The main kid attraction in the Victorian shore town of Cape May is the Atlantic Ocean beachfront. But there’s plenty more family fun to find in and around the Garden State’s southernmost point if you know where to look.
Go wild: Start a hop and a skip out of town at always-free Cape May County Zoo. It’s home to 550-plus animals and 250 unique species, including snow leopards Himani and Vijay and their cubs. (707 Rte. 9 N., Cape May Court House)
Climb: Located in Cape May Point State Park, the 199-step Cape May Lighthouse has been an NJ landmark since its construction in 1859. Three walking trails encircle the structure. (5 Lighthouse Ave.)
Eat: As promised by its name, the open-through-dinner Mad Batter serves up award-winning buttermilk pancakes and other fun breakfast fare, including oatcakes, Belgian waffles and orange-almond French toast. (19 Jackson St.)
Shop: Kid stops along the popular Washington Street Mall include the Zoo Company, with the area’s biggest stock of Hello Kitty merch (421 Washington St.), and Whale’s Tale, with lots of pirate playthings (312 Washington Mall).
Ride: The Historic District Trolley that clangs through town tours the Victorian streetscapes, notable sites and beach points. (Washington St. Mall Info Booth at Ocean St.)
Snack: Dellas 5 & 10 is a full-fledged retro soda fountain/ice cream shop tricked out with a modern flatscreen. (503 Washington St.)
Commune: Run by the NJ Audubon Society, the Nature Center of Cape May hosts drop-off programs that let kids explore both on-site and across the way on the beach. (1600 Delaware Ave.)
Want to make a day of it in other great local towns and neighborhoods? Check out our other Take the Kids features.
Delaware: Bear | Clayton/Smyrna | Newark | Rehoboth Beach | Riverfront Wilmington
New Jersey: Mt. Laurel | Lambertville | Voorhees
Pennsylvania: Doylestown | Fairmount Philly | New Hope | Wayne | West Chester
