Question: Kathleen B asks: I am planning a long weekend at Cape May, New Jersey. Do you have any points of interest to share with me?

Answer: AAA senior writer Nancy Woodard, who spent many summer vacations at Cape May, says: Cape May is a quintessential seaside town with brightly colored homes and blooming gardens, magnificent beachfront inns, seafood restaurants along Fisherman's Wharf and of course the boardwalk (promenade) where you can shop, dine and pick up classic Jersey shore treats - fudge and salt water taffy. No matter what your interests are, there are many things to do in Cape May even before the height of the summer vacation season.

If this is your first time visiting, take the Cape May Trolley Tour and get a brief introduction to the many cultural, historical and natural attractions. After your trolley tour, check out a few of the AAA Approved attractions: Historic Cold Spring Village is an open-air, living-history, Early American museum which portrays the 19th-century lifestyles, trades, crafts and architecture of a South Jersey rural community. The Emlen Physick Estate is an 18-room Victorian house museum offering a glimpse into life as it was lived more than 100 years ago. The Cape May Lighthouse, built in 1859, offers a look at the area's rich maritime history plus an awesome view of the cape from atop the 199 steps. Surrounding the lighthouse, there are nature trails and bird-watching opportunities throughout Cape May Point State Park. Just north of Cape May is the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum.

The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts offers self-guided tours of five inns. Innkeepers are on hand to answer questions about their buildings. Tour the Colonial House, the oldest house in Cape May, and stop by the Inn of Cape May located in the heart of the historic district. Just as guests have done for 110 years, you can take a stroll along the promenade, enjoy a rocker on the wrap-around porch with a grand view of the ocean or catch a horse-drawn carriage for a ride through town. If you enjoy quaint shops, check out the Washington Street Mall. This open-air pedestrian shopping village has art galleries, cafes, gift shops and more.
Last but not least, be sure to catch the spectacular sunsets at Sunset Beach. Along the horizon you can see remains of the concrete ship Atlantus and each evening from May through September just before sunset there's a flag-lowering ceremony honoring a fallen U.S. military serviceman or woman. You can also collect a few Cape May "diamonds" as souvenirs. More information about the AAA Approved attractions noted above is included in the AAA TourBook Guide available at your local AAA office. To get maps and directions to the attractions you decide to visit, use the TripTik Travel Planner on AAA.com which also provides detailed information about the attractions noted above.