Your Cape May CME conference.

Cape May after your study day

Study days finish at 2:00 PM Cape May time. Easy afternoon choices are a beach walk, a browse of the shops around the Washington Street Mall, or a climb of the Cape May Lighthouse. The lighthouse can close if there is lightning or severe weather nearby, so check its status before you set out.

Travel, lodging and attraction entry are arranged separately by you. The town is the setting for your own plans, and nothing in this guide is scheduled around your study day.

Victorian streets and historic houses

Cape May MAC, the local museums, arts and culture nonprofit, describes Cape May as a National Historic Landmark city, designated in 1976, with a large collection of 19th-century seaside wood-framed buildings. It runs trolley tours of the Historic District that cover the mansions and architecture, along with evening ghost-themed rides.

The Emlen Physick Estate is an 1879 Victorian house museum run by the same group. Compare each tour’s schedule with your 2:00 PM finish, and check current status for the season you visit.

Lighthouse, beach and Cape May Point

The Cape May Lighthouse stands in Cape May Point State Park. Its cast-iron spiral staircase has 199 steps, and from the top you can see the Delaware Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, the state park’s nature trails and Cape May Point. The last climb ends 15 minutes before closing, and climbing times change with the season.

New Jersey’s parks agency lists the state park’s lighthouse, trails, birdwatching, beach, a raptor-viewing platform and a World War II bunker. It also notes restrictions on swimming there, so treat the beach as a place to walk and check the rules before you plan to swim. In town, the tourism site describes beaches close to food and restrooms.

Hawks and fall migration

The Cape May Hawkwatch runs from September 1 through November 30 at a platform just east of the parking lot in Cape May Point State Park. An official hawk counter is on duty during that season, and Turkey and Black Vultures count as honorary raptors.

This makes autumn a natural time to pair a quiet afternoon with some watching. Wind and weather change what you will see, so treat any single afternoon as a chance rather than a promise.

Shops, meals and a ferry across the bay

The town’s tourism site describes shopping through a collection of small businesses around historic Cape May, with the Washington Street Mall pictured among them. Dining ranges from hot-dog stands to oceanfront restaurants, and the site says there is plenty to do even on a rainy day. It calls the Christmas season a particularly beautiful time in town.

The Cape May–Lewes Ferry crosses Delaware Bay between Cape May and Lewes, Delaware. The operator describes a 17-mile cruise of about 85 minutes, leaving from the terminal in North Cape May. Reservations are made through its site. The tourism site says the terminal is about 10 minutes by car from Cape May, with shuttles available, and suggests that ferry travelers allow about 20 minutes to reach the dock from the center of town.

Choosing where to stay

The tourism site sorts lodging into hotels, bed and breakfast inns, guest houses, camping resorts and house or condo rentals. Hotels range from oceanfront properties to historic Victorian-era inns and beachfront motels, while many guest houses have kitchens or kitchenettes. The site says most accommodations are within walking distance of the beach, and that many hotels and guest houses accept dogs, often with limits on weight or number of pets.

When to visit Cape May

May through June and September through October are a useful starting point for planning a visit. Late spring suits beach walks and the shops, and the hawk count runs through the autumn. Use the local forecast when you plan outdoor time.

Getting to Cape May and your study setting

Cape May is an island at the southern tip of New Jersey, reached by two bridges, and the Garden State Parkway runs to its southern end there. The tourism site lists Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) as about 45 minutes away, with rental cars, taxis and shuttles, and NJ Transit buses from the Atlantic City bus station into Cape May. Cape May Airport is about 10 minutes away but serves only private, charter and corporate flights. Philadelphia International is about 1 hour 40 minutes by car, according to the tourism site, which also gives driving times of 1.5 to 2 hours from Philadelphia, about 3 hours from Baltimore and 3.5 to 4 hours from New York.

The map shows straight-line distances from Shift’s designated center. These are orientation distances, not driving distances or travel-time estimates. Check your exact address against the conference’s check-in area before booking.