The past few days, Fred and I have been visiting Diamond Beach, a shore point in southern New Jersey. The residential neighborhood of Diamond Beach is nestled in between Cape May and the Wildwoods and it is quiet, quaint, and ultra relaxing.
Since we will be bringing the girls to this exact spot this summer for a week-long journey of family fun, we wanted to check it out and get our bearings.
Here's a view of the condo...very beachy!
Check out the pools! The men were getting them ready for the beginning of the season, which is just a few weeks away.
We started our weekend with a glass of Riesling from our favorite New York state winery, Wiemer. Fred calls it "Nectar of the Gods." I also brought some brie cheese, crackers and grapes to munch on before our exploration began.
Let the child-free weekend begin!
First stop...Cape May. It is the southernmost beach destination in New Jersey and it is chock full of Victorian homes, romantic bed and breakfasts, cute shops and restaurants. This town is a personal favorite of mine.
This is just one of many adorable streets lined with colorful, old homes.
Stunning...this garden is a work of natural art.
We were a little hungry so we stopped by a local favorite, The Ugly Mug. It is here where mugs line the ceiling throughout the place and apparently, there is a year and a half waiting list to get one. Fred and I had a beverage and we split an appetizer of cajun pierogies with sour cream.
A view of Cape May's shopping district...
Fred is fascinated by lighthouses so we headed over visit the one in southern Cape May. Here it is from across the inlet.
The land where the lighthouse is situated is considered a state park. No swimming is permitted in that area and a bird sanctuary is located on the grounds as well.
We weren't sure what this old structure was, but it seemed to be a ruin of some type.
There was a sunken ship located about 150 feet off the pier {Sunset Beach} called the S.S. Atlantus. Apparently, it was a large concrete vessel that was built during World War I, but ultimately it was not practical for military use. They transformed it's use into a ferry, but a storm hit and the ship broke free. After several attempts, they couldn't release the ship and it still remains there today.
This is a restored World War II lookout. Soldiers used to stand guard and keep watch over possible incoming German ships.
On our way out of Cape May, I saw this sign.
Back in the late 90's, I ran this exact race for several years in a row and I was so glad to see that it was still "running" strong!
We also saw this realty company and it reminded me of my little guy at home...Willsey!
For dinner, we went to an authentic New Jersey Italian restaurant called Gia's. I took a few photos, but for some reason, they are MIA on my camera and computer. We enjoyed a bottle of Cabernet from the Californian North Coast called Silver Palm. Delicious! To start, we ordered Fried Risotto Balls with marinara and parmesan. Fred enjoyed a meal of Veal Picante and I ordered Chicken Marsala. If you are ever in the Wildwood area, I highly recommend this place.
Day one ended and Fred and I were exhausted! I really think the girls are going to love it here.
Enjoy!
Tracy
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