Cape May NJ length of stay

I recommend a minimum of 3 nights at Liberty Harbor, giving you time to make several trips into Manhattan. The NY waterway is very convenient. You will have more ferries from Paulus Hook if you are willing to walk about 1 mile. It's a fun way to get over the city and only costs around $8 each way.

http://www.nywaterway.com/PaulusHookTerminal.aspx

Wildwood is very commercialized. Sea Aisle City, Avalon, and Stone Harbor have much nicer beaches and boardwalks in my opinion, Wildwood makes a nice 1x visit. There are many campgrounds down in that area and they won't be cheap in July. Get to the beach early to beat the crowds and heat, then relax poolside in the afternoon. Beach tags are required on most public beaches, but very modest in cost. No dogs. Biking on the boardwalks is fun and limited to certain hours.

My preference would be to stay in Cape May(The Depot Travel Park). From there you can ride a bike into Cape May with all the shops and dining. Wildwood would be a 7 mile ride north up the parkway. I would not plan on going in the ocean in Wildwood. It has one of the longest walks from the boardwalk to the water and in the summer it will be a long HOT walk. If you want to go in the ocean, go while in Cape May. Head to sunset beach. This is where the ocean and Delaware Bay meet. You can also take the Camp May ferry over to delaware for a day trip. Atlantic City would be a 35 mile trip north on the parkway. There are not as many casino's on the boardwalk as there use to be. Personally AC is not worth the trip. Just my opinion. In any case get the reservations in early as possible due to the time you are planning on going.

Bill

Us Wildwood people take great pride in our unusually big beaches! When my grandfather bought his beach house down in Wildwood Crest decades ago he used to refer to going for a swim as "crossing the Sahara".

Side note: Wildwood and North Wildwood are quite commercialized with a 3 mile boardwalk full of roller coasters, games, water parks, food,etc. Wildwood Crest next door is cleaner and quieter. No boardwalk, no liquor stores, and no gas stations.

There is a mile long concrete bike path along the beach in wildwood crest that leads directly to the boardwalk. Bike riding is allowed on the boardwalk before noon, but it starts getting crowded by 10am. One of my favorite things to do when I'm down there is get up early, bike up to the boardwalk to watch the sunrise, then stop at one of the many places that serve breakfast and most have outdoor seating. Some of the breast breakfast deals are at the pizzerias which most open by 6 AM.

I would give yourself at least four days if you want to see Manhattan. So much to see and do in the area. In Addition to museums and theaters, there is the Greenway which is an elevated pedestrian walkway made mostly from an old railroad line that you can see much of the city in a whole different perspective.

Thanks everyone. You have given me a lot to look into. I’m hoping to make my reservations this weekend. So I’ll do some research this week.

I did see how big the beaches are in a Wildwood on google earth! I guess you don’t get the full perspective that way. I would imagine it’s got to be crazy!!! Maybe we are crazy, but We like tourist traps just for all the stuff to do and to people watch! At the same time I also like no one around and that’s when I head up into northern WI. Very quiet up there!

There's no better view of NYC at sunset than from Liberty State Park across the marina from the campground.

Remember, you CAN use the Garden State Parkway to get down to Wildwood/Cape May. You don't want to use Rt. 9.

dodge guy wrote:
So I am in the planning stages of our trip. we are staying in NJ (Liberty Harbor RV Park) to see NYC

I`m planning on 2 1/2 days. is this too much, not enough?

want to see Ellis Island and the

Statue of Liberty. then check out

Manhattan,

Times Square and the

World Trade Center memorial. Is there anything I`m

missing, do I need more/less time?

Empire State Building at night - ChinaTown - Subway - Yankee Stadium - Museums - Just walking around - IMHO, the times we have gone we felt it was like a National Park - Lot's to See and Do - Good sturdy shoes, hat sunglasses. The amount of time is dependent on your energy level and time out and back in - Start early stay late - July 4th will be Warm.......

From there I`m going down to Wildwood NJ and am planning 4 1/2 days, staying within a few miles of the area. again is this too much, not enough? just doing the normal tourist stuff, boardwalk, beaches maybe check out Atlantic City. Anything else in the area I`m missing?

While all the beaches will be crowded on the 4th I'd look at the Option of Rehoboth Beach, DE or Ocean City, MD as additional options, just might be a little change of pace from the NY/NJ areas. We do a couple of weeks at the Beach every year - but will drive down for just the day with the Grand kids and still enjoy it. Sounds like you have a great trip planned.

This trip will be around the 4th of July 2018 getting to NYC area on the 5th and leaving the morning of the 8th (Thursday-Sunday). Wildwood would be from the 8th through the 12th, leaving on the 13th(Sunday-Friday).

Thanks again!

Sounds Great,

Best of Luck,

Is there even anything to do in Atlantic city anymore

We don't like to tell people about this Gem of a Zoo. Prefer to keep the better attractions to ourselves.

CAPE MAY COUNTY ZOO

I'm a Jersey Girl who lived at the Jersey Shore for over 50 years! The suggestion to stay in the Cape May area is a very good idea. You can get wherever you want to go in a very easy drive. Don't miss the ride on the Cape May-Lewes Delaware ferry. Shopping in Lewes is great (no sales taxes!). Cape May also has a nice zoo for a 1/2 day visit. Think you might want to think about staying in the NYC area longer than 2 days. Actually believe there is more to see in that area than in South Jersey. Definitely visit what you have planned, and I would add the the Empire State Building, and, since you're there, check out the kiosks in Times Square where you could pick up a pair of tickets to a Broadway Show as a two for one! (They go on sale the day of the performance - those seats that are not already purchased). Not every show, not every day, but I would check each day you're there for what you might get to see! You might want to check into getting a good guide book for the City that can help explain how to use mass transit easily. It goes EVERYWHERE and really isn't that hard to use, but it can seem crazy to anyone not familiar with it. Also suggest going to see the 9/11 Memorial and the new Freedom Towers. Inspiring.