Cape May County, in the most southern county of New Jersey, with a population of a little over 97,000 people in 2017, it is the least populated county in the state.
If you've ever been to Cape May County it's probably been for a vacation of some sort. That's what we are and that's how we live. Most of our businesses are not open year round and when they do open it's crunch time.
1. Sam's Pizza
Need I say more? One of the highlights of the year is the opening of Sam's Pizza Palace in North Wildwood. Not only is the pizza one of the best in the area, but the ambiance alone is enough to make you feel right at home. Of course, get there early because you might be in line on a nice summer day.
2. Summer runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day
Any holiday that's patriotic in some way shape or form is a big weekend for us. But the BIG TWO are Memorial Day and Labor Day. Usually, around Easter, the weekends become more and more busy leading up to Memorial Day and after that, school is out in some places and that means now we are going to have business all week long.
3. Customer service
If you've worked in a shore town, you've dealt with the dreaded customer service. While it's a great skill to have and it's helped me a lot in life, some people are just so... infuriating. From my experience, there's at least one big story every summer. But every experience is one to learn from.
4. Wawa is a MUST
Whether it's a beach day or you're just too lazy to cook, Wawa is a life source of South Jersey. From coffee before work to a hoagie on the beach, Wawa makes the world go round. Most likely, there's one within a five-minute drive of you.
5. Morey's Pier
By this point, it's the only amusement park I've been to close to a hundred times. Most people have season passes and if you don't, one of your friends probably does. It's a good way to spend the day, but if you go trust me on this, don't get a certain number of tickets. Just get a bracelet. It's more expensive, but your fun won't be cut short.
6. Shoobies
Ah yes. The part everyone has been waiting for; Shoobies. From my understanding, some people don't quite understand the meaning of this slang term. These people are tourists (exclusively from Philly) who come down and stay in the county. Usually, people will yell at them in frustration as they drive. My grandmother puts it best: "They drive as if the ocean is going to dry up before they get there." Which is a fair point. SLOW DOWN.
7. Weekends are work nights
This is especially so if you work at any store, shop, or restaurant. Weekends, especially Friday and Saturday nights go by the fastest and are the busiest. But this usually works out in your favor if you have a lovely little tip jar. Tips are great for these nights. And you can always go out during the week when it's less busy.
