Apr 27 - May 2, 2025
Starting at
1,999
New Jersey
Birding Cape May
Program No. 14349RJ
With its many protected areas and variety of unique habitats, Cape May is a mecca for both birds and birders alike. Come see songbirds in spring and raptors in the fall.
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800-454-5768
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DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
May 25 - May 30, 2025
Starting at
1,999DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Apr 27 - May 2, 2025
Starting at
2,549May 25 - May 30, 2025
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6 days
5 nights
14 meals
5B 4L 5D
2
Coastal Birding Field Trip, Birding Lectures
Cape May, NJ
5
CMP State Park, Back Bay Birding Study Cruise
Cape May, NJ
6
Wrap-up Lecture, Program Concludes
Cape May, NJ
At a Glance
Cape May has earned a reputation as one of North America's best birding locales because of its diverse set of protected natural areas at the intersection of two major migration flyways. Spring brings warblers and other songbirds. Autumn highlights hawks, falcons, eagles and other raptors. The backdrop is a charming seaside town with Victorian architecture and a scenic lighthouse.
Activity Level
Outdoor: No Sweat
Walking up to two miles daily on varied terrain; standing up to an hour at a time.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Explore Cape May Point State Park, site of the world-famous Cape May Hawkwatch, to spot the inhabitants of beaches, ponds, marshes, fields and coastal forests.
- Experience an afternoon boat ride through Cape May Harbor into the salt marsh and back-bay environment, with a visit from a local birding authority.
- Dine at the famous Lobster House after a field trip to one of the premier songbird migration hot spots on the East Coast.
General Notes
Due to the nature of this program, listening devices will be unavailable. All Road Scholar birding programs have a maximum participant-to-instructor ratio of 14:1 in the field. We adhere to the American Birding Association’s Code of Ethics. Learn more at http://www.aba.org/about/ethics.html Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Adehl Schwaderer
Adehl Schwaderer is a birder and nature enthusiast. She was first introduced to Cape May’s wonders in 2018 when she worked as an Interpretive Naturalist for Cape May Bird Observatory’s Hawkwatch fall migration project. She has since worked for organizations providing educational programs on environmental conservation, completed her master’s degree in Environmental Education and Parks & Resource Management, and made her way back to Cape May as Program Coordinator for the Cape May Bird Observatory. Adehl facilitates an array of birding programs and outreach opportunities.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Clay Sutton
View biography
A life-long resident of Cape May, Clay Sutton has worked for the past decade as a self-employed environmental consultant, naturalist and field biologist. He also has experience as an environmental planner and program administrator, and served as the vice president of an environmental consulting firm, specializing in threatened and endangered species. Clay was a long-time instructor for the American Birding Association’s Institute for Field Ornithology, and is the co-author of several books including “Hawks in Flight,” “How to Spot Butterflies,” “How to Spot Hawks & Eagles,” and “How to Spot an Owl.”
Pat Sutton
View biography
Pat Sutton is a freelance writer, photographer, naturalist, educator, lecturer and wildlife garden consultant. She utilizes her own garden as a “teaching garden,” and features it in many programs and workshops, and shows it during private wildlife garden explorations that she has led for 21 years. Pat and her husband, Clay, are the authors of the landmark book, “Birds and Birding at Cape May,” a summary of their efforts over many years to document and protect the migration and the hometown that they so love. Pat has been a working naturalist since 1977, first for the Cape May Point State Park and then for 21 years with New Jersey Audubon’s Cape May Bird Observatory, where she was the naturalist and program director. Pat has a master’s from Rowan University in environmental education and an undergraduate degree in literature from the State University of New York at Oneonta.
Tish Byrne
View biography
An artist and historian, Tish Byrne is passionate about all aspects of her native city and its environment after having lived in and led explorations at the Physick House, which belongs to Philadelphia Landmarks. She is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts later becoming an administrative assistant to the Director of the school. Presently, she leads excursions for the mural arts program, is a docent at Historic Christ Church and leads explorations of Philadelphia landmarks.
Mitchell Kramer
View biography
Mitchell Kramer has a B.A. in playwriting from Hampshire College and attended Circle in the Square acting conservatory. He has worked off-Broadway and in regional theater including the New York Theater Workshop and Dorset Theater Festival. He is a costumed Historic Interpreter portraying Benjamin Franklin in Old City Philadelphia. Mitchell has written and produced plays for children and adults and a series of historically accurate stories about 18th century Philadelphia for Historic Philadelphia, Inc. He is on the Board of Directors of Mount Sinai Cemetery.
Valerie Driscoll
View biography
Valerie Driscoll is nearly a native of Cape May, as true natives are required to go back at least two generations. She is a teacher of mindfulness and a wellness coach, who practices locally as well as afar. Other interior pursuits include helping clients decorate, downsize and de-clutter their homes in addition to building new ones. Music, especially live, birding, yoga, cycling, reading and dancing are some of her other favorite activities.
Lauren Kain
View biography
Lauren Biddle Kain is the site coordinator for Philadelphia Landmarks Road Scholar. She received her BS/BA from Randolph Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. After marriage and transfer to the San Diego area, she began working at EVENT NETWORK, a leading experiental retail operator, on behalf of cultural attractions such as zoos, botanical gardens, aquariums, museums, science centers and other cultural attractions. Lauren and her family now reside in the Philadelphia area. She started working with Road Scholar as a junior Group Leader for Grandparent Programs.
Adehl Schwaderer
View biography
Adehl Schwaderer is a birder and nature enthusiast. She was first introduced to Cape May’s wonders in 2018 when she worked as an Interpretive Naturalist for Cape May Bird Observatory’s Hawkwatch fall migration project. She has since worked for organizations providing educational programs on environmental conservation, completed her master’s degree in Environmental Education and Parks & Resource Management, and made her way back to Cape May as Program Coordinator for the Cape May Bird Observatory. Adehl facilitates an array of birding programs and outreach opportunities.
Michael Lanzone
View biography
Michael Lanzone is the CEO of Cellular Tracking Technologies in Rio Grande, NJ, a company that develops high-end animal tracking devices for research worldwide. Over his career he has worked for various state and federal agencies and not-for profit organizations across the country. He has also worked on many other research and banding projects across the world and has specialized in technological advancements and applied conservation in ornithology including bioacoustics and Golden Eagle ecology and conservation. Mike enjoys birding, gardening, fishing, and photography.
Suggested Reading List
(4 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Birding Cape May
Program Number: 14349
Watching Nature: A Mid-Atlantic Natural History
In Watching Nature, naturalist Mark Garland takes readers on field trips among the plants and animals of the cool highlands of West Virginia, the forested ridges and valleys of western Maryland and central Pennsylvania, the gently rolling Piedmont region around Washington, D.C., and the flat coastal plain extending from southern New Jersey to Virginia Beach. Anecdotes from the author's own adventures - the nocturnal sighting of a rare bird, a feast of wild mountain blueberries, a winter afternoon at the shore - uncover the surprises that even the most familiar landscape can yield. Describing seasonal events such as Potomac valley wildflowers blooming in early spring, shorebirds converging on Delaware Bay mudflats in mid-May, and monarch butterflies migrating over mountain fields in early fall, the author also provides itineraries for visiting some of his favorite spots. Complete with black-and-white watercolor illustrations, maps, an extensive bibliography, and listings of resource organizations, Watching Nature emphasizes the accessibility of the natural world.
The First Resort
Coffee table book with great, rare archival photos and articles about Cape May's past.
The Warbler Guide
Warblers are among the most challenging birds to identify. They exhibit an array of seasonal plumages and have distinctive yet oft-confused calls and songs. The Warbler Guide enables you to quickly identify any of the 56 species of warblers in the United States and Canada. This groundbreaking guide features more than 1,000 stunning color photos, extensive species accounts with multiple viewing angles, and an entirely new system of vocalization analysis that helps you distinguish songs and calls.
Birds and Birding at Cape May
Birds and Birding at Cape May is a must have both for those who have birded Cape May for many years and those who wish to make their first visit to Cape May. The book includes 568 pages of text, maps, site descriptions (including precise directions to finding sites), a seasonal checklist of Cape May birds, summaries of hawk and seabird counts, short historical accounts of Cape May, more than 100 black and white and color photos, weather and birding at the Cape, a butterfly list of Cape May, and tidbits about Cape May’s history. Available through the Mid-Atlanitc Center for the Arts' Museum Shop- 609-884-5404, extension 142.
Program
At a Glance
Duration
6 days
Program Begins
Cape May, NJ
Program Concludes
Cape May, NJ
Meals
14
| 5B |
4L |
5D |
Activity Level
Cape May has earned a reputation as one of North America's best birding locales because of its diverse set of protected natural areas at the intersection of two major migration flyways. Spring brings warblers and other songbirds. Autumn highlights hawks, falcons, eagles and other raptors. The backdrop is a charming seaside town with Victorian architecture and a scenic lighthouse.)
Best of all, you'll...
- Explore Cape May Point State Park, site of the world-famous Cape May Hawkwatch, to spot the inhabitants of beaches, ponds, marshes, fields and coastal forests.
- Experience an afternoon boat ride through Cape May Harbor into the salt marsh and back-bay environment, with a visit from a local birding authority.
- Dine at the famous Lobster House after a field trip to one of the premier songbird migration hot spots on the East Coast.
General Notes
Due to the nature of this program, listening devices will be unavailable. All Road Scholar birding programs have a maximum participant-to-instructor ratio of 14:1 in the field. We adhere to the American Birding Association’s Code of Ethics. Learn more at http://www.aba.org/about/ethics.html Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available.
Featured Expert
Adehl Schwaderer
Adehl Schwaderer is a birder and nature enthusiast. She was first introduced to Cape May’s wonders in 2018 when she worked as an Interpretive Naturalist for Cape May Bird Observatory’s Hawkwatch fall migration project. She has since worked for organizations providing educational programs on environmental conservation, completed her master’s degree in Environmental Education and Parks & Resource Management, and made her way back to Cape May as Program Coordinator for the Cape May Bird Observatory. Adehl facilitates an array of birding programs and outreach opportunities.
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
Clay Sutton
A life-long resident of Cape May, Clay Sutton has worked for the past decade as a self-employed environmental consultant, naturalist and field biologist. He also has experience as an environmental planner and program administrator, and served as the vice president of an environmental consulting firm, specializing in threatened and endangered species. Clay was a long-time instructor for the American Birding Association’s Institute for Field Ornithology, and is the co-author of several books including “Hawks in Flight,” “How to Spot Butterflies,” “How to Spot Hawks & Eagles,” and “How to Spot an Owl.”
Pat Sutton
Pat Sutton is a freelance writer, photographer, naturalist, educator, lecturer and wildlife garden consultant. She utilizes her own garden as a “teaching garden,” and features it in many programs and workshops, and shows it during private wildlife garden explorations that she has led for 21 years. Pat and her husband, Clay, are the authors of the landmark book, “Birds and Birding at Cape May,” a summary of their efforts over many years to document and protect the migration and the hometown that they so love. Pat has been a working naturalist since 1977, first for the Cape May Point State Park and then for 21 years with New Jersey Audubon’s Cape May Bird Observatory, where she was the naturalist and program director. Pat has a master’s from Rowan University in environmental education and an undergraduate degree in literature from the State University of New York at Oneonta.
Tish Byrne
An artist and historian, Tish Byrne is passionate about all aspects of her native city and its environment after having lived in and led explorations at the Physick House, which belongs to Philadelphia Landmarks. She is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts later becoming an administrative assistant to the Director of the school. Presently, she leads excursions for the mural arts program, is a docent at Historic Christ Church and leads explorations of Philadelphia landmarks.
Mitchell Kramer
Mitchell Kramer has a B.A. in playwriting from Hampshire College and attended Circle in the Square acting conservatory. He has worked off-Broadway and in regional theater including the New York Theater Workshop and Dorset Theater Festival. He is a costumed Historic Interpreter portraying Benjamin Franklin in Old City Philadelphia. Mitchell has written and produced plays for children and adults and a series of historically accurate stories about 18th century Philadelphia for Historic Philadelphia, Inc. He is on the Board of Directors of Mount Sinai Cemetery.
Valerie Driscoll
Valerie Driscoll is nearly a native of Cape May, as true natives are required to go back at least two generations. She is a teacher of mindfulness and a wellness coach, who practices locally as well as afar. Other interior pursuits include helping clients decorate, downsize and de-clutter their homes in addition to building new ones. Music, especially live, birding, yoga, cycling, reading and dancing are some of her other favorite activities.
Lauren Kain
Lauren Biddle Kain is the site coordinator for Philadelphia Landmarks Road Scholar. She received her BS/BA from Randolph Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. After marriage and transfer to the San Diego area, she began working at EVENT NETWORK, a leading experiental retail operator, on behalf of cultural attractions such as zoos, botanical gardens, aquariums, museums, science centers and other cultural attractions. Lauren and her family now reside in the Philadelphia area. She started working with Road Scholar as a junior Group Leader for Grandparent Programs.
Michael Lanzone
Michael Lanzone is the CEO of Cellular Tracking Technologies in Rio Grande, NJ, a company that develops high-end animal tracking devices for research worldwide. Over his career he has worked for various state and federal agencies and not-for profit organizations across the country. He has also worked on many other research and banding projects across the world and has specialized in technological advancements and applied conservation in ornithology including bioacoustics and Golden Eagle ecology and conservation. Mike enjoys birding, gardening, fishing, and photography.
Activity Level
Outdoor: No Sweat
Walking up to two miles daily on varied terrain; standing up to an hour at a time.
Suggested Reading List
View Full List
(4 Books)
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call
800-454-5768
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
14 meals | 5B | 4L | 5D |
6 expert-led lectures
10 expert-led field trips
An experienced Group Leader
5 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
Check-in, Program Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Location:
Cape May, NJ
Meals:
D
Stay:
The Inn of Cape May
Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).
Afternoon:
Program Registration: 4:00-6:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table in the hotel meeting room to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
Orientation: 7:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Day
2
Coastal Birding Field Trip, Birding Lectures
Location:
Cape May, NJ
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
The Inn of Cape May
Activity Note
Getting on/off a Jitney, riding up to 5 miles. Walking up to 3 miles; sand, uneven terrain, paved walkways.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Morning: We’ll hop aboard the Jitney and head out on a field trip to Cape May Point State Park, site of the world-renowned Cape May Hawk Watch. We will begin at the park Seagrove Avenue, where we will be exploring beach, dune, freshwater pond, marsh, field, and coastal forest habitat. Our target species for this outing will be migrating songbirds and possible rarities, as well as wintering waterfowl. We’ll ride back to the hotel after our field trip.
Lunch:
At the hotel.
Afternoon:
We’ll gather for two lectures — one on birds and birding in Cape May and the other on hawks in flight — with experts Pat and Clay Sutton.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
We’ll gather for a "Bird Identification Workshop"; with Adehl Schwaderer, Cape May Bird Observatory’s Program Coordinator.
Day
3
Birding in Town, Bayshore, South Cape May Meadows, Lecture
Location:
Cape May, NJ
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
The Inn of Cape May
Activity Note
Early morning pre-breakfast birding walk. Getting on/off a Jitney, riding up to 5 miles. Walking up to 3 miles; sand, uneven terrain, paved walkways.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will head out before breakfast for an early morning walk through Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area, the sight of CMBO’s Morning Flight Migration Count. We will be spending time along field and forest edges to track down as many migrating warbler species as possible. We will then return to the hotel for breakfast. Our mid-morning trip includes visiting various beaches in Cape May and Cape May Point to see a variety of gulls, terns, and other beach birds. We will end the morning at the Cape May Point State Park, where we will eat our boxed lunches.
Lunch:
Boxed Lunch Provided
Afternoon:
We will set out again for a birding field trip to the Nature Conservancy’s South Cape May Meadows property. This 200-acre refuge includes critical foraging and resting habitat for birds and wildlife. The preserve’s one-mile loop trail is characterized by dunes, freshwater wetlands, meadows, ponds, and a full mile of protected beach. It is an excellent place to view birdlife that may be present such as gulls, terns, herons, egrets, shorebirds, bitterns, rails, and ducks.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
We'll gather for a lecture delivered by Mike Lanzone, Founder & CEO of Cellular Tracking Technologies entitled Connecting Technology and Wildlife to Answer the Big Conservation Questions of Today and Tomorrow.
Day
4
The Beanery, Avalon Seawatch, Stone Harbor Point, Lecture
Location:
Cape May, NJ
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
The Inn of Cape May
Activity Note
Getting on/off a Jitney; riding about 20 miles. Walking up to 3 miles; sand, uneven terrain, paved walkways.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Setting out again by Jitney, we will ride to Rea Farm — known locally as the Beanery — bordering Pond Creek Marsh. We will have special access to this private property as we look for high flying raptors and groups of sparrows. The mix of wet woods, farm fields, weedy edges, and farm ponds, is crucial habitat for millions of warblers, passerines, finches, and sparrows. We will then visit CMBO’s Northwood Center for some backyard birding, followed by a Monarch Tagging Demo to learn about the ecology, migration, and research surrounding the monarch butterfly.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Next, we will ride a few miles north on New Jersey’s Garden State Parkway to the barrier island of Avalon-Stone Harbor. We will explore the Cape May Bird Observatory’s Avalon Seawatch on the northern end to witness seabird migration in action, then to Stone Harbor Point on the southern end to catch a glimpse of a variety of shorebirds.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
We’ll gather for another lecture by a birding expert.
Day
5
CMP State Park, Back Bay Birding Study Cruise
Location:
Cape May, NJ
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
The Inn of Cape May
Activity Note
Activity Notes Early morning pre-breakfast field trip. Getting on/off a Jitney; riding about 5 miles. Getting on/off a boat; riding about 1 hour. Walking up to 3 miles; sand, uneven train, paved walkways.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll take the Jitney for a songbird banding demonstration at the South Cape May Meadows, led by New Jersey Audubon’s Vice President of Research, Dr. David Mizrahi. Our group will then travel to the Cape May Point State Park for a Raptor Banding Demonstration from the Cape May Raptor Banding Project. After the demonstration, we will then spend time on the Hawkwatch and park trails to raptor and songbird migration in action.
Lunch:
We’ll ride to Lobster House Restaurant, a local favorite.
Afternoon:
We will walk from the restaurant and board the Osprey Birding by Boat with Captain Bob and one of his naturalists, to see the habitats in and around the Cape May Harbor and any birds that may be present.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
We’ll gather for a Mindfulness and Birding presentation by Group Leader, Valerie Driscoll. At leisure, prepare for check-out and departure after our closing lecture in the morning.
Day
6
Wrap-up Lecture, Program Concludes
Location:
Cape May, NJ
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Hotel check-out 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Our birding expert will lead a wrap-up lecture. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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MEALS
14 Meals
5 Breakfasts
4 Lunches
5 Dinners
LODGING
Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.
Showing Lodging For:
- Sep 28, 2025 - Oct 03, 2025
- Apr 27, 2025 - May 02, 2025
- May 25, 2025 - May 30, 2025
- Sep 14, 2025 - Sep 19, 2025
- Sep 28, 2025 - Oct 03, 2025
Participant Reviews
Based on 24 Reviews
Sort By:
I've been on a number of Road Scholar trips at this point, and what I've learned is that each trip has its merits, some stronger than others. I've also learned that Road Scholar's trips can be uneven in the quality of any number of things, which one can only learn once one is on the trip, and that these factors are controlled largely by Road Scholar's contractors, rather than directly by Road Scholar . This sometimes makes it difficult to proactively assess a particular trip that one is considering, which can lead to disappointments.
This trip excelled in educational aspects, in my opinion, which is something Road Scholar, from my experience, has done well during every trip I've taken with it. And Road Scholar birders are no different than birders where most of us live and bird -- they are socially interactive, bright, and considerate folks. Great group.
— Review left October 24, 2024
Outstanding experience. For birds watching and other active events it more than met my expectations. My only minor disappointment was the food, mainly the breakfasts. No variety. The dinners and lunches varied as to there quality but we're generally fine. The two days we had lunch at local restaurants outside the hotel were excellent. But all of our leaders were knowledgeable and thoughtful, and the guest speakers were very informative. As a bird watcher who had never been to Cape May this was an excellent introduction to the variety of sites found there.
— Review left October 16, 2024
The professional birders who accompanied us on all field trips were as close to perfect as one can expect! Cape May birding during migration is a natural world gift that they shared with excellence and respect.
— Review left October 13, 2024
This was a wonderful trip! I did a fair amount of birding in my younger years but this was my first big bird trip as a senior ! The guides were very informative, very friendly and responsive to the participants. The logistics for the trip were great; we were well-cared for. Lovely hotel accommodations and staff. We were just across the street from the beach. Highlights for me were hundreds of Black Skimmers resting on the beach, an occasional Great Cormorant mixed in with the Double-cresteds, all the herons possible for the area (with the Little Blue in white winter plumage), many Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks, Western and Eastern Willets, lots of different gulls at various plumage stages, and a surprise Wood Stork flying overhead. There were more birds, too many to name. For me, it was a fun challenge to see warblers and ducks in fall plumage. And of course my fellow participants were wonderful !!!
— Review left October 11, 2024
Wonderful trip to a unique birding place, with great guides and participants.
— Review left September 28, 2024
Cape May is wonderful any time of year but birding in spring is just glorious! Crabs, chicks and rookeries, oh my! Our RS guides Adehl, Dave, and Paul shared their knowledge and passion equally with new, novice and expert birders. (And Valerie kept us organized!) For me, a bucket list item was seeing threatened horseshoe crabs on the beach. This was enhanced by Adehl who went above and beyond by showing us the underbellies of male and female horseshoe crabs. This was my second Cape May RS trip and second stay at the Inn of Cape May, which I adore. It is a 100+ year old hotel with charming eccentricities (e.g. micro-elevator and quirky rooms), but I loved my 3rd floor aerie (with its inland view of Victorian rooftops), the delicious meals (and interesting companions), bar (when free time), wraparound porch, proximity to beach/boardwalk and pedestrian mall. I would only make 3 teeny tweaks to the program: add one free afternoon or evening to explore town; move Lobster House lunch from stuffy inside banquet room to scenic outside/dockside; and do box lunches (as per October 2023 trip) rather than return to hotel so we can BIRD MORE! Oh and another: buy the volunteer guides lunch so they can eat with us! I don't know if I'll be a 3-peater but tempted...
— Review left June 14, 2024
This was a great trip and a wonderful birding experience.
— Review left June 4, 2024
Absolutely amazing experience with extraordinarily knowledgeable birding instructors and guides. This was my first birding experience and I am now "hooked". THANK YOU
— Review left June 4, 2024
This program was a hard 10 and accommodations were a 9.
— Review left May 31, 2024
A great program for the serious birder or someone just starting out! Road Scholar ran everything soothly.
— Review left June 12, 2023
This is my third trip with Road Scholar and it was another home run.
— Review left October 25, 2022
The weekdays were were there included hawks and falcons passing through. It was late for the passerines (or too early) but a variety of shorebirds. Thus, the bird activity was not as robust as you would have in the spring. The lectures were outstanding and the guides very knowledgeable.
— Review left September 26, 2022
Road Scholar's Cape May Fall Birding program was an excellent trip. Experts from the Cape May birding community were presenters and guides for the program. These experts and the trip coordinator made this a terrific week of learning and birding. The accommodations were great and Cape May is an awesome place to spend time. I highly recommend this Road Scholar program.
— Review left September 23, 2022
Easy to use and forthright,
— Review left June 6, 2022
As someone with zero birding experience, this Road Scholar trip was a truly a wonderful introduction to birding. The group leaders and lecturers were all outstanding. Their expertise, coaching abilities and overall enthusiasm for the sport was infectious. Cape May is considered the epicenter of bird migration and the field trip venues allowed us to view numerous species at varied locales which included marshes, ponds, ocean, meadows and woods. For those interested in learning about birding, I highly recommend!
— Review left October 27, 2021
This was such a wonderful opportunity to see migrating raptors, as well as ducks, shorebirds, and a few songbirds. Cape May is an amazing place and I intend to return.
— Review left October 23, 2021
GEAT TRIP. GREAT BIRDING. COMFORTABLE AND ENJOYABLE.
— Review left October 23, 2021
Was very eager to repeat this wonderful program that I had done before in September 2018 and it was just as enjoyable as then with an excellent leader (Melissa R) , interesting locations and about 100 species observed. Grand Hotel was a terrific home base for our daily excursions
— Review left October 18, 2021
Highly recommended. Cape May is a bird watching paradise. Excellent birding guides & presentations. The hotel and its restaurant were both excellent. Wear good shoes as you will be on your feet for about 2 hours for each of 2 walks per day.
— Review left September 28, 2021
BIRDS! BIRDS! Everywhere! And birding leaders everywhere! Do you think all Fall migration is to the south? HA! Come to experience Cape May's unique geography and find out about the "northern" migration.
— Review left October 27, 2019
This program makes birding around Cape May easy and interesting for experienced bird watchers. A variety of advice (eg. use of binoculars) helped everyone in the group. Guides with spotting scopes were better than I have experienced on less formal local bird walks.
— Review left May 24, 2019
Mark Garland did a superb job of leading this birding adventure. Our evening speakers were all fascinating and informative, and on the daytime bird walks we 28 participants were split into three groups so that we could all get a view of the birds and wildlife we encountered. Various personable and highly skilled birders joined us along the way. The trolley rides were ideal transportation, and the hotel provided comfortable accommodations and reasonable to excellent food. Valerie kept everyone organized and was very responsive to all creature-comfort-related issues. Well Done!
A couple of possible improvements:
1. The weather. (Just kidding, of course!)
2. The Lobster House did not impress me with either their service or food.
3. Harry's was very noisy and the menu limited, service was poor and our final meal together (scattered across isolated tables) did not provide the optimal experience. Find a place with a separate room for the whole group, or at least a much quieter venue. The Grand Hotel's Crystal room served very well for our group dinner Wed.
4. Consider offering an evening of bird-related games to help everyone get to know each other better. This would be fun, and especially helpful in poor weather!
5. Play a party game after dinner, or while everyone is still seated after dessert. Celebrate someone's birthday, anniversary, or another event. Act like a Social Director at a summer camp to help this group of almost exclusively couples interact more from the first day on.
I enjoyed this, my first trip ever to Cape May. The horseshoe crab and red knot and other prolific shorebird viewing was the highlight of the birding experience for me, truly a spectacular event in the spring on Delaware Bay's shores.
— Review left May 21, 2019
This program was very effective in explaining how and why Cape May is such a special birding area, particularly at migration times. Highly knowledgeable guides helped us explore many of the top birding sites in the area.
— Review left May 20, 2019
This is extremely well thought out and managed. Everyone will find some thing to love and much to learn about birds, habitat, and Cape May. You will be well fed too. The group is appreciative and not too demanding.
— Review left May 19, 2019
