Visitors have the unique opportunity on this self-guided tour to go behind closed doors and see restored private homes, bed and breakfast inns and guesthouses. Tourgoers can meet the homeowners, managers or innkeepers, see unique furnishings and décor, and find inspiration for their own homes and hearths.  

Properties on tour:

The Bedford Inn (c. 1883)                                                                              805 Stockton Ave.
The Bedford Inn was constructed in 1881 as a mother/daughter home (attached) for the Page family children's vacation home.  The matriarch of the family, Joseph, had a mansion around the corner that has since been torn down.  Now a shining example of the Italianate-style architecture, the exterior colors of the Bedford are of a true Victorian motif.  Owners since 2019, Paula Murray and her brother, Marc Jacoby, invite you to experience this well-preserved home now being run as a 10-room bed and breakfast.  The mural in the dining room is stunning and depicts many of the current sights in Cape May.  Painted in the scenes on the mural are the Murray and Jacoby family pets. Our inn welcomes you dressed in its fall regalia! 

Cape May Stage                                                                                             405 Lafayette St.
This architectural gem is currently the home to Cape May Stage, a professional Equity theater in the historic downtown district. This beautiful building was once the town’s welcome center and its history dates all the way back to 1853 when it was originally built as a church by Peter Hand, a descendent of one of Cape May’s founding families. Stop by 405 Lafayette Street to see how this unique “Georgian Vernacular” structure is still standing tall today.

The Colonial House (c. 1730)                                                                         653 ½ Washington St.

The headquarters of the Greater Cape May Historical Society, the Colonial House Museum was originally a tavern and the family house of Revolutionary War Patriot Memucan Hughes. The front room has been recreated as a tavern with a colonial era cooking/eating room behind. A research/exhibit room at the rear was added in the 1930s. The house and gardens will be decorated for fall in colonial tradition with all natural and native items. Enjoy live colonial music and storytelling on the porch, along with refreshments to celebrate our museum’s 50 year anniversary.

The Norris Smith House (1904)                                                         1023 Washington St.
Welcome to the Norris Smith home— a Victorian built in 1904 for a Cape May Maritime family. The first floor is reminiscent of grandmother’s home and displays many decorations of the period.  Warm and inviting. Come on in!

The Queen Victoria (c. 1867)                                                                                     102 Ocean St.
The Queen Victoria was built as a private residence by Douglas Gregory, a pilot on the Delaware River and Bay. Restored for its centennial, it has been lovingly maintained by just three owners since that time. The Queen Victoria’s small hotel architecture, like a true Victorian, is a blend of several styles, including Italianate Villa (the twin turret windows), Edwardian (the front porch), and a French inspired mansard roof, very popular in Cape May during the period.