Memorial Day Weekend 2012

On Saturday, we headed to Belleplain State Park where we would camp for the weekend.  The state park is located in Cape May County, New Jersey.  It's best features include a swimming beach on a small lake (Nummy) and its proximity to the South Jersey Shore.

Travel time: 3h 15 min

Adventures:

1. Our friends from Connecticut drove down to join us.  It was the first car camping adventure for their 2 year old daughter.
2. Spent Sunday afternoon enjoying the beach, the Atlantic Ocean, and the boardwalk at Wildwood, NJ.  Had good pizza at Sal's and even better ice cream at Cool Scoops, which is fantastically decorated in 50's Doo-wop style.  Our 2009 Christmas card photo was taken there.
3. G. and S. took an early morning walk through the dunes and beaches of Corson's Inlet State Park during low tide.  Lot's of fishermen.
4. Toured the small, but impressive Cape May County Zoo.  Worth a stop, especially since it's free.

Misadventures:

1. One of the Crazies, A., forgot her bag, which contained her swimsuit and clothes for the weekend.
2. The hose connecting the propane tank to our camp stove developed a leak, ending the stove's use less than 24 hrs. into the trip.
3. A black widow spider built a nest under our tent. We discovered it when we were packing up.

Tips:

1. Don't attempt to leave the shore before 5pm.  There are only a few roads exiting the peninsula.
2. Take the off-the-beaten-path roads.  New Jersey is the Garden State, and its countryside is scenic.

At the campsite in Bellaplain, NJ.  A. giggling with her little friend, E.  S. looks on.

The Crazies posing with one of their parents at the Cape May County Zoo.