Cape May Beach(City of Cape May Beach, Cove Beach, The Cove)

Located in the city of Cape May in Cape May County, Cape May Beach is a two-and-a-half-mile-long, wide, and beige-colored sand beach that is adjacent to Cape May Point State Park.  Spread across 244 acres, Cape May Point State Park features freshwater meadows, ponds, forests, dunes, a World War II gun battery, a fire control tower, and monarch butterflies.  Cape May Beach’s proximity to this state park makes it a very popular beach among both locals and tourists.  The beach was recognized as one of the best beaches on the east coast by the Travel Channel in 2018. 

Cape May Beach runs along a promenade that features many souvenir shops, bars, cafes, and restaurants.  Please note that beach tags are required for entering Cape May Beach from 10 am to 5 pm, from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day if you are 12 and older.  You can buy these tags at the beach’s entrance – they cost $8/per day, $15/three consecutive days, and $20 for a week (Saturday to Sunday, 8 days).

Lifeguards are available at Cape May Beach between July 1st and Labor Day from 10 am to 5:30 pm. Cape May Beach offers many other amenities including restrooms, showers, water sports equipment rentals, volleyball courts, hiking trails, cafes, and restaurants.

There are many fun activities at Cape May Beach including swimming, surfing, fishing, hiking, kayaking, skimboarding, picnicking, birdwatching, sunbathing, and beach walking.

Lifeguards are available at Cape May Beach between July 1st and Labor Day from 10 am to 5:30 pm. Cape May Beach offers many other amenities including restrooms, showers, water sports equipment rentals, volleyball courts, hiking trails, cafes, and restaurants.

Getting to Cape May Beach is very easy – there is a paid parking lot that has 40 parking spaces and is located at 235-203 Beach Avenue, Cape May.  After parking, you will need to walk two minutes south to get to the beach.  In addition, there are many streets in front of Cape May Beach that provide easy access to the beach.  These streets are Grant Street, Windsor Avenue, Congress Street, Jackson Street, Decatur Street, Jefferson Street, Queen Street, Madison Avenue, Philadelphia Avenue, Reading Avenue, Pittsburgh Avenue, Baltimore Avenue, Brooklyn Avenue, and Wilmington Street.  You can use the free parking spots along these streets that are within walking distance of the beach.

Visitors can see a lot of tiny sparkling crystals made of quartz that look like ‘diamonds’ in the sand of Cape May Beach.

If you are looking for attractions near Cape May Beach, you can drive 12 minutes to Cape May National Wildlife Refuge that is home to 317 bird species, 42 mammal species, 55 reptile and amphibian species, and numerous fish species including piping plover, ospreys, barred owls, little blue herons, eastern tiger, and corn snakes.  Nature Center of Cape May is a nature-center campus featuring the Trucksess Welcome Center – a three-story observation tower, indoor observation lounge, three classrooms, exhibit aquarium, a small gift shop, multiple themed display gardens, and hands-on activities and history programs for kids.  East Lynne Theater Company is a performing arts theatrical group that was founded in 1980 and focuses on the heritage of American plays performing in a church.  Another great attraction near Cape May Beach is Cape May Rotary Park – it is a small and quiet green space featuring a bandstand for occasional events, fountain, and benches.  The park also hosts free summer concerts where you can see local musicians perform every day at 7 pm.

There are many good restaurants within a two-minute drive of Cape May Beach.  Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille is in front of Cape May Beach and has a shaded outdoor seating with sea views – it features live music and serves a variety of classic American dishes like burgers, sandwiches, French fries, pork chops, and drinks.  The Mad Batter Restaurant & Bar has a nice menu including shrimps, chicken wraps, tacos, sandwiches, chicken nuggets, cocktails, and beer – and you can also be a part of live music shows here.  Oceanview Restaurant is another good restaurant – it is a lively breakfast restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch food items including eggs, waffles, sandwiches, pancakes, shakes, and coffee.  If you are looking for another restaurant near Cape May Beach, The Cove Restaurant & Seaside Deck is an upscale restaurant that offers amazing water views and serves soups, steaks, salmon, seafood items, salads, and wine in well-furnished indoor seating.   

You can drive four minutes to many hotels near Cape May Beach.  The 4-Star iconic hotel Congress Hall has welcomed guests since 1816 and has a variety of on-site facilities including a pool, bar, restaurant, gym, and private beach – it offers oceanfront rooms and suites featuring stylish and contemporary furnishings.  Ocean Club Hotel is a 4-Star hotel that is in front of Cape May Beach – it has waterfront rooms that feature all the modern facilities, a nice pool and seafood restaurant, and is surrounded by many restaurants and cafes.  The historic 4-Star Virginia Hotel is another good option – it has been serving guests since 1879, offers 24 rooms with water views, has a pool, bar, spa, restaurant, and fitness center, and provides its guests with weekly live music performances.  If you are looking for an affordable hotel near Cape May Beach, La Mer Beachfront Resort is a 3-Star hotel with spacious king- and queen-size rooms with private balconies and water views – it also offers a pool, poolside café, poolside barbecues, restaurant, and spa.  La Mer Beachfront Resort was awarded, “Best Shore Getaway” by Philadelphia Magazine and “Best Boutique Hotel” by Philadelphia Style Magazine in 2022.