I just loved it here. Many resources, a public bathroom, the opportunity to climb to the top of the…read morelighthouse, and a beach!

Stopped by here to walk around and take a look at the light house as we heard it was a landmark and…read moretourist attraction. It was closed for the season as most things are in January but still got a couple of pictures.

Excellent way to spend a morning. We lucked out with perfect weather, but even so-we'll be back…read more Beautiful views along the salt marsh, nice nature walk, interesting history, and just enough of a workout to get down the rails.

It was 'cute' but should be 1/4 of the price. Even though…read morecape May is notoriously expensive for $100 you could go on the dolphin watching boat, rent kayaks or bikes, get a birding boat tour - just about anything here . And I've done those and they are worth the money. This was a well run activity, professional. I knew it was an hour and a half "trip" but it is actually just 20 minutes riding the bike rails in One Direction and then you turn around and do the same thing back for 20 minutes. There's a few stops where teenagers give a very memorized explanation about one of the parks you stop at (which you can drive to and walk around for free). If $100 is a drop in the bucket for you then you should do this.

We discovered this park while doing the revolution rail cars leaving Cape May…read more Our guide said it is one of the most underutilized parks in the area, and he can't figure out why. Dogs are permitted here November through (I believe) May. This is a wonderful park/walk. The salt marsh is prominently focused, which is a great perspective! The trail is well maintained. Can't wait to see it in the spring!

The Garrett Family Preserve is a hidden gem, tucked away off the "main drag" heading towards…read moredowntown Cape May & the beaches. This preserve, one of several maintained by The Nature Conservancy, offers a variety of well maintained, level walking trails winding through marshes & meadows. This land is home to a variety of resident & migratory birds, butterflies, small mammals and insects. Trail markings are minimal, however it's really impossible to get lost. There is even a braille signed trail with sensory elements for those with visual impairments. The parking lot is mostly gravel, with concrete pads for handicapped spaces. There is a handicapped-accessible porta potty and some benches along paths to rest and enjoy the preserve. I highly recommend bug repellent and a good hat. Birders should bring binoculars as there is quite a bit to see, especially since this preserve is relatively undisturbed. It's one of my new favorite places for peaceful, low stress walking at the shore.

We saw an entertaining feeding of terrapins and small marine creatures. The highlight is the walk …read more The walk takes you right into the wetlands . So this place is well worth a visit. Although you want to hit it on a nice sunny day. I believe it's only open Saturday and Sunday.

TL;DR: don't miss this unassuming powerhouse of a nature experience…read more Note the five star ration and then reconcile this: it was a hot muggy day and we got there in the late morning with a toddler and other kids. Despite oppressive heat and pre-lunch hangriness, it was a phenomenal experience! Totally worth it. Our kids loved the salt marsh trail, saw everything from mud fiddler crabs and laughing gulls (in their wild, native habitat, not the beach), but also osprey, purple martins, a snowy egret (or at least it was white), horseshoe crabs, diamondback terrapins, and others, all in their native habitat. It was incredible!! After that, we went inside to see the displays and they had a touch tank. The volunteers are all very accessible to my kids and they loved asking questions! Hermit crabs, clear nosed skate, whelks, and others I can't remember. The fish tanks were filled with fish from the area, all interesting, and mostly unembellished, which is perhaps one of the most phenomenal things about the place. Some places stand on their marketing mostly, this place doesn't have showy displays. It's tactile, up close, and endemic. My kids had SUCH an amazing time that they wanted to go back more than anything! After that, we went to see the turtle room, and while there was some good learning, there, we hit our limit. So, read: it's a perfect size, not too small, not too big m. You won't exhaust yourself completely here, but you won't be bored. Sure, it's a nature preserve. You've got to have the mindset for it, but if you do, this is easily one of the best zoo/museum type experiences I've been to (and that includes San Diego Zoo, Philadelphia Zoo, and others).

This is an amazing place for ALL. We thank Dave a VOLUNTEER for his unselfish dedication to keeping…read moreThe Bluffs clean and safe. He does an excellent service to our Bluffs and our environment. From my family THANK YOU DAVE!

It's no Swiss Alps, but this series of trails in South Jersey has a lot going for it:…read more - Good sized parking lot with plenty of space. - Several miles of trails. - Very well marked throughout the whole area with trail maps everywhere. - Easy trails for people with mobility issues or people with young children who still want to get out and get some exercise while enjoying nature. -Nice views of the river along the bluffs which are physical features hard to come by in NJ. -Separate trail specifically designated for mountain bikers. I came here on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in February with my girlfriend and 9-year-old son. We hiked for about two hours, and it was truly a lovely afternoon.

Just $24pp + tip for Carlos, gets you a 2h leisurely cruise along the Maurice (pronounced…read more"Mawr-iss") River with Captain Dave providing a wealth of information about local nature and history. Captain Dave offers cruises at 6pm Wednesdays (sunset cruise), or 1pm & 4pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The web info said we'd see eagles, bluffs, historic sites, and wild rice growing. I did see an eagle. I was talking with the couple next to us, so I didn't hear the whole tour from Captain Dave, so I'm not sure what historic sites were or where wild rice was, but I know a lot of local marshes have wild rice growing and it just looks like straw grass. It was a fun tour. In summer months, many locals out enjoying the riverside mini beaches, or boating around. It was a little rough for my child (then 4) to handle the full time with adult talk, so maybe bring a few fidget toys that won't blow away in the wind or annoy other passengers if you have young kids. Parking was free in the municipal lot directly across the street from the boat dock. I hesitated because municipal vehicles were parked there, but it's completely normal for them to expect passenger parking.

Better-than-average diner food. Good coffee. Clean and comfortable. Few options in the area so all…read morethe more pleasant. Recommended.

Perfect place to hang out when the weather is nice. We got to hear the lion roar, see turtles,…read morewatch people feed the giraffes, etc... You could easily spend 2-2.5 hours here.

We had such a nice day at the Cape May Zoo last week! It was a beautiful Spring day and the…read moreperfect time to beat the crowds and enjoy some nice fresh air and see the animals/creatures! If you try to get there early, parking is definitely easier and closer to the Zoo entrance. We got there around 1pn and it was starting to fill up. The good news is that zoo parking is FREE and so is the fee to get in. They ask for a donation and we were happy to provide a donation for such a great experience! I can ony imagine the upkeep for a zoo - - the property upkeep and animal care, the workers, etc. There were so many animals that were already out with many more that are starting to be brought back outside since the weather is getting warmer. Don't miss this treat when you're in Cape May - - or make a special trip alone - -it's great for kids and for people any age! The park is very clean, has plenty of rest rooms, food/drink and also a beatiful playground when you first get to the zoo. The only animals we really missed were the Giraffes. I'm sure they were somewhere -- and they dont really like the cold temps - - I'm sure they'll be back as it warms up. They dont like temps under 50 - - i dont blame them. And don't sleep on the reptiles - - the turtles, frogs, snakes and alligators are waiting for you! All in all, we were there for about 2 hours. I would guess when it's more crowded, it may take a bit longer to get through the exhibits. So go now and have fun before Memorial Day gets here. :)

For starters, the Harrison/Pharos Inn does not have a front desk. When you show up for your stay,…read moreyou are not told where to park to unload. Eventually you get out and ring a bell. Someone that is working in the back (housekeeping or kitchen staff), comes to let you in and hands you the paperwork and a quick synopsis of your stay. There is no one to help you with your bags up to the 2nd or 3rd floors. One of the reasons that I chose the Harrison was for its location. For this reason I would give the Inn 3.5 stars rather than 3, but that is not an option. The location was perfect. Close to the center of town and the beach. One could park their car and walk or bike everywhere. However, the photos are misleading. I thought that I was booking a B&B with the old home charm, but one that was also impeccably updated. The rooms had white bedding which is similar to upscale hotels, however other parts of the room were subpar. The carpets need to be replaced. In the hallways and in our room they were filthy (stained and discolored all over). The bathroom shower was a prefabricated shower unit which was underwhelming for the price, but what was most annoying was that the shower regulator was loose and difficult to adjust. The water did not warm up for a few minutes and dripped while in the off position. The TV was small and too far away for the remote to work from the bed which is the only spot in the room that you would watch it from. Perhaps it needed batteries. I suspected this stay experience was going to be different than what I am accustomed to because I was contacted a few days prior to our stay exclusively via an AI messenger. Any questions that AI could not answer, the AI messenger had to escalate the question to the front desk (which did not exist at the inn). If you want to speak with a live person instead of going back and forth with the AI messenger, you have to call the number listed on the website. You are calling a general number. The Harrison/Pharos is a part of a conglomerate of many hotels in Cape May. You must listen to all of the options, and finally pick a number to punch to hopefully speak with a person. I chose housekeeping because there was not a front desk option. I called about how to work the TV because there were no instructions. The housekeeping person was not successful at helping over the phone. We were going out to dinner and after 8PM there is no one to help or stop by. We ended up figuring out some of the issues ourselves and then gave up. In addition, the network to get on the wifi was different than what was listed in the paperwork. Maybe as AI becomes more prevalent, people will become more accepting because we are forced to. In the future, I will make sure to avoid such places as long as I can. I have been to many B&Bs in the past and one of the perks is a fantastic breakfast. The breakfast was good, but not great. The afternoon tea was ok. The cake was dry. If I were eating at a restaurant, I would not go back. We paid for early entry to the room on the day we arrived. I was told that they could take our bags if we arrived early and the room was not ready. We chose to pay to get in two hours early. This is something new to me, but I did it anyway, If we had not, I do not know what they would have done with our bags. There was no one to help. For the amount of money that we paid for the room (about $600 per night after all fees), I expected more. I chose the place because of its location, old house charm, and what I thought was its clean, updated (not dingy) insides. The photos are misleading. Definitely not worth the price we paid. Even at a lower price point for the weekend of June 19th and 20th, much of my dissatisfaction would still be warranted.

Very disappointed in the 2 properties . Harrison and pharrow. Facade is falling apart . The…read moresprings from the old beds pierce thru the fabric. The water is yellow from the sink. Rotting wood on decks . So sad . Used to be our go to place twice a year. Probably the result of another corporation buying out .

WOW what an active NWR tonight. This location has tidal salt marsh, birding destination with…read moretrails, observation towers & a 12-mile wildlife auto drive. We unfortunately arrived after the visitor center closed but called before it closed to ask for the passport stamp to be on a piece of paper and left outside for us and they DID!!! Also Included was a brochure with two stickers of the local wildlife. The horseshoe crab is the official marine animal of Delaware and plays an important role in Delaware Bay ecosystem. Also a sticker of a red knot. It's one of the longest annual migrating birds on Earth traveling up to 9,300 miles and during their spring migration most of them can be found in the Delaware Bay region. It was nice to enjoy the auto tour. We did hike up to one of the observation decks for a video and view but it started to rain so we took advantage of the paved auto tour. Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge protects one of the largest remaining expanses of tidal salt marsh in the mid-Atlantic region. The refuge, located along the coast of Delaware bay, is mostly marsh, but also includes freshwater impoundment and upland habitats that are managed for migratory birds and other wildlife. Established in 1937 as a link in the chain of refuges extending from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. It is primarily a refuge and breeding ground for migrating birds and other wildlife. The value and importance of Bombay Hook for migratory bird protection and conservation has increased through the years, primarily due to the management of the refuge and the loss of high quality habitat along the Atlantic Flyway.  Very happy we came today. Stamp #86 in the book

Always something to see - summer has lots of flies so beware. Each season is different. The 12…read moremile drive is great. Go slow and look around and maybe go around again.