Group Tour Information

Take the Trouble Out of Touring!

When you’re planning a day trip to Cape May, MAC offers you a one-phone-call solution.

Day Trips at any time of the year: We can offer you a wide selection of tours and activities to choose from. Your group of 20 or more will receive a custom-tailored visit that meets your individual needs.

All tour offerings are interchangeable and all of the suggested tour itineraries can be adapted to fit your schedule and needs.

Group leaders, tour operators and travel agents receive V.I.P. treatment. Any season of the year, we can pull it all together for you! Let us arrange your stay in Cape May with tours, meals, shows, theater, boat tours, nature tours and much, much more!

Our extraordinary museum shops (at the Physick Estate and the Cape May Lighthouse) offer an incomparable shopping experience for your group with merchandise not found anywhere else in Cape May.

The Emlen Physick Estate
Tour the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May's Victorian show-place, with 15 rooms authentically restored to their original grandeur.  Changing seasonal exhibits provide a glimpse of daily life in a Victorian household.  The Gallery in the Carriage House also features a variety of special exhibits available to groups.

The Cape May Lighthouse
Visit this fully restored 1859-vintage structure, one of the oldest continually operating lighthouses in the United States, which offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the Jersey Cape where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.

COMING IN 2009!
Fire Control Tower No. 23
Be among the first to visit the World War II coastal artillery lookout tower (Fire Control Tower No. 23) near Cape May Point, scheduled to open in the Spring of 2009 after a multi-year restoration.  Climb to the 6th floor observation room and learn about the Tower’s important role in protecting the Delaware River and Bay from enemy invasion.

Trolley Tours
Motor about Cape May in one of MAC's picturesque trolleys as knowledgeable guides point out landmark buildings and their architectural features and entertain visitors with accounts of Cape May's reign as "Queen of the Seaside Resorts."

  • Historic District Trolley Tour - In 45 minutes, see Cape May's National Landmark District: the gingerbread houses, the oldest residential street in town and the elegant grande dames of the Victorian commercial center.
  • Physick Estate/Historic District Tour - Combine the Historic District Trolley Tour with a tour of the Emlen Physick Estate House Museum for our most popular Cape May offering.
  • Trolley-Inn Around Cape May - Combine a 30 minute trolley tour with a visit to one of Cape May's fabulous Victorian Inns.
  • Ghosts of Cape May - Take a ride along Cape May’s enchanting streets past properties known for their “spirited” activity and hear their haunting tales.
  • Historic Haunts Combo - Combine the Ghosts of Cape May Tour with a visit to the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate to learn about the Victorian’s fascination with spiritualism and today’s methods of “ghost hunting.”
  • Cape May by Moonlight Trolley Ride - After dark, enjoy our Moonlight Trolley Ride, where the romantic customs of the Victorians are explained and explored.

Step-On Tours
For your convenience, a MAC guide can step aboard your bus and accompany your group on an informative and entertaining tour.

  • Cape May Point - Travel beyond Victorian Cape May to Cape May Point and the fully restored 1859 Cape May Lighthouse. View the area famous for its migratory bird population and stop at Sunset Beach to search for Cape May "Diamonds."  (Approximately 2 hours)
  • World War II Tour - Discover Cape May’s World War II historic sites, including Fire Control Tower No. 23, Battery #223 in Cape May Point State Park and Naval Air Station Wildwood, where you can disembark for a brief tour of this fascinating aviation museum.  (Approximately 2½ hours)

Food & Wine Offering
Wine Trail Tour
New in 2009!  Spend the afternoon visiting Cape May County's wineries and sampling the fruits of the winemakers' labors. Meet at the Emlen Physick Estate to board the MAC trolley, which will take you to Lucky Bones Backwater Grille for lunch. Following lunch, the trolley will take you to the Cape May Winery and Turdo and Natali Vineyards, where you'll learn about viticulture and visit the tasting rooms.

Cape May House Tours

  • Emlen Physick Estate House Museum - Take a guided tour of the impressive Physick Estate, a  Stick Style mansion built in 1879 and attributed to renowned architect Frank Furness. The house features many of the original furnishings as well as textiles and objets d'arts. Cape May's only Victorian House Museum!  (Approximately 45 minutes)
  • Calling Card Tours - Present your calling card at two or more of Cape May's finest inns for a delightful tour of parlors, porches, dining rooms and more.  (Approximately 60 minutes)
  • Cape May’s Designer Show House - Since 2005, MAC has presented an annual Designer Show House for the enjoyment of residents and visitors.  Noted designers from the region have transformed historic properties into gems of modern living and design, while maintaining the historical integrity of the buildings and restoring them to their former glory.  Be sure to include a visit when you’re in Cape May!

Combine any tour with a meal in the Carriage House Tearoom & Café at the Emlen Physick Estate!

The Holiday Season
Cape May sparkles during the holidays with old-fashioned carolers and hospitality. Join us for the festivities. Schedule early for these popular tours!

  • Christmas Candlelight House Tours - Visit Victorian Cape May's festively decorated gingerbread inns, houses, churches and hotels for interior self-guided Saturday evening tours. Experience our warmth and hospitality first-hand. Enjoy complimentary holiday refreshments.  (Approximately 3 hours)
  • Evening Holly Trolley Rides - Enjoy a front row view of Cape May's holiday decorations as our heated trolley winds its way through town. Guides weave stories of Christmas past and lead your group in holiday songs.  (Approximately 30 minutes)
  • The Ghosts of Christmas Past Trolley Ride - Hear ghostly stories of Christmases past told in the best Victorian tradition by trained actors and storytellers while your trolley drifts past our gaily decorated homes and inns.
  • Lamplighter Christmas Tours - Celebrate the holiday season at five of Cape May's finest Bed and Breakfast inns on this evening tour.  Refreshments await you at the Carriage House Tearoom & Café at the Emlen Physick Estate where you may view the holiday exhibit in the Carriage House Gallery.  Trolley shuttle provided.  Available on selected dates.  (Approximately 2 hours)
  • Holiday Inns Tour - Experience Cape May at Christmas while visiting three festively decorated inns adorned in splendid Christmas finery.  Visit some or all of the properties.  Available on selected dates.
  • The Physick Estate at Christmas - Return to the era of Victorian opulence and experience the feeling of Christmas in the 1890s.  Tours of Cape May's only Victorian House Museum emphasize Victorian Christmas traditions and decorating.  (Approximately 45 minutes)

Other Specialties

  • THEATER & SHOW OFFERINGS - Enjoy Cape May Music Festival performances in spring, or year-round Equity theater performances, musical revues or dinner theater as part of your tour experience. Dinner packages are available.
  • BOAT TOURS - Board the Cape May Whale Watcher for a sightseeing cruise around the island of Cape May. There's also the possibility of a whale or dolphin sighting!  (Approximately 2 hours in the morning, 3 hours in the afternoon)
  • ENTERTAINING LECTURES - Illustrated programs highlight the many facets of Victorian life: fashion, etiquette, decorative arts and more. Lectures can also be coupled with lunch or dinner.
  • LIVING HISTORY PROGRAMS - Enjoy a variety of entertaining performances by Living History actors portraying Dr. Emlen Physick and his family, John Philip Sousa and others.
  • WALKING TOUR OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT - Take a walking tour through the Historic District of Cape May. Learn about finials, appliqué, stick brackets and belly porches.  Guides enchant you with stories of a bygone era.
  • GARDEN TOURS - Experience horticultural beauty and design on one of our guided tours of the flower and herb gardens of Cape May.
  • FISHERMEN’S WHARF TOURS - Discover how your seafood gets from ocean to table on this 45 minute tour of the Lobster House dock and fish packing plant. The tour begins at the Lobster House Take-out Dock.

Group Day Trip Itineraries
View or download a pdf version of these entertaining day trips:

All Group Tours must be paid in full at least 48 hours prior to tour date.

Questions? Call our Group Sales Office for more information: 800-275-4278, ext. 139