Cape May NJ Beach Guide
Cape May requires a beach tag for everyone 12 and older during guarded hours from the weekend before Memorial Day through Labor Day, and lifeguards cover The Cove to Poverty Beach from 10 am to 5 pm.
Known as America’s oldest seaside resort, Cape May sits at the southern tip of New Jersey, with streets of preserved Victorian homes a short walk from the sand. We love that the Cape May Beach Patrol has been guarding these beaches since 1911.
Minimal Fly Activity
Based on current conditions, encountering flies at the beach today is low. Keep an eye on the weather for any changes and enjoy the beach!
Current Weather for Cape May, NJ
Humidity: 96%
Wind: S at 10 mph
UV Index: 0.0
Sunrise: 6:31 AM
Sunset: 4:55 PM
Ocean Temperature
61.2 °F
Last Tide
Low Tide
11/4/2026, 10:57 PM
Next Tide
High Tide
11/5/2026, 5:16 AM
Forecast updated every 15 minutes. Last update: November 5, 2026, 3:00 am
Is Cape May worth visiting?
Yes, if you want wide guarded beaches backed by a walkable Victorian town.
- About 2.5 miles of guarded beach
- Twelve free beach wheelchairs
- Two miles of ADA mats
- Four surf beaches
Cape May quick facts
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Season tag | $30 through April 30, $40 from May 1 |
| Daily, three day, weekly | $10, $20, $25 |
| Tags required | Weekend before Memorial Day through Labor Day, guarded hours |
| Lifeguards | 10 am to 5 pm, The Cove to Poverty Beach |
| Dogs on beach | September 15 to May 15 only |
| Beach Patrol HQ | 609-884-9520 |
Beach tags
Daily tags are $10, three day tags $20, weekly tags (Saturday to Saturday) $25, and commercial tags $125, and a commemorative tag is sold in person. Children 11 and under are free, and all sales are final. Buy at the Cape May City Hall Tax Office, 643 Washington Street, on weekdays, at the Beach Tag Office at 704 Beach Avenue next to Convention Hall from 9 am to 3:30 pm, at the promenade kiosks at Howard Street, Gurney Street, Madison Avenue and Broadway, at every beach entrance in season, or online through Jersey Cape at 609-465-4117. Preseason tags can be mailed for a $10 shipping fee if your order arrives by April 30. Veterans and active duty service members get free military tags in person. You need a tag to use the ADA beach mats.
Guarded beaches
Poverty Beach, Brooklyn Beach, Baltimore Beach, Hughes Beach, Inferrera Beach, Philadelphia and South Philadelphia beaches, Madison Beach, Queen Street and South Queen Street beaches, Jefferson Beach, Howard Beach, Surfing Beach, Stockton Beach, Hagy Beach, Steger Beach, Congress Beach, Windsor Beach, Cannone Beach, Mogck Beach, Colton Court Beach, Broadway Beach, 1st Avenue Beach, 2nd Avenue Beach, 3rd Avenue Beach (The Cove), 4th Avenue Beach
Surfing is permitted at certain locations on Poverty Beach (Wilmington Avenue), The Cove, Surfing Beach (Gurney Street) and South Queen (Queen Street).
Kayaking may be done outside the bathing zone. On guarded beaches, kayaks are allowed only before 9:30 am or after 5:30 pm, and kayak wave surfing is banned during guarded hours. Kayaks may only be launched east of Poverty Beach (Wilmington Avenue) and west of The Cove stand. Life jackets must be onboard.
Fishing is only permitted along the quarter mile stretch east of the Brooklyn Avenue storm pipe and is prohibited at every other beach during guarded hours. Skim boarding is allowed at the discretion of lifeguards.
Accessibility
Access to boardwalks and beaches
Handicapped ramps from the Promenade to the beach are at Broadway, 3rd and Cove, Grant and Gurney Streets, and Trenton Avenue. Ramps to the promenade are located at 17th Street along Beach Avenue. ADA beach mats run about two miles along the beach from Madison Avenue to The Cove, with platforms that reach toward the water.
Beach wheelchairs
Cape May has twelve free beach wheelchairs, first come first served, from 10 am to 4:30 pm, and they must stay on the beach and come back by 4:30 pm. The chairs are placed among these locations, Third Avenue (The Cove), First Avenue, Broadway, Lifeguard HQ, Congress Street, Perry Street, Ocean Street, Gurney Beach, Howard Street, Jefferson Street, Madison Avenue, Philadelphia Avenue, Reading Avenue, Trenton Avenue, Baltimore Avenue, Pittsburgh Avenue and Wilmington Avenue. For special arrangements call the Beach Patrol at 609-884-9520.
Public restrooms
Restrooms open all year are at Washington Street and Ocean Street (Washington Commons), Decatur Street and Lyle Lane (Rotary Park), Gurney Street next to Convention Hall, Second and Beach Avenues, Philadelphia and Beach Avenues, and Kiwanis Park. Seasonal beachfront restrooms at Beach Avenue and Broadway, Grant, Trenton and Wilmington open from mid April to mid November. There are no showers or lockers inside them.
Additional Cape May Beach Rules
Put trash in the bins, swim only in marked areas, and follow lifeguard instructions.
- Dogs are allowed on the beach and promenade only from September 15 to May 15, leashed, with the owner carrying a waste bag.
- Higbee Beach is on the bay side just south of the ferry terminal and is known as a dog friendly beach. It is not a city beach, so check its own rules before you go.
- Fires, cooking devices, alcohol and glass containers are prohibited on the beach.
- Smoking is not allowed on the promenade.
Best time to visit Cape May
We love September here, when the water is still warm and tags are no longer checked after Labor Day. For quieter weeks read our guide to the Jersey Shore after Labor Day.
More beaches to compare
- Read the ultimate Jersey Shore beach guide
- Compare breaks in our Jersey Shore surf spot guide
- Check tag costs in the beach tag price guide
Our Cape May beach tips
- Grab a beach wheelchair early, since they go first come first served
- Use the year round restrooms near Convention Hall
- Pack bug spray and read our greenhead fly guide
A short history of Cape May
Cape May has welcomed visitors for a very long time. The City of Cape May history page says the Kechemeche people hunted this peninsula first, and that settlers who bought land from them in the 1630s built a fishing and whaling trade. The city dates Cape Island’s start as a resort to 1766, when visitors came from Philadelphia by wagon, stagecoach and sloop.
By 1834 there were six boarding houses, and the city says a stay by Henry Clay in 1847 made Cape Island the major seaside retreat in the country. The railroad from Philadelphia was completed in 1863, and after a fire destroyed 35 acres of the city in 1878, Cape May rebuilt on a smaller scale.
The city page says the Coast Guard established its Training Center here in 1948, and the Garden State Parkway opened in 1954. The Ash Wednesday Storm of March 7, 1962 destroyed the boardwalk and Convention Hall. In 1963 the city received the first Urban Renewal Grant given to a small city specifically for preservation, and ferry service to Delaware opened in 1964.
In 1970 the entire town was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The city says entrepreneurs then restored Victorian homes as inns, the Washington Street Mall opened in 1971, and the season grew into fall, spring and Christmas. We love every one of those seasons here.
Cape May beach FAQ
Do you need beach tags in Cape May NJ?
Yes. Everyone 12 and older needs a tag during guarded hours from the weekend before Memorial Day through Labor Day. Children 11 and under are free.
How much are Cape May beach tags?
A season tag is $30 through April 30 and $40 after. Daily tags are $10, three day tags $20 and weekly tags $25.
Where can you buy Cape May beach tags?
At the City Hall Tax Office at 643 Washington Street, the Beach Tag Office at 704 Beach Avenue, the promenade kiosks, any beach entrance in season, or online through Jersey Cape at 609-465-4117.
When are Cape May beaches guarded?
The Cape May Beach Patrol guards all designated beaches from The Cove to Poverty Beach from 10 am to 5 pm in season.
Where can you surf in Cape May NJ?
Surfing is permitted at certain locations on Poverty Beach, The Cove, Surfing Beach at Gurney Street and South Queen at Queen Street.
Are dogs allowed on Cape May beaches?
Only from September 15 to May 15, on a leash, with a waste bag. Higbee Beach on the bay side is not a city beach and has its own rules.
Does Cape May have beach wheelchairs?
Yes. Twelve free beach wheelchairs are available from 10 am to 4:30 pm, first come first served. Call the Beach Patrol at 609-884-9520 for special arrangements.
Where are the bathrooms in Cape May?
Year round restrooms include Washington Commons, Rotary Park, Gurney Street by Convention Hall, Second Avenue and Philadelphia Avenue on Beach Avenue, and Kiwanis Park, plus seasonal restrooms on Beach Avenue.
Can you drink alcohol on Cape May beaches?
No. Alcohol, glass, fires and cooking devices are all prohibited.
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