Cape May Family Trip

We're back from another camping adventure and I think every time we go we are learning something new, making a list of things that we could use, and getting a little better each time. 

We decided to spend time down in Cape May which is one of our favorite beach towns in NJ. Unfortunately it's about three hours from us since it's at the very bottom of the state, but if it was closer, I'm sure it would be a high priority for a regular go-to beach destination. 

Cape May has so much charm, is family oriented, yet still has something for everyone. Another great feature, there are a bunch of different campsites you can stay at. That was a total win for us, because you know, all the airstream adventures have us all kinds of happy. 

Not into camping? I get it. It's definitely not for everyone. In fact, now that we have our own travel trailer underway, I don't think I could go back to tent camping. Nothing wrong with it, at all. It's just personal preference now. There are so many amazing bed and breakfast spots in Cape May and some that have even been rated the most romantic spots and even the best spots in all of the US. There are also hotels right near the ocean or I'm sure some Airbnbs or other rental options as well.

We decided on a campsite that was about a 10 minute drive from the beach which worked out great for us. We spent most of our afternoons at the beach, followed by walking around the heart of Cape May on Washington Street, and also checking out the shops and arcade for the boys on Beach Ave. If you're visiting, The Lobster House is a great restaurant to check out and we also loved the lobster rolls and crab cakes at the Ugly Mug. We all enjoyed the flavorful pancakes at Uncle Bill's. Eric got the sweet potato pancakes and I got the pecan ones. The boys of course devoured their chocolate chip pancakes and I snuck a few bites from them too. I mean how can you resist a little chocolate in the morning?!

After we packed up from our beach days we would head back to the campsite to enjoy the night filled with camp fires, silly conversations, and unfortunately some pesky mosquitos that did us all in. Not even bug spray was keeping those suckers away. Ugh, one of my least favorite things about the summer.

I think the combination of being out in the hot sun near the water and then finishing it off with the fresh air at night had everyone sleeping like babies. We'd wake up to the sound of birds chirping and the boys climbing into our bed wanting to get the day started. Thankfully this all took place after 7:30am, so I couldn't really complain about that. We had a few mornings where we kept it to a slow start and made our own breakfast in our Airstream. Working burners to cook up some eggs and sausage were a beautiful thing.

At one point, I saw A running off in the grass and then heard an odd sound. All I kept thinking was, what in the world does this boy have, and please don't let him get bit. I ran over to see what he was up to, or maybe I should say, waddled and lightly trotted over to see what he was up to (maneuvering with a pregnant belly isn't the easiest thing right now). I saw him pick something up and then have the biggest smile on his face so I knew he caught something. Sure enough, it was a baby bunny. He was so proud and so gentle with it.

Of course little nugget came running over too and wanted to have a turn holding him. The bunny was so adorable and as long as they were cradling it, it stayed calm. The boys loved spending a few minutes with him before we let him hop back off.

Actually, the boys found some interesting things on this trip and it seemed like every time I turned around someone was holding some critter or catching something #boymomlife.

When we were on the beach a horseshoe crab washed up and the little girl it came up next to was too scared to hold it. A couldn't have ran over there fast enough to take a look and pick him up. After a crowd of people gathered around we all helped it back out to the water to swim on its merry way.

Ok, so back to Cape May. This town has so much charm that even if you just decide to spend some time walking around and admiring it all, I don't think you'd be disappointed. There are also some great free activities you can do which is nice because some times going away can get pricey. We didn't get a chance to do all of these on this trip, but have gone before and would definitely recommend them.  The Cape May Zoo is a great free trip and you can decide on a donation that you feel is appropriate. We've always had a great time whenever we've visited and look forward to making this apart of another trip. Sunset beach is also amazing which is at the southern most part of Cape May. The true gem here is the pieces of quartz that have been rounded and smoothed as they travel down the Delaware and resemble diamonds. The Cape May Lighthouse is also another great one to check out and see. There are some other great attractions to see and do like whale and dolphin watching which is a big one around here. I was so excited that we got to see our own dolphin show while sitting on the beach and some of them even jumped up out of the water. I forgot my phone in the car that day and would have loved to catch it all on video, but you know what, it was really nice to not have it with me and enjoy the moment. I could have walked back and grabbed it but something about not having it, yet still knowing where it was (you know, like not lost or anything) was really refreshing. I'm kind of sad that I found out about this too late because it's definitely on my list for next time to visit an Alpaca Farm. The Jersey Shore Alpaca Farm has private tours and open farm days where you can come and interact with them. It sounds like a lot of fun and I've always found llamas and alpacas so interesting. There's also the Cape May Winery you can check out and spend sometime in the vineyards. With me being pregnant and all,  we decided to pass on it this time.

As you can see there is a ton to do and see in Cape May. The variety of things to see really make this destination special. I'm glad we got to go on another adventure and look forward to our next camping trip and the next time we get a chance to make it back to Cape May.