Bay beaches and the evening sun

North Cape May looks west, onto the Delaware Bay. That is the whole trick of staying here. The ocean beaches of Cape May and the Wildwoods are a short drive when you want a wave. The water at the end of these blocks is calmer, and the sun goes down into it.

The Delford is three houses up from that beach, about half a block. The front deck faces the water, which is why the Adirondack chairs are the morning spot. Fern is one block from the bay, about a ten-minute walk to Miami Beach. Neither walk needs a plan. Shoes you can get sandy are enough.

This is not an ocean beach. The bay is shallow near shore, good for a walk, a shell, and watching boats. In May and June, horseshoe crabs come up to spawn around the full and new moons. It is one of the better-known sights on this stretch of coast, and it is worth the evening if your week lands on it. Bring a light if you stay past dusk. The sand holds the heat, then gives it up.

Harpoons on the Bay is the beachfront restaurant just down the street from The Delford. It is the easy dinner when nobody wants to drive into Cape May. Hours move with the season, so check the day you go.

If you want the ocean, go at midday and come back. The bay is the reason to be outside at 7 p.m. in summer. Sit on the deck or walk to the sand. The houses are close enough that you do not need to pack the car for sunset.

A few practical notes. The beaches here are public access at the end of the streets, not a private beach for the house. There is no boardwalk. Bring your own chairs if you want them on the sand. Beach towels are at The Delford. Both houses list beach essentials.

For a longer day on the water, the Cape May–Lewes Ferry leaves from North Cape May, close to both houses. For the Victorian town, see a day in Cape May.