So you want to spend Thanksgiving in Cape May. I agree. What better place, with its rich history and small-town appeal, and host of local restaurants waiting to serve up a spectacular Thanksgiving dinner that will likely haunt your taste buds well into the new year.

 Not accustomed to eating out on Thanksgiving? Neither am I. Thanksgiving for me has always been an all-day contest at my aunt’s house to determine who can force the most food into a human body. But I like a change every once in a while, especially knowing that I won’t be required to wash a single place after I’ve overindulged in a second slice of pumpkin pie. And I’ll send pictures to the family.

 You’ve probably figured out by now that CapeMay.com is a fantastic resource for hotels, shops, restaurants, weddings, and events. I used to visit the site in the gray cold of the Michigan winter when I needed reassurance that sunshine was not a snow-inspired delusion. It’s THE website to visit when planning a vacation in Cape May, and my first stop when I decided to forgo the usual and experience New Jersey in the fall.

 I began my search with the sole intention of finding information on Thanksgiving dinner but was happily derailed by the Picture of the Day (lighthouse!) and somehow ended up browsing the wedding section, humming Pachelbel before I remembered my quest and clicked on “Where to Eat.” I was met with instant success.

 My first dilemma is ambiance. Do I want très élégante or cozy and comfortable? Let’s see what ‘s in the elegante department shall we?

 The Virginia Hotel’s Ebbitt Room, with its newly renovated dining room and sparkling chandeliers, is offering a fixed-price meal including appetizers, salad, main course, and dessert. It’s a mouth-watering menu available on their website featuring twists on traditional seasonal flavors, pairing pumpkin with lobster bisque, and adding the flavor of maple to crème brulée. At $68 a head, it might seem steep compared with dinner you make at home, but there won’t be any cleanup involved afterwards and they provide a toll-free number for making reservations. Built in 1879 by Alfred and Ellen Ebbitt, dinner at this Jackson Street hotel combines the traditions of yesteryear with the bliss of knowing that five-star chef Andy Carthy is cooking for you.

 Another excellent choice which also falls in the très élégante category is the Macomber’s Union Park Restaurant right on Beach Avenue. The dining’s spacious surroundings give it an old world charm that’s just right for a formal Thanksgiving dinner. Union Park Restaurant opens its doors on all major holidays, including Thanksgiving. They’ll be serving up a four-course meal  beginning with pumpkin bisque. Guests may then choose one of five appetizers or a salad. There are six entrees (too bad they don’t have a sampler platter), among them the traditional turkey, but also filet mignon, salmon with crab and asparagus, and a leg of lamb. The price is $45 per adult and $15 per child.

 And let’s not forget the Peter Shields Inn further down on Beach Avenue toward Poverty Beach (where the sun rises). This beautiful Georgian Revival mansion restaurant is offering both traditional Thanksgiving items as well as seafood options in its holiday menu. The restaurant does not accommodate small children, but it does provide wine from Cape May Vineyard, or guests may bring their own.

 As for cozy yet still rich in ambiance – you couldn’t do better than the Merion Inn or Congress Hall’s Blue Pig Tavern. The Merion Inn on Decatur Street has been serving food and spirits since 1885. This Thanksgiving will be no exception. Guests will have a choice of a three-course meal or they may order a la carte. Dinner will be served from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. The proprietress Vicki Watson estimates that 75% of those dining with them will order the turkey but rest easy you rebels out there because they’ll also be offering seven other entrees including a vegetarian dish. Checkout their website for further details.

 Congress Hall’s Blue Pig Tavern is taking reservations for their Thanksgiving feast, being served from three until seven on Thanksgiving Day, with offerings such as butternut squash ravioli and pan-seared Chilean sea bass. They’re wrapping the meal with pumpkin pie and deep-dish apple pies, as well as fresh brewed coffee. All of this at $36 a head. The full menu is available on their website. Too bad they aren’t handing out recipes!

 How about this for those of you who really like to eat? The Grand Hotel of Cape May is serving up a traditional Thanksgiving buffet on its fifth floor. You can contact their restaurant, Ballyhoo’s, to make reservations for the event.

 If you’re sans accommodations and love the idea of booking a room for the weekend and securing a little turkey at the same time, there are plenty of options around town. Several bed and breakfasts and hotels are offering Thanksgiving weekend packages. A few include the Duke of Windsor Inn, with three and five-night stays that include a home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner; Rhythm of the Sea, which features a turkey and goose feast with trimmings during a three-night stay; the Queen Victoria, with two and four-night stays including drinks and hors d’oeuvres followed by a meal at a nearby restaurant; the aforementioned Grand Hotel of Cape May, offering three and four-night stays accompanied by their traditional Thanksgiving buffet; and also Congress Hall, with one, two, and three-night stays including Thanksgiving dinner for two.

 Of course, there’s always the option of tackling a frozen turkey in a foreign kitchen, or at least picking up some cold cuts and bread at ACME.

 Wherever you end up for your Thanksgiving dinner, don’t forget The Original Fudge Kitchen, which is serving up its seasonal pumpkin pie fudge. A pound or two (they have a special, you know) and a nice, quiet stroll down Jackson Street sounds like my kind of ending.

- Jessica Leeburg