Amazing Sunsets – Best Photo Spots in Cape May
Do you want to capture the best Cape May sunset photos during your visit? Want to make your Instagram followers jealous? We’ve compiled a list of must-see sunset spots for your photos.
Sunset Beach
Cape May boasts a few places to capture a beautiful sun set at the end of the day, and Sunset Beach is probably the most famous spot. It is one of the few places on the east coast where you can watch the sun dip directly into the water. And most nights end with an amazing after-glow of candy colored skies.
If you plan to watch a sunset here, make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to deal with parking. This spot tends to get crowded, especially during the summer season. It’s free to park in the lot at the end of Sunset Boulevard, or along the road. If you can, go early and bring a beach chair so you can stake out your spot before the crowds arrive. Then sit back and relax with your toes in the sand. until it’s time to capture that picture perfect sunset shot. As a bonus, you can also walk along the beach here and look for Cape May diamonds glistening in the last light of the day.
The Cove Beach
Unlike at Sunset Beach, the sun does not set directly into the water from this vantage point most of the year. But, there are some cool jetties here that will give your pictures some character. And during the summer season, from this vantage point the sun sets behind the Cape May lighthouse which makes for a hard-to-beat vacation photo.
Because this location is at the end of the promenade, it’s an easy walk or bike ride to avoid any parking issues. While there are plenty of benches along the promenade, they don’t come with a great view of the sunset. So if you want to sit and enjoy the sinking sun, bring your own chair or blanket. During the winter months, this is actually the best place to watch the sunset. From October to March it no longer sets behind the lighthouse but drops into the water for great photos from anywhere along the promenade.
Mount Vernon Beach
If you want to enjoy a great sunset view without the crowds, head over to the end of Mount Vernon Street. Take a short walk up the wooden ramp that leads to a quiet beach with spectacular views of the lighthouse. As you walk up the ramp, stop along the way to take in the beauty of the South Cape May Meadows. This is a hot spot during the bird migration in the spring and the fall. Depending on the location of the sun at certain times of year, you might be able to capture a stunning shot of the meadows at sunset.
Bayside Sunsets
For a different sunset perspective, hop in your car one night and head to the bayside. In the summer, the small beach near the Cape May ferry terminal combines a beautiful sunset with the calm waters and smaller crowds.
To find this semi-secret spot, set your GPS to the Cape May ferry terminal, but instead of going into that parking lot, stay on Ferry Road until it dead ends. Then turn left and wrap around to a small lot where you can park for free and walk along the shoreline to get to the bay. Bring a chair (and maybe some takeout dinner!) and get there early to enjoy the sun slowly sinking into the calm and glassy smooth waters of the bay.
Cape May Harbor
While you won’t likely capture the sun setting into the water from the harbor, you will get some amazing post-sunset colors dancing off the water and the boats. If you time it right, during the summer season you can grab a cocktail at locals’ favorite Mayer’s Tavern or the Lobster House and then wander over to snap a few colorful shots of the evening sky.
Sunset Walking Tours
If you want to combine a sunset photo op with a some history of the town, book a guided walking tour with Curious Cape May. They host a nightly tour that weaves in stories of the town’s unusual past as you walk through parts of town and down the promenade. It is timed to end at the Cove beach for some impressive sunset selfies. Click here to learn more about their walking and biking tours and book one for your next stay.
Sunset Kayak Tours
Seeing a Cape May sunset from the vantage point of a kayak is a great option for those looking to get in a workout and have a close encounter with nature during their visit. Click here to check out Aquatrails for more information and dates of their upcoming sunset kayak tours.
