Cape May Historic District
To visit Cape May is to step back in time. Cape May is considered the best-preserved 19th-century seashore resort in the United States. The historic district is the center of Cape May. Cape May is a registered National Historic Landmark with over 600 Victorian-era houses. Each home has a unique look with gingerbread elements and Victorian architecture.
At the heart of the Historic District, the Washington Street Mall. Over 30 stores and restaurants spread over 3 blocks offer visitors a wonderful choice of things to do. From ice cream shops, jewelers, fudge shops. art stores and more, there is always something interesting to see or do.
The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities offers guided walking tours along Washington Street, where many of the town’s prettiest old houses are found. Other especially lovely Victorians grace Lafayette Street, Hughes Street, and Columbia Avenue. The “Stockton Row Cottages” on Gurney Street are also famous.
Several landmark hotels dot the beach front on Beach Avenue overlooking the ocean: Congress Hall built in 1816, and the Victorian-era Inn of Cape May. In October, during Victorian Weekend, tourists enjoy special house tours and entertaining activities such as playing Victorian parlor games.
