Family Fun at Hassles Mini Golf in North Wildwood

When visiting Wildwood...a game of miniature golf is a great family activity. One of our favorite places to play is at Hassles Mini Golf in North Wildwood. You'll find them at the bottom of the 20th and 21st street boardwalk ramps. It's an 18-hole mini golf course with easy and challenging holes. You can easily get to it via the boardwalk or by parking nearby. 

Hassles Mini Golf 
430 East 20th Street
North Wildwood, N. J. 

Hours: Open Mother's Day weekend through the end of September. 9am to Midnight.

We like to go during the "off peak" hours...so late afternoon or very early evening during the weekdays, to avoid the in-season crowds. You'll want to wear comfortable clothing, apply sunscreen and you can bring along your own water bottle. 

The admission fee is affordable. Once you pay you'll be given golf clubs, balls and a score card to help you keep score along the way. 

Let's talk about the 18-holes mini golf course. It's laid out really nicely with plenty of room to move around. There are your classic 3-par holes and a few more challenging holes for you to enjoy. There's moving obstacles at some of the holes and there's a beautiful waterfall feature in the middle of the course. 

We've played at almost all of the miniature golf courses in Stone Harbor, Wildwood and Cape May...I have to admit that Hassles is one of my family's favorites. They keep everything well-maintained and in working condition. Extremely clean course! 

After your done playing minature golf you can walk over to the Hassles Ice Cream Parlour to enjoy  ice cream cones, sundaes, milkshakes, banana splits and other frozen confections. You can eat inside or outside in their patio seating area. They have all of your classic flavors of ice cream along with some unique ones for you to try. 

Breakfast from the Star Lite Diner in North Wildwood

Heading to one of the south Jersey Shore points? Are you going to be in the Avalon, Stone Harbor, Wildwood, Villas or Cape May areas? If so, you'll want to check out the new Star Lite Diner in North Wildwood, New Jersey. They're under new ownership and have re-vamped the restaurant and menu offerings.

Star Lite Diner
325 West Spruce Ave.
North Wildwood, NJ. 
(609) 600-2757

You can dine-in or call them up to order takeout (you pick it up).

The Star Lite Diner offers breakfast and lunch. We stopped in for breakfast earlier this month and really were impressed with their food. They offer your classic breakfast fare along with some unique offerings. On the day that we visited...they were busy at all. We were immediately seated and a waitress took our order within minutes.

We had 3 adults in our dining party. We all ordered something different from the menu. My wife got breakfast fried potatoes, I ordered homemade chicken and waffles. A friend of ours who was along with us ordered classic eggs, bacon and breakfast toast. Everything we ordered was cooked to perfection. Presentation on the plate was appealing too. 

Throughout our meal we were offered beverage refills several times. The waitress was attentive making sure we had everything that we needed. The portions were generous and the prices were certainly affordable. Overall, it was a great breakfast experience for being down at the Jersey Shore.

Borough of Anglesea 1885-1906 Hotel Germantown Historical Marker

Last month we stopped at a few places on the New Jersey Historical Markers trail. The one stop took us to the borough of Anglesea in North Wildwood, New Jersey. There's a historical marker located right in the front of the Anglesea Pub. Here's the information on this new marker that was added recently.

Borough of Anglesea 1885-1906
Hotel Germantown

In early 1891 Henry Barnett contracted with builder Hewlett Brower to construct a hotel here at a cost of $2,976. After completion Barnett sold the building to George Ent of Philadelphia, who named it the Hotel of Germantown. The adjacent railroad provided Ent with a steady stream of customers. After Ent's death, the Bishop family owned the business, affectionately known as High Steps, for 63 years. It has been called the Anglesea Pub since 1991. 

City of North Wildwood, New Jersey

We visit the city of North Wildwood multiple times a year and this is the first time we've seen this particular historical marker. Hence, we're stating it's a new one. You can easily park along the side of the street and get out to photograph it along with the Anglesea Pub. By the way...the pub has great food! 

Deborah Jacobs Welsh 9-11 Memorial Marker

We enjoy traveling...especially taking road trips across our great country. During our road trips we like to visit small towns across America and check out things that are off the beaten path. Things that most travelers don't seek out...like memorial markers, old cemeteries, town clocks, historical markers, statues, walking trails and parks, small diners, and so forth. 

A few months ago we were down in North Wildwood, New Jersey visiting the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse. It's a beautiful victorian era lighthouse that is still in operation today. You can read all about the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse on our travel blog.

Behind the lighthouse there's a botanical garden with walking trails. There are flowers, bird houses, bird baths, a small butterfly garden, etc. that are 100% free to visit. Head to the back of the garden and up the path towards the North Wildwood Seawall. It's a short, shaded walk.

Once on the seawall you'll find wooden benches and 2 wood rowboats (perfect for family photos). In my honest opinion, this is the prettiest part of the Wildwood island. You get stunning views of Hereford Inlet and the Atlantic Ocean. A great little area for birdwatchers too! 

Facing towards the Atlantic Ocean you'll find the one bench in honor of Deborah. Here's the information on the memorial marker honoring her.

God's Beauty Surrounds Us - In Loving Memory of 
Deborah Jacobs Welsh
Flight Attendant - United Flight 93  9-11-2001
With Love From Her Friends

What happened on September 11th is something we must never forget. We need to teach our children and grandchildren what happened that day. The people that died that day are heroes and must never be forgotten. If you're going to be visiting the lighthouse...stop by and pay your respects to Deborah Jacobs Welsh while you're there.

Beautiful Victorian Homes in Historic Cape May

Cape May sits at the most southern tip in the state of New Jersey. This coastal town draws in millions of people from around the world every year. It's one of the most popular Jersey Shore destinations. Unlike some shore towns...Cape May has something going on year round. Yes, the tourists flood the area during the summer season...but you'll find fun things to see and do in the wintertime too!

We visit Cape May several times every year. It's such a quaint place to visit. Beautiful white sandy beaches, boutique style shops for shopping, fine & casual dining restaurants and no retail chain stores! 99% of businesses are locally owned and operated. 

When we're in Cape May we enjoy checking out all of the beautiful victorian style homes. You'll find them along the beachfront, in and near the downtown business district and throughout other areas too. Pink, purple, white, mint green and other fun colors abound!

The majority of the Victorian homes are quite large in size. I love checking out their front porches and all of the rocking chairs and seating that they have. Some of the victorian homes have been turned into Bed and Breakfast Inns, so if you've always wanted to stay in a Victorian home...now you can!

While on our last little trip down to Cape May we took several photographs of some of the Victorian Homes that we had the pleasure of seeing. This will give you a good idea of the type's of homes you'll see when you visit too! Best way to see them...find a good parking space and get out and walk! The streets are busy and narrow...so go on foot!

Wildwood Catholic Academy Historical Marker

For the past 12 years we've been documenting the historical markers that we come across during our road trips across America. Millions of people pass by them every day and don't give them a second look. We're here to change that. These historical markers contain information about the local area and are a great learning experience. Especially if you're into our country's history.

While on vacation in North Wildwood, New Jersey we stumbled upon a new historical marker that was recently put in by the city of North Wildwood to mark the history of the Wildwood Catholic Academy. Here's the information.

City of North Wildwood 1917-Present

Wildwood Catholic Academy

Ground was broken on August 18th, 1947 for the county's only Catholic high school, originally to be called St. Ann's High School. Bishopb Eustace and Monsignor Quinlan blessed the cornstone on July 11, 1948. Students entered Wildwood Catholic High School that fall. Additions were dedicated in 1959 and 1999. Cape Trinity Catholic School began sharing space in the building in 2010, and in 2020 the High School and Cape Trinity combined to form Wildwood Catholic Academy. 

You can check out the Historical Markers Historical Markers section on our travel blog to see more markers that we've located during our travels. There are several of them located on the Wildwood island.

Shop for a Good Cause at VIM Thrift Store

VIM Thrift Store is located on N. Wildwood Blvd. in Cape May Court House, New Jersey. If you're unfamiliar with the area...it's located in a little shopping strip plaza before you go across the bridge into North Wildwood. This thrift store uses all their proceeds to fun at least 1/3 of all clinic expenses. They help fill the gap with providing medical care to the uninsured residents who live in the area.

The thrift store accepts new and gently used items such as: apparel, accessories, kitchen goods, furniture, handcrafted items, seasonal products, jewelry, collectibles, home decor, small appliances, lamps and lighting products, etc. You'll find all kinds of different products in the store. 

One of the things I like about VIM Thrift Store is that they keep everything very clean and organized. You won't find a bunch of dirty "junk" in their store. On top of that, everything is very reasonably priced and clearly marked. You won't have to dig through boxes or bins to look at items you're interested in.

We enjoy visiting nice thrift shops (like this one) and antique stores when we're traveling. We visited this particular store for the first time earlier this month and were extremely impressed. Matter of fact, we purchased 5 items on the day that we visited.

The group that runs Vim's Thrift Store is called Volunteers in Medicine who offers free healthcare for the uninsured. You can visit their website and Facebook page to learn more about them. They do have a second store at Cedar Square Shopping Plaza in Seaville, New Jersey if you're interested in visiting that location.

Walking the New Cape May Nature Trail at Lafayette Park

The nature trail at Lafayette Park in Cape May is brand new for the 2025 season. It officially opened on June 13th, 2025. You'll find it located near the elementary school (officially it runs behind the school) and is open year-round from dawn to dusk. There's free parking in a designated parking lot right past the elementary school.

When visiting the Cape May Nature Trails you want to dress appropriately for the current weather conditions. Wear comfortable walking shoes, apply bug spray and sunscreen before you head out. You can bring along a water bottle, binnoculars and a camera. No dogs, skateboards or rollerskates are permitted on the trail. 

At the beginning you'll come to a "Y" section. You'll want to hang to the left and start walking. It's an EASY trail and those with disabilities should be able to handle it just find. We saw a couple while we were there pushing a wheelchair. It's an easy, level walk. 

You'll be walking on a platform-like boardwalk that takes you out over the marsh areas. Along the way you'll find a few park benches that you can sit for sightseeing or to rest. There are FREE binnoculars that you can use too! There are handrails on both sides...even so, please watch young children if you have them along for your walk.

We took our time walking this new trail and from start to finish...we were only out on it for about 30 minutes. We stopped a few brief times to look out over the marsh as some of the birds that were hanging out there that day. We did see 2 turtles, 1 rabbit and tons of small crabs down in the water. 

This is a brand new for 2025 Cape May Walking Trail and it's really nice! We enjoyed it and will definitely be walking it again when we're down in the Cape May, New Jersey area. A nice family-friendly, FREE activity that you can do while you're there.

Historically Black Franklin Street School in Cape May

The Historically Black Franklin Street School opened in 1928 and served black elementary school children until 1948. The historical building is still located on Franklin Street in Cape May, New Jersey. Here's the information printed on the historical marker located out front of the building. 

Historically Black Franklin Street School

The struggle for equal educational opportunity for black students in New Jersey is a centuries-long fight. The Franklin Street School stands as a monument to the centrality of African Americans in the history of Cape May. Due to public pressure to replace the deteriorated Annex building where Black students were taught, the school opened in 1928 and served Black elementary school children until 1948 when public school segregation was banned by the new state constitution. The building was saved in 1995 by the Center for Community Arts and became a branch of the Cape May County Library in 2024.

Erected by the New Jersey Historical Commision

A divvision of the New Jersey Department of State

The building and historical marker is part of the Black Heritage Trail throughout the state of New Jersey.

A Visit to the Cape May Brewing Company

Heading down to the south Jersey Shore? Going to be in the Sea Isle City, Stone Harbor, Wildwood or Cape May area? If so, you'll want to visit the Cape May Brewing Company located in Cape May, New Jersey. This craft brewery has been in business since 2011 and is one of the biggest in the tri-state area.

You'll find them located at 1250 Hornet Road in Cape May, N. J. They're inside the Cape May Airport Complex...just follow the signs to the airport and you'll get there just fine! They're open year-round with ample FREE parking. Last call is 15 minutes before closing time.

There are indoor and outdoor seating areas...including an outdoor dog-friendly beer garden that is located around back. That's right, you can bring along your furry friends! 

You can enjoy their various tasting rooms and try all kinds of craft beers, hard seltzers, porters, stouts, ales, IPAS, lagers, hard slushies and more!!! There's something for everyone to enjoy. Throughout the year they host a wide variety of events. See their website and social media channels for updates.

While you're there you can visit the Cape May Brewing Company's gift shop which is officially called the Brewtique. You can shop for hoodies, t-shirts, hats and caps , as well as other souvenirs to remember your visit. Take-out (pick-up only) is available for beverages while they can ship non-food and non-beverages to your destination.

Shopping at The Shore Store in North Wildwood

The Shore Store is a unique gift shop located in North Wildwood, New Jersey. You'll find them located on New Jersey Avenue. There's free parking for customers located on the property. They're open Wednesday through Mondays (closed on Tuesdays). You'll want to check out their online website for additional information on hours of operations. 

We've been visiting the Wildwoods for 30+ years and this store does have more unique, upscale items and gifts compared to those that you find on the Wildwood boardwalk. You will pay more but the quality is better. Just keep that in mind when shopping at The Shore Store. 

The type of merchandise you'll find in the store includes unique jewelry, home decor, accessories, gifts for all occasions, seasonal items, etc. All kinds of items related to Coastal and Beach decor with items specifically related to North Wildwood and Wildwood at the Jersey Shore.

Recently we noticed the colorful outdoor wall mural that you'll find on the wall of the building. I believe it's newer because it's the first time that we noticed it and what drew our attention to this gift shop. It really stands out! You'll find the artist's name (or the company's name) in the bottom right corner. One of the nicer wall murals in the area!

Cape May Lighthouse Museum and Educational Programs

The Cape May Lighthouse is located in Cape May Point State Park and is FREE to visit. The ONLY admission fees are if you want to climb the steps to the top of the Cape May Lighthouse. Walking around the grounds, gardens, nature trails and visiting the little museum & educational building are all FREE. The majority of the grounds are handicap-accessible. 

When visiting you'll want to wear comfortable walking shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. You'll be doing a LOT of walking! If you plan on walking any of the nature trails located on the property I recommend that you bring along sunscreen, bug spray and a water bottle. You can bring binnoculars and cameras too! 

You can check out my previous post on visiting the Cape May Lighthouse and the gardens that surround it by reading THIS POST.

Today I wanted to highlight the little museum and educational building that sit in a separate building on the Cape May Lighthouse grounds. It's 100% free to visit. It's indoors with air conditioning. A nice little activity to do on a rainy day or too hot day at the beach. You can go through the entire little museum in less than 15 minutes. It's very small.

Inside you'll find a few "live" animals ie. fish, turtle, a snake, etc. Not much. It mostly has a lot of information boards for you to read and learn about the area, the role it plays in the environment, animals that call the area home and there's a really nice display of seashells that can be found along the New Jersey coast. As always, don't take occupied shells that you find. Don't kill animals to just get a shell. Be responsible please!

There's another build to the right of this building that you can go in to look at a few more displays. It's basically an information/welcome center. If you need information on the park, lighthouse or the property...that's the building you'll want to visit. 

Located towards the back of the property and parking lot you'll find various nature trails that you and your family can walk. There's a wooden observation deck that you can go up on if you want some great views of the surrounding area. The nature trails are easy-to-walk and you'll have the opportunity to see various shore birds, rabbits, turtles, swans, ducks, snakes, butterflies, etc.

I wouldn't make a specific visit to just go to the little museum...but it's an additional FREE add-on activity if you're in the area or going to be visiting the Cape May Lighthouse. Personally, I would love to see a better and more in-depth lighthouse museum. Something worth of a visit all on it's own.

Touring the Cape May Lighthouse Grounds and Gardens

The Cape May Lighthouse is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Cape May county. It's located in Cape May Point State Park right outside of the downtown business area of Cape May. The park offers free parking and is FREE to visit. If you want to climb the steps to the top of the lighthouse...you'll have to pay an admission fee for that.

You'll find that the majority of the park is handicap accessible. That includes parking, bathroom facilities, ramps that lead to several walking platforms, etc. There's an on-site very small gift shop located near the lighthouse. They sell your basic little souvenirs like magnets, keychains, books, holiday ornaments, etc. It's very small in it's size and doesn't offer a whole lot.

When visiting you'll want to wear comfortable walking shoes and dress appropriately for the current weather conditions. If you plan on walking any of the on-site nature trails you'll want to bring along sunscreen, bug spray and a water bottle. You'll find the nature trails located at the opposite end of the park (towards the back of the parking lot) along with an observation deck.

Around the lighthouse grounds you'll find several information boards that give you some of the history of the Cape May Lighthouse. When it was built, the keepers who ran it over the decades, renovations over the years and other things. You'll want to walk around the entire base of the lighthouse to see everything.

Monomoy Lifesaving Boat is located on the grounds. Circa late 1800s to 1930s. Its a 26-foot lifesaving boat that originated in New England and was regularly used in various Life Saving Stations in the area, including in Lewes, Delaware. The design was developed from boats used to hunt whales and is named after Monomoy Island, off Chatham, Mass. It's a double-ended boat that's lightweight and was cheaply constructed according to the information posted near the boat. If you read the information board you can learn more about it. 

The Oil House was a structure that was built in 1893 to house the kerosene used to power the light. Lighthouses were generally powered by Sperm Whale Oil until its price rose dramatically in the 1850s. In the mid 1870s, kerosene which was less expensive than lard, became readily available and was used as the official power source for the lighthouse. 

This building was engineered to meet the special needs of kerosene storage. The pagoda shaped roof is capped with a vent so that the kerosene fumes would be drawn out. Originally the building held 5 gallon cans of kerosene and then later a large tank was installed to receive the oil delivered by a tank truck. You can read the information board to learn more about the Oil House.

There's a lot to see and do while visiting the Cape May Lighthouse State Park...including a little free Educational Building Museum. I'll cover that in a separate post which I'll link to this one once it's finished. It will include information and a lot of photos. It's FREE and a great rainy day activity to do while you're visiting the Jersey Shore.

Note: You can double-click on any photo in this post to have it automatically open up in a new window and in an enlarged size so that you can view all of the details up-close.

Antney's Grub for Delicious Cheesesteaks, Sandwiches and Subs

Last month we had the opportunity to try out a few menu offerings from Antney's Grub located on Montgomery Ave in North Wildwood, New Jersey. This was our first time visiting and trying anything from Antney's which was highly recommended to us by friends.

Here's a partial listing of menu items:

Traditional Cheesesteaks
Chicken Cheesesteaks
Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers
Meatball Subs
Pork Sandwiches
Chicken Cutlets
Strombolis
Hot Dogs
Roast Beef Sandwiches
Chicken Steaks
etc. 

There's various appetizers and drinks offered too!

We ordered and tried out the traditional cheesesteak, a chicken cheesesteak and French Fries. It took about 20 minutes for us to receive our order. Everything was cooked to perfection and you get generously sized portions. My favorite that day was the chicken cheesesteak while my wife really loved the traditional. The French Fries were the 2nd best that we've had in Wildwood. 

You can dine-in, dine-out, order take-out for pick-up or get delivery. Their prices are average and pretty much in-line with other sub and sandwich shops on the Wildwood island. Finally...a good hot sandwich and sub shop in North Wildwood! In the past you had to drive down into Wildwood if you wanted something hot and good to eat!