When I say I’m going on a day trip somewhere in the middle of January, where would you assume I’m going?
Maybe skiing in Vermont? A hike in the Highlands? Soaking up the beach somewhere warm, like Miami?
Would you ever expect me to say the Jersey Shore?!?
Having never been, I needed to find a place between DC and NYC to spend the day. I felt like I had exhausted activities Philly, which led to me looking into things in the city’s metro area. I landed on Atlantic City for a few reasons. It was somewhere I had never been, notorious as a destination and had a train from Philly.
With nothing in mind but the city’s seedy reputation, I booked a train ticket and decided to get a rental.
Flash forward two weeks, and my train had left Moynihan Train Hall and was pulling out of the tunnel into Jersey by 7:05 a.m. To my surprise, there was a slight layer of snow with flurries slowly drifting from the sky. It hadn’t been snowing in the city, so this was a welcome sight!
The storm had been more intense further south so I was cautiously optimistic about my plans for the day and spent the train ride conjuring alternative options.
We pulled into Newark before 7:15 and had a straight shot down to Philly after.
With some quick stops in Metropark and Princeton, it was just over an hour later when we crossed the frozen Schuykill River.
I had a bit of time to kill before meeting up with Levie, so I took a walk to Whole Foods to grab some muffins for breakfast.
It was a chilly morning, evidenced by the layer of snow resting on the ice over the river. Bracing the cold, I appreciated the walk to the grocery store. It was still relatively early and the city was just starting to wake up.
Muffins in hand, I was back along the Schuykill and in the station a few minutes later to grab Levie.
I had been a bit indecisive about where to rent a car from and booked like three different reservations to try and get the cheapest price. It turns out the cheapest place to rent was from the train station, which saved us a trip to the airport! We walked to the rental counter to pick up our car.
The ‘manager’s special’ had been the cheapest option, and it turned out to be a Tesla. I had some thoughts after spending a day with this car, more on this later.
We left Philadelphia and crossed the bridge into New Jersey.
Our first stop was Maurice River Bluffs Preserve, a pretty natural area maintained by the Nature Conservancy.
There was significantly more snow in this part of Jersey and we ended up trekking through quite a few inches while hiking.
The trail led us straight to the Maurice River. I loved watching sheets of ice drift down the river!
After only driving it for like two hours, we needed to stop and charge the car. We found a sushi place next door for lunch before continuing the drive down to Cape May.
The further south we went, the more snow was along the road. It made the drive through the forests really pretty. I’m sure this is a much different vibe than tourists are usually greeted with on the way to the Jersey shore!
It was COLD when we made it to Cape May. The town is on a peninsula and the wind was blowing off the ocean from every direction. It completely blasted down the air temperature!
It took several layers of clothes to entice me out of the car and a lot of self-persuasion to summit the dunes and make it onto the beach.
I’m so glad we did, it was absolutely stunning.
The upper part of the beach had a dusting of snow, the waves had washed the rest away.
Even amidst the grueling temperature, the crashing waves brought a sense of peace as they usually do. I had to sit and listen to them for a few minutes.
Walking back to the car, I was greeted with this stunning view of the Cape May Lighthouse:
I’d never really seen a beach covered in snow and I’m so glad I did.
Of course, I’d much prefer to swim in the warmth, but this is a close second. It reminded me of how places can morph with the seasons with each bringing a new sense of beauty.
With a quick stop at the car to warm up, we embarked on the trails around the wetlands of the State Natural Area.
The first stop was a birding observation deck overlooking Bunker Pond.
I can see this as being a cool place to see birds in the summer, but there was nothing milling about in the dead of winter.
The deck brought an unexpected challenge with five inches of unplowed snow we sunk into. Our adversary remained as we walked along the boardwalk into the woods.
Thankfully, people had been on the trail before us. We were able to follow their imprints in the otherwise fluffy snow. But even with carefully placed steps, we both ended up with soaked shoes and didn’t make it as far as we had wanted.
We left the park and made our way into the town of Cape May. My only experience with this place before was a hotel in Disney World that was themed after the town, so I was pleasantly surprised to find it so storybook-esque.
Cape May had also been hit with a few inches of snow, which contrasted comically with the beachy summer vibe of the town.
Since it was winter, a lot in the town was closed. We grabbed some hot coffee at Coffee Tyme. It was okay, but I was disappointed the nearby Cape May Roasters was closed.
We walked around and admired the architecture for a bit before succumbing to the cold and heading back to the car.
Atlantic City was still about an hour away and we both wanted to make it there before the sunset.
Now, I wasn’t really sure what to expect from Atlantic City. I can’t say I’ve heard the most glowing reviews, but I was cautiously optimistic for the city. Saying I loved it would be an overstatement, but I really enjoyed my time.
Our first stop was the Ocean Casino Resort.
The giant glass building dominated the skyline and reflected the sunset as we drove into the parking garage.
A quick walk onto the casino floor greeted us with large windows overlooking the ocean. It was actually quite beautiful.
The sunset was pretty, especially coupled with the snow sprawled across the beach below.
Believe it or not, I had the time of my life in the Casino.
I’m not a gambler, but I loved grabbing cocktails and walking around the casino floor. It was warm and welcoming, opposite of the frigid night outside.
After spending an hour or so at Ocean Casino, we hopped over the causeway to another casino for another drink and walk around the casino floor.
By now, we were running a bit behind and still had to charge the car on the way. I ended up having to switch my train so I could actually make it. More assured of our timing, we made the hour and a half trek back to 30th Street Station in Philadelphia.
An hour after boarding the train, I was back in New York!
Turquoise Skies 