What’s Cookeing This Weekend Cape May?
The question everyone will ask when checking in this weekend: Thanks to the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities, we have answers.
The antidote to that relentless winter chill is to take a long holiday during Presidents Day Weekend, Feb. 14-16 in Cape May, the nation’s first seaside resort. Enjoy a crafts and collectibles show, food and wine events, ghost tours and trolley tours, and more, all sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC).
Collectibles dealers and crafts people come together for a show in Victorian Cape May on Saturday, Feb. 14 and Sunday, Feb. 15. The show features an array of handmade items, unique gifts, glassware, silver, furniture and more. Crafts and Collectibles in Winter will be held at the Cape May Convention Hall, Beach Avenue at Stockton, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $2 for adults and free for children 12 and under.
Cape May’s Designer Show House, “The Ocean Victorian,” at 25 Ocean Street, highlights the best of Cape May: the city’s Victorian architecture beautifully preserved, the creativity of those who come here, and the joy of celebrating holidays here. Visitors will see how the region’s top designers creatively portray a different holiday in each of 12 rooms in this circa 1880 Cape May landmark. Guided Designer Show House Tours are offered at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, Sunday, Feb. 15 and Monday, Feb. 16. Each visitor receives a full-color program book with information about the designers, products and vendors. Admission is $20, for adults, $15 for children (ages 3-12). Tickets may be purchased at the door, by calling 609-884-5404, or by visiting www.capemaymac.org.
There are few more enjoyable ways to warm up during winter than by tasting and appreciating fine wines. Expand your knowledge of wine as you learn to discern and appreciate specially selected Italian wines during the Cape May Wine School-Italian Wines class, featuring a wine expert who will explain their finer points. The class on Sunday, Feb. 15 takes place at the Washington Inn, 801 Washington St., at 1 p.m. and admission is $40 per person.
Cape May County vineyards are winning awards and their wines are ready for tasting. Spend the afternoon touring Natali Vineyards, Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery and taste wines at each; experience the unique flavors as you sip and swirl at your own pace on the Self-guided Wine Trail. Admission is $10 and includes a map with the wineries listed. The tour is offered on Saturday, Feb. 14, and Sunday, Feb. 15, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Purchase tickets at the Washington Street Mall Information Booth, the Hill House office or the Carriage House Visitor’s Center at the Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., during hours of operation.
Indulge in nine courses of unique chocolate creations, one more decadent than the next, during the Chocolate Lover’s Feast at the Blue Rose Inn, 653 Washington St. This is a limited event so reserve early. Don’t miss this event especially for chocolate lovers, including a chocolate dipping fountain. Sunday, Feb. 15, at 1 p.m. Admission is $35.
The best way to get to know Cape May and its rich history is to take the popular Historic District Trolley Tour. Knowledgeable guides present entertaining and educational stories about the nation’s oldest seashore resort. Tours are offered Saturday, Feb. 14 at 11 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 15 at 11 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.; and Monday, Feb. 16 at 11 a.m. Admission is $12 for adults and $7 for children (ages 3-12). The Emlen Physick Estate Tour at 1048 Washington St., Cape May’s only Victorian house museum, gives you a glimpse into the lives of a Cape May family of the late 1800s. Tour the 18-room mansion with your guide on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 11:45 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:15 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 15 at 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m.; Monday, Feb. 16 at 11:45 a.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for children (ages 3-12). See both the Physick Estate and the historic district on guided Combination Trolley/Physick Estate Tours on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 11 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 15 at 11 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.; and Monday, Feb. 16 at 11 a.m. $20 for adults, $12 for children (ages 3-12).
The Cape May Lighthouse reopens for the season during Presidents’ Day Weekend. Climb 199 spiraling steps to the top for a panoramic view of the Jersey Cape and Atlantic Ocean on Saturday, Feb. 14, Sunday, Feb. 15 and Monday, Feb. 16 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tower admission is $8 for adults and $3 for children (ages 3-12). Admission to the Visitors’ Orientation Center and the ground floor of the Lighthouse is free. The lighthouse is located in Cape May Point State Park.
