South Jersey

June 26, 2004 6:19 AM

Anyone here from south Jersey? I mean waaay south, like near Cape May. It looks like I may be relocating there, and I know zilch about the area. Which towns are especially cool/funky/arty and/or especially affordable on a librarian's salary? Which are especially uncool/scary or unaffordable on civil servant's wages (seems to be no shortage of the latter)?

Also, my dear SO would like to go to grad school, and Philly seems to be the nearest place with schools she's interested in. Are there any towns in Cape May County that would allow a fairly easy commute to Philly? Or perhaps towns in between that would allow an easy-ish commute in both directions? TIA

posted by willpie to Travel & Transportation around Cape May, NJ (6 answers total)

Cape May to Philly seems like a pretty hefty commute. I lived in Wilmington and Newark Delaware for three years and commuted to Center City Philly every day on the R2 Septa train. It wasn't too bad. About an hour each way. Has your SO looked into the University of Delaware? Drexel also offers on-line courses. I have a friend enrolled in this program and he speaks very highly of it.
posted by Otis at 8:10 AM on June 26, 2004

Wildwood can be pretty scary at times and the main roads will often be clogged during popular times of the year (High School Senior Weeks, all summer, any weekend in the fall or spring that's somewhat nice). I believe there's a ferry to DE near Cape May, or somewhere at the southern tip of Jersey. Philly would be a long drive for grad school, I agree with Otis check out the schools in DE. Best piece of advice I can give you about that area is to learn the backroads. All the major roads get clogged all summer (and the backroads can be real pretty). Also be prepared for the place to be a ghost town in the winter and spring- most of the houses down there are summer homes only. If you end up moving there in the summer be prepared for the shock around Septmeber/ October of everything closing down and a good number of your neighbors going "home."
posted by rodz at 9:16 AM on June 26, 2004

Cape May Ferry
posted by Otis at 9:54 AM on June 26, 2004

But just think of the wacky sitcom antics you could have if you lived in one of those kooky 50s motels in Wildwood during the off-season. Ice-skating on the kidney-shaped pool... I'm all for it!
posted by bcwinters at 11:27 AM on June 26, 2004

I grew up in South Jersey (Bridgeton, which is sort-of between Cape May and Philly). When I lived there, I felt the region was a cultural wasteland. Sorry.

But some good news: Cape May is beautiful. The best route from Cape May to Philly is prob. includes route 55, which is as nice a highway as you're likely to encounter (if memory serves). However, I suspect that the commute from Cape May to Philly is -at least- an hour.

As for Wildwood, I hate, loathe, abhor Wildwood. I'll never visit there again.

There are plenty other spots along the Jersey Shore for which I am quite fond. I have positive memories of Stone Harbor, Sea Isle, Somers Point and Ocean City. I officially qualified as a tourist in these towns, so my experience might not be as relevant as you'd like.

Good luck.
posted by funkbrain at 6:01 PM on June 26, 2004

I lived in South Jersey. Not that far south. Medford area about 45 minutes from Philly. Routes 70 or 295, and an hour from AC. AC Expressway. To Cape May it is 3 hours via GSP. I would say look into places near the ACE or GSP since inland, Vineland, Bridgeton, are not much except farming areas. One alternative is to live close to the Delaware Memorial which would make it a little easier commute into Philly. One
South Jersey news source if it helps.
posted by brent at 9:41 AM on June 27, 2004