Cape May, consisting of a peninsula and barrier island system, runs southwards from the New Jersey mainland, separating Delaware Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. Originally inhabited by the Kechemeche tribe of the Lenni Lenape, it was named for Cornelius Jacobsen Mey, a Dutch explorer who worked for the Dutch East India Company. The City of Cape May asserts that its status as a vacation spot began in 1766 making it the oldest recognized vacation resort in the country. Hotels were already on Cape May as of 1834. The pristine beaches and abundance of wildlife leave no doubt as to why it has been and continues to be, a major tourist destination.
Cape May County encompasses 267 square miles and is home to nearly 95,000 year-round residents, with that number swelling to a seasonal population of over 820,000 during the summer months. Miles of pristine beaches, restaurants for every taste, year-round festivals, world-class birding, and marine life watching, shopping, antiquing, golf, biking and hiking, wineries, and a showcase of pristinely maintained, late-Victorian architecture keep the tourists and economy hopping.
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