Victorian Architecture Tour

Cape May came up as a 19th century vacation community, and today it’s rich Victorian architecture still reflects that vibrant history. In fact, the homes of Cape May are considered one of the largest collections of 19th century architecture in the country. For a tour of some of Cape May’s most charming homes, be sure to run through some (or all) of these historic streets:

Washington Street: Washington Street is the main shopping area in Cape May, and a large chunk of it is open only to pedestrian traffic. This makes it a great stretch for running, though it can be crowded with other walkers in high summer. Here, you’ll find gems like the Colonial House Museum, the Washington Inn, and the Southern Mansion.

Ocean Street: Highlights on this nice stretch of homes include the red gabled Queen Victoria, now a stunning bed and breakfast, the Breakers, and the Columbia House.

Columbia Avenue: Running parallel to Washington Street, Columbia Ave is a lovely residential stretch of colorful porched cottages.

Hughes Street: Hughes street is only a few blocks long, but it looks like a movie set with it’s neat and trim little homes, brick sidewalks, and white picket fences.

Gurney Street: The matching gingerbread-laced cottages of Stockton Row, right between Beach Ave and Columbia Street, are worth a detour down this short side street.

Beach Avenue, the main strip along the Cape May Beach, also has some great architecture. Check out our 4 mile round trip route of that area.