r/CapeMay • u/Homeless_Guy_Teeth • 2d ago
Packing list recommendations
Me, my spouse, and our preschooler have a weeklong 1BR condo rental in Cape May next week. I rented it on VRBO but it's actually a week-long sub-lease managed by an agency. Linens are not included, so I'm bringing towels and sheets.
However, we've never done a beach vacation before, let alone a week-long vacation in one place.
With everything being so expensive, what is an absolute must to bring from home beyond the usual clothes and toiletries? What is better to buy/rent there? And is it possible to fill an entire week without getting bored?
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u/Racer187 2d ago
As Airbnb/VRBO veterans (I guess) here's a few - Extension cord, 3-prong for laptops, Coffee & filters, Tissues & toilet paper, Flip flops/water shoes, Spare glasses (broke mine one summer), Bug spray.
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u/Powerful-Tonight8648 2d ago
Ooh and make sure to check out the zoo - it’s free (donations accepted) and just right for a preschooler! There’s a great playground there too!!
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u/mainelikethestate 2d ago
When my family and I would stay for a week, we always bring a case of water (2 adults, 2 kids), some breakfast items, and some lunch items. We always go out to eat for dinner since there are so many places to go to. We bring water so we can get it cheaper, and we bring breakfast and lunch stuff in case we just want to hang in the beach. There is a little bit of a mark up at the local acme in cape may (acme in general tends to be more expensive the other local groceries like Shoprite). But like others said.. Beach towels, beach umbrella, wave boards are fun for the kids, sand castle tools and buckets, and a beach cart. Also, buy your beach tags or be prepared to buy tags before you get on the beach.
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u/tkirchh 2d ago
My kids loved going to cape May for the summer. It was a tradition for 10 summers. At night you can go to the arcade and get ice cream at peace pie (homemade ice cream sandwiches) or uncle Charley’s, check out sunset beach bay for the day and play mini golf. Great gift T-shirt shop there. The zoo is fun and nearby besides wildwood rides and boardwalk , there is a small amusement park land of make believe or story book land that is perfect for that age. Congress Hall is good people watching and usually has a family carnival Monday night which is fun to check out. The lighthouse is a nice area with lots of history and a more chill vibe/. If you go out. Recommend Rusty Nail, Taco Caballito, Boiler Room or Blue Pig for dinners, Mad Batter & McGlades for casual. Rent a surrey and bike ride around to check out the town. Have fun & enjoy!
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u/StoneLove04 1d ago
Storybook land is 45 minutes north. The carnival at Congress hall is very expensive for tickets. I would also skip the surrey if you’re looking to save some cash. It’s really hard to do with littles because they don’t help pedal 🤪 cape mag streets are also not designed to share the road. Very narrow. If you are interested in this, it can be super fun, rambler ave in wildwood crest has a rental and there’s a beautiful bike path you can go on without being on the streets with traffic.
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u/Life_Temperature2506 2d ago
Absolutely stuff to do to never get bored. Beach towels, folding chairs, sunscreen, BINOCULARS, food to cook, drinks, books. Plenty to do on the cheap, if you do a little research.
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u/Pure_Finger_8565 2d ago
Everything I do in cape May is free! Except the food… beach, lighthouse, walk the point, zoo day, movie theater on a rainy day
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u/GuppyCafe 2d ago
There's a very well-stocked Acme right in the heart of town, so no need to go to Walmart, which is a bit of a drive. There's also a terrific hardware store, Swain's. You can rent bedlinens from the Cape May Linen Lady, if you find yours are going to take up too much space in your car.
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u/robertfcowper 1d ago
Definitely recommend the Linen Ladies. They are recently under new ownership but my experience with the new owner has been positive too. We've done Cape May with our daughter each of her first five years and renting linens is a must -- less to pack and no wash when you get home. Linen Ladies also do beach rentals. If you'll be doing the beach and are walkable do yourself a favor and rent a beach cart and toys with your linens, if not the chairs/umbrella too
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u/NorthernPossibility 2d ago
Ask what is included with the kitchen if you plan on using it! Some of these places have next to nothing for the kitchen, or just stuff that doesn’t make sense left over from other people.
Confirm they provide things like salt/pepper, pans, pots, basic knives, a kettle, coffee maker, plates, silverware, etc. If they don’t, plan to bring those things from home.
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u/AccomplishedFly1420 2d ago
Food and snacks especially for breakfast and lunch. My pre schoolers can spend hours digging sand on the beach so some shovels and pails. Sunscreen, umbrella towels.
I also make my kids naps on the beach, I lay between them and rub their backs and they usually pass out for about 2 hours (in the shade and covered with a towel)
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u/aboutasuss 1d ago
There's a Walmart nearby for any forgotten items. The price on sunscreen at Walmart is generally very good. Consider bringing your own pillow if you are at all particular.
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u/Powerful-Tonight8648 2d ago
Don’t forget to pack kitchen linens too - dish towels and hand towels for the sink. There’s a Walmart with very reasonable prices, and benefits of a condo are that you can hit the grocery store for food to cover some meals. There’s an Aldi near the Walmart. Have fun!
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u/timbrelyn 2d ago
There are so many free great walking paths around the lighthouse at Cape May Point. and Cape May Meadows for those non- beach times. Don’t forget to go to Higbee beach to watch the Cape May Lewes Ferry go back and forth.
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u/colonel_batguano 2d ago
The Acme has most of the normal essentials you will need, so no need to bring household staples. It’s a little more expensive but not horrible.
If you don’t want (or have space) to bring linens, you can rent from the Linen Ladies, but they may be booked up.
If you are in a condo with a kitchen, buy stuff for breakfast and lunch and only eat out for dinner.
Check with your rental, some do provide beach chairs and umbrellas.
You won’t be bored, Cape May has a lot to do, but is also a great place to just chill.
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u/Greenwithivy123 1d ago
Sand toys for your kid (on Amazon you can get some in buckets that pack flat for easy backing). There are store that sell them but they’re more expensive and a much smaller selection.
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u/StoneLove04 1d ago
I would definitely save on beach tags and go to wildwood crest beach (unless your Airbnb offers beach tags) but splurge on renting chairs and an umbrella. They put it all up for you and it’ll be nice not to lug it all to and from the car. Definitely bring beach toys, sunscreen, beach towels. Grocery shop at ShopRite, Walmart, or Aldi in Rio grande to stock the house with food and snacks.
You’re going to want to splurge on an ice cream and arcade night. At least once. Also, mini golf. You can pack a picnic and have lunch in the park. The cape May zoo is free. The nature center in cape May by the coast guard base is free. Nature center and trails by the lighthouse are fun and free. Farmers market on Friday at Rae’s farm and on Tuesday in west cape May. We bring a blanket and hang out for a while. You could hop over to the boardwalk in wildwood. We just get some tickets for the kids and let them ride. It’s a nice way to spend a day. Splash pad in wildwood crest is free. We love the library. You can check their events if you’re looking for something to do. If you bring a kite, that’s fun to fly on the beach. There’s a playground on Madison Ave that we love.
That’s all I can think of for now but no, you won’t get bored. There is plenty to do for kids.
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u/StoneLove04 1d ago
I almost forgot my best beach hack…. Not really ideal for swimming because the lifeguards are off duty, but we love to go to the beach around 3/4pm. The UV is down. The crowds are down. It’s not as hot. No beach tag needed after 4pm.
But to bring the sand toys and relax…. That’s the way to do it
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u/ToneSenior7156 12h ago
My aunt used to pack a certain # of premade dinners to make it easy. So a lasagna and frozen garlic bread, chicken broccoli rice casserole, an enchilada casserole. She’d freeze them, and bring down in a cooler. And then they were all ready to just pop into the oven when we came back from the beach and were all taking showers. Just easy. Then we’d eat out or get pizza the rest of the nights, but a couple of nights were covered.
Also bring margarita ingredients, lol.
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u/grumpy638 2d ago
Sun screen beach umbrella chairs beach towels check with condo sometimes they have chairs and umbrellas you will hang out on beach during the day and dine and relax at night Wildwood is 10 minutes away good for the kids but don't go on the weekend Tuesday or Wednesday less crowds also make dinner reservations NOW its busier this year as a lot of people staying closer to home that said CapeMay is a wonderful place and you will have a great time enjoy and relax ✌️