Cape May Point State Park
Cape May Point State Park is located at the tip of the Cape May County peninsula. Just a short walk from Cove Beach and the Cape May Beaches along the Promenade, no visit to Cape May NJ is complete without visiting Cape May Point State Park. Bacchus Inn is located on a quiet street adjacent to Beach Avenue and the Promenade. Our Cape May Accommodations afford easy access to Cape May Point State Park whether you choose to walk or drive.

One of the most beautiful displays of nature, Cape May Point features beautiful, natural sand dunes, ponds and opportunities to view dolphins at play, bird and butterfly migrations.

The Park was once part of a military base, built during WWII, as part of the Harbor Defense Project. A large Bunker once protected the Delaware Bay; situated 900 feet inland, covered in sod and resembling a hill on the peninsula, the Bunker’s gun turrets can still be seen at low tides. Experience the beauty of Cape May Point today and view war relics of the past. The WWII bunker and sunken WWI warship Atlantus, off the Sunset Beach coast, can be seen from the Cape May Lighthouse.

Cape May Point Lighthouse
For a small fee, you can climb 199 stairs to the observation deck at the top of the Cape May Point Lighthouse and experience a breathtaking, panoramic view of Cape May Point. The Cape May Point Lighthouse was built in 1857 by the Army Corps of Engineers. Its 157-foot-high tower continues to flash light every 15 seconds, maintaining its service as a beacon to vessels as far as 24 mile out at sea. Also at the top of the Cape May Point Lighthouse is an exhibition room featuring informational items and artifacts from the history of the Cape May Lighthouse.

Due to the hard work of the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts, the Cape May Point Lighthouse has been beautifully restored. If you visit the Cape May Lighthouse on Sunday mornings, you may even have the opportunity to meet Mr. Palmer, the lighthouse keeper in the 1920’s.

Trails
Cape May Point is comprised of 153 acres of natural wilderness. Three blazed trails lead through marshes, dune forest habitats, swamps, grassy dunes, beaches and coastal dunes. Some areas offer elevated boardwalks to keep feet dry and many of the trails are wheelchair accessible. All trails conveniently end at the Cape May Point State Park parking lot.

Red Trail: The red, handicap accessible trail is half a mile long. The red trail is a boardwalk, has a bird watching platform and takes hikers to both Cape May Lighthouse ponds. The red trail has tall marsh reeds, called Phragmites, that rise on each side of the trail forming a charming green tunnel just before the ponds. Each pond has its own bird watching platform. Frogs, turtles, otters, and muskrats are commonly seen along this route.

Yellow Trail: The yellow trail begins from the red trail and is 1.3 miles long. Partially a boardwalk, the yellow trail weaves through wetland march, coastal dune and beach and features a birding platform. View unique South Jersey wetland flora including black gum trees, eastern red cedar, bayberry and holly trees.

Blue Trail: The blue trail is a two-mile trail and takes you onto the beach. View shore birds, wildlife and unique flora and fauna along the shore and coastal dunes.

Bird Watching
Cape May New Jersey is a bird watchers Mecca. Cape May Birding attracts enthusiasts from around the world to Cape May NJ each fall for the spectacular migrations of hawks, songbirds, shore birds, Ruddy Turnstones, Red Knots and other birds of prey. On Saturday and Sunday mornings in September and October, take the opportunity to view hawk banding demonstrations. Banded hawks are brought to the hawk watch platform, noted as the best place to view hawk migrations in the eastern United States, and a 30 minute presentation ensues as hawks are released back into the wild to continue their southward migrations. An official hawk watcher from the Cape May Bird Observatory is available most days in the fall to spot and identify the migrating birds. In the late summer and early fall, Monarch butterflies and Dragonflies in the tens of thousands migrate through southern New Jersey and make a pit stop in Cape May Point before the long journey across the Delaware Bay.

Monarch banding demonstrations are held daily in the Cape May Point State Park during peak migration periods. In the spring, bird watchers compete in the World Series of Birding. Purple Martins make their home in nesting boxes adjacent to the parking lot in the summer when Terns also inhabit the Cape May Point State Park to feed around the ponds in the park and along the shore. Cape May Birding is phenomenal year-round. Perhaps the best spot for Cape May Birding is in the nature
preserve by the Cape May Lighthouse. The nature and hiking trails in Cape May Point are a favorite of songbirds and the Cape May Point Beaches are home to shorebirds throughout the year.

Facilities
Cape May Point has an interpretive information center about the wildlife and natural beauty of the area. A children’s favorite, there is a small “Please Touch” museum for children, and all headquarter bathrooms are exceptionally clean. Visitors can schedule a guided nature tour and beaches are open to the public at no charge. Parking lots are open from sunrise to sunset. Information on Cape May Fishing is available at the headquarters. Weakfish, bluefish, flounder, tautog and striped bass await surf fishers just off the shore of Cape May Point.

Cape May Point State Park
299 Light House Ave Cape May Point, NJ 609-884-2159

---

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact us at 609-884-2129 or 866-844-2129, email us, or use our online request form.