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?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?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!

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.aspxWildwood 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!

Cape May NJ length of stay | Good Sam Community

2_Retired
Explorer
Nov 01, 2017
Strongly agree with those who suggest you get your campground reservations NOW!! That time of year CG sites in NJ are very, very hard to come by. Sites are never cheap, and are most expensive when you are going, but still much less expensive than finding a decent motel room! If you are really planning to go to AC, be aware. It is nothing like Vegas, or any other gambling town for that matter. It is sometimes very crowded, always dirty, and often just plain nasty! The casinos that are left try hard, and a couple still have that Vegas 'glitz and glamor', but then you go outside and it's still Atlantic City! If you really like to gamble, it's worth the effort, but just to go 'see Atlantic City' - I"d skip it!
2_Retired
Explorer
Nov 01, 2017
Don't know how long you will be on the road, but if you have time, you might want to check out Annapolis, Md and/or Baltimore's Inner Harbor. We love both and find them at least as fun and interesting as anything in NJ. Might be because we are so used to the Jersey Shore!
All_I_could_aff
Explorer
Nov 04, 2017
If you do decide to take a ride on the Cape May Ferry, and if u bring your car, go check out Assateague Island State Park for a few hours and see the ponys roaming the beach
temccarthy1
Explorer
Nov 13, 2017
Have spent many years camping in the Wildwood/Cape May area. IMHO, the very best campground down there is Holly Shores Campground on Rt 9 between Wildwood and Cape May. Only 10 minute drive to each! Very big park, shaded sights, great for kids with a huge pool, playgrounds, organized activities. Very clean and modern restrooms, showers. Have been going there for 35 years. It is rated #1 in NJ! Full hookup sites. However, it is not cheap! You will need to make reservations right now for July. Pull it up on line for more details and CG map of sites.
Regarding beaches, Wildwood Crest is the nicest! Huge wide beach, never a problem finding a private spot to put your stuff The ONLY beaches in NJ that are FREE are Wildwood and Wildwood Crest. Extremely clean and groomed daily! If you want the whole boardwalk and amusement pier scene, that is in Wildwood. 4 large fun piers, hundreds of eating places on the Boardwalk. Very clean, mostly "family" atmosphere. Not dirty and dangerous like Atlantic City-- As others have said, unless you just want to gamble, do NOT go to AC for any other reason. It is a real scumbag town and you will not feel safe!
As others have said the Cape May zoo which is free is amazing! much bigger and well done than you would ever expect in a small town! Do not miss it!
Enjoy the Jersey shore!
DavidandDayle
Explorer
Nov 20, 2017
We had a week in Liberty Harbour in October. Usually we have 2 weeks; once we had 3. 3 weeks seemed a bit much.
Liberty Harbour is about a 1-5-10 campground. The trips to the islands are not convenient -- across the inlet. Might be better to go to lower Manhatan and get a tour there.
Ferry service is rush hours only, weekdays only. PATH service is a 10-15 minute walk away.
phyllen
Explorer
Nov 20, 2017
As others have said... don't miss Cape May County Park and Zoo. Free but they do ask for a donation. Rated one of the 10 best zoos in the country. Warning though..... get there EARLY. Long lines to get in. Take your lunch. Picnic area and playground.

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