CHRISTMAS IN CAPE MAY
November 22, 2025 – January 4, 2026
What better place to get into the true spirit of Christmas than Victorian Cape May? This seaside town is transformed into a Dickens village for the holidays with garlands of fragrant greens and twinkling gaslights. Wrap yourself in the warmth of holiday spirit and sample a variety of fun tours and events.
CHRISTMAS CANDLELIGHT HOUSE TOURS
Cape May MAC launched its first Christmas tour in 1974 and ever since this tour has been a beloved annual tradition and a highlight of the holiday season in America’s only National Historic Landmark City. This self-guided walking tour celebrates the best of Cape May at Christmas, as you travel Cape May’s gaslit streets, hear musicians and carolers, and visit homes, inns, B&Bs, churches and hotels where you’ll step inside to see both Victorian and more modern interiors beautifully decorated for the holidays. Don’t miss Cape May’s longest running and most popular Christmas tour.
CHRISTMAS TREE-LIGHTING CEREMONY
Kick-off the Holiday season!
November 22, 2025
Santa and his elves have decked out the Physick Estate with thousands of lights and holiday trimmings. Enjoy a free performance of holiday classics by the John Walter Community Band as we join Santa in lighting the tree!
Sponsored by Study Savings Bank.
LAMPLIGHTER CHRISTMAS WALKING TOUR
See inside a selection of Cape May bed & breakfast inns and private homes, specially decorated for the holidays on this self-guided evening walking tour that includes a visit to An Old-fashioned Christmas Exhibit in the Carroll Gallery at the Physick Estate Carriage House.
NEW! Now offering a dinner package with The Washington Inn.
CAPE MAY GHOST TOURS
Cape May’s Longest Running Ghost Tours!
Cape May is one of the most haunted towns you’ll ever visit. Is it any wonder? It’s such a marvelous place, even the spirits don’t want to leave Cape May! Dozens of Victorian gems have been investigated and documented to have “spirit” residents, all of whom are quite friendly, we assure you. Take a giant step back in Cape May’s past and see if a ghostly encounter is in the cards for you!
EMLEN PHYSICK ESTATE TOUR
The 2025 Physick Estate Tour, The Art of Home, explores the rich artistry of Victorian life. Designed by architect Frank Furness, the home showcases Stick Style architecture with intricate moldings, custom furniture, and vibrant wallpapers. Beyond décor, the era’s artistic traditions shine through unexpected details like mourning jewelry made from hair and whimsical “rogue taxidermy” in parlor shades. Even functional elements, from pocket shutters to ceiling medallions, were crafted with elegance. Each room tells a story of beauty, memory, and creativity, making the Physick Estate a living masterpiece of 19th-century design and expression. Tour Cape May’s 1879 Victorian House Museum and learn about its key role in Cape May’s decades-long renaissance story as you appreciate its beauty and craftsmanship.
Learn More
Cape May MAC (Museums+Arts+Culture), as a nonprofit cultural organization dedicated to the preservation, interpretation and cultural enrichment of the greater Cape May region for its residents and visitors, proudly joins the chorus of voices decrying racism, prejudice, discrimination and injustice, in all its forms, in every corner of our nation. As the steward of three historic sites and the storyteller of more than 200 years of area history, Cape May MAC is well aware that, “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.” We will continue to strive to serve a broad and diverse community, to illuminate all the threads with which the fabric of history is written, seek out all voices, and include and encourage full participation.