Road Trip – Day 2: Tuesday March 29th
Our room in Cape May was warm and toasty, so it was shocking to step out to a windy, cold morning. The day was bright and sunny. The car thermometer told us it was 39 degrees outside.
Cape May Houses Overlooking the Beach
I had wanted to walk around Cape May to look at the beautifully restored Victorian houses, but it was too cold. One exciting note: the forsythias were in full bloom here in southern New Jersey! This was our first sign of spring.
Cape May Victorian Houses
We drove through a few streets and admired the architecture of the houses, most of which had been converted to B&Bs. Then we stopped at Uncle Bill’s Pancake House on Ocean Avenue for breakfast and coffee.
Pancake House – Few Customers
The plan was to take the Cape May – Lewes Ferry at 11:00 AM. We had an extra half hour for exploration so we drove to the end of the Cape to see the famous lighthouse.
The ferry, which has regularly scheduled trips year-round, travels from Cape May, New Jersey to Lewes, Delaware across the mouth of Delaware Bay.
Cape May – Lewes Ferries
The trip takes 90 minutes and costs about $30.00 for a car and two people. It was too cold to stand outside while the ship moved through the white-capped waves, so we sat inside. The trip was uneventful, which Jeff said is a positive comment for any boat ride.
On Board the Ferry
On the other side of the bay is Lewes, Delaware which is a sport-fishing center today. Historically, Lewes was a whaling port, settled in 1631 by the Dutch West India Company. We easily found highway Route 1 and followed it eastward to Dewey Beach. There were rows of well-maintained summer houses and summer colonies along the road. We could see the high sand dunes at the end of the short streets. We continued south past Delaware Seashore State Park which stretches south to the Maryland border.
Route 1 became Route 528 in Maryland and was bordered on both sides by lovely summer houses and condos. We decided that a lot of people must love the beach! It seemed excessive, to us, to own a beautiful summer house and leave it to the harsh elements of winter for many months. We continued through Ocean City, Maryland. We had been to Ocean City several summers ago and thought it was a gaudy and tacky place. Now, without noisy people and away from the glitzy boardwalk amusements, it seemed peaceful and tame. We drove on….
I had read about Assateague Island National Seashore and had always wanted to visit it, but we decided that it was too cold to hike outdoors. Although it was sunny, the temperature was only 44 degrees. We continued west on Route 50 for about eight miles to Route 113 south. One of our travel guides stated that the road goes through dark cypress swamps along the Pocomoke River.
Main Street into Berlin, Maryland
I suggested that we stop at a small village named Berlin and walk around a little. The town, with a population of about 3,500 people, has 47 buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Berlin, Maryland
It is a well-preserved town with many redbrick buildings which are now antique shops. In the center of Berlin is the landmark Atlantic Hotel, built in the 1890s. The row of rocking chairs along the open-air front porch invited us to have lunch in the historic dining room.
In Front of the Atlantic Hotel
This was my last chance to have real, genuine delicious Maryland crab cakes in Maryland! Jeff had wonderful fresh fish tacos and southern iced tea.
Main Street – Berlin, Maryland
After lunch, we continued south on US-13 through eastern Maryland and into the state of Virginia. We by-passed the famous Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge because of the cool temperature. I would love to see the wild ponies, some day in the future. Virginia’s Eastern Shore has been called one of the most isolated regions in the country, and its small towns and villages remain the same as they have been for centuries.
Accomac, Virginia
Although the area is mostly rural and undeveloped, there are numerous historic sites including colonial-era plantations and archaeological remains of Native American tribes. In contrast, along Route 13 there are also huge chicken processing plants and bright yellow-painted road-side stands selling fireworks, peanuts, cigarettes, and ham.
Main Street – Accomac
When we entered Accomac County, I told Jeff that I wanted to see the colonial town of Accomac. Today it has a population of 547 people and is called “one of the most photogenic spots on the Eastern Shore”. There is a site on the Internet with a suggested walking tour complete with warnings not to peek into resident’s windows.
1780s Accomac Debtor’s Prison
I wanted to see Accomac because I have ancestors who were born in Accomac County after their parents arrived in the Virginia Colony from England. I will have to return someday to do more genealogical research and explore this wonderful historic area.
Restored Colonial House in Accomac, VA.
It was getting late and by 5:30 we decided to continue driving south through the Eastern Shore toward the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel. This is truly one of the most impressive engineering marvels on the East Coast.
Along the Access Road to the Chesapeake Bridge/Tunnel
It opened in 1964 at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and was expanded in 1997 with twin bridges. It is almost 18 miles long and consists of one high-level bridge, two deep tunnels, four islands, and many miles of raised causeway. It is a lot of fun to drive over and under this bridge/tunnel!
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge
After the toll plaza, we continued east US-60 along Atlantic Avenue passing through the woods of First Landing State Park. Early colonists landed at Virginia Beach on April 26, 1607, before settling upriver at Jamestown.
For the first time on this trip, we ran into traffic on the way into the city of Virginia Beach. According to the Internet, this is Virginia’s most populous and fastest-growing city, and is the one and only beach resort in the state. Ten story hotels line Atlantic Avenue along the ocean. The buildings look new and the city looks prosperous. Jeff and I cruised down the avenue looking for a good hotel for the night. We parked in an outdoor parking lot and searched local hotels on the Web.
Cosy Living Room in the Residence Inn
The Marriott Residence Inn seemed reasonable and was close by. Our room was on the 7th floor and turned out to be a large two-room suite with a generous kitchen area. The suite was spotlessly clean and the entire building looked new. The best features were the huge windows overlooking the beach and the ocean. This hotel would be a great place to stay if the weather was a bit warmer. There was a small balcony outside the living area, but it was too cold and windy to enjoy it.
View From the Hotel
We took a short walk along Atlantic Avenue in the evening to look around. Earlier, during the drive to Virginia, we saw spring flowers blooming. There were bright daffodils, forsythias, cherry blossoms, and other flowering trees, but the air was still too cold to enjoy a long leisurely walk. The summer people hadn’t arrived yet and the Avenue was deserted. I feel like the city is watching and waiting and holding its breath in anticipation of warm weather……