Cape May in May — why spring is the best kept secret at the Cape

A few days ago I wrote about what I am calling the other locals summer — that window between Easter and Memorial Day when the Jersey Shore belongs to the people who love it most. Wide open beaches. Empty boardwalks. Restaurants that are genuinely happy to see you after a long winter.

That piece was about the Shore broadly. This one is about the Cape specifically.

Cape May in May. Say it out loud. It almost sounds like an ad slogan that somebody should have thought of already. It should be! Because if you have never done Cape May in the spring, you are missing the best version of one of New Jersey's greatest places.

My wife and I have visited Cape May in every season. Winter strolls on Washington Street Mall when the town is quiet and the architecture does all the talking. Summer swims at Second Avenue Beach. Fall anniversary stays at The Grand Hotel. Spring bike rides out to Beach Plum Farm for breakfast with the flowers in bloom.

We are overdue for a spring visit. May feels right. Actually, May feels inevitable.

Why Cape May in May works so well

The weather alone makes the case. Temperatures in the mid-60s to low 70s, low humidity, long sunny days. You are not sweating through your shirt walking the Victorian neighborhoods. You are not fighting for a spot on the beach. You are just comfortable, and Cape May rewards being comfortable.

The flowers are at their peak. The historic district is draped in blooming roses, tulips and greenery that make the Victorian homes look even more like something out of a postcard. The Cape May Bird Observatory is in full swing — May is prime migration season and the birdwatching here during this window is genuinely world class. Warblers, hawks, shorebirds passing through in numbers that draw serious birders from across the country.

The restaurants are open and relaxed. The shops are back. The beaches are peaceful — the water is still cool but the scenery is worth every minute. And the summer rates have not kicked in yet. Hotels, motels (our fav is The Jetty), B&Bs and rental houses are still at spring pricing, but they are booking up fast. If a May weekend is on your radar, do not wait.

SEE ALSO: Hike it, bike it, then drink it: The best shore breweries for Spring '26 

A perfect spring day date at the Cape

Bring your bikes. We bring ours every time and it never disappoints.

Start your morning by heading out on Sunset Boulevard from wherever you are staying. Take a right on West Avenue and a left on Stevens Street to Beach Plum Farm and have breakfast. It is a beautiful spot with outdoor dining, fresh farm food and that calm early-morning Cape May energy that you simply cannot find in July. Explore the farm a bit before heading back on your bikes.

From there ride out Bayshore Road to New England Road to Higbee Beach on the bay. Quiet, secluded, completely removed from the rest of the world. It is exactly the kind of reset you came down here for. On the way back to town stop at Willow Creek Winery for a glass or two of wine with a cheese plate. The setting is gorgeous and the pace is exactly right for a spring afternoon.

The whole route is flat, spectacular and about ten to twelve miles round trip. Spring wildflowers lining the roads, warm sun, easy riding. One of the best bike rides in New Jersey.

Back in town

Take some time to decompress — beach time, a nap, whatever the afternoon calls for. In the evening head to Sapore on Broadway for dinner. Great Italian food, spectacular service. Then walk over to Congress Hall for an after-dinner cocktail on the porch. And then just wander. Walking through Cape May's neighborhoods at night — the lit-up Victorian homes, the landscaping, the quiet streets — is a pleasure all its own.

That is one version of a perfect May day at the Cape. The possibilities from there are endless.

Cape May in May. Someone should put that on a billboard.