Travel back to a time when Americans went to the seashore as a way of life

The Queen Victoria is the kind of bed and breakfast that I imagine Lily Langtree would have liked.  Not only does it have wonderful decor, beautiful gardens and spaceous rooms, just being there gives you the feeling you are special. 
 

Cape May, New Jersey will be a shock to anyone who thinks that New Jersey means traffic jams, tacky boardwalks and pollution.  The whole town has been kept much the way it was a hundred years ago.  (Okay there are lots of souvenier shops but hey, they had those a hundred years ago too.)  The classic Victorian houses and inns in Cape May have been maintained right down to the very expensive gingerbread paintwork. 
 

The Queen Victoria is located in the heart of Cape May, just a block from the town beach. The Inn is actually a complex of four landmark buidlings each with its own character.  The one that I would say is most unique is the orginal Queen Victoria, which includes just nine rooms and is the building showcased in the photograph.    Each room has a separate name and specially picked antique furniture.  When we visited the rooms in the Queen Victoria building  were without televisions.  I don't know if that is still the case, but I do hope so as it made the visit seem like a trip back in time.

The inn is surrounded by excellent restaurants, within walking distance.  In fact just about everything at the Inn can be accessed on foot. 
 

Once of the best things about the Inn is the communal breakfast.  When you rise and go to breakfast you are greeted by your fellow guests and the owners.  People eat, drink a leisurely cup of coffee and, when they leave, are often replaced by slightly later risers.  There is tea in the afternoon on the broad front porch, which features homemade baked goods.

We stayed in the main inn at Cape May for years, and moved to the annex when we had our baby.  In the summer the Inn has a minimum stay.  The Inn is open year round however, and its a great way to view the ocean and walk and empty beach.