CAPE MAY LIGHTHOUSE
Climb the 199 steps up the original, cast iron spiral stairway to the top of the 1859 Cape May Lighthouse and see a staggering view of the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean, the surrounding nature trails of Cape May Point State Park, and Cape May Point Borough.
HAUNTED TALES OF THE CAPE COMBO TOUR
Take an evening trolley ride through the Historic District and hear the latest stories of haunted Cape May unearthed by the very locals who have relationships with the spirit world, including those who have worked at the 1879 Physick House Museum for years. Then, step off the trolley at the museum with your guide. Learn about Victorian Spiritualism and explore Victorian methods and the objects they used to contact the spirit world as you tour select rooms. You’ll hear a story or two about unexplained happenings in the house, widely reputed to be haunted. Begins and ends at the Ocean Street Trolley Stop.
CAPE MAY GHOST TOURS
Cape May’s Longest Running
Ghost Tours!
Cape May is one of the most haunted towns you’ll ever visit. Is it any wonder? It’s such a marvelous place, even the spirits don’t want to leave Cape May! Dozens of Victorian gems have been investigated and documented to have “spirit” residents, all of whom are quite friendly, we assure you. Take a giant step back in Cape May’s past and see if a ghostly encounter is in the cards for you!
MANSIONS BY THE SEA
TROLLEY TOUR:
THEN AND NOW
What did Cape May look like in the 1800s? How much has changed, and how much hasn’t at all? This trolley tour tells the fascinating story of Cape May’s development, through the lens of its architecture, its society, its history, and the locals who made a difference through the centuries. Learn about Cape May’s mansions, also known as grand seaside “cottages,” as well as more modest structures, from the 1800s, 1900s and 2000s, each with fascinating stories to tell about the values and society in which they were built.
EMLEN PHYSICK ESTATE TOUR
The 2026 Physick Estate Tour, The World on Display: The Centennial and Everyday Life, looks beyond the museum walls to an event that helped shape the world in which the Physicks lived: the 1876 Centennial Exposition, a world’s fair. Opening in Philadelphia on May 10, 1876, the fair drew more than ten million visitors over six months. Nearly 240 acres of Fairmount Park were transformed, with more than 200 buildings showcasing inventions, demonstrations, new products, and ideas that introduced everyday Americans to the modern age. Tour Cape May’s 1879 Victorian House Museum and learn about this quintessential Victorian event. The Centennial became a catalyst for a changing American culture, whose influence is still felt today.
HISTORIC DISTRICT
TROLLEY TOUR
Known as the “Queen of the Seaside Resorts” for its quaint Victorian cottages and pristine beaches, Cape May is the oldest seaside resort in the country, and in 1976, the entire city was declared a National Historic Landmark. Possessing one of the country’s largest collections of 19th century seaside wood framed buildings, the historic district features a variety of styles of Victorian architecture. Tour guides will explain Cape May’s history and architecture and how and why it has survived and thrives to this day. The tour is newly updated with contributions of Cape May’s Black community recently documented and entered into the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and into the National Register of Historic Places. Offered year-round either separately or as combo tours. Begins and ends at the Ocean Street Trolley Stop.
Travel & Leisure Named Cape May the No. 1 Small Town Tourist Destination in the Country
(Aug. 9, 2025)
London’s TimeOut Magazine Chose Cape May as One of the 5 Best Christmas Getaways Close to Major U.S. Cities
(Dec. 13, 2025)
AARP Magazine Recognizes Cape May Among Best 15 Cheap Vacation Destinations to Travel to This Winter
(November 2025)
Learn More
Cape May MAC (Museums+Arts+Culture), as a nonprofit cultural organization dedicated to the preservation, interpretation and cultural enrichment of the greater Cape May region for its residents and visitors, proudly joins the chorus of voices decrying racism, prejudice, discrimination and injustice, in all its forms, in every corner of our nation. As the steward of three historic sites and the storyteller of more than 200 years of area history, Cape May MAC is well aware that, “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.” We will continue to strive to serve a broad and diverse community, to illuminate all the threads with which the fabric of history is written, seek out all voices, and include and encourage full participation.