Cape May, NJ, Ranks No. 3 on ‘Shoulder Season’ Destination List

Cape May seems to be on just about every best-of-list these days.

Many of those lists are related to the summer or holiday season, but what about the 'shoulder season', which is described as the period of time between a region's peak season and offseason.

That is generally a time of year when many people are looking to get away before the holiday season gets here.

Now, Cape Many finds itself on a new list, featuring the 10 most popular U.S. destinations that are even better in shoulder season.

According to Travel + Leisure writer Lindsay Cohn, who has visited 45 countries across six continents, Cape May is a spot that might be better to visit in the fall than any other time of the year.

It made her list of the 10 best shoulder season spots, coming in at No. 3 overall, behind only Park City, Utah, and Newport, Rhode Island.

Far more than just a summer beach town on the Jersey Shore, Cape May has year-round appeal. One of the best times to visit is in early fall, when peak-season travelers have dispersed and the weather remains lovely for seaside strolls and building sand castles. When October arrives, the crowds thin even more, and the red, orange, and yellow leaves look especially beautiful against a backdrop of historic Victorian homes. Far from a snooze, November brings the Exit Zero Jazz Festival and special packages at Congress Hall.

The writer mentions the lack of crowds, and she isn't wrong.  Cape May is a tremendous spot to check out any time of the year, but it's even better when you can have it to yourself.

Cape May does a great job of filling its weekends up with festivals and things to do in the shoulder season, but the weather is nice enough to enjoy everything that the island has to offer.