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Hi, all. As some of you might have seen on other threads, I'm trying to decide where to move now that I have a remote job.
The two coastal cities that are at the top of my list are Newport and Cape May.
According to my criteria, which do you think would be a better fit? Or is there anything I should know about both or either place from your POV? (Especially helpful if you live in one year-round!)
CRITERIA:
1.) Historic and beautiful - Both
2.) Beautiful and colorful autumn, mild enough winter (plenty of sunny days, not a ton of snow, feeling like springtime by March at the latest), beautiful spring; summer doesn't matter as much because I'm a teacher and will likely be traveling during the summer - Both?
3.) Ideally, politically conservative or moderate (want to stay away from places that are in-your-face radically left/woke) - Cape May more than Newport, but it seems like Newport is fairly moderate?
4.) Friendly community feel - Cape May?
5.) Plenty to get involved in and do; suitable for a 30-year-old single man - Newport more than Cape May?
6.) Close to other cities/towns if I get bored - Newport
7.) Close to a major airport - Newport (but Cape May isn't too far away from Atlantic City Airport)
My thought would be Newport is probably less seasonal so just on that parameter I think it may be better. I think that’s probably something to consider.
I think that Cape May is too far from Philadelphia and its New Jersey suburbs to work for you.
I agree. You might want to check the year-round population numbers and demographics for both locations. I believe Cape May skews older. Many restaurants/activities close in Cape May over the winter months due the significant decrease in year round population.
The Coast Guard maintains a Training Center in Cape May, NJ.
Last edited by Maddie104; 07-16-2023 at 01:45 PM..
Well, there's a huge geographical difference between Cape May and Newport: The residential part of Cape May is about 1/4 the size of residential Newport proper, and much less densely developed with very limited room for dense development given rebuild restrictions. Newport is a pre-Industrial Age port city that is dense with social & cultural institutions.
As others have (correctly) stated, Newport with be much less seasonal and have more going on year round. I suspect it will also be more expensive, but that probably warrants more research.
Cape May is fantastic in the summer, but if you largely won't be there in the summer, I'd say "why bother". Newport is in a more consistently populated area so more going on as well - once you get more than 2 miles from the coast, far South Jersey gets pretty remote pretty quickly.
The beach is nicer with warmer water in Cape May, fwiw.
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
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Cape May is one of my favorite places. I've been going there every summer for vacation for over 40 years. It is charming and quaint and friendly and beautiful. But...it is a bit of a pain to get to. You are literally at the bottom tip of a peninsula so you can only go north or take a ferry to Lewes, Delaware to get anywhere.
While Cape May has historically been a summer destination, it has gotten more popular year-round (I'd say up through Christmas and then after March). They do a lot more year-round tourist activities like murder mystery weekends and Christmas events. However, those are geared toward tourists. For people living there, most amenities are in Rio Grande (like big box stores such as Walmart) or in Cape May Courthouse like medical care. The Atlantic City airport is not that large.
I feel like you would need to travel fairly far for some activities such as to Philadelphia for a big airport or specialty medical care. My husband and I considered retiring there, but ultimately I think it's too inconvenient (for me). It has also gotten VERY VERY expensive.
Take my comments with a grain of salt because I have never lived there year-round, but that is my best guess. I am not familiar with Newport other than one lovely visit there many years ago. It does seem more conveniently located for access to other places. Good luck!
As others have (correctly) stated, Newport with be much less seasonal and have more going on year round. I suspect it will also be more expensive, but that probably warrants more research.
Cape May is fantastic in the summer, but if you largely won't be there in the summer, I'd say "why bother". Newport is in a more consistently populated area so more going on as well - once you get more than 2 miles from the coast, far South Jersey gets pretty remote pretty quickly.
The beach is nicer with warmer water in Cape May, fwiw.
The ocean temperature isn’t all that different. Cape May is typically a couple of degrees warmer. It’s not like comparing Cape May to Maine where the ocean is wicked pissah cold. The marine microclimate is similar.
The best RI beaches are over the bridge. What Newport has is yachting. You have a bunch of destinations you can make in a day’s sail. Block Island, obviously. Montauk. Cuttyhunk. Martha’s Vineyard.
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