Plan family travel down the shore this holiday season. The New Jersey Cape (Avalon, Cape May, Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Stone Harbor and The Wildwoods) offers festive fun for the entire family.
© Cape May County, NJ Dept. of Tourism
Check out Avalon’s Festival of Trees, Nov. 18–26. Shops throughout the town feature beautifully decorated trees and wreaths for visitors to bid on online or via the mobile app. Winners will be notified at 2 p.m. on Nov. 26. Explore Avalon’s shopping district on Nov. 25 and 26 for activities, live music and other festive performances.
Cape May offers visitors six weeks of holiday fun. During Holiday Preview Weekend (Nov. 18–20), take a holiday trolley tour and sip wassail. Throughout the festive season, learn about holiday traditions from the 1890s, watch live Christmas-themed performances and go on a variety of Christmas-themed tours, including the Christmas Candlelight House tours (Dec. 3, 10 and 17).
Get a jump start on your Christmas shopping on Nov. 19 at the Earlier than the Bird shopping extravaganza. Stores offer special deals 8 a.m.–12 p.m. for early-bird shoppers. The town hosts free carriage rides throughout the downtown shopping district Nov. 19–20, 25–27, Dec. 3–4, 10–11 and 17–18.
© Cape May County, NJ Dept. of Tourism
Take part in a holiday parade and tree-lighting ceremony on Nov. 25. The parade begins at 6 p.m. The tree lighting takes place immediately following the parade at Excursion Park. Other festive events throughout the holiday season include a holiday light contest, live nativity scene, brunch with Santa and New Year’s Eve fireworks.
Head to Stone Harbor Nov. 25–26 for the Stone Harbor Island Holiday Weekend. The weekend-long holiday celebration includes a holiday market, tree lighting and carol singing. The weekend culminates with the Christmas parade on Nov. 26 at 6:30 p.m.
Enjoy five weekends of holiday fun in The Wildwoods, Nov. 19–Dec. 31. Take part in a shopping village, bonfires, parades, light shows, craft fairs and a tree lighting.
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