It’s a sunny, Sunday morning along Beach Avenue in the pretty Victorian town of Cape May, N.J. The majestic, white-columned Peter Shields Inn, a grand patriarch of a building, seems to be surveying the street’s goings on from its water-view perch. It is surrounded by an abundance of roses. Not in the garden, but in the hands of guests as they check out.
A Romantic Inn on the Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore inn is a three-hour drive from New York City or an hour from Atlantic City and is a favorite spot for romantic trysts. For $75 guests can request a dozen long-stemmed red roses in their rooms. Other treats such as cheese and fruit tray or an in-house massage are also available.
Historic Victorian Structures in the United States
Cape May boasts one of the greatest collections of 19th-century buildings in the United States and the inn is a real stand out among the town’s 600 Victorian structures. Built in 1907 for a wealthy real estate developer from Pittsburgh named Peter Shields, it is one of the finest examples of Georgian Revival architecture in the country. The interior is furnished with antiques and beautiful bouquets of cut flowers welcome guests in the plush foyer. The first floor features the dining room, complete with baby grand piano, a cozy fireplace and on one wall are Great Gatsby-esque black and white photos of Peter Shields and his wife Ethel standing in front of the house.
Unfortunately, the Shields’ were only able to enjoy their dream home for six years. In 1913 he went bankrupt and the couple had to return to Pittsburgh. The house became a nursery school, a yacht club, the Tuna and Marlin Club for fishing boat captains, a bar and restaurant and a bed and breakfast. Today there are nine guest rooms, seven have fireplaces and six have ocean views.
Peter Shields Restaurant
The food matches the décor: elegant yet homey. An American-hybrid menu includes lobster crab cakes, filet mignon with boursin cheese and caramelized shallots, Chilean sea bass with crab andshitake mushroom stir-fry, and New Zealand rack of lamb. Desserts include cream brulee, cheesecake, flourless chocolate torte and an amaretto tiramisu.
An ocean-view breakfast is served in the glassed-in porch and options may include a fluffy, cheesy omlete, waffles, pancakes with fruit or mushroom frittata.
Things to do in Cape May
To work off the breakfast calories, there’s lots to do in the area. The inn is a hub for seaside activities in the summer and provides bikes for pedaling into town, beach chairs, towels and umbrellas. In town, take a guided historic trolley tour — some packages include a tour of the Emlen Physick Estate. Operated by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (the town’s cultural and historic society), the Physick Estate is an 1879 Stick Style mansion and was designed by architect Frank Furness.
Peter Shields Inn is the Place to Stay in Cape May
Cape May is a wonderful place to shed the 21st century’s madding rush. Guests who stay at the Peter Shields Inn, www.petershieldsinn.com can truly slow down to a delightful, romantic, Victorian pace.
