Given the damage that Hurricane Sandy spread up and down the East Coast, Cape May was fortunate to have come through relatively unscathed. There was some flooding — 6 feet of sand washed over the bulkhead near New York and Maryland Avenues — but all in all our town was very lucky.
June weather in Cape May can be SPEC-TACULAR and it's usually less crowded. That's a great combo! This photo was captured on the beach behind Cape May's new Convention Center.
Early June is an incredible time to visit Cape May. The crowds are smaller, the crisp pre-summer weather can be spectacular, and most all the restaurants and shops have opened their doors.
But the truth is, most Cape May vacationers, travelers and visitors have never really experienced Cape May during that timeframe. One reason? The timing can be tricky since many families have kids that are still in school. Not to mention, for most families, summer and vacation plans don't officially starting until June 21 (we know because we've always thought the same way!).
This led us to create a really great offer to give that little extra push of consideration. And we call it our Longfellow House June Special.
Savings, timing, flexibility and more. That's what we've created with our June Rental Special. We built this special around two middle June weeks and offer a choice:
The full two week period for $5,000 (a savings of $3,025 versus the normal rate)
Or any 10 day period for $4,500. This option maximizes flexibility on timing and also offers substantial savings
Our June Special gives families an opportunity to really settle into their Cape May vacation experience. And the extra days make it easier for your family and friends to come and go to their schedule. Not to mention, with significant cost savings you're getting the most value for your vacation dollar.
If you're interested or would like to learn more, just take a look at our June Special page. Or you can simply contact us by email and we'd be happy to make this special work for your exact scheduling and accommodations needs. We look forward to hearing from you.
The Longfellows
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Thanksgiving is a great time to visit Cape May. The town takes on a festive holiday atmosphere and for many it's a favorite time of year to enjoy Cape May's special charms with family and friends. Each year our house guests have asked for recommendations for how to best enjoy a great Thanksgiving meal while they're in town. So we thought we'd put our local expertise to good use and recommend a few options to enjoy Thanksgiving Cape May style.
If you love Cheese, you need look no further than the Seaside Cheese Company located at 600 Park Blvd in West Cape May. It's the place for Cheese Lovers!
If you're staying in Cape May and need H'ordeorves for a family event or party, it used to be you had to rely on the local Acme which can be a nightmare experience with their limited selection, high prices and spotty service. Luckily for local residents and visitors alike, Steve and Barb White, owners of Seaside Cheese, saw a need and created a wonderful boutique cheese shop that has a deliciously diverse selection of fresh breads, gourmet crackers, Olives, Balsamic vinaigrette, spreads, anti pasta and of course cheese, cheese, cheese! They're super friendly and really know their cheese. Be sure to ask about their seasonal specials that pair up cheeses with selections of local wines. You're sure to find something to suit your taste.
Here's a Longfellow Family favorite: Order the D'Affinois which is a smooth French Double Cream soft cheese made from cows milk (similar to Brie but with a buttery rich flavor). Try it with the fresh bread or as part of a cheese platter with fresh fruit. Delicious. And if you go, be sure to tell Steve or Barb that the Longfellow Guest House sent you, and withough being too cheesey they should give you the VICheese treatment.
Open 7 days a week Seaside Cheese Company (609) 884.8700
Families love Cape May’s beautiful beaches, but when mother nature doesn't cooperate and gives you rain instead of sunny skies, often parents are left wondering what to do to entertain the kids. Not to worry, there are lots of fun activities to do on a rainy day in and around Cape May, if you know were to look.
Consider a trip to the Cape May County Zoo. It's really a sweet little zoo that your kids are sure to love, remember and talk about for years (really). Admission is free and the 85 acre zoo features over 250 different species including wild cats (Lions, Cheetahs & Tigers) which are a very popular attraction.
Now certainly the zoo is a beautiful experience when the weather is sunny, but here's a secret: when it's rainy (a bit rainy, not too rainy), it will be practically empty and your whole family and kids can have free reign on the place. Just make sure you wear comfortable rain gear to stay warm and dry. A Longfellow Family favorite is to walk the "African Savanna" section. They've built an extensive walkway where you can walk above a recreated African Savanna with Zebras, Ostriches and Spotted Leopards to name a few animals. It’s really well done and quite unbelievable that it's in Cape May County. We've found that if it's not raining too bad, and if you have some good rain gear, the zoo can be a really fun place to enjoy. Check out this zoo brochure for additional helpful information.
One of the Longfellow Family's favorite Cape May pastimes was to take our group of friends and family to play mini golf. Our favorite course is the Ocean Putt Golf Course, on Beach & Jackson Street (just across from Hot Dog Tommy’s). It's had the same course layout since the 60s and is really a throw back to old style mini golf. For our taste, this is the real deal. And if you sink the 18th with a hole-in-one shot you win a free round! Michael Longfellow (of the Longfellow Family) has the course record — a fairly "unbeleivable" 27 — which he says he shot when he was 16. You get a 27 score by shooting 9 holes in one and the rest 2s.
Mini-golf is perfect for those cloudy days when the beach just won't do and you're looking for something the entire family can enjoy together.
Here's a neat idea: walk up to the top of the Cape May Point Lighthouse. Built in 1859, this historic landmark is a must see, and visitors can walk to the top to get a fantastic view of Cape May Point Park. Side note: on a nice day the Cape May State Park has a great walk on wooden walkways that goes inland past some of the local flora & fauna and ends up on the beach. It's an easy walk with beautiful scenery and worth a visit for your family. And the kids will really get a kick out of the Lighthouse spiral staircase that takes you to the top.
And if it's really pouring rain and you've done all the shopping (Washington Street Mall) you can handle, there is of course the rainy day standby; take the family and kids to the movies. The closest (decent) movie theatre is a 12-plex in Rio Grande. And actually it's really quite a nice theater with its big comfy chairs and clean feel. It's called Frank's Theater and is about a ten minute drive from the Longfellow House up Route 9 (or exit 4 on the Garden State Parkway.) For movie listings you can call 609.889.4799 or visit this movie listings link to see what’s playing.
Good luck, and if you have any other great ideas about fun things you've discovered that you and your kids can do in Cape May on a rainy day — let us know. We'd love to hear about it!
Walk down Jackson Street, just past the Virginia Hotel & Mad Batter Restaurant and you’ll see an unusual site; 30 to 40 people patiently waiting to step up to a window where there's a guy with a stuffed hot dog on his head.
This is where you can get the most unique hot dogs in Cape May. And it doesn't hurt that the people who run Hot Dog Tommy's — Tom and Mary Snyder — really understand what friendly personal service means. A Longfellow House favorite is the Jersey Slaw Dog — a truly creative combo that features a 100% Blank Angus Beef dog, with yellow mustard and Mary's own home made Cranberry Jersey Slaw (Tom's wife Mary makes it and it's really good!). Definitely give this one a try.
Hot Dog Tommy's serves other unique selections too. For example, there are Potato Tornados — a mix of Mashed Potatoes with chilli, beans and other toppings that really delivers on taste, texture and for sure it will fill you up for the rest of your afternoon. Add in a frozen Cherry Coke and you have a quick, and quite inexpensive lunchtime meal that will satisfy the youngest and harshest food critic in your family. So be sure to check out Hot Dog Tommy's, you and your kids will be glad you did. Tell them the Longfellow Guest House sent you and you'll get extra special treament!
Find full details about Hot Dog Tommy's on their helpful website:
Hot Dog Tommy's Website
