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Cape May Lighthouse
Photo by Frank Ciccone

THE LINGO

Daymark: The distinctive way in which a light tower is painted, often white, red, or black, possibly with horizontal or spiraling stripes.

Characteristic: (sometimes called a signature or nightmark): The distinctive pattern of light emitted by a lighthouse beacon. May be a white and/or red light, in a fixed, flashing, occulting, group flashing, or group occulting pattern. A flashing light has periods of darkness which exceed the periods of light; an occulting light is the reverse. Group signatures combine flashing or occulting into a pattern.

Fresnel lens: (pronounced FRAY-nel) Classic lens invented in 1822, which uses glass prisms to refract the light into a narrowly focused beam.

THE HISTORY

The strategic importance of lighthouses was so vital during the 18th and 19th centuries that they were often the target of raiding parties during the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War.

A LIGHTHOUSE STORY

First voice: Our radar has you on a collision course with us. You should alter course 10 degrees south.

Second voice: We have you on our radar. Suggest you alter course 10 degrees north.

First voice: Admiral Goodman aboard. Strongly suggest you bear 10 degrees south, this is a battleship!

Second voice: This is Seaman Farnsworth. Still suggest you bear 10 degrees north. This is a lighthouse!

(Check your Bearings, by Don Newman)


Getting Around
The Queen Victoria, Cape May
	Most people drive to Cape May following the Garden State Expressway to its end. If you're coming from Delaware, a more enjoyable route is via the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. If you're based in Delaware and want to spend a traffic-free day in Cape May, check out Cape Area Transit with a great price for a round-trip ferry ride and unlimited local bus service for the day.
When to Go
As always, midweek visits offer the best rates and availability, with less traffic and congestion. As you'd expect, the summer months are favorites with beach lovers enjoying the Jersey shores' clean white sand beaches, surf, and warm ocean waters. September is an exceptionally good time to visit. The water is still warm enough for swimming, but the crowds have dwindled. The off-season is highlighted by special events, from the Food & Wine Festival (September 21-25) to Victorian Week (October 11-20) to special holiday events (November 22 - January 5). More info.
Sights & Activities
A National Historic Landmark district, Cape May has over 600 Victorian-era homes, most beautifully restored and ornamented with gingerbread and stained glass. Take a walking or trolley tour sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC). Visit the Emlen Physick Estate to learn about the life & times of a Victorian family, followed by lunch or tea at Twinings Tearoom.
Climb the 199 steps to the top of the 1859 Cape May Lighthouse, to enjoy the view. The Hereford Inlet Lighthouse in North Wildwood has a small museum and lovely gardens. Don't forget to take an evening ride to Sunset Beach; weather permitting, you'll soon understand how it got its name.
Other nearby activities: Both birders and fishermen will enjoy the wide variety of species found in the area, while bicyclists can relax with an early-morning spin along endless boardwalks. Leaming's Run Colonial Gardens features acres of beautiful flowers. It's open May-October, but August- September visitors may get a special treat--the ruby-throated hummingbirds on their southward migration. Cold Spring Village is an outdoor living history museum, intended to represent a small NJ farm village of the 1850s; it's open from Memorial Day to September. The Wetland's Institute will teach you about the conservation and preservation of coastal ecosystems. Visit September 21-22 for the annual Wings 'n Water Festival, displaying wildlife and maritime art. More area info...
Dining
Your innkeeper is always the best source for recommendations and reservations, but based on a recent visit, we recommend Tisha's, overlooking the beach, offering fresh seafood with an Italian accent; and the surprisingly attractive Cape Orient, serving Asian food in the Washington Commons mini-mall. For fine dining with a view, go to The Pelican Club on the sixth floor of the Marquis de Lafayette Hotel, overlooking the town and ocean. We were able to watch dolphins swimming close to shore while dining on seafood bisque, crab & shrimp cakes, halibut, and fruit sorbet.
B&Bs
Most B&Bs offer full breakfasts, generous afternoon refreshments, additional hot & cold drinks, beach chairs & towels, and often bicycles, plus great advice on dining and activities. The historic part of Cape May is very compact, easily toured on foot or by bicycle, but difficult for driving and parking; forget about your car once it's parked.
The Fairthorne B&B is within walking distance of shops and the beach. The guest rooms are lovely, with beautiful décor, generous amenities, comfortable beds, and good lighting. Breakfast and afternoon tea offered both good food and conversation with delightful innkeepers Diane and Ed Hutchinson.
The Queen Victoria B&B consists of two homes: the Queen Vic and the appropriately adjacent Print Albert Hall. Dane and Joan Wells are outstanding innkeepers, professional and charming. While true to the period, the décor is never cluttered or fussy. In addition to the generous breakfasts and afternoon tea, guests are welcome to help themselves to hot and cold beverages from the butler's pantry. Under the same ownership is the Queens Hotel, combining boutique hotel amenities and historic charm.
A craftsman-style home built in 1915, Rhythm of the Sea is a Swiss-chalet-style bungalow located directly across from the beach; Room 1 with its private ocean-view balcony is a favorite. The Stickley and Roycroft furnishings complement the architecture, while innkeepers Robyn and Wolfgang Wendt, originally of New Zealand and Germany, add international flair.
An Italianate residence built in 1867, The Summer Cottage is a block from the beach and shopping, and is elegantly decorated with Victorian period pieces and magnificent Bradbury and Bradbury reproductions wallpapers.
John F. Craig House offers comfortable accommodation and warm, friendly innkeepers. A typically thoughtful touch is the remote-controlled heat and air-conditioning units in each room.
Captain Mey's Inn has handsome European antiques, including collections of Delft Blue China, plus elegant guest rooms, several with bathrooms with double whirlpool tubs.
The Duke of Windsor is a Queen Anne Victorian home with spacious common areas. Favorite guest rooms for a romantic escape are the two octagonally shaped rooms in the 45-foot-high tower, each with five windows surrounding the bed.
More Cape May B&Bs