You’re standing on the Landis Avenue sidewalk in Sea Isle, maybe with a half-eaten Kohr Brothers cone in hand, and you realize you’ve had enough of the "Sea Isle Spike" for one day. You want the history. You want the Victorian gingerbread houses. You want to go from Sea Isle City NJ to Cape May NJ, but you’re staring at a map wondering if the Parkway is really the only way.
It isn't. Not by a long shot.
Honestly, the drive is only about 25 miles. If you hammer it down the Garden State Parkway, you’re there in 30 minutes. But you didn't come to the Jersey Shore to look at mile markers and toll booths. The transition from the "no-shoes, no-shirt, no-problem" vibe of Sea Isle to the refined, sophisticated elegance of Cape May is one of the best mini-road trips in the Mid-Atlantic, provided you don't just follow the GPS blindly.
The Ocean Drive vs. The Parkway: Choosing Your Path
Most people just hop on the Parkway at Exit 17. It’s efficient. It’s fast. It’s also incredibly boring. If you’re in a rush to catch a sunset dinner at The Peter Shields Inn, fine, take the highway. But if you actually want to see the Cape May County peninsula, you need to stick to Ocean Drive.
Ocean Drive is technically a series of connected roads (mostly County Road 619 and 621) that jump from island to island via a collection of drawbridges. Heading from Sea Isle City NJ to Cape May NJ this way takes you through Avalon and Stone Harbor. You’ll cross the Townsend’s Inlet Bridge first. Just a heads up—that bridge is old. It’s quirky. It closes sometimes for repairs without much warning if the wind blows too hard or the tide gets too funky. But the view of the inlet? Unbeatable.
Once you’re through Avalon’s "High Dunes" area, you’ll see some of the most expensive real estate in the country. We’re talking $10 million modern glass boxes sitting right on the sand. It’s a stark contrast to the cozy, cramped duplexes back in Sea Isle. You’ll roll through Stone Harbor’s 96th Street shopping district, which is a great place to stop if you need a slightly more "boutique" experience than what Landis Avenue offers.
👉 See also: Road Conditions I40 Tennessee: What You Need to Know Before Hitting the Asphalt
The Bridge Tolls You Need to Know About
Don't forget your EZ-Pass. Or cash. The Cape May County Bridge Commission operates several toll bridges on the coastal route. As of right now, you’re looking at a few dollars per bridge. If you’re doing the full coastal crawl from Sea Isle City NJ to Cape May NJ, you’ll hit the Townsend's Inlet Bridge, the Grassy Sound Bridge, and eventually the Middle Thorofare Bridge.
The Grassy Sound Bridge is a trip. It’s one of those low-to-the-water spans where you feel like you could reach out and touch the marsh grass. It’s a prime spot for local crabbers. If you see people leaning over the side with chicken necks on strings, that’s Jersey soul right there.
Why Cape May Feels Like a Different Planet
When you finally pull into Cape May, the air changes. Sea Isle is built on 1960s-era masonry and modern piling-supported beach houses. Cape May is a National Historic Landmark. It was devastated by a massive fire in 1878, and the city rebuilt almost entirely in the Victorian style. That’s why it looks the way it does—it’s a frozen-in-time snapshot of 19th-century vacationing.
You’ve got the Emlen Physick Estate. You’ve got the Washington Street Mall. It’s a pedestrian-only zone that feels a lot more European than anything you’ll find in Sea Isle. While Sea Isle is the place for "The Ocean Drive" (the bar, not the road) and Sunday Fundays, Cape May is where you go for a $100 bottle of wine and a ghost tour.
Navigation Hacks for the Summer Rush
Traffic on Route 9 and the Parkway can get brutal on Saturday mornings (changeover day) and Sunday afternoons. If you're making the trek from Sea Isle City NJ to Cape May NJ during these times, avoid Route 9 like the plague. It’s a stop-and-go nightmare of traffic lights and people turning into Wawa.
✨ Don't miss: Finding Alta West Virginia: Why This Greenbrier County Spot Keeps People Coming Back
The "Back Way" is usually your best bet.
Take Route 83 over to Route 47 (Delsea Drive). It takes you through the "piney" side of the county. It’s all cedar swamps and roadside farm stands selling Jersey Fresh tomatoes and peaches. You’ll eventually hit the Wildwood bypass and slide into Cape May from the north side, near the Cape May Canal.
- Pro Tip: Stop at the Cape May County Zoo on your way down. It’s right off Exit 11 on the Parkway. It’s free (donations requested), and it’s legitimately one of the best small zoos in the United States. They have snow leopards and giraffes in a park setting that’s way nicer than you’d expect for a county-run facility.
Parking: The Cape May Struggle
In Sea Isle, you can usually find a spot if you’re willing to walk six blocks. Cape May is a different animal. The streets are narrow, designed for horse and carriage, not Chevy Suburbans.
If you're heading from Sea Isle City NJ to Cape May NJ for a day trip, don't even bother trying to find a free spot near the beach. Just pay for the lot near the Washington Street Mall or use the ParkMobile app. If you’re feeling adventurous, park near the Cape May MAC (Museum+Arts+Culture) headquarters and walk. It’s a beautiful stroll past the primary colored Victorians, and you won’t lose your mind circling the block for 40 minutes.
The "Birding" Detour
If you have an extra hour, stop at the Cape May Bird Observatory or the Meadows. Cape May is world-famous among birders. Because the peninsula tapers to a point, migrating birds get "funneled" there before they have to fly across the Delaware Bay. Even if you aren't a "bird person," seeing a thousand hawks or monarchs during the fall migration is pretty wild. It’s a side of the Jersey Shore that exists completely outside the boardwalk and bar scene.
The Sunset Beach Tradition
You cannot drive from Sea Isle City NJ to Cape May NJ and skip Sunset Beach. It’s technically in Cape May Point, a few minutes past the main city.
🔗 Read more: The Gwen Luxury Hotel Chicago: What Most People Get Wrong About This Art Deco Icon
Why go? Two reasons:
- The S.S. Atlantis: It’s a sunken concrete ship from World War I. You can see the ruins sticking out of the water. It’s weird, haunting, and a great photo op.
- Cape May Diamonds: These aren't actual diamonds. They’re bits of quartz crystal that have been tumbled smooth by the Delaware River and the ocean. Kids love hunting for them in the pebbles.
Every evening in the summer, they do a flag-lowering ceremony at Sunset Beach that’s incredibly moving. They play Taps, and they use a flag from the casket of a deceased veteran. It’s a heavy, beautiful moment that reminds you this area isn't just a playground; it’s a place with deep roots and history.
Comparing the Food Scenes
Sea Isle is the king of the "No-Frills Italian" and the "Great Sandwich." You go to Carmen's for seafood or maybe Mike's Seafood in Fish Alley. It's loud, it's fresh, and you're probably wearing flip-flops.
Cape May is the culinary capital of the Jersey Shore. We're talking farm-to-table before it was a buzzword. Places like Beach Plum Farm provide the produce for many of the local restaurants. If you're coming from Sea Isle City NJ to Cape May NJ for dinner, make a reservation weeks in advance for places like The Red Store or The Washington Inn.
If you want something casual but "Cape May casual," hit up the Lobster House. You can sit on the dock (the "Raw Bar") and eat shrimp cocktail while the actual fishing boats offload their catch twenty feet away. It's the most authentic maritime experience in the county.
Actionable Steps for Your Trip
To make the most of the trek from Sea Isle City NJ to Cape May NJ, follow this sequence for a perfect day:
- Morning: Leave Sea Isle by 9:00 AM. Take the Ocean Drive route. Pay the tolls and enjoy the views of the back bays and Stone Harbor’s architecture.
- Late Morning: Stop at the Cape May County Zoo for an hour. It’s a great leg-stretcher and breaks up the drive.
- Lunch: Head to the Lobster House in Cape May. Eat on the Schooner (the boat docked in the harbor) for the best views.
- Afternoon: Walk the Washington Street Mall. Avoid the kitschy souvenir shops and look for the local bookstores and spice shops.
- Late Afternoon: Drive out to the Cape May Lighthouse. Climb the 199 steps if your legs can handle it. The view of the Atlantic meeting the Delaware Bay is the best in the state.
- Sunset: End your day at Sunset Beach to see the concrete ship and watch the flag ceremony.
- Evening: Take the Garden State Parkway back to Sea Isle. It’s a straight shot, and by 9:00 PM, the traffic has usually died down.
The drive from Sea Isle City NJ to Cape May NJ isn't just a transit route. It's a transition between two different eras of New Jersey history. One is for the party, the other is for the soul. Doing both in one vacation gives you the full Jersey Shore experience that most people miss by staying put on one island. All you need is a full tank of gas, a handful of singles for the bridges, and the patience to let the drawbridges do their thing. It’s worth every minute of the detour.