WHEN YOU CAN CHOOSE to vacation anywhere, why should you choose the Jersey Cape? The answer is simple – Cape May County will exceed your expectations in every aspect of your needs and desires with a diversified vacation experience. Located on the southern tip of New Jersey, Cape May County is a peninsula that pleasures visitors’ senses with superlative accommodations, amenities and activities offered on both land and at sea. Although mostly known for its world famous beaches and boardwalks, Cape May County is so much more! Whether you need to stick to a budget or you’re ready to pull out all the stops, Cape May County will have exactly what you are looking for.

A short drive from Philadelphia, New York, Washington D.C. and most of the eastern seaboard and Canada, Cape May County is a vacation destination easily accessible from major roadways and airports, with most vacationers able to reach the area in less than a day’s travel. It’s unimaginable, but can you believe that the Jersey Cape is easily accessible to 25 percent of the nation’s population? It’s true! And that is part of the beauty of a Cape May County vacation – close to home, but an experience unlike any other.

From the northernmost point of Ocean City to the southernmost location of Cape May Point and all of the towns in between, Cape May County encompasses a broad spectrum of towns, cities and boroughs, each with its own personality. Whether you cross into the county ready to rock ‘n roll or relish in relaxation, you can find a place to suit your needs. If you want some of both, don’t worry... everything in Cape May County is no more than about a half-hour drive!

Known internationally for its coastal communities, the Jersey Cape provides traditional “beach town” fun for everyone from the little kiddies to great-great grandparents. Cape May County’s well-established beach communities are comprised of Cape May, Cape May Point, West Cape May, the Wildwoods – Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, North Wildwood and West Wildwood – Stone Harbor, Avalon, Sea Isle City, Strathmere and Ocean City. Enjoy the beaches of these communities while sitting under that umbrella or bodysurfing the waves. Let your imagination run wild and build a giant sandcastle. Kayak in the surf, grab a board to hang ten, or fish in the waters of the back bays. And it’s tradition to “hit the boards” at night after a long, leisurely day at the beach. It’s sensory overload in the best sense. Once you take in the delightful sights and smells, they’ll forever be imprinted in your memory. Walk the boardwalk and breathe in the cool salty air of an oceanside paradise. Experience the thrills of the rides and the scrumptious tastes of local delicacies like saltwater taffy, cotton candy, ice cream and funnel cake.

Inland activities are just as wonderful. Many award-winning and top-rated golf courses call Cape May County “home.” No matter if you are just learning how to swing the club or if you share the same handicap as a pro, there is a course to suit all experience levels.

Maybe antiquing is more your style. Antique shops are scattered all throughout the county and getting to them is half the fun, as the roadside scenery is as interesting as some of the unique pieces you are sure to find. Hunt for treasures to cherish and bargains just waiting to be found. Begin in Upper Township and work your way down to Cape May Point or vice visa – it’s sure to be a pleasing way to spend time at the Jersey Cape.

For those who shop ‘til they drop, the Jersey Cape retail industry will not disappoint – it is a reason in itself to visit. Many towns have their own shopping districts that pull shoppers in with their wares. In Cape May, the Washington Street Mall is a must see. A pedestrian mall with charmingly eclectic shops, it is truly a shopper’s delight. Peppered with candy shops, clothing boutiques, fabulous eateries and unique storefronts, visitors and residents alike revel in the shopping experience. It’s not just the serious shopper who has been known to come out of these wonderful stores with items they just “had to have.” In Stone Harbor, meander down 96th Street for some retail therapy while in Avalon it’s Dune Drive. Whether it’s for the latest high-end handbag or an accessory for a pampered pooch, it’s all there waiting to be purchased. The stores on Seven Mile Island run the gamut from casual clothing for the family surfer to the most exclusive designer fashion lines in the industry. Ocean City’s Asbury Ave. retailers gear up to provide great service and wonderful products, all while surrounded in a family-friendly atmosphere. On the mainland, the Route 9 corridor is ribboned with national retail stores mixed with those of local flavor. Larger shopping centers are represented in Rio Grande, Cape May Court House and Marmora..

For more information about Cape May County call the Cape May County Department of Tourism at 609-463-6415 or 800-227-2297 or visit their website at www.thejerseycape.com. •