostly lore, including the Macomber Hotel, the historic and supposedly cursed Captain May’s Inn, and the historically haunted Columbia street where at least six houses are rife with paranormal activity. Your knowledgeable guide will share meticulously researched stories, revealing the long-hidden secrets of these haunted landmarks. Though we don’t enter the buildings, you’ll feel the chilling atmosphere of these sites as if you’ve stepped back in time, where scandals, hauntings, and historic intrigue still linger in the air.

Proudly USMC Disabled Combat-Veteran-Owned and women and minority-led, we are dedicated to providing a unique and inclusive experience for all. Whether you’re looking for a memorable night out with friends, planning a private group event, organizing a bachelorette party, or seeking something special for a unique occasion, our ghost tours offer a spine-tingling adventure tailored to your needs. Come for the ghost stories, stay for the history, and leave with unforgettable memories of Cape May’s haunted past!

Tours held nightly year-round. Call or text (609) 536-3004 to book or for more info!

In August 2023 we realized a dream when we opened The Colorful Palette Art School & Studio in Villas, Cape May. Our art classes are fun, rigorous, and accessible! We teach all ages and abilities how to draw and paint the world around them as well as create images from their imagination. Our classes are for beginners as well as more experienced artists. Students work in a variety of media including acrylic, watercolor and gouache paint as well as pencil and charcoal.  

Joel has taught art for over 30 years, first as a young art school graduate in his hometown of Highland Park, NJ, and more recently, in New York City and now Sea Isle City and Cape May.  Helen trained at the Camberwell School of Art in her hometown of London, England. In 2019, they joined forces to teach side-by-side.

General Info:

Located at 1640 Bayshore Road in Villas, Cape May, The Colorful Palette is an art school and studio. The school is kid-friendly and wheelchair accessible, teaching students of all ages and abilities. Students learn how to paint from observation both indoors and outdoors as well as from their imagination. We also have live models who pose for figure drawing and painting classes.

From September to April, children’s classes are held on Saturday mornings and adult classes on Tuesday evenings. Children’s summer camps are held in July and August. Sip & Paint nights take place all year round on select Thursday evenings. Private Sip & Paint nights are available by appointment.  

Recent Google Reviews:

“We booked a private paint and sip for a Bachelorette trip this last weekend and it was the highlight of the trip for so many of us! This was different than other paint and sips I have tried because Helen and Joel are very passionate about the artists and art history as well…” Jillian M.

“Amazing, talented, and so kind. I love how sweet and encouraging the owners are. My daughter has been there for so long and they have become so important in her life. Thank you.” Linda B.

“Helen and Joel are two warm-hearted, talented artists who lead small groups of all ages in artistic adventures. They made me feel comfortable, despite my lack of artistic experience with ink, charcoal, acrylic and watercolor. I have taken four of their adult classes and look forward to participating in many more! Five stars for The Colorful Palette.” David C.

“A fun time, as always! Wouldn’t be a vacation in Cape May without spending time with our favorite potters!!!  See ya next year!” -The Ellermans 

“As always, I love this store, their products and the owners.  They go the extra mile for their customers.”- P. Cole

Cape May’s beaches are regularly cleaned, but if you spot litter and want to prevent it reaching the ocean, grab a bucket from one of these free beach cleanup stands! LOVE BLUE INC. installed a series of them along Cape May’s beachfront in October 2023.

Stand Locations:

• The Cove, next to the Sunset Pavilion
• Decatur Street Beach
• Stockton Place Beach
• Madison Avenue Beach
• Pittsburgh Avenue Beach

How it works:

• Open the door on the stand and take a bucket
• Fill it with beach debris
• Return to the beach station and raise the roof
• Empty trash into the can inside
• Return the bucket to the cleanup station
• LOVE BLUE asks you to snap a picture and tag them @loveblueinc on Instagram!

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.

Note: Cape May City’s library moved to a new location! It is now at 720 Franklin Street

Cape May City’s library is a quiet place to escape the sun or rain for a few hours. The library offers the following services and amenities:

• Computers and free wifi
• Books and magazines
• 24-hour book drop
• Screen reading software
• Print, copy, fax, and scanning
• Bicycle rack
• Public restroom

If you’d like to check out materials or use the computers, free visitor passes are available. Bring proof of the address where you’re staying in Cape May, and ID for your home address. (If you’re from Ocean City or Avalon, you’ll need to purchase a non-resident pass.) If you live in Cape May County, your existing library card will work at this branch.

We also have a larger library available in Cape May Court House.

Cape May’s historic district was designated a National Historic Landmark on May 11, 1976, and is a showcase of late-Victorian-era architecture. Take your camera on a stroll through town to capture these beautiful preserved buildings from the 1800s.

According to the archived form prepared by Carolyn Pitts, the architectural historian who nominated the historic district for recognition by the National Parks Service in the ’70s, these buildings reflect the fashion of the times. They incorporate improvised elements from various traditional architectural styles such as Gothic, Queen Anne, Italianate, and Greek Revival. “Many of the buildings in Cape May must have been designed by creative local carpenters using the handbooks of construction that were standard reference,” Pitts wrote. As such, the architecture here isn’t strictly traditional. It’s a reflection of late-Victorian trends interpreted by local builders.

Tours through the historic district are available through Cape May MAC.

What buildings are in the historic district?

This is not an all-inclusive list, but some buildings that contributed to Cape May’s designation as a historic landmark include:

• The George Allen House (known today as The Southern Mansion) at 720 Washington Street
• The Carroll Villa Hotel – 19 Jackson Street
• The Chalfonte – Howard & Sewell
• The Colonial (known today as The Inn of Cape May) at Ocean and Gurney
• Congress Hall on Beach Avenue
• Cook’s Villa (known today as The King’s Cottage) at 9 Perry Street
• Jackson’s Clubhouse (known today as the Mainstay) at 635 Columbia
• The Baronet at 819 Beach Avenue
• The Emlen Physick Estate at 1048 Washington Street
• New Jersey Trust and Safe Deposit Company at 526 Washington Street (you might know it as Winterwood)

Also included on the original list was the Windsor Hotel, circa 1879, a second empire style hotel designed by Stephen Decatur Button. The Windsor burned down in 1979.

Where exactly is Cape May’s historic district?

Here is the description of the historic district’s boundaries straight out of the February 10, 1976 nomination form prepared by :

Beginning at the point where the incorporated city boundary meets the Atlantic Ocean shoreline at the west end of Cape May City, the national historic landmark boundary follows the shoreline in an easterly direction to the west boundary of the U.S. Coast Guard Receiving Center; thence north along the west Coast Guard property line to the shoreline of Cape May Harbor; thence westerly along the shoreline of the Harbor to the mouth of Cape Island Creek; thence southwesterly along the incorporated city boundary line, which follows the center line of the Creek, to the north property lines on the north side of Myrtle Street; thence northwesterly along these property lines to their intersection with Park Boulevard; thence south along the east curb of Park Boulevard to the intersection with West Perry Street; thence westerly along the southern curb of West Perry Street (Sunset Boulevard farther west) to the west property lines of the properties on the west side of the last residential street on the west end of Cape May City; thence southerly along the west property lines to their intersection with the incorporated city boundary; thence southwesterly along the incorporated city boundary to the beginning point.

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