frugalish day trip: Cape May

Summer's here! Got any fun day trips planned? Need a little inspiration? Looking for a day trip that won't break the budget? I've got one you'll love! Here's what you need: a picnic lunch, a full gas tank, and some spare dollars for a few tolls (bleh). Cape May, here we come!

First stop, the Cape May County Zoo! It's a donations-only zoo. Drop a couple of bucks in the bucket and you're free to roam for the day. I should mention that we were expecting a small local zoo with the standard set of animals, but this zoo is incredible! Why? 1) It's huge. Ok, not San Diego huge, but huge as in over 200 acres with lovely boardwalks through the forests between habitats. 2) Giraffes! Lion! Cheetahs! Bears! Oh my...;) Bird aviary! Reptile house! I could go on and on... 3) Got kids? There's lovely places to picnic right beside new playgrounds. 4) Did I mention free? FREE! Just go. Oh and if you have a zoom lens, don't forget to bring it...!

Now, drive twenty minutes farther south towards Cape May Point State Park. The park is free, picturesque, a birder's wonderland, and has bathrooms! Head towards the beach with picnic basket in hand. Embrace the roar of the ocean while stuffing your face with goodness. Our chosen deliciousness: Mom's "4th of July" chicken salad, pita chips, juicy watermelon, and Honest half and half tea (one day I will recreate this drink's perfectly proportioned amazingness).

No time to make a homemade picnic? Throw a few ice packs in a bag and grab some Wawa sandwiches on your way "down the shore."

Lounge, walk the shoreline, explore the birding paths, visit the lighthouse (note: the lighthouse part cost $).

What you do next is up to you, but we highly suggest you grab some take out in town and take it with you to Sunset Beach. Have another picnic while watching the sun go down over the Delaware Bay. The view truly looks like you've been transported across the states to the Pacific. Oh and by the way, this beach is made of billions of the tiniest pebbles or "Cape May diamonds." If you can't make it for sunset, visit for the fun of exploring a pebble beach.

We're a bit grainy, but it's not easy to run back and forth through tiny pebbles while trying to rig the camera's timer and focus...

Truly the perfect day getaway and you're still home by midnight. Happy Summer, friends!