The Best Place To Enjoy The Cape May Sunsets Is At A Local Beach With Unique Attractions

Nestled on the southern tip of the state, Cape May is an underrated New Jersey beach town with unique shops filled with classic architecture, sandy beaches, and beautiful sunset views. Wait a minute — sunset views on the East Coast of the U.S.? That's right; thanks to its unique location at the junction of the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay, you can see gorgeous sunsets over the water. When the sun sinks low, the place to go is the aptly named Sunset Beach on Cape May's western shore.

Sunset Beach doesn't just have great views. A bit outside of town on the other side of the cape, Sunset Beach has some interesting attractions that make it the perfect pit stop for a few hours on any trip through southern New Jersey. Along with walking and lounging on the pretty beach, there's food, fun, and shopping.

Sunset Beach Gifts is an institution of its own, with apparel, jewelry, and souvenirs in its location right on the beach. If you're looking for a fun family activity, it also runs a mini golf course right next to the shop. Across the street, the Fish House has a full menu of tasty seafood and other treats, a full bar, and wonderful patio views over the bay.

New Jersey is known for its location along the coast, like the popular Long Beach Island, which has miles of pristine sand and family fun. What makes Cape May special is that it's an island, thanks to an artificial canal. The Cape May Canal allows access to the town's harbor without going out into the open Atlantic.

Sunset Beach occupies a small portion of the island's western side, just north of the township of Cape May Point. The views from this side of the island cannot be beaten, as you'll admire the wide open expanse of Delaware Bay; you might even be able to spot the state's shores on a clear day. Just offshore, you can't miss a famous shipwreck sticking out of the water. The S.S. Atlantus was a prototype of a World War I concrete freighter ship from 1926. The plan was to sink several ships to make a breakwater for a ferry dock, but the ship broke its moorings and sank prematurely.

One of the most unique features of this beach is the Cape May Diamonds. These stones aren't diamonds at all; they are pieces of quartz that have been washed down Delaware Bay and rounded by the surf. When polished and cut by a jeweler, they sparkle and look like the real thing. Looking out for these on the beach is a fun activity for everyone, but if you don't find one, the gift shop has beautiful specimens for sale.

For a bird's eye view of Sunset Beach (and the rest of the South End), climb up the World War II Lookout Tower. Unmistakable as you drive in, the tower was built in 1942 to help spot German ships that might attack New Jersey or Delaware. You can buy combo tickets if you also want to visit the Cape May Lighthouse, which is 1 mile to the south.

While there's plenty to see and do throughout the day, the undeniably best time to visit Sunset Beach is as advertised: at sunset. Check your phone's weather app or the web for the precise time the sun goes down to help plan your visit. Like nearly any beach town, Cape May is popular during summer and holiday weekends, but it's also a beautiful place to visit in the offseason, with striking winter scenery and fewer crowds. By car, it's about an hour south of Atlantic City or about two hours from Spring Lake, a historic New Jersey beach town full of charm.