Welcome to our peaceful, well-appointed family home! We purchased this bright, cheerful house for our family in 2021. We were drawn to the quiet setting, backing up to acres of conservation land and a quick bike ride away from Higbee Beach or Cape May Point, where the typically calm waters are perfect for swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking, or sitting in your beach chair while children dig and wade nearby. We were also charmed by the home’s quiet deck and back yard, with ample privacy, lots of shade trees, and pool. Our family has enjoyed this place so much, and now for the first time, you can too!
Who will enjoy this house? Large families, groups of friends, people who love birding/nature/green space, people who want to cook or grill, people searching for a clean, bright, nicely furnished home, and anyone looking for a house with a pool on the beautiful island of Cape May! When we travel with our family of 6 and extended family, we are always looking for a mix of cleanliness, comfort, an uplifting environment, and access to fun. We hope you’ll find all of these qualities in our family’s home.
About the location:
*Our home is in the greenest part of Cape May’s special island. The closest beach is Higbee Beach, which is a short bike ride (less than 5 minutes) away. You can also drive and park there for free, no beach tags required.
*Nearest shops (including our West Cape May favorites like Ostara’s coffee, Chez Michel bakery, Good Earth Organic Eatery) are a bike ride or short drive away. You could also rent a golf cart to enjoy the slower pace of island life!
*Are you a birder? The home backs up to wide open green spaces and is amidst some of the best birding…in the world! (Or so we are told; we are not experts yet.)
*This is a place to recharge, rest, and renew. Depending on the season, you might be lucky enough to pick ripe figs, peaches, beach plums or pears from the trees in our back yard. (Our daughter just counted 19 fruit trees, and there are two blueberry bushes)
About accessibility:
*There are five steps up to the back deck from the driveway, where we usually enter the house. Similarly, there are a few steps up to the front porch and down from the back deck to the pool. *The home currently does not have grab bars in the showers or bathrooms.
About the bedrooms:
PRIMARY BEDROOM is on the first floor and sleeps 2. This room has a king-sized bed with a mattress that was purchased in 2021 and has been used only on our occasional visits to this second home. En suite bathroom has a step-in shower and a deep jacuzzi tub, as well as double vanity.
SECOND FLOOR, CHILDREN’S BEDROOM has two twin beds with trundles, allowing 4 children to bunk together.
SECOND FLOOR, KING BEDROOM (sleeps 2) has a mattress purchased in 2021 and only used a few times.
SECOND FLOOR, QUEEN BEDROOM (sleeps 2) includes a large windowed closet where our kids like to bring in pillows (or a twin mattress) and hide out with a friend or a book.
On the second floor, there is a full bath with shower and double vanity. Second floor bedrooms are carpeted, while the first floor had hardwood floors.
About the kitchen:
*The kitchen has a gas stovetop in the kitchen island, as well as a wall oven, microwave, toaster, standard coffee pot (not keurig-type), and blender.
*We like to cook, and the kitchen is equipped with a complement of knives, utensils, CB2 dishes, pots and pans, and cooking implements that should make it possible for you to prepare and enjoy meals with family and friends. Let us know what is missing so we can continue to improve. (Spices and cooking oil currently are not provided.)
*The kitchen island has four stools.
*Adjacent to the kitchen is a round table with six chairs, for casual meals. There is a separate dining room, where the table expands (with sliding leaves) to accommodate larger groups.
*On the back deck, there is a table with 8 chairs and a large umbrella.
*We will provide a starter pack of trash bags, dish soap, dishwasher detergent, paper towels, and sponges.
*Beverage fridge is in the laundry room.
*Adjacent to the kitchen, there is a large capacity washer/dryer in the laundry room.
*On the deck is a Traeger Wood-fired grill, which uses wood pellets (available at Swains Hardware). YouTube tutorials have helped us and may help you learn to use this type of grill. Grill tools are in the laundry room closet.
About the pool:
*The pool is a delight and also a responsibility. It is surrounded by fencing, but curious children **can get in** and require uninterrupted supervision.
*There are two umbrellas for people who want shade near the pool. If they are not set up when you arrive, they will be stored in the garage.
*Several floats are available in the garage.
*Be careful not to stub your toes on the pool deck; best not to run!
*When you’re walking down from the house, the shallow end of the pool is to the left, and the (really) deep end is to the right. Because the depth changes throughout the pool, we recommend no diving.
*There is an outdoor shower. Right now, there is just cold water in the outdoor shower.
*We are in a gorgeous natural setting, with lots of trees. We love this and hope you will, too! It also means that there are often leaves in the pool in the morning, along with the occasional frog (to the delight of our children, but not to everyone!). There’s a pool skimmer in the garage, and you will likely want to use it between visits from Klenswite, the pool cleaners, who come once per week.
*During the height of summer, we find that the pool is more pleasant if left unheated. If you need the heat turned on, call us and we will walk you through how to operate. It can be quite confusing.
About beach supplies:
*You are welcome to use the many beach chairs available in the garage, as well as the beach umbrellas.
*There is a picnic basket in the laundry room closet.
About sheets, blankets, and (bath/beach) towels:
*As is the case at most Cape May rentals, linens (sheets, towels, blankets, pillows) are not included with this booking. We recommend renting from Linen Ladies, a company that will deliver to the house. In our own experience as renters (before 2021) Linen Ladies offered delightfully clean and comfortable sheets, blankets, pillows, etc. We understand that renting linens can feel like a downside of renting a home rather than a hotel room, and we apologize for any inconvenience. We do this because it allows for a much smoother, more efficient turnover. Cleaning teams work hard in Cape May to get homes ready!
About the living areas:
*We hope you’ll be as comfortable and happy here as we are!
*High speed internet is provided and we’ve generally found it works well for our remote work needs. It generally reaches the back deck, allowing for outdoor work.
*Sonos system and a speaker are provided in the main living room.
*The living room includes new sofas and chairs perfect for reading and conversation.
*On the first floor, there is also a TV room, separated by french doors, that has a sectional sofa, a worktable (bring in a dining chair if you need to take a Zoom meeting), and a Samsung Frame TV.
*Another Samsung Frame TV is located in the first floor primary bedroom.
*A third Samsung Frame TV is in the finished basement, which is comfortable and cool and has a large sofa–a good spot for kids or teenagers to hang out. Other bedrooms do not have TVs, and there is no TV in the main living room.
*Gas fireplaces are currently turned off.
*The home has a central vacuum, which is stored in the laundry room closet.
*There is a half bath on the first floor and a full bath with tub and shower in the finished basement.
Cape May attractions:
*The natural world is on beautiful display! Dolphins, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, bunnies, and the occasional fox–if you love wildlife, you’ll find it here. (We understand there are coyotes in the nature preserves nearby, but we haven’t seen them.)
*Wildlife/birding experts, tours, and programs can be found at the nature center near the Cape May Lighthouse, the bird sanctuary at Cape May Point, and online. We loved the Marsh Safari tours, for example.
*Festivals and celebrations abound in Cape May and West Cape May (Strawberry, Lima Bean, Jazz, Christmas parade: check local calendars for fun in all seasons).
*Shopping at the Washington Mall is a perennial favorite.
*Sunsets at Cape May Point and aptly named Sunset Beach, or at Higbee Beach, draw nightly crowds.
*As the nation’s first seaside resort, Cape May is full of history and Victorian-era architecture. Even if you’re not a fan of Victorian flamboyance, we think it’s pretty special that Cape May has it’s own distinctive look, with a downtown replete with exuberantly painted homes and porches. We hope you’ll embrace the kitsch and charm while you’re here!
*The Harriet Tubman Museum introduces an American hero, and Cape May’s role in the Underground Railroad. People who were escaping slavery often came ashore here on the beaches of Cape May.
*Beach Plum Farm, Willow Creek Winery, Nauti Spirits Distillery, and the Rusty Nail often have live music, and sometimes it’s great! (We can’t promise.)
*The Nature Conservancy land off Sunset Ave., and the trails of the State Park near the lighthouse, offer special places for nature walks or runs, birding, and a glimpse of the green that is gone from much of the Jersey Shore.
*The Boardwalk and Beach Ave offer all the ice cream shops, mini golf, arcades, and taffy you could hope to find.
*Cape May has *so many* restaurants/food options. We are partial to Exit Zero, Good Earth, West Side Market, Ostara’s, the Mad Batter, or Dock Mike’s (for breakfast). We love bringing family and friends together at the Rusty Nail for music, feet in the sand, and casual food.
*We find that the back yard is often our favorite destination, offering a good place to read, chat, nap, play, or swim.
