Earlier this month we visited Cape May at the tip of the Jersey shore and it was actually charming and quaint, a far cry from what I had expected thanks to Snooki and friends. We were there for my dear friend’s wedding, and stayed a few additional days to catch up and explore. We loved how the area was super walkable with lots of Victorian era architecture! Note on my dress above (comes in 3 colors) – it’s a thin, lightweight ribbed fabric so smoothing shapewear underneath (like these comfy support shorts) was a must for me. I was thinking it would actually be cuter on someone expecting because it would really show off a bump!
Where we Stayed
Congress Hall Hotel kindly hosted us for part of our stay and we loved the beautiful property grounds and how central it was to everything. The historic hotel was built (then rebuilt after a fire) in the 1800s and was a vacation spot for several former presidents! The hotel rooms are on the older and traditional side but very clean. With Nori we enjoyed both the pool and hotel beach, about a 3 minute walk away.
There’s a cute outdoor bar with rows of rocking chairs where we enjoyed some downtime each day. It was a regular sight to see fellow parents there with a glass of wine in one hand while rocking a stroller with a sleeping baby in the other. In the summer they also have tons of family friendly events, including a weekly carnival right on the property!
What we did
Daily strolls through the outdoor Washington Street Mall. This is a few blocks of pedestrian walkway with boutiques, restaurants, and more ice cream shops than I could count. Nori had her daily morning stroller nap while I walked up and down this area.
Cooled off with Peace Pie treats (ice cream sandwiches made with shortbread cookie outers, ice cream, and a layer of pie filling). These are pre-made and super frozen so you need to let them thaw, but as a result, I like how they held up nicely with minimal mess on a very hot day!
Brunch at Blue Pig Tavern. This spot has mixed reviews and I usually steer clear of hotel restaurants, but we found it to be very family friendly with fairly good and reasonably priced food (breakfast and lunch in particular). You can choose to sit outdoors, indoor on the patio, or in the “tavern” without much of a wait time, which is important when traveling with a baby. Nori had a kids meal each time and they were always happy to modify it for her allergies with fruit instead of ice cream (sad though!).
Missed out on local Alpaca farms : ( This was a the top of my list, and I was so bummed that timing didn’t allow us to visit one of these two farms! If you want to schedule a private tour with Jersey Shore Alpacas, note they get booked up several months in advance.
Pool & beach time at our hotel with friends!
Celebrated with dear friends. I thought my friend Carolyn looked exquisite and everything from her wedding channeled old time glamour! I also love that she boldly chose an all white bridal party (which got lots of inquisitive looks around town).
I got SO many questions on this dress (comes in several colors), and no surprise, I thought it was a timeless and very flattering choice by my friend. The wide V neckline is designed to be not quite fully off shoulder, which I think elegantly highlights the décolletage area. Dress is nice quality, made of a medium weight material and fully lined. The bridesmaids in general found sizing to be a little small and note there is no stretch. The dress comes in size 00 but a regular 0 was pretty fitted on me at the bodice. I had it shortened several inches and also took in the shoulder straps from the back so that it wouldn’t slide down my shoulders.
Great suit on Nick! Mind sharing where he got it.
Speaking as a native NJ girl, I’m not sure anyone has done more damage to our reputation than Snooki and friends! Really, it’s a beautiful state all around but especially where I am in North/Central Jersey. We have many, many quaint towns to visit.
As a New Jersey girl it PAINS me when people think of the Jersey Shore as just being like what the TV show depicts. NJ is beautiful and the beach towns are amazing! I’m so glad you posted about your trip there!
Ahh I’m in love with your dress <3 🙂 Sooo elegant! Hope you had lots of fun!
XO, Elizabeth T.
Beautifully written & you & your little family look gorgeous.
Love your sweet family. Can’t believe how big Nori has gotten!
Quick question about the Uniqlo shorts — I’ve been on the hunt for shorts to wear as a precaution under mini skirts to prevent flashing people in case they fly up, etc. Do you think these would work for that purpose or is there another brand you recommend? Thanks in advance!!
Hi Rachel, yes if you get a non-skin toned color I think it works perfectly for that purpose. The skin toned one might just look like …well, your skin : )
This is so beautiful!
Briana
Good morning Jean,
Even though I am quite a bit older than you, I enjoy your blog and recommend to all the petite young ladies I know.😊
Regarding Alpaca farms, there is one on Martha’s Vineyard called Island Alpaca Farm. Since you live in the Back Bay, this might be a nice fall weekend trip.
Bernadine
Hi Bernadine, thank you for the kind comment and for the tip! Island Alpaca has been on my list for a while but Martha’s Vineyard always seems so close yet so far when traveling with a baby ; )
You looked absolutely stunning in that bridesmaid dress, like wow girlfriend! And it sounds like you had a beautiful trip, loved the Jersey Shore reference, haha!
Thanks for sharing!
xx Janine
Beautiful! Where is Nori’s hat from, in the last pic? Is it an actual baby hat?
Hi Kate, it’s a baby hat from Janie & Jack!
Oh, you all look wonderful!
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena