This was our 9th year running the Best of Cape May, and we were blown away by the number of votes! We introduced some new categories, brought back your favorites, and were pleased to see both new and familiar names among this year’s winners. So, without further ado…

Best Places to Stay

Bed & Breakfast Inn: The Queen Victoria

Runner up: The Carroll Villa

Guest House: The Columbia House

Runner up: Antoinette’s

Hotel: Congress Hall

Runner up: The Victorian Motel

Campground: The Beachcomber

Runner up: Holly Shores

Pet friendly: Billmae Cottage

Runner up: Marquis de Lafayette

Family friendly: The Victorian Motel

Runner up: La Mer Beachfront Inn

Best Shops

Women’s clothing: Klothes Kove

Runner up: Cheeks

Men’s clothing: Galvanic

Runner up: Pete Smith’s Surf Shop

Beach wear: Great White Shark

Runner up: Pete Smith’s Surf Shop

Jewelry: Splash

Runner up: Whale’s Tale

Accessories: Whale’s Tale

Runners up: SeaWeeds and Madame’s Port

Shoes: Casale’s

Runner up: The Shoe Rack

Candy and fudge: The Original Fudge Kitchen

Runner up: Morrow’s Nut House

Gift Shop: Whale’s Tale

Runner up: Sunset Beach Gift Shops

Home decor: Wanderlust

Runner up: West End Garage

Art: Washington Street Gallery

Runner up: SoMA

Furniture: Cape May Wicker

Runner up: West End Garage

Antiques: West End Garage

Runner up: Out of the Past Antiques

Best Restaurants

Coffee shop: Coffee Tyme

Runner up: Avalon Coffee

Breakfast: The Mad Batter

Runner up: George’s Place

Brunch: The Mad Batter

Runner up: McGlade’s on the Pier

Quick lunch: Hot Dog Tommy’s

Runner up: Ugly Mug

Takeout: The Lobster House

Runner up: Hot Dog Tommy’s

Burger: Ugly Mug

Runner up: Lucky Bones

Cheesesteak: Ugly Mug

Runner up: Westside Market

Pizza: Louie’s

Runner up: Cappelletti’s

Fine dining: Washington Inn

Runner up: Tisha’s

Al fresco: Blue Pig Tavern

Runner up: Gecko’s

Romantic: Washington Inn

Runner up: Peter Shields Inn

Kid-friendly: Lucky Bones

Runner up: The Rusty Nail

Seafood: The Lobster House

Runner up: Oyster Bay

Crabcakes: Freda’s

Runner up: The Lobster House

Ice cream: Kohr Bros.

Runner up: Ben & Jerry’s

Off-island restaurant: Harpoon Henry’s

Runner up: The Harbor View

Cocktails: The Brown Room

Runner up: Martini Beach

Live entertainment: The Brown Room

Runner up: The Rusty Nail

Favorite bar: Ugly Mug

Runner up: The Brown Room

Happy hour: The Mad Batter

Runner up: The Rusty Nail

Best Things to Do

When it’s raining: Shopping, winery/brewery tours

With kids: Cape May Zoo, beach

Winery: Cape May Winery

Runner up: Hawk Haven

Spa: Cape May Day Spa

Runner up: Sea Spa

Parade or festival: West Cape May Christmas Parade

Runner up: Lima Bean Festival

Place to go birding: Cape May Point State Park, Higbee Beach

Golf course: Cape May National

Runner up: Avalon Golf Club

Miniature golf course: Stockton Golf

Runner up: Sunset Beach

Watersports activity: Kayaking, body/surf boarding

Ghost tour: Ghosts of Cape May Trolley Tour

Runner up: Elaine’s walking ghost tour

Water/boat tour: Cape May Whale Watcher

Runner up: Thundercat

Low-cost/free activity: Beach, biking, Cape May County Zoo

Must-do activity: Beach, climb the lighthouse, visit Sunset Beach

Daytrip: Ferry to Delaware, Cape May County Zoo

Favorite Victorian building: The Queen Victoria

Runner up: Emlen Physick Estate

Jessica Leeburg

Jessica is the Creative Director at Cape Publishing and reports on business changes and historic preservation in Cape May. Is there something going on that we should know about? Email news tips to jessica@capemay.com.