people are maroons. that said- most people have a hard time with cardinal directions, not knowing uptown from downtown in any given spot- let alone north from south.
hey- I think you've spent time in Cape May? we're looking at getting a week rental somewhere this summer, and figure we may as look past our usual day-trip spots (ocean grove, nj or rockaways)
I hear you about UT & DT, but I pointed north, then sent her on her way, yet crossing the street amazingly made her completely lose her sense of direction. It was painful to watch.
Cape May is the best local vacation spot for families, IMO. I'm yet to hear any negative feedback from anyone I've pointed there. We had two sets of friends who travel to Cape Cod every year together, on our recommendation they went to Cape May two years ago, they haven't been back to Cape Cod since.
The ride from NYC is almost (I hesitate to say it) relaxing. Such a smooth easy ride. I do it in around 2.5 hours. A straight shot right down the Garden State Parkway to Exit 0, end of the parkway. It isn't like a Jersey Shore destination, completely different world than places like Seaside Heights or Point Pleasant that many people think about when the phrase Jersey Shore hits their mind. If you do want to have a night on a trashy boardwalk, eat boardwalk foods, play games, and go on rides, WildWood is a 10 minute ride north of Cape May. We'll typically go up their one night for a few hours.
We stay at the Sandpiper, before we had our 2nd kid we would stay at Congress Hall, or the Starr Inn. They provide beach service such as chairs/umbrellas, which really comes in handy. Our first year there, we stayed at the Periwinkle Inn, which was right across the street from the beach (as are the other places I noted), but they didn't provide these amenities. I got to be honest, it was really hell. Beyond filling the car with all the #### to bring down to Cape May, carrying 2 chairs, cooler, towels, blanket, and this huge umbrella tent thing, it was an hour every day between set up and take down.
Shark moves, as these places are usually highly sold and typically obnoxiously expensive:
- try to book last minute. You have to keep an eye on the hotel rooms, and if there are only one or two rooms left, it'll force your hand. I typically earmark the time we're going to go, but leave some flexibility with my job. Last thing you want to do is plan a week, and then have the forecast show rain for 5 straight days.
- call instead of using the internet for these last minute bookings. Ask if they have a better unpublished rate.
- have a backup plan if there is a bad weather day there. Maybe the lighthouse or Cape May Zoo (which is surprisingly a pretty cool zoo).
- try going in June or September, if that is an option. You won't have to worry about the place being sold out, and by the time you call, you'll be paying half of what you would by booking in advance for July/August. Weather is usually high 70's/low 80's anyways by mid June through Sept, the pools are heated (except at the Perriwinkle, which I can't speak much of, since we only stayed there once almost 7 years ago), and the place is a lot less crowded.