Historic Lower Township sits at the gateway to Cape May
Near the southern tip of Cape May, Lower Township serves as the gateway to some of the Jersey Shore’s most popular beaches. The community of nearly 22,000 has long been a bastion of South Jersey’s fishing industry, while its parks and wildlife refuges offer outdoor adventure and employment opportunities for the nature-loving community of full-timers and vacationers. Lower, as the locals call it is full of history and culture, expressed through its iconic landmarks, historic sites and well-established small businesses.
There are many well established businesses that have been serving Lower Township for decades.
Lower Township has some of the most popular and clean beaches on the Jersey Shore.
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Lower Township is full of outdoor adventure
Though much of the western shoreline has been overtaken by waterfront development, plenty of Lower Township still consists of wetlands, parks and historic sites. Cape May Point State Park gives visitors the chance to birdwatch, fish and hike just around the corner from the famed Cape May Lighthouse. "This is one of the best birding areas in the country," says longtime Cape May County resident Dick Saari, former president of the board of directors for the Friends of Lake Lily. "In the spring and fall, the Cape May area is on the eastern flyway for all the birds that come from Canada and the Northern United States. We've had traffic jams in Cape May Point because the birds settle in Cape May, and people from all over the East Coast come down to get their pictures. The monarch butterflies also pass through this area before going all the way to Mexico."
The southern part of Lower Township includes a stretch of public beachfront connecting quiet Cape May Point to the bustling summer getaway of Cape May proper. As they stroll the Atlantic coast, beachgoers can walk past a decommissioned artillery battery, preserved dunes, even a prominent shipwreck. Cape May National Golf Club, which is open to the public, has been nicknamed “the Natural” for its embrace of natural features and Jersey Shore scenery.
Cape May National Golf Club is a public course in Lower Township.
Bird photographers flock to Cape May State Park to observe the wildlife.
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Beachfront properties share this township with highway-side homes
Like most communities in Cape May County, Lower Township brings together a few scattered neighborhoods, like North Cape May and Villas. Much of the housing stock sits next to the Delaware Bay, on the western side of the peninsula, although a few residences are situated more inland, just off Highway 9 and the Garden State Parkway. Midcentury ranch-style properties pair with newer townhouses and single-family homes, offering a diverse housing market for potential homebuyers. On the eastern side near the ocean, condos on Diamond Beach can sell for $555,000 to $1 million, while those along Cape May Harbor go for $675,000 to $950,000. South of the Cape May Canal, ranch-style and Colonial Revival homes sell for $865,000 to $1.9 million. Typically, homes get less expensive up the peninsula’s western shore. For example, Lower's Miami Beach neighborhood has homes priced between $170,000 and $560,000. According to First Street, seaside communities in Cape May County have severe risks for flooding and high winds, especially during hurricane season.
New construction traditional style homes with private lawns are built right on the water.
There are many homes with private docks in Lower Township built right on the Delaware Bay.
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Living history is big at a colonial village and a Navy airfield
Historic Cold Spring Village preserves 30 acres of Revolutionary War-era and early 19th century settlement among Cape May County’s thick woods, and costumed interpreters and the occasional reenactment troupe both educate and entertain. "Cold Spring is wonderful; they sometimes have craftspeople who are making baskets and doing things that you can watch, like baking," Saari says. The Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum is another cherished community institution, showing off scores of vintage aircraft. "They’re constantly having events at Naval Air Station Wildwood, like 'fly-ins.' They usually fly World War II planes around the Cape May area." This museum is much more than a place for merely watching how planes work, though. "There’s also a lot of hands-on for kids, and the museum has a wonderful Coast Guard display where you can go into a medical helicopter," Saari says.
Cold Spring Village is a preserved historic town you can tour in Lower Township.
The Naval Station in Lower Township is a museum filled with vintage aircrafts.
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Cape May County is known for its seafood
Lower Township includes some of the area’s best-known shopping and dining. The Lobster House has been a fixture since the 1960s. Locals and visitors alike can pick up fresh seafood from the harbor-front market and restaurant or dine on its dock. Across the street, Lucky Bones Backwater Grille takes its name from a legend about horseshoe crab claws bringing good luck to mariners. Along with old photos of Cape May seafarers, the menu combines comfort food classics with seafood dishes. Grocery options include the local ACME supermarket, and Enfin Farms has a booth at its entrance where fresh-baked muffins, bread and other baked goods are sold to passersby. Wine lovers enjoy tapas and tap-room tours at the Cape May Winery & Vineyard, known for its Cabernet Sauvignon. “It’s a great wine region and a great craft beer area. The wines are becoming very good," Saari says. "A father and son started Cape May Brewery, and they’re now distributing beers all over the East Coast."
Fish House is serving up fresh catch all day long in Lower Township.
Cape May Winery & Vineyard grow their own grapes and produce their own wine right in Lower Township.
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Easy access to Wildwood and health care
Lower Township offers access to NJ Transit buses like Route 313, which can take passengers to Wildwood’s beaches within a 25-minute drive. Healthcare conveniences from the North Cape Center nursing home to the AtlantiCare Physician Group all sit within Lower Township or neighboring Middle Township, putting them roughly 10 minutes away from home.
Atlantic Care has all your medical needs in Lower Township covered.
Wildwood id a short drive away from Lower Township.
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Learning in Lower Township
Students can start at the Lower Township Elementary School District, which receives a C rating from Niche. Middle and high schoolers can move on to Lower Cape May Regional School District, rated B-minus. Lower Cape May Regional High School, rated B, offers a student-teacher ratio well below the national average.
Carl T. Mitnick School serves K-5 in Lower Township.
Students in Lower Township complete their education at Lower Cape May Regional High School.
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Written By
Jacob Adelhoch
Photography Contributed By
Vincent Mauriello
Video By
Edward Pokoj
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Tania Schade,
an experienced agent in this area.
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